MSE News Story: Millions of prepay energy consumers overcharged

markharding557

newlywed wrote: »

My gas provider charges £167 a year standing charge for the privilege of prepay :rolleyes:

you need to change gas supplier no st charge on ebico

TweetyUK

georgina_fenwick wrote: »

I have prepayment meters for both gas and electric, had them for more than 15 years. In all that time I have only needed an engineer once and that was to change the battery in the gas meter, something I would gladly do myself if able.

Hell would have to freeze over before I would have them taken out.

I would never go back to getting bills in, I like to know that I can only use what I have paid for.

And I think it's disgraceful that they charge prepayment meter customers so much more than credit customers, when we hand over our money BEFORE we even use any gas or electric.

I think the energy companies see it as people on pre payment meters have no choice but to have them as most get them installed when they have a high bill, so why not squeeze as much out of them as possible.

If we have been overcharged it would be only fair that the energy companies give us some of our money back, even if they say it's a goodwill gesture of £20 credit when you top up.

But hey ho, I'm only one person, and this is just my opinion.

I'm exactly the same as you,been on prepay for both leccy and gas for years..been at my present address over 9 years and had to call them out the other month (battery needed changin) and thats the only time Ive ever needed them out..theyre straight out to doctor the meter when the charges go up but never ever seen them when charges supposedly gone down.

Joyful

By now you're supplier should have supplied a key meter for electric and card for gas. As messages are sent to update these there will be no reason to call out to update the tariffs on the meters.This will be one reason that suppliers are able to start bringing their costs down.

Although you may not have needed an engineer every time you top up it costs your supplier money so PP meters are more expensive to supply than credit meters.

moominda

Hi, does anyone have any information about the money one can claim back for being overcharged for having prepayment meters. My mother in-law told me that she saw a lady on one of the morning TV programmes last week that had managed to claim £4000 back. Only curious as I have had these meters for 18 years for both gas & elec. I've recently had to give up work due to a serious illness and I now try (in vain) to survive on Incapacity Benefit. I'd be very grateful for any info anyone has about this.
Many thanks,
moominda x

before_hollywood

huge sigh of relief

i am on scottish power prepaid meters (repo'd house and they had them already, kept them cos i dont like huge bills and they want to charge hundreds to remove them)

can take my key (electric) and quantum card (gas) to the paypoint outlet at the end of the street 300 meters away or pay a bill at the post office 2 miles away

hmmm.......decisions decisions lol

artortrees_2

Moominda, I am in the same boat as you.
What we need here is someone to come out and tell us whether we legally have a claim and how to go about it, instead of all the speculation.
Seems to me that the question isn't who is costing the companies more but why the people on pre pay are subsidising all the credit customers with their up front payments!

lyndorset

lyndorset wrote: »

Please is there anything I can do to get the overcharge back?

.

Does anyone know of a way to get this ovecharge refunded?
&
Why do some people seem to think that prepay should be more exspensive, after all we are not getting free credit like others who pay in arrears?