If you’re worried about the amount you’re spending on energy, you can use the information in your meter to keep an eye on your energy use.
Your appliances are using more energy than you realise.
It’s winter, and you’re using more energy than you did during the summer.
It’s possible (but very unlikely) that your meter is clocking your energy use too fast (find out more in the next section).
It’s very unusual for meters to clock too fast. In fact, over 80% of supposedly faulty meters that are tested are found to be clocking absolutely accurately.
If you’d like us to carry out a Meter Accuracy Test (MAT), we can send an engineer round to do this for you. It will cost £138.32 for a gas meter, and £89.25 for an electricity meter, and we’ll ask you to pay the charge up front.
If your meter does turn out to be faulty we’ll refund the cost of the test.
Before you ask us to carry out a MAT, there are a couple of simple tests you can do yourself to see if your meters are overclocking.
Creep test (electricity)
Turn off your power at the fuse box and check if the electricity meter is still clocking consumption. It should have stopped, as no electricity is being used – so if it’s clocking, it probably is faulty. You’d still need to pay upfront for a Meter Accuracy Test, but we could say fairly confidently that you’ll get your money back when the engineer has completed the test.
Burns test (gas)
Start by turning off all your gas appliances and heating. Turn on one item, such as a single gas ring, and then watch the meter for a few minutes. For a single gas ring we'd only expect the meter to clock a few kilowatt hours over the course of five minutes. Make a note of the amount the meter clocks up, and if you decide to call us about this, you can tell us the figures you’ve noted, and our advisors will be able to judge whether your meter’s working properly.
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If you’d like to reduce the amount you spend on gas and electricity, it’s important to be aware of exactly how much energy you’re using.
The best way to keep an eye on your energy use is to have a smart meter.
You can have a smart meter installed free of charge. So we’ll we’ll let you when know our engineers are working in your area to offer an upgrade. Before we book your appointment, we’ll ask you a few questions to make sure your property is suitable for smart meters.
There are also many other ways you can make sure you’re using as little gas and electricity as possible. To start with, you’ll find some great energy-saving tips on our website and in our OVO guides.
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Discover what it is, how to claim it – and lots of other helpful stuff.
Find out ‘what’ to do and ‘where’ to get support when you can’t pay your bills.
If you’re medically dependent on your energy supply or need extra support managing it, we can help.
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OVO Energy Ltd, registered office 1 Rivergate Temple Quay Bristol, BS1 6ED, company no. 06890795 registered in England and Wales, VAT No. 100119879
Additional terms and conditions
Please see below for full terms and conditions on 33% renewable electricity, 3-5% interest rewards, exit fees and saving claims.
1Monthly cost - Representative monthly direct debit costs based on a non-economy-7, dual-fuel, medium user (3100 kWhs elec. and 12500 kWhs gas) paying in advance by direct debit, including online discount. All rates correct as of 20/3/2018, but may go up or down.
2Weekly cost - Representative weekly costs based on a non-economy-7, dual-fuel, medium user (3100 kWhs elec. and 12500 kWhs gas). All rates correct as of 22/11/2017, but may go up or down.
3Pay Monthly Savings claims: Saving based on the estimated annual cost of Simpler tariff for a non-economy-7, dual-fuel, medium user (3100 kWhs elec. and 12500 kWhs gas) paying monthly in advance by direct debit, including online discount. Comparisons made against the average of the Big 6 standard variable tariffs with equivalent features. All rates correct as of 20/3/2018.“The Big 6” are British Gas, Scottish Power, SSE, Npower, E.ON and EDF.
4Pay As You Go Savings are based on the average estimated annual costs for new PAYG OVO customers quoted through the OVO website (based on household and/or consumption information provided by those customers), compared to their current supplier and tariff. Comparisons taken between 01/01/2016 and 11/10/16. Incl VAT. Actual savings may vary according to your current supplier or tariff, individual tariff options, household information, consumption and location.
We include almost twice as much renewable electricity as the national average: At least 33% of electricity in all of our tariffs comes from renewable sources. The national average, according to Ofgem as at March 2014 was 16.7%. For more information please visit this page.
33% of your electricity comes from renewable sources: 33% renewable electricity as standard as of 1st April 2015. Renewable electricity is generated from wind, solar, geothermal, wave, tidal, hydro, biomass, landfill gas, sewage treatment plant gas and biogas.
OVO Interest Rewards: Interest Rewards are paid on credit balances of customers paying by monthly Direct Debit. It is calculated at 3% in your first year, 4% in your second year and 5% in your third year (and every year thereafter) if you pay by Direct Debit. Interest Rewards are paid monthly based on the number of days you’re in credit and the amount left in your account after you’ve paid your bill. Full terms apply: https://www.ovoenergy.com/terms
95% of new customers save when switching to OVO: Savings based on the average estimated annual costs for all new OVO customers quoted through the OVO website, compared to their current supplier and tariff. Comparisons taken between 01/05/2016 and 11/10/16. Incl VAT.
94% of surveyed customers would recommend us: OVO conducted a survey of their customers in between 1st January 2016 and 15th April 2016. Out of 15,312 customers who responded, over 94% rated OVO 6+ when asked 'how likely would you be to recommend us to a friend and family, on a scale of 1 to 10.
uSwitch's Energy Supplier of the Year 2017: OVO energy was voted and awarded 'Energy Supplier of the year' and best for: Overall Customer Satisfaction, Most Likely to be Recommended, Value for Money, Best Deal for You, Customer Service, Billing Services, Energy Efficiency, Meter Services, Online Services, Green Services and Transfer Process. OVO Energy scored a 96% customer satisfaction score.
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