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Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Man hit with £8,000 energy bill in case of 'mistaken identity' - thanks to his extremely common name
A man hit with an £8,500 energy bill for an address he never lived at claims it was a case of mistaken identity due to his extremely common name. Iain Smith, 35, was contacted by OVO Energy telling him he needed to foot the staggering £7654.77 bill for electric last October. But Iain says he was living with friends for the period the bill covers and had never lived at the address in question. He noticed the credit report listed an 'Ian Smith', spelt differently to Iain and a different bank account to his own. Determined to get the bill scrapped - which has now risen to £8569.21 - Iain complained to OVO but after failing to get it resolved he decided to go to the Energy Ombudsman. The Ombudsman informed him he wasn't liable for the cost and despite an appeal from OVO the decision was upheld and the energy have been ordered to scrap the charge. To date, Iain claims this hasn't been done, and the bill continues to rise. An OVO spokesperson said he has been removed from the account. Iain, a security officer from Leicester, said: 'It has been very distressing - to get an email saying I owed nearly £8,000 was a bit of a shock. 'It's affected my work - I need to have a clear head for my job. To have this all on top of it, they're treating me like scum, really. 'To me, they are thieves, trying to steal money from me. 'I have no connection to this address whatsoever. I didn't have my own property until January this year.' Because he had no fixed address at the time, Iain struggled to provide evidence supporting the fact he didn't live at the address. He said: 'They were adamant I had to pay it. At the time they were sending these emails, I was homeless. 'I contacted them and told them I couldn't provide evidence of where I lived as I was on the streets. 'It was clear to the Energy Ombudsman that something had gone wrong and that I wasn't at that property. 'I have never had a Barclay's credit account, and that's what they had linked on the credit report. 'It was a different Mr Smith, different age, and completely different address. 'You could see the name on the credit report. I'm Iain, and he's Ian, but he has different spellings and middle names.' After the Ombudsman ultimately ruled in Iain's favour, they asked OVO to remove the charge. But Iain claims this hasn't been done. He said: 'OVO appealed and lost. 'The decision was then upheld and became legally binding. 'They were told to remove my name from the account, pay me £200 compensation, send a letter of apology, and remove any markers on my account. 'They were given 28 days to do that and they haven't. I'm shocked that they are treating the public like this. 'Throughout the investigation, they would not stop contacting me for the money, and the debt rose. 'It's now gone silent - the account is still in my name; they haven't removed it.' Iain has now asked the Ombudsman to escalate his case to Ofgem and believes this sort of thing can be avoided with more stringent checks. He added: 'There's a massive issue here. When you set up an electric account, you don't have to prove who you are. No ID required. 'It's an oversight - it opens the floodgates for fraud.' An OVO spokesperson said: 'We can confirm Mr Smith has been removed from the account and have sent a goodwill gesture to apologise for the experience.'
Daily Mirror
29-05-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mirror
UK households told to keep their windows closed this weekend
A heatwave is currently scorching the UK, with temperatures expected to reach a sweltering 26C over the weekend. Brits are being advised to keep windows closed to keep homes cool Brits are being urged to keep their windows firmly closed, along with curtains and blinds, this weekend as temperatures take an unexpected leap. Temperatures had a bit of a dip over the past few weeks as the recent sunshine gave way to rain, which was a boost for gardeners if not for barbecues. But this Friday, a two-day mini heatwave will warm up parts of the UK, with the south of England in particular told to brace for conditions between 24C and 26C. Although temperatures are expected to be cool on Thursday, hot weather is still expected in parts of the country on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, May 30, the Met Office is predicting 24C conditions in London, albeit with some cloud cover, before temperatures rise to 25C on Saturday, then drop back down to 20C on Sunday and Monday, reports the Express. With the UK basking under an intense May sun, our homes are getting hotter - a challenge to the high insulation meant for our typically cold British winters. This means households across the country are advised to adopt measures to keep their indoor spaces cool during these sunny periods. Energy experts are offering top tips on how to cool our houses during a scorcher without wasting money. OVO Energy warns against the common reaction to swing open the windows when the heat rises, stating: "Tempting as it is to fling open the windows at the first sign of summer, it's not actually the best idea. To keep your house cool, you need to keep the hot air out." The energy provider recommends keeping your windows tightly closed. They further added: "This means keeping windows closed during the day – particularly south-facing windows. Keep curtains, blinds and windows shut when the sun is shining directly on them, and when you're out. Try opening windows on the most shaded side of your home, to avoid sunlight and hot air getting in." Andy Kerr from BOXT pointed out that British homes often work against us in a heatwave because they're built to retain warmth, not repel it. Common wisdom might suggest cranking up fans or throwing windows open to alleviate the swelter, but Andy suggests that these methods may fall short of expectations. He said: "Getting rid of unwanted heat in your home can be difficult in the summer months, especially when most UK properties are built to retain heat. While grabbing a fan or opening up all your windows are often mentioned as effective ways to cool your home, these methods may not result in the desired results. "To help homeowners keep cool as the warmer months approach, we have revealed which common home cooling hacks are myths and why they don't work so you can avoid them this summer. When temperatures are particularly warm, opening up all your windows will let more hot air into your home, heating up your home and making you feel warmer. "Instead of opening all your windows, it is much better to strategically open windows to create cross breezes throughout the day and open your windows during the night to let cooler air in."
