How can mum owe money on a pre-payment meter?

Chuzzle

Hi

My mum has lived in her current house for 8 or 9 years now. Prior to this she lived with my dad. From the moment she moved in she was on an eletric pre-payment meter. She's never owed money on an electric bil before as this is her first property. She never uses the emergency £5 on the meter and is always always in plenty of credit in the meter.

She has just recevied a bill from Eon (she only gets one a year) and it states she owes them around £19. Originally it said she owed them around £500 :eek: but this changed once we gave them a correct meter reading. My question is how can she still owe them money when she keeps the meter in credit? And as she only gets one statement/bill a year is there a way she can inform them of new meter readings throughout the year, especially at price increase times?

Pink_fluff

Have you called Eon to ask them?

espresso

Have you called Eon to ask them if they will fit a standard credit meter?

Cardew

Ruthibe73 wrote: »

My question is how can she still owe them money when she keeps the meter in credit?

Unfortunately pre-pay really means 'pay something on account'. If the tariffs are not set correctly you can build up a debt.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi

What sort of Prepayment meter does your mum have?

If it is a smart card or token meter there may be a need to update it with current prices. This means the meter could have been under charging for electricity used which has resulted in a debt.

These old style meters are being replaced with key meters. Key meters send and accept electronic messages without the need to visit properties.

In this way, meters are automatically updated when prices change. Meter readings are also sent directly to the supplier each time they are topped up. This increases the accuracy of the statements sent out.

If your mum does not have a key meter I would advise her to have one fitted as soon as possible. There is no charge for this upgrade. :j

jd87

E.On_Company_Representative:_Malc wrote: »

Hi
If your mum does not have a key meter I would advise her to have one fitted as soon as possible. There is no charge for this upgrade. :j

But of course she would actually be much better off on a normal non-prepayment meter.

missm29

We had this with british gas too, after several phone calls the letters/demands stopped. The staff agreed it was odd that i owed money on a pre-payment meter, we got the letter when we swapped to a normal meter and paid monthly by direct debit. Perhaps write a letter, costs less and is less stressful, those call centres make me mad.

Chuzzle

Eon Rep Malc - mum has a key meter which was installed February 7th 2008. The statement she just received was full of estimated readings.
Rate1 on the statement was over 5000 when we read her meter it was only just over 1000, the night rate wasn't out by quite as much but still estimated higher. I did joke that maybe they thought she had a coachload of people living with her!

Thanks for the advice everyone, mum is happy to stay with this prepatment meter she feels in control of her money better this way. Not something I could put up with but each to their own.

Chuzzle

Just wanted to say a BIG HUGE THANKS to Eon rep Malc, you've been most helpful in this matter.
:j