Moving to a property with card meters

leedee01 · 19 May 2013 at 8:49PM

Hi, I am going to exchange houses with someone who currently has card meters with British Gas. I pay monthly dd with Npower for gas and electric.
I dont like the idea of prepayment meters. What are my options when I move there? Do i have to go with British Gas and do I have to pay to have the meters removed or can I stay with Npower?

Thanks in advance for any advice given

Owain_Moneysaver · 19 May 2013 at 10:06PM

You have to go with British Gas when you move in as they are the current supplier.

Before you move in, phone their Prepayment Team and get your own payment card or key for the meter(s). You will need this to register your moving-in reading and make sure you aren't paying for any arrears owing by the outgoing resident. For electricity, they'll probably give you a reference number you take to a Paypoint outlet and collect a key from, take it home and insert it in the meter to get the reading, then take it back to Paypoint to register the reading and put some money on it.

As far as electricity goes, British Gas don't charge to change the prepayment meter to a credit meter, even if you subsequently change supplier. It may take a couple of weeks to get a credit meter installed, then about 8 weeks if you then request a change of supplier.

I don't know about gas.

lollipopsarah · 19 May 2013 at 11:06PM

I'm assuming that you could just ask for the card/key from the seller so that you can use it yourself to save any hassle.
As for changing it shouldn't be a problem as all suppliers are more than happy to take on new customers.
When we moved I was dreading the prepayment metres, but to be honest, once we got the hang of it (suddenly getting a power failure/ having to faff about getting the gas back on) we have found it easy to cope with.
Rather than get a whacking great bill every three months or having huge direct debit (in our old house) we have found that even with the recent cold spell we are spending less than we were on gas/leccy.
Might I suggest that you go with the prepay system while you settle in and then look again as all the suppliers will tempt you with offers to change.
Good luck with the move.
xx

billycasper_2 · 19 May 2013 at 11:39PM

Make sure you take meter readings when you move in and as above make sure there isnt any debt on the meters. Card and key meters are a good way to budget but unfortunately tend to be more expensive as some of the discounts dont apply.
your current supplier to whom you have been paying regularly for some time would jump at the chance of taking over the contract and keeping you as a regular payer.
Equally british gas would want to keep you but may require credit checks and probably wont change the meter if there is a debt.
Asking both what they would charge to change the meters usually results in one of them doing it for free. especially if you mention that you are ringing other suppliers

Richie-from-the-Boro · 20 May 2013 at 12:02AM

just ask for the card/key from the seller so that you can use it yourself to save any hassle.

- never ever use a card/key from anyone else - no exceptions
- do as Owain Moneysaver suggested, always use a 'clean' card/key

leedee01 · 20 May 2013 at 7:37PM

Thanks everyone
I have read before to never use a card or key from previous tenants, so I definitely wont do that.
If I do have a choice of which supplier I go with, who would you recommend?

jessie4109 · 20 May 2013 at 7:51PM

I would have a look on a comparison site to give you a rough idea of who may be cheaper for you in that property.

When I moved into my house in September it had pre paid meters for gas and electric. I rang my supplier from my previous house (eon) and they said that if I changed to them they would change both meters for free. I jumped at the chance as I had (somehow) passed their credit checks to get normal meters installed and I seriously doubted that I would with the new supplier (british gas). Admittedly I did have to change supply initially to their prepay tariff but after a few weeks I was able to book appointments to change the gas and electric meters.

leedee01 · 21 May 2013 at 1:19PM

Thanks
I really dont want to keep the prepayment meters as Im disabled and cant keep going out to get top ups.
Ill call my current supplier and see what they say, although when I first moved in and found out it was an economy 7 meter and asked for it to be changed they said it would cost £60.

billycasper_2 · 21 May 2013 at 1:38PM

make it clear you WILL be ringing other suppliers to see who will do it for free that usually helps. It wouldnt hurt to ring another one up and ask them first then you could argue that the "other" supplier will do it for free.

Richie-from-the-Boro · 21 May 2013 at 1:41PM

If you are a vulnerable customer or disabled [DLA etc] ask immediately to be put on any suppliers priority services register. OAP's / disabled / hearing or visually impaired / long-term ill-health etc are all reasons for entry to the register.

Moving to a property with card meters

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