The Sun
18-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Tesco Clubcard warning for millions to bring card ‘next time' you shop to avoid costly deadline
TESCO has issued an urgent warning to its shoppers ahead of the summer months. The supermarket's Clubcard scheme saves Brits thousands of pounds but they could lose money if they don't act fast. 3 3 3 Tesco has urged shoppers to use their Clubcard points ahead of May 31. At the end of the month, the supermarket will be wiping millions of pounds worth of unused vouchers from shoppers' cards. The chain emailed certain customers ahead of the huge change. The email read: "Your Clubcard vouchers are expiring soon. "Don't forget to use them on your next shop." Clubcard vouchers are valid for two years from the date of issue. That means any vouchers issued in mid-2023 are set to expire. Vouchers can be found on the Tesco Clubcard website or on the Tesco app. They are earned through spending at the supermarket and scanning your card at the checkouts. The supermarket occasionally offers shoppers ways of earning points faster. I did my weekly shop in Tesco for under £25 - here's my exact shopping list & my tip to avoid tears when chopping onions On May 5, the supermarket launched its Tesco Clubcard Challenges which offers free points to shoppers when they reach certain targets. The offer is tailored to individual shopping habits, meaning that everyone's challenges are different. Other companies including OVO Energy, Vauxhall and Esso all offer exclusive Clubcard deals too. Occasionally, Tesco partners with TV shows to launch incredible promotions which can help you rack up points fast. Viewers who cast five votes during an episode of Britain's Got Talent are eligible for a staggering 50 Clubcard points a week.
Scottish Sun
12-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Thousands of Scots households set for energy refunds after customers overcharged
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THOUSANDS of Scots households are set for an energy refund after customers were overcharged. A host of energy firms are paying out £7million in compensation. 2 Thousands of Scots households could be owed a cash refund Credit: Getty Ten suppliers are handing out cash, including Utility Warehouse, Octopus Energy and EDF Energy. Ofgem, the industry regulator, said the compensation and refunds are being issued to more than 34,000 customers. It comes after customers with more than one electricity meter point in their homes were incorrectly charged more than they should have been between January 2019 and September 2024. Energy firms are allowed to apply multiple standing charges for homes with more than one electricity meter. However, this rule meant some customers were charged more than is allowed under the price cap when combined with unit rates. More than 20,000 Octopus Energy customers were overcharged and are being issued refunds totalling £2,636,884. Over 2,300 OVO Energy customers were also affected, with refunds totalling £602,066. The error also affected 8,272 Utility Warehouse customers, who received £2,043,098 in refunds or compensation. This is the full list of firms that were impacted by the error: Next Ecotricity EDF Energy Octopus Energy Outfox the Market OVO Energy So Energy Tru Energy Utility Warehouse Rebel Energy Millions of clueless Brits have no idea where the energy they use every day comes from Charlotte Friel, director of retail pricing and systems at Ofgem, said: "We expect all suppliers to have robust processes in place so they can bill their customers accurately. 'While it's clear that on this occasion errors were made, thankfully, the issues were promptly resolved, and customers are being refunded." Ofgem said all customers will be refunded automatically if they have not already been, and do not need to take action. If an affected customer has since changed supplier, they will be contacted by their previous supplier to arrange a refund. 2 A smartphone displays a customer's latest energy bill Credit: PA It is understood the vast majority of customers have been issued refunds but some are still being processed. All 10 suppliers who overcharged customers have updated their systems to prevent the error from happening again. It comes after Ofgem said this week more than 2,000 Good Energy customers were issued compensation worth on average £66 each after a billing error. The prepayment meter customers transferred to another energy firm or ended their contracts but did not receive final bills within six weeks, which is an Ofgem requirement. Customers were also not refunded credit balances. OTHER ENERGY FIRM FAILINGS Ofgem has collected more than £400million in payments since 2020 through its compliance and enforcement activities, with the money used to help struggling households with their bills. Back in September, OVO Energy was forced to pay out £378,512 to 1,395 customers over the historic failings. Impacted customers received around £271 on average. Ofgem found OVO took too long to address the almost 1,400 customer complaints, in some cases taking up to 18 months. TIPS TO KEEP ENERGY BILLS LOW Laura Court-Jones, Small Business Editor at Bionic shared her tips. 1. Turn your heating down by one degree You probably won't even notice this tiny temperature difference, but what you will notice is a saving on your energy bills as a result. Just taking your thermostat down a notch is a quick way to start saving fast. This one small action only takes seconds to carry out and could potentially slash your heating bills by £171.70. 