Energy / OVO Energy told to ‘get its act together’
ENERGY retailer OVO had little new to add after being told by local MSP Beatrice Wishart to “get its act together”.
Wishart secured the support of deputy first minister Shona Robison when she raised the plight of many islanders who found themselves without electricity because of a transfer of prepayment keys from SSE to OVO Energy.
The company said customers had been notified of the change to accounts and replacement keys were sent out in early November.
Wishart said the significant number of people affected by the transfer would suggest otherwise, with many saying their attempts to contact OVO since then has proven unsuccessful.
When asked for an update yesterday on how the process of connecting customers was going and whether the company would consider compensation to those who had to stay in cold homes without electricity, OVO issued the same statement it had sent out earlier in the week.
Specific questions were not answered.
Wishart said: “The deputy first minister rightly joined me in expressing concern that customers have been left without electricity during cold winter weather.
“I am pleased she reiterated my call to OVO Energy to get its act together.
“OVO’s customer service leaves a lot to be desired at the best of times but this shoddy episode, which could have been avoided had the company done its homework, has caused considerable and unnecessary distress and anxiety to their customers.
An OVO spokesperson: “We’re sorry to hear that some residents have been having issues. Replacement keys were sent out at the beginning of November which will work at Post Office locations.
“Customers can contact us to have their old keys reprogrammed so that it works at any outlet, or we can arrange for a replacement OVO key to be sent out immediately.”
It comes after OVO Energy completed the migration of SSE customers after the supplier bought the domestic arm of the company.
Wishart said she would continue to pursue the matter and asked people who were still having difficulties with the transfer to contact her at beatrice.wishart.msp@parliament.scot.
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