Pre-pay Gas Meters

dizzydeedee · 12th January 2007, 19:50

The house i live in is privately rented although i have lived here for quite some time. When i moved in it had a pre pay gas meter. I am finding this a real pain, however I was told to switch over to normal billing it would cost about £300 to change it. Any advice on whether this is correct or not?

allan1983 · 12th January 2007, 21:50

well, if it helps, ive just asked scottish power to change our prepay electricity meter to a standard credit meter, and it aint costin us a penny...

stivis · 12th January 2007, 23:08

Powergen cost nothing also

fbnts · 13th January 2007, 18:44

Hi, I was with British Gas when we moved in. I had them change the meters to prepay cos there were a group of us and I didnt want the individual responsibilty.
This was free to change.

Now the unreliable payers have moved out I want to get the bills down so tried calling them to change back but they wanted deposits on the accounts for a year to change back!

I then found equigas who I can transfer over to even with a prepay meter installed. Their rates are good as they spread the charge across all their customers (they are a reseller for southern electric)

I then asked them to change the meters over to credit meters and they have arranged for gas to be changes this wednesday coming and the electric next week.

I will still be staying with them as they seem to be a very small but very well organsised company and their rates are still a lot cheaper than British Gas who, in my opinion are utterly terrible!

Tom

martinpar · 15th January 2007, 13:06

When I was obliged to go prepayment I was told changing the electric back in the future would be free but Transco charge a fee which I think was 250 back then.

crashbandicoot · 15th January 2007, 15:26

Hi there, I've recently changed my BG prepay meter to a standard meter without any charges. You're on prepay so you don't owe them any money anyway, and tbh I think they'd be gagging to get you onto a standard meter so that they can sting you even more (I've done it so that I can switch

). I suggest you call them back and don't mention that you were told it will cost £300. Say your friend has just changed her meter over for free and recommended that you do the same...see what they tell you then.

allan1983 · 15th January 2007, 16:08

Quote:

You're on prepay so you don't owe them any money anyway,

HA HA, i wouldnt take this as gospel though!!!!

crashbandicoot · 15th January 2007, 16:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by allan1983

HA HA, i wouldnt take this as gospel though!!!!

Oh, don't even go there...after I typed that, I did gulp slightly, because I do know from experience what tw@ts BG can be, but hey, on the face of it - prepayment meter means prepaid gas right? Right?

Pmsl!

martinpar · 15th January 2007, 17:10

Yes but it can also mean prepaid gas plus payment towards arrears.

royzor · 15th January 2007, 17:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by crashbandicoot

Oh, don't even go there...after I typed that, I did gulp slightly, because I do know from experience what tw@ts BG can be, but hey, on the face of it - prepayment meter means prepaid gas right? Right?

Pmsl!

I agree .
But i have both gas and electric prepayment meters. both different companies, the gas is no problem i have no outstanding monies owing. But the electric is a nightmare. I put in around £50/£60pw (believe it or not) and when i went to check my online bill for some strange reason i am in arrears with close on £150.
Like you said i can only use energy for the amount i have credited to the meter so why on earth do i owe this money. The reaason i kept the prepayment meters when we moved into the property was to avoid bills like this.
Incidently i have never been in any arrear with neither my gas nor my electric.

roz

crashbandicoot · 15th January 2007, 17:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by martinpar

Yes but it can also mean prepaid gas plus payment towards arrears.

Yes, that too, but obviously presuming if one has arrears that they are aware of this (!) and that an arrangement to pay the arrears is in place.

crashbandicoot · 15th January 2007, 17:23

Oops, posted that twice! Anyway, I've had a nightmare with BG over prepayment and arrears so it's a real sore point with me.....so I have an ongoing claim with them for....wait for it....overpayment of a debt!

fbnts · 15th January 2007, 17:46

Haha, British Gas are useless! It took them 14 months to work our bill out and then demanded over £800 within 7 days despite the fact that all year I had been chasing and asking them shall I set up a standing order to at least pay for some of it whilst they work it out but the reply was no "we will set up a payment plan once its sorted!" yeah my arse! so the best option was only to get a PrePay meter fitted and pay the debt off through that weekly.

It was so expensive cos their prepay rates are extortionate!

I just don't understand why they charge more for prepay yet its better for them - They get the money up front, no chasing money, no bills to send out, automated account!

Tom

martinpar · 16th January 2007, 09:57

I admit I haven't looked at it but SP told me the prepay rate would be the same as the quarterly rate. Surely they wouldn't have fibbed

My elec meter is set to pay 10 a week for arrears. This has been over a year now and when they finally got the last quarterly bill right I owed 220. That's why I am getting all the paperwork together to work out how many 100s they owe me. If I look at a prepay statement it gives the impression I owe more than I did when I started. The statement shows elec (or gas) used but never deducts amount prepaid.

ozzywizard · 16th January 2007, 10:16

You will be paying standing charge for prepay meter.

crashbandicoot · 16th January 2007, 12:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by martinpar

I admit I haven't looked at it but SP told me the prepay rate would be the same as the quarterly rate. Surely they wouldn't have fibbed

My elec meter is set to pay 10 a week for arrears. This has been over a year now and when they finally got the last quarterly bill right I owed 220. That's why I am getting all the paperwork together to work out how many 100s they owe me. If I look at a prepay statement it gives the impression I owe more than I did when I started. The statement shows elec (or gas) used but never deducts amount prepaid.

This thread seems to have gone off in all different directions so apologies to the OP but the same has happened with me Martin, thus I have my ongoing claim with BG to get my overpaid money back. See my thread for more info on how incompetent they are.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...itish-gas.html

martinpar · 16th January 2007, 12:39

Nice (?) to know I'm not alone. Worrying to see it's not just SP. Although I have fond memories of BG's incompetence before and after privatisation.

Apologies for hijacking this thread. Maybe I should start a thread for my battle with Scottish Power.

crashbandicoot · 16th January 2007, 12:49

Maybe I should start a thread for my battle with Scottish Power.[/quote]

Yes, please do...will keep an eye out for it

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