URGENT what do i do

jetcat

please help - i dont know what to do!! I have been away for a couple of days, came home to find electric prepayment down to 21p emergency credit left. I topped up by £8, and its not accepting the key, just saying 'error'!

i am now down to 8p left of elec, with a young baby and medical equip (electic) needed overnight. I have been on hold with BG (who elec is from) for 20 mins, but phone is a plug in one, so once elec goes off, no phone!

i am in a right state - have high anxiety anyway, and not sure what to do.

forgot to say, i rang them last week to switch to essentials tarrif, could that have anything to do with this?

littleredhen

can you go to a friends/family to phone to get it sorted or to stay overnight until you can get it sorted?

brysiewysie

Does their pre-pay meter not cut off after 8pm? I know some suppliers don't let their meters disconnect after 8pm even if the credit runs out. I know it's probably of little comfort and I guess BG finish at 8pm too, so it would be dangerous to assume it won't cut off.

Is the key clean?

Try it again and make sure you do it slowly and carefully. Can you get the key back to the shop (can they check if the credit is registering on there ok?).

millymollymandy2K7

Try calling the emergency callcentre number and explain situation as you have a young baby and medical equipment dependent on supply. If they class it as an emergency (which It sounds like) then I think they would get someone out within 4 hours to get you sorted out.

jetcat

am in middle of full on panic attack now, will post again when i can breathe

right, have calmed down a little now. Mangaed to get through to them, a really lovely guy, who tried very hard to understand me in the midst of a full blown hyperventilating situation! He has arranged for me to collect a new key from a local shop, though it will cost £8 just for the card - no electric. He must have realised i panicked, and thought it was cos i had no money, when in fact i was panicking about going out (bit agrophobic) and he took pity on me. He put me on hold again (took mobile no in case we got cut off) and when he returned he said that he had arranged for the new key to have some credit on it, as he didnt want to leave me £16 out of pocket! (the £8 for the new key, and the £8 i had already topped up on the old key)

I then managed to ring my carer, who is going to the shop for me, as i am still a bit(!) stressed!

thanks for all the advice! And no, there is no family local - i am a single parent with two kids, nearest family is sister 300 miles away!

jetcat

the saga continues - my carer got the new key, put it in meter - still 'error' but different code. so, we phone various diff departments, and i am now sat waiting till 2am for someone to come out - and £16 down. Elec is down to 5p!!

as i am classed as 'vulnerabe' due to having medical needs and a young daughter, at least they are coming out tonight! Elec isnt going to last till 2am though, so i do hope they come early!

millymollymandy2K7

Hope you don't have to wait too long.

SwanJon

AS somne one has mentioned above, if your meter says KBD or KBC on the front if shouldn't switch off until the morning (so long as the power is on at 6pm it gives you extra emergency "until the shops are open")

It should have nothing to do with moving to the essentials tariff - all that would do is change the prices on the meter.

It's possible it is the meter havving problems (especially if 2 different keys give erros) - the enmigineer will be able to help and the key your carer got at the shop should still work (so long as he doesn't change the meter over)

MSE_Martin

Hi Jetcat,

Just to say I hope you're feeling ok and that they're coming out. Hopefully as noted above your key shows you wouldn't be cut off anyway.

Do let us know everything is ok

All the best

Martin

colnkits

Hi Jetcat,
Hang in there, sounds like there will be someone there soon to help.

Hopefully it won't cut out completely, have you got some candles or a torch close by incase you need them.

Keep your chin up and try to remember your breathing if your anxiety creeps up further.
Take care
Colnkits

Larumbelle

Jetcat,

Hope is all sorted or is getting sorted *hugs*

If you are anywhere near Coventry there is a spare bedroom and/or portable generator here for you and little one

Take care x