“Ovo Energy operate on a deliberately dishonest business model that is intent on cheating customers. For example, every year they will offer you an energy forecast that will be far greater than what your home actually consumes. In my own experience, this will be anything from several hundred to even over £1000 of extra credit they will take forcibly from your bank account (often without any permission whatsoever). Indeed even if you put in writing to the CEO office not to increase your direct debit, they will do it anyway and start taking extra money from your account that is not due, fair or earned (which is basic theft and nothing else). When attempting to get a refund for this wrongfully attained money from your bank account, will then incur an even greater level of personal loss dealing with Ovo’s deliberately evasive customer services team. Again, they are trained to ignore customers in a bid to sit on that stolen cash for as long as possible (gaining as much interest to their own bank account at the greater cost to your own). So not only will you lose money, but a lot of time, a lot of effort, a lot of wasted correspondence that is otherwise ignored and disrespected by these people along with finally being offered a deadlock letter (which is the worst form of cowardly escape and mark of incompetence to any company looking to this as a resolution for a customer). Because it should be noted that the ombudsman are actually paid by people like Ovo to investigate themselves, hence why it is not a very fair system and even if you are ruled in favour with a complaint, this will only result in a £50 goodwill gesture at most. The ombudsman is a very cheap and easy way for Ovo to avoid any accountability, litigation and any genuine exposure for conducting such an openly fraudulent business model. Indeed most troublingly, the ombudsman actually rely on people like OVO who dishonour contracts to keep in a job themselves. Hardly in the interest of the public is it? So after a huge amount of pain and even greater loss of energy than anything this company has actually supplied, you will finally get a refund -but no other compensation to the other very real losses you will suffer just to get money that was stolen from you returned. Then the following year, this self-licensed gang of thieves will do exactly the same thing with falsely inflating your energy forecast, hiking up your direct debit’s and taking your money without any permission or right, ignoring you all the way before they get back into bed with the ombudsman and offer you a deadlock letter. This is just with energy forecast usage. Yet I am reading reviews of other people who are promised £50 cashback for joining, who had to complain relentlessly only to get £25 and nothing else. If you try calling this company, they will charge you at a premium rate too. And if there is any need for a meter reading, it will only be under the auspices that you could be going into debt (but never going into extra credit which should be refunded to you as another point of note). Do you see the consistent trend that is only out to cheat customers of money, instead of offering any real honourable and trustworthy service of value? I have never witnessed such a comprehensive and corporate level of scam to the public than what Ovo offer so shamelessly. As another interesting observation, I find it odd that trustpilot uniquely is claiming something that averages a four star review for Ovo, compared to other review networks that are more like one star for this terrible energy provider. Perhaps the ombudsman are not the only bedfellows going on here?”
“First day with them. I find my SSE app which gave usage and various other information in s simple manner. The OVO app is rubbish and of no help for the consumers. It’s merely telling us if we owe them money or not.”
“Total nightmare to deal with. Incompetent, need investigating as well as naming & shaming. Have been trying to sort out a credit owed on my fathers property since before Christmas 2022. Have spoken several times to foreign call centers, where the staff are either not trained properly / don't listen / don't understand??? Have been referred twice, supposedly as "urgent" to a "high resolutions team" to sort things out, they haven't. Have had an account opened for me that was not required. Have spent hours on the phone, have been promised phone calls that don't transpire. Wrote to them in March, detailing everything as they requested, they never replied although I did confirm they had received my letter. Latest situation is receiving a so called final statement saying a debit balance is owed to them. Checking it all, the final balance is a CREDIT balance with them owing me money, but they have sent a reminder threatening credit ref agency action if payment isn't made to them. Phoned again 16/6, after nearly 2 hrs now being referred to a case manager, urgent again but 12 days on still awaiting contact. 1* given as there is no minus rating available, but AVOID IF YOU HAVE ANY SENSE. Have never dealt with a more incompetent company.”
“Isn’t there any minus star marks? Worst place to be. This company is wasting time … They don’t understand what we are saying and we don’t understand what they are saying. Please recruit people who can speak and understand English. Almost 3 days were wasted with 3 long telephone conversations but still I didn’t get what I wanted. Finally today I chat with them and told my issue. Again the person asked for my number and called me. At last she promised will send you all the details in an email ryt now and even said sorry for inconvenience happened all these days. But still the same. She also didn’t send😂😂😂😂 why???? How is this even possible?”
“I do not think Ovo deserve any star for their customer services.
After 2 long long telephone conversations, despite we gave them the exactly gas meter readings, Ovo still sent us a fictional ESTIMATED gas bill of £1400 over a 3-month period for a 2 -bedroom empty flat which we haven't used any gas at all.
How is that possible? According to your own estimate, the flat's energy consumption for the whole 12 month period- electricity and gas will be little over £2000.”
“Worse company I’ve dealt with . Was £280 pounds in credit but can’t have a refund for months due to a system error on their part. Took days to speak to someone as kept getting cut off . I’m in disbelief at how poorly they treat customers .”
“The worst company ever ,would give 000 stars if I could !
Been with them from February ,started with monthly payment £ 250 and within months it’s gone up to 517 ! We also been told few weeks ago we are in debit £1000 then went to £2000 this weekend ,when we called them Monday we were told we now own them £ 3000 !!!
How is this possible and how do they get away with this ???
We are pensioners and the distress is causing is awful !!
This company needs to be investigated as it’s ripping people off .”
