OVO engineer visits: all you need to know
On the occasions when we have to send an OVO engineer to your home, we want you to be relaxed and secure in what to expect from their visit. So here’s our guide.
Occasionally we’ll have to send one of our engineers to your home. Read on to find out how you can feel relaxed and secure about letting them in.
In which cases can an OVO engineer visit my house?
We know having an engineer visit can interrupt your day – so we don’t send out our engineers unless it’s absolutely necessary. The only reasons an engineer will visit you in your home are:
- If there’s an emergency
- To install a smart meter
- To fix your gas or electricity meter
- To read your meter
- To check on a fault that you’ve reported
If you’ve called us to arrange an appointment for another reason, we will of course send out an engineer on your behalf.
In exceptional circumstances, you might also get a visit from a Revenue Protection Service (RPS) agent. They have to investigate if we’re told that someone could have tampered with a meter, or tried to steal electricity or gas. But they will also have an ID card. If you’re not sure at any point, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 0330 303 5063.
How to be sure an engineer is really from OVO?
If an engineer needs to come to your home, we’ll always phone, email or write to you, to give you plenty of notice. If you’re on the Priority Service Register, you can set up a special password ahead of the visit, for the engineer to confirm on arrival.
When the engineer arrives, they’ll always introduce themselves and explain why they’re visiting you.
We take your safety very seriously, so before you let them into your home, please:
- Ask which company they’re from
- Ask for official proof of their identity
- Ask for their name and ID number
If you’re on the Priority Service Register, and have agreed a password for the engineer to use when they arrive, now’s the time to ask for it. If you’ve forgotten yours, or want to set one up, give us a call on 0330 303 5063 (Monday to Friday, 8am till 6pm) or speak to one of our friendly advisers via online chat.
Our engineers will always have identity cards. They’ll show them to you when they arrive, so you shouldn’t even need to ask.
Their card will show:
- The name of their organisation
- A colour photo of the engineer
- Their name and signature
- Their reference number
- The card’s expiry date
The only people with these identity cards are engineers currently working for OVO. There are strict checks in place to make sure all cards are kept up to date, and that they’re given back and checked off when an engineer leaves.
If you’re still not 100% certain that the person visiting you is a genuine OVO engineer, please call us on 0330 303 5063. Your safety is our priority.
Making an OVO engineer appointment
If an engineer needs to carry out work, or check something in your property, we’ll be in touch with you to fix a date.
Apart from meter readings and extreme emergencies, we never send engineers round unannounced. They’ll always attend only to do work that you’ve requested – such as switching your meter from traditional to smart.
If you haven’t yet got a smart meter, you’ll be contacted by our partners, Energise, or our Smart team, to offer you a smart meter to replace your existing meter. We may contact you via email, text message, over the phone – or if we have a meter reader in your area, door to door. We're rolling out coverage nationwide, so if you're an existing customer, you don't need to do a thing. We'll simply contact you once there's availability in your area.
We’ll set a date that works for you, and then give you a time slot. The time slots you can choose from are either: 8am to 12noon, 10am to 2pm, 12noon to 4pm or 2pm to 6pm.
How can I book an appointment to get a smart meter fitted?
If you can’t wait to start tracking your energy use, get accurate bills and cut your carbon emissions with a smart meter – you can book an appointment via your online account.
Not yet an OVO member? Get a quote
To find out more about how and why to get a smart meter, check out our complete guide.
How long will the engineer spend at my home?
The time the engineer spends at your home will depend on where you live, and the kind of work or checks we’re doing. If there’s a charge for any of the work, the cost will also depend on how long it takes.
Will the engineer need to get into my house, or can the work be carried out outside?
This depends on what kind of work is needed. Some meter readings can be done from outside. But for every other job and meter type, the engineer will still need to come in to check your appliances are all working correctly.
Read our full guide to smart meter installation
What to do if someone visits you and claims they’re an OVO engineer?
If someone visits you and claims they’re an OVO engineer, don’t let them in unless you’re absolutely sure. If you have any doubts, ask them to wait while you call our friendly, Bristol-based team on 0330 303 5063 to check they’re genuine, and ask why they’re visiting you.
Here’s a list of the companies we partner with to carry out some of our visits. They all carry their own ID:
- Energise – smart meter installations
- SMS – emergency and maintenance
- National Grid – emergency and maintenance
- Morrisons – meter readings
Meter reading visits
This is the only time (apart from a genuine emergency) when an engineer will visit you without an appointment.
Due to Ofgem regulations, energy suppliers have to send a trained meter reader round to customers’ homes once a year to take a meter reading. And they’ll also check everything’s safe and working as it should. So even if you have a smart meter, which sends readings automatically, we’ll still need to send an engineer to do an annual check. We use a company called Morrisons to do meter readings, so they will have Morrisons ID, rather than OVO.
OVO engineers: recruiting and training a best-in-class workforce
All our engineers go through regular checks and training, to make sure they’re up to date and able to deliver the high quality of service you expect from OVO. They’re trained to:
- Explain everything about any work they’re doing at your home
- Warn you in advance if we have to switch off your gas or electricity for a while, so you can sort things out in plenty of time
- Pay attention to the way you’d like to do things, and respect your concerns
- Treat your home and possessions with care and respect
Engineers not directly employed by OVO are employed by SMS, Energise, National Grid or Morrisons. We make sure they’re carefully chosen, and trained in the same way as our own engineers. And they’ll carry their own IDs.
All our meter readers are vetted, and checked with the CRB (Criminal Records Bureau). After they’ve done their training course, they spend some time working as a “buddy” with a senior installer before they start any work on their own.
You can be assured that any engineer/meter reader we send to your home is an expert in their field, will treat you and your home with respect, and will be able to answer any questions you may have.
How OVO Greenlight can save you money
OVO Greenlight is included for free on all OVO plans, and helps you do loads of cool things. So if you have a smart meter installed, you could:
- Get an even greener home: see where in your home you use the most electricity or gas (hello, cooker) – and spot ways you can cut waste. With our simple breakdown and tailored tips, you could save cash – and cut carbon.
- Shrink those energy bills: use the tips and advice waiting for you, and you could take a good chunk out of your bills.
- Power up at greener times: our handy tool shows you when the energy grid’s greenest. So you can do those 10 loads of washing when it’s kinder for planet Earth. And help the UK ditch coal – for good!
- Keep tabs on your home’s carbon footprint: with OVO Greenlight, you’ll see how green your home really is. And be able to compare its yearly footprint with other homes like yours.
If you’re not already with OVO, see how much you could be saving with our green energy plans. Switch today and get your smart meter!