Can they take this much???

jackndanni · 13 January 2010 at 3:48AM

Need advice on how much should be paid off a debt via a pre-payment gas meter.
There is a debt of £163.86. For every £10 credit it takes £6.86 for the debt, £0.14 for the emergency credit leaving £3.00 for gas. Seems an unfair percentage to me especially as Im not working at the moment and just can't afford it and now Im frozen!

Bryando · 13 January 2010 at 4:47AM

I got British Gas down to £3.10 per week to take money for debt. This is the min they can go. As they were taking £11.00 off me weekly. Asked a social worker then within a 2 weeks it was down to £3.10

My debt is what £400, never payed gas in a year and bit.

Phone up the pre payment team, tell them to reduce it.

spiro · 13 January 2010 at 8:15AM

First thing to do is write down all you incomings and outgoings. Debt prepayment on a ppm should be a 'mangeable' amount basic on you circumstances but dont be suprised if they expect you to exclude things like Sky or a mobile phone from you outgoings. You can then discuss with them, don't "tell them" (as mention above) reducing the amount you are paying pre week because at the moment it sounds like you are paying a percentage not a weekly amount which is very unfair given the current weather. What ever you do stay calm and polite, you owe them money, they want it back, you want to reduce the payment. You might even suggest you could increase the weekly amount in the summer when you are using less fuel to keep warm.

nicola_86 · 13 January 2010 at 3:59PM

Different companies have different rules.
If you are recieving benefits or are out of work and struggling, phone the prepayment dep and they can probably reduce the debt recovery rate for you.
I think most companies can reduce it to £3.00 per week.
But I would stay out of emergency credit if you can as your not helping yourself as you will always need to pay this back

Bryando · 13 January 2010 at 5:02PM

We're always going in emergency. For example today put in £12.00. Was left with £4.00 odss.

£3.10 for debt. The £1.00 for non gas debt ie letter they sent.(£4.10) Then took of owed for emergency.

One thing I've noticed is the click for electricity is costing more. There is nothing new happening re electrical appliances. Nothing major, however every little penny and that.

markharding557 · 13 January 2010 at 11:45PM

the debt payment should only be taken once a week not every time you top up.

Gerrard_8_lfc · 14 January 2010 at 3:16AM

Bryando wrote: »

I got British Gas down to £3.10 per week to take money for debt. This is the min they can go. As they were taking £11.00 off me weekly. Asked a social worker then within a 2 weeks it was down to £3.10

My debt is what £400, never payed gas in a year and bit.

Phone up the pre payment team, tell them to reduce it.

May I ask why you never paid a gas bill in a year and a half ? :eek:

I realise people need help but why do people run up these debts and then expect the supplier to haggle for energy debt ??.

Its almost the same as a intrest free loan.

SwanJon · 14 January 2010 at 9:22AM

jackndanni wrote: »

Need advice on how much should be paid off a debt via a pre-payment gas meter.
There is a debt of £163.86. For every £10 credit it takes £6.86 for the debt, £0.14 for the emergency credit leaving £3.00 for gas. Seems an unfair percentage to me especially as Im not working at the moment and just can't afford it and now Im frozen!

Looks like the percentage is set at 70% - however this is only up to a maximum per week of a value 'agreed' between you and the supplier.
If 70% of your 1st top up isn't enough for this it will take some of the next one (and so on). If this is too high for you, call your supplier and see what you can negotiate.

You can see what the meter thinks this value is by looking at the screens on the meter.
With the meter showing your current credit and the card out, press and hold the red A button until the screen changes.
You'll probably see screen 27 GD remaining (what's left of your bill to pay back).
Press the red button (and release), to change to 25, then 26 - these both probably say the weekly rate, next will be 24 - the 70% above.

Newer model meters have the screens in the above order. Older models start at zero and go up each time you press the button (far too sensible). The same numbers apply, and older meters will ask you to put the card in when you get to screen 24.

There's other information on these screens, such as the tariff, tarrif width (if on two tier) standing charge (if applicable), calorific value, volume conversion factor etc.

Bryando · 14 January 2010 at 11:31AM

Gerrard_8_lfc wrote: »

May I ask why you never paid a gas bill in a year and a half ? :eek:

I realise people need help but why do people run up these debts and then expect the supplier to haggle for energy debt ??.

Its almost the same as a intrest free loan.

Cause British Gas took that long! Why who knows. Had support worker /social worker etc dealing with it.

I had a dry meter, had to get the meter re moved. That took months. Then one report clashed with another. Then ever since still having problems.

jackndanni · 7 March 2010 at 10:07PM

I have never spoken to British gas over the debt because I was with N Power when the debt built up. Reason for the debt was the N Power agent stated there was no standard charge on a prepayment meter when indeed there is. Unfortunately I only noticed after the summer months and the debt had built up then! I was so fed up I immediately changed to B Gas who presumably have taken the debt on but failed to communicate with me. I have contacted them by e-mail but I never get a reply.
When I go through the process pressing the button on the meter the bit that should state the agreed amount to pay off the debt each week is blank so I don't know how much they want!

SwanJon · 8 March 2010 at 12:08AM

Ok, so the debt is for standing charges from npower. British gas will not have 'taken this on'.
The meter will remember it though. You may have built up a credit with by which they will refund you.
You can check if the dc has all been paid by pressing the red button from your credit - it will say £x.xx owed. If this is more than £20 by will send some one out to reset it. If less they will ask you to pay it and pay you back.

Should have been picked up when you first called. You did call didn't you? 0800 048 0303 or 0330 100 0303

Can they take this much???

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