“THE EXPECT METO READ A METER EVERY MONTH WHICH IS 12 FOOT IN THNE SEALING.
AT ALMOST 80 THIS I CONSIDER UNREASONABLE.
I HAVE PAYED THE BILL,S THROUGH MY BANK.
I DO NOT HAVE A CREDIT CARD I FEEL IT IS INSECURE TO SUPPLY IT TO A PHONE OPERATIOR.
THIS LEAVES ME OPEN TO FRAUD.
TO SEND A E-MAIL IS QUITE SIMPLE WITH THE AMOUNT AND ACOUNT INFO.
MY WIFE IS ALSO HAVING A RATHER STRESS ACOUNT WITH OVO.
BEING TOLD SHE WAS IN CREDIT WITH THE AMOUNT SHE WAS PAYING.
DOSE ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE LAW IS OR SIMPLY MAKES A DEMAND.
WITH NO PAPER WORK TO VERIFY .
I HAVE NOT HAD A E-BILL TO GO AND PAY.
WITH SSE WE NEVER HAD ALL THIS SHIGHT .
IF SHE GOES OVER THE EDGE THIS WOULD BE A OTHER MATTER.”
“They are harassing me for more money weekly for both gas and electricity they have caused my mental health to slide and cant give them anymore if I do I cant feed my kids”
“Horrific company!! They literally have NO MANNERS they are rude, repeat themselves when you e.g want answers and help! They do not understand at all what I’ve told them; I am housebound, disabled, I have a life limiting illness! I use a hospital bed, I MUST shower daily and they are adding to my poor mental health, to the point they’re making me suicidal! I was with SSE I was in credit but cons over to OVO and had a debit of £700? I don’t understand however Trust their honesty since I have a smart meter. EVERY DAY they email me saying they will increase my direct debit!! They heighten my anxiety to the point of then having a panic attack! Im in and out of hospital with my chronic illness, I have enough to deal with!! Anyone considering OVO as an energy supplier, I beg you don’t touch them!!”
“Booked an appointment for an engineer to call and replace my smart meter. Booked a 4hr slot for yesterday 19th June, between 12:00 7 4pm: NOBODY CAME!!!
No cancellation email, text or phone call. Took half a day off work to be at home.
Awful customer service, emails not replied to, left on the telephone for ages BUT they can respond to negative reviews within hours!!!
AVOID THIS COMPANY”
“Shocking prices with Ovo, the worst ever. Never again. I am swapping suppliers How on earth they can charge me £171.00 during the summer when i never have heating on???.
A total rip off, and prior to that they just took £500.00 from my bank account. Shocking. Rip off merchants and rubbish.”
“Don't go with this company. Its shocking. Since sse handed over I have had no bill at all and evrrytine I check my balance it seems to be going up not coming down. So the move over hasn't actually been down right with this company as my parents are still going to sse. And not once person from ovo has contacted me but I have woth them and get nowhere. Worst company ever and neber to return to this ballsup of a company.”
“Awful company, I’m changing supplier.
Was with SSE for 55 years as before that they were called SEB. They were an excellent company and no complaints in all that time, the system worked like clockwork.
Always paid quarterly. After several frustrating calls was told no can’t pay quarterly anymore but could pay every two months. This has carried on for about a year but every time a bill comes (monthly) within days almost the threatening letters start about overdue payments, debt collectors and court orders.
I’ve always paid promptly within the time limits.
Awful customer service, I don’t think they are properly trained.
I can no longer stand their bullying and threats, there are plenty of other suppliers that treat you respectfully as a customer.
Reviews say it all about this inept company.
They’ve been in the news recently and it is scandalous the overcharging they have been getting away with!
Please be warned and steer of OVO Energy!”
“Ovo and sse has been the most stressful experience and after 8 months of asking to switch from a inherited pre payment meter to a monthly and constantly promised but has not happened until now, I've moved my electric to octupus (far better) but ovo has blocked the gas. I was sent an email saying I owed nothing. Then sent a bill of £36 and then sent a bill of £2750 with no breakdown of costs or how many units used and the cost of units. I've been call a liar by sse because they had not switched me over but their call centre person said they had. I'd spent more than 30 hours on the phone trying to sort it out. The ombudsman said it was sorted when it clearly wasn't as they took sse on their word and not the evidence supplied. This is only part of it but now I have a charity working on my behalf yo help as there is no resolution and no response from emails. My last contact with them consisted of them giving me different reasons for the charge of £2750 followed by them getting back to me. Three weeks later, still no response from them. The stress has been ongoing and furthered my depression. What they are doing should be illegal. Its mental torture on customers with many people paying due to fear even though no proof of units used or cost is given.”
“I signed up for a contract, I was told £86 per month. Before our first bill came, before we sent any meter readings, before we'd even lived there a month, we got an email saying our bill was being raised to £246 a month. This was based on nothing. I took a day off work to fit a smart meter. Smart meter doesn't work and ovo continue to charge a crazy rate for 2 people living in a small, 1 bed flat and barely do anything in the flat as we both work 2 jobs. I try submitting a meter reading, and they say they can't accept it because its lower than the original read, even though I never sent an original read. One customer service member shouted at me and told me to "f*ck off" because I wasn't reading my account number to them slow enough. Another transferred me, where I was on hold for an hour, before being hung up on. DO NOT USE OVO UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY ARE NOT A GREEN ENERGY PROVIDER THEY TAKE ENERGY FROM THE SAME NATIONAL GRID AS EVERYONE ELSE BUT ALSO SCAM YOU.”
