Eon- problem!

[ElMarinero]

Hi there,

After having our door knocked at tea time a month or so ago by a gentleman from Eon with a 'cheaper' deal for our electricity pre-payment meter we decided to switch.

Big mistake!

Not only does the meter now EAT credit when it was very steady before the switch, we are now moving house in a month and E-on are being very uncooperative!

 

I today called Eon to ask them to remove the meter and have the electricity back to normal for the next occupants (house is rented).

There wasn't a meter here when we moved in so I don't think the landlord would be happy to find a meter when he takes back ownership of the house.

We have been here for 6 years.

I'm not sure how the land lies when it comes to changing suppliers in rented accomodation but didn't think it'd be a problem at the time.

 

However Eon are saying we will have to pay a whopping £50 to get the meter taken out and would then have to be credit checked and set up a direct debit for the electricity to go back to normal.

Hello!!!!!!!!!??????? We are moving??????

I told them we can't afford to pay the £50, and they said all we can do is leave the meter in and the landlord will have to get it taken out if he wants to.

Now I'm worried we will get into trouble for this.

What if the landlord doesn't want a meter?

Could this be a way for him to claim some of our deposit for inconvenience?

 

Also they are saying we have to be a customer for 12 months before we can switch- but we won't be here.

Will this apply to the landlord/ new tenants?

 

I don't think this is very fair and the gentleman who sold us the 'switch' did not tell us we would have to pay £50 to have the meter removed if we left.

 

I suppose it all goes back to 'cold calling'- it should be banned.

People shouldn't be harrassed in their homes by salesmen after a long day at work. All their 'cheaper deals' are usually a con anyway!

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Clare_L]

Unfortunately the £50 charge would apply if the landlord wanted to have the meter removed and would then depend on a credit search after the meter had remained in the property for a minimum of 12 months, although if the landlord has a good payment record with Eon then they may waiver the 12 months. Can I just ask why you had the prepay meter installed? did you know you would be moving? Was you already on a prepay meter with your old supplier? Was the meter a key or token meter? Your landlord really has no say in the meter as he doesnt own it so he shouldnt withold a deposit or dictate who your supplier should be and if there is nothing in your contract then he doesnt have a leg to stand on.

[ElMarinero]

Thanks for the reply.

We had a meter with Npower before and had it quite a while.

Then as I say, a chap from Eon came round one night and we switched to them.

We didn't know we would be moving- no, it was quite last minute.

The old meter was paid by cards, this meter is a key.

There is no debt oweing to Eon. We just found paying as we went much easier.

I was just worried the landlord would see this as an inconvenience and try to take money from our deposit.

[Clare_L]

Sounds to me then that the old meter you had was never recalibrated whilst with Npower possibly and you were paying an old rate if you are chucking money into the meter now. Unfortunately this was a common problem with the token meters whereas with the key meters, they can be recalibrated via the key. Have you any statements whilst you with Npower? May be worth checking the rate per unit that you were being charged. I probably wouldnt be inclined to call them as they may realise their mistake and send you a bill which they are entitled to do.

[nottslad]

With reghards to changing the prepayment meter back to a credit meter, you have been mis-informed of the process, I think the agent you spoke to may have been confused.

 

If the property is rented, then EON will only remove a prepayment meter following the customer being in their supply for 12 months, so you fail to meet this criteria.

 

If you had been a customer for 12 months, the prepayment meter would be removed provided the credit check came back ok (no defaults or ccj's), the £50 fee to cover the cost was paid and a DD set up to cover ongoing consumption.

 

You are free to change supplier at anytime, 28 days is the minimum with any supplier