Someone from OVO phoned me today to confirm that my complaint was being looked at, and that I should hear more - probably another phone call - quite soon. But possibly it would be the other side of the approaching weekend. So no gas meter reading correction just yet. Still, something was promised. I asked for priority if possible, being a worried old soul, living on her tod. Poor dear.
Well, around 6.00pm tonight I checked the OVO Energy app on my phone, not expecting to see anything different. Imagine my surprise to find that my current credit balance had shot back up to £967, where it should be! Hurrah!
I delved a little into how they had arrived at that. It seemed OK.
Well thank you, OVO. Consider yourself reinstated in my regard.
The app tells me that my current daily consumption in this unusually cold weather is costing around £12 a day, split roughly £2 for electricity (for 5kWh) and £10 for gas (for 100kWh).
The gas is high because the central heating is on from 7.00am to 11.00pm - 16 hours. I want to stay as warm as possible. The gas is also high because I cook with it twice a day, unless out and about.
So: I have £967 in hand. To be augmented by three monthly payments of £186 before the end of March (that's £558 to add on). 31st March is 107 days away. If every one of those 107 days is as cold as now, my energy charges will be 107 x £12 per day = £1,284. Which means that as I begin April, I would have £967 plus £558 less £1,284 = £241 credit in hand.
But the winter won't be uniformly severe. If any significant part of it is milder, then my credit balance on 31st March will be higher. I'm presently guessing it will be at least £350.
New energy charges come into force on 1st April - higher ones - but spring will be here, and in any case I'll be off on the first of my caravan holidays, and not using more than a trickle of energy at home. So my credit balance will quickly build up again, ready for next winter.
Well, that's the plan!
