Jst Moved in: Prepayment Gas Meter & Electric co. Unknown

Hi there,

First of all to find out who supplies the gas in your property call transco on 0870 608 1524. It is an automated service thats asks you to speak in your house number and postcode and then gives you something called your meter point reference number (worth noting down as this is unique to your meter and is what companies use to identify your supply) and more importantly for you also reveals the name of the current supplier and their telephone number for you to call.

Once you know who it is call them up and advise them you have moved into a property where they supply, you have a pre-payment meter and you would like them to update their records with your name and move in details. They will need the date you moved in and the reading off the gas meter when you moved in so you assume responsibilty from that read onwards. Then they will send you out a gascard which you can use at most local shops, post offices or garages to buy credit for the card whch you then take home and insert into your meter to "top it up".

If you want to have the meter removed and replaced for a type of meter that you get a bill for or pay on direct debit etc (whats called a credit meter) you can ask the current supplier to do that for you but if often takes a number of weeks (during which you will need to use the prepayment card) and is often subject to status (credit check), but once in you can say goodbye to prepayment and get a cheaper rate of fuel, but of course the credit/prepay question is down to you.

The electricity is pretty much the same situation as the gas but there is no national number for electricity as it is area dependant so first of all you need to look here for an example of the MPAS numbers http://www.good-energy.co.uk/contact/65_MPAS.html and match which number relates to your region. This service MPAS is the electricity version of transco. Once you know which number you need give them a call... select option for who is my supplier or something along those lines, you will be asked for your address details again and your supplier details revealed. Then again give that company a call and tell them you have moved in on X date with X meter read and put the account into your name. You will often find the company supplying gas also supplies electricity as many people have dual fuel for savings etc, but this is not always the case so its worth checking.

I think that about covers it

this is down to what supplier your with as each company charges a whole host of different rates, some have standing charges on prepay meters some do not so its gonna have to be a close examination on your part. For example though the price with British Gas would be 3.3p per kwh on prepay and 2.5p per kwh on credit meter paying by monthly direct debit (this is for the first 1143 kwh per quarter at which point the price drops, dont have the exact prices as im not at work right now). Alot of companies have a 2 tier pricing structure to avoid you paying a standing charge. You may not think 0.8p is alot but it doesnt add up