Paying twice for prepay electric

nicurro

Hi , i currently have a pre pay meter for electricity with Npower.
When emergency credit is used do you end up paying twice for the electricity used ?
When you go onto emergency you have to pay the used ammount back before normal credit is restored on the meter , so whatever you have used is paid off, then when they read the meter you get charged for this again !
Is this correct???

KimYeovil

You don't pay anything twice but 70% of any subsequent credits can be taken to repay the emergency plus the standing charge.

When on emergency you don't pay the daily standing charge (or higher tier 1 prices) you only pay the cheaper rate. So you have 15p to 25p per day to pay back.

Say you use £6 over three days on emergency. At 15p per day that's £6.45 to pay back. You put in a fiver. 70% or £3.50 goes towards the emergency and 15p goes to that day's standing charge. So you only get to use £1.35 of your fiver on power! The following day another £5 goes in. The remaining £2.95 goes to the emergency, 15p to SC and you get to play with £1.90 of your credit.

Emergency credit should only be used in emergencies!

Neelie

KimYeovil, sounds like you are explaining the workings of a gas meter there.

OP, I'm not quite sure what you mean when you say "then when they read the meter you get charged for this again". Are you referring to the statement that you have received from your supplier?

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi

You are only charged once for the emergency credit used.

If you have a key prepayment meter any emergency credit used will be taken back the next time you put money on the meter.

When you say you are charged again after the meter is read are you referring to the statements that are sent out?

If you are, these statements are sent to show how the charges are calculated and to confirm the payments made. All suppliers have a duty to provide this information. They are not bills. You do not have to pay again.

nicurro

Hi , but the total ammount on the bill is calculated from the previous meter reading to the new reading , thus it includes the units of electricity used while on emergency credit again and billed for these units again ,,,,

Confused!!!!!!

TotallyBroke

If you are on a prepayment meter you do not get bills.

A normal meter lets you use gas/electric and pay later for it hence the bill.

A prepayment/key/card meter you have to pay in advance for it. So if you put £5 on then you can use £5 they normally allow you to have an emergency amount of £5 (incase shops are shut) becasue they wouldn't like to leave a household with no utilities but they charge you a lot more for using the emergency credit.

Do you have meter that you go to the shop and top up either a card or blue key thing that you then push into the meter.

KimYeovil

You did not pay for them when on emergency - that money is not yours. You have only been billed once.

SwanJon

TotallyBroke wrote: »

they charge you a lot more for using the emergency credit.

NO!
You do not pay any more for gas or electricity used while in Emergency Credit than the gas or electricity you us ein normal credit, you just pay for it after you use it instead of before.

nicurro - have they actually sent you a bill? Does it ask you for money, or is it for information only?

KimYeovil

TotallyBroke wrote: »

but they charge you a lot more for using the emergency credit.

Rubbish and bunkum!

TotallyBroke

SwanJon wrote: »

NO!
QUOTE]

Please do not shout at me.

They always used to charge you more for it. Admittedly I have not used one for many many years. When I did have one the £5 emergency credit got used up alot quicker than £5 of credit.

KimYeovil

(for arithmetical simplicity say energy costs 20p per unit or £1 every 5 units and there is no standing charge)

______________________Credit | Emergency | meter
_____________________balance | balance | Reading
________________________£ 0_________£10_________0100
Deposit first £10_______£10_________£10_________0100
Use 5 units_____________£ 9_________£10_________0105
Use 45 units____________£ 0_________£10_________0150
Use 10 units (on emerg)_£ 0_________£ 8_________0160
Deposit second £10______£ 8_________£10_________0160


You have used 60 units at 20p each so the total you should pay is £12
You've paid £20 in, have £8 credit left. You've been charged £12