2. Switch appliances and lights off It sounds simple, but fully turning off appliances and lights that are not in use can reduce your energy bills, especially in winter. Turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use, can save you up to £20 a year on your energy bills 3. Install a smart meter Smart meters are a great way to keep control over your energy use, largely because they allow you to see where and when your gas and electricity is being used. 4. Consider switching energy supplier No matter how happy you are with your current energy supplier, they may not be providing you with the best deals, especially if you've let a fixed-rate contract expire without arranging a new one. If you haven't browsed any alternative tariffs lately, then you may not be aware that there are better options out there. It also delayed actioning Energy Ombudsman decisions when complaints were upheld, Ofgem said at the time. Next was also ordered by Ofgem last June to pay £5million to customers who suffered poor customer service. The regulator said a review of the firm's customer service standards and complaints-handling across the sector uncovered "severe weaknesses", with customers facing long call waiting times and a high level of unanswered calls. More than 500,000 customers were potentially affected, according to Ofgem. The month before, Ofgem ordered Good Energy and OVO to pay out £2.7million to thousands of customers who were overcharged. Good Energy was found to have overcharged nearly 7,000 customers a total of £391,650 between January 2019 and October 2022. This was after the provider failed to adjust tariffs after customers changed their payment method.
Metro
09-05-2025
- Business
- Metro
Major energy company is offering two hours free a week to help lower bills
After bills increased again at the start of last month, many households across the country continue to struggle with the cost of living crisis. April 1 was dubbed 'Awful April' thanks to household bills like energy, water and council tax increasing. Some energy companies have also been forced to pay out £7million for overcharging around 34,000 customers. While summer is approaching, one energy supplier, OVO Energy, is offering customers two hours of free electricity each week. But how will this work for customers who use the energy supplier? We take a look below. The free electricity is only open to people who are signed up to the company's reward programme, OVO Beyond, which was set up in May 2024. For those who are not signed up already, you can do so through the OVO app. Customers are able to choose their time slots from week to week but they will only be offered off peak slots. It will run from May 5 until August 31 and equates to a maximum of 34 hours of free electricity this summer. So for those who work in the office or are not in the home much this might not be beneficial. Peak energy use times tend to be in the morning when people are getting ready for work and school between 7am and 9am, according to British Gas. Popular times also occur during the evening around 4pm to 7pm as people get home and make evening meals. Demand during these hours can lead to strain on the electricity grid and increased prices. Late at night or early morning tends to be when less energy is used by households across the country. There are hours in the late evening and on Sunday though that can be used for free. The reason this is the case is that during peak hours, there's not enough renewable energy around, which results in fossil fuel use. The following time slots are available to choose from each week: 9am – 10am on specified weekdays 1pm – 2pm on specified weekdays 9pm – 10pm on specified weekdays 10am – 12pm Sundays People need to sign up to OVO Beyond to book a free time slot which is free to do. More Trending For those who pay by direct debit or have a smart meter, OVO Beyond unlocks automatically in the app. The free electricity is also subject to a limit of 1kWh per hour and the hours must be confirmed within the set window. View More » Those signed up will also be offered other perks like OVO Power Move, which offers various rewards via a prize draw – including a year's worth of free energy – for those who use energy at greener times of the day. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: What I Spent: The wedding you actually get for £5,000, £20,000 or £50,000 MORE: Interest rates fall even further – what does that mean for you? MORE: New UK trade deal with India could mean the end of annoying spam texts
