Received gas bill - but on pre-payment meter?? Help!

notenoughcash

Hi, I wondered if anyone could help me or has had a similar experience.

I am on a pre-payment gas meter, which I don't particularly want to be on as it costs more, but is kind of handy knowing exactly where I'm at with my money and not getting a bill.

However, last week I received a bill from eon for over £40. I know it isn't a massive amount but surely if I'm on a pre-payment meter I can't run up a bill?
It's like being on a pay as you go mobile isn't it? If there's no credit on it you can't use it?

I've written to them to say all this but I haven't heard back other than a remonder for the billto be paid.

Can anyone offer any advice?

Cardew

No it is not like a pre-pay mobile I am afraid. A pre-pay meter is simply paying 'something on account'.

Your meter only 'deducts' money from your credit at the rate set on the meter.

In these days of ever increasing prices the meters are set at the old pre-increase low price until it can be re-set. They obviously cannot re-set millions of pre-pay meters on the same day.

The normal method is to re-set the meter at a higher price than the actual price to repay the Debt at £x a week.

There any many many similar cases on this forum with bills of £hundreds.

notenoughcash

Thank you for that cardew, I hadn't realised it worked that way. I guess I should think myself lucky it's as low as it is that case!

Pssst

I'd beg to differ. I assume you are paying for gas via a Quantum meter or similar i.e a meter which uses a rechargeable smart card? If so,the card is the mechanism by which information flows. It transfers info from the meter to your supplier via the terminal in the shop and equally,info flows from the supplier to your meter in the same way. thus meters can be reset and programmed in this way.

As a first step,you could ring your gas company for an explanation

If this proves fruitless (and it may well do !)

Write to them again but head the letter COMPLAINT

you actually have to tell companies that you are complaining. Anything else is just correspondence.

hana5

Hiya,
I dont know if all gas companies work the same, but I used to work for a well-known gas company and pre-pay meters can often show as being in credit/debit for various reasons (bill based on estimated readings, recent payment not registered on the account, customer not providing meter reading when moved into property, misdirected payments, etc, etc). In theory, if you have been paying for gas as you have used it there shouldn't be a debt, although there can be reasons why there is a debt (possibly a previous debt etc, etc).
If it's a pre-pay meter with the card, fone the gas company with a meter reading, how much credit is currently on the meter, and also any payments made in the last few days, and they should be able to either confirm that nothing is owed, or explain exactly why there is a balance due...

hana5

Ps, i wouldnt advise a complaint at this stage cos prepay meters are more complicated to bill cos need to take into account credit on meter, and any payments that havent registered, etc. Give them a ring n u should b able to sort it out relatively quickly...

Cardew

Pssst wrote: »

I'd beg to differ. I assume you are paying for gas via a Quantum meter or similar i.e a meter which uses a rechargeable smart card?

Why do you assume it is a Quantum meter?

There are several different types of both gas prepayment meters and electricity prepayment meters available.
Standard prepayment meters can come with a single or two-rate reading, similar to that of Economy 7. You can top it up based on how much you wish to use.

Also available is the PayPoint network. With this system you receive rechargeable tokens that can be loaded with whatever amount of money you choose. These tokens will usually take the form of Quantum cards for gas meters and plastic keys for electricity meters.

There are disadvantages with prepayment meters, however, such as access to charging facilities. In addition, many suppliers add on additional charges that they claim are necessary to finance and maintain the meters themselves. According to energywatch estimates, prepayment meters can cost on average an additional £195/year for gas and electricity.

Nevertheless, there are exceptions to the rule and some suppliers will not invoke additional charges for prepayment meters. That is why it is crucial to shop around for the best rates. Such additional charges are known as ‘back charges’. These charges are incurred, through no fault of the customer, when a provider changes its unit rates but fails to recalibrate prepayment meters accordingly, As a result, customers may be paying less than is necessary and be oblivious to a build up of energy debt on their account. Once the provider finally gets round to updating the meter, an additional charge will be added to the meter to clear any outstanding debt. This type of practice has been abolished by British Gas, Scottish & Southern and EDF but is still in place for E.ON, Npower and Scottish Power.

notenoughcash

It is a quantum meter and most of my payments show on the statement but seem to stop from May 2008 onwards. I have receipts though for payments since then so I will try writing to them and see what happens. Thank you for everyone's help.