using a gas/elec card instead of regular meter?

mh1923

I *HATE* my prepay meter! There were three places within walking distance where I could top it up, but two of them quit doing it. So what am I supposed to do if the third one does too? The machine won't always charge up more than £40 at a time, so if I forget to recharge later in the month, everything suddenly goes dark... NOT fun!

I can't wait to get changed back to a regular meter!

However, if you think it would work better for you, the comparison sites will tell you how much the various suppliers charge for different tarriffs. In theory, prepay should be cheaper, because they get to make interest on your money before they've delivered the electricity. In practice however.... :mad:

-Michelle

monkey_writer

I'm buying a place that has pre=pay card meters for both gas and electricity. I want to change them both to normal meters. I don't know who has been supplying the property in the past.

a) Can I call up any supplyer and ask them to install and new meter and supply me? For instance the cheapest gas provider and a renewable electricity supplier - regardless of who used to supply the property.

b) Is it free to swap the meter for electricity as well as gas?

Cheers!

swinnertond

monkey_writer wrote:

I'm buying a place that has pre=pay card meters for both gas and electricity. I want to change them both to normal meters. I don't know who has been supplying the property in the past.

a) Can I call up any supplyer and ask them to install and new meter and supply me? For instance the cheapest gas provider and a renewable electricity supplier - regardless of who used to supply the property.

b) Is it free to swap the meter for electricity as well as gas?

Cheers!

I'm in the exact same situation. Just moved into a new property. Gas is a pre pay meter, electric is a normal one. I called up a different company to the one currently supplying, they basically said it takes up to 28 days to switch supplier, once I am switched I need to cal them again and request the meter be swapped out and they will come and take away the pre pay and put in one of there own that is not pre pay. so basically in answer to your questions from my experience.

a) yes you can call up anyone and they will replace it with there own meter and remove the pre pay one. No idea how you can put any credit on the meter at the moment though until it is switched over, unless you have the previous residence pre pay cards with the chip on it. I called the previous suppier and they are sending me a card to do this, but as you don't know who it was then you obviously can't do this. Usually the seller gets asked who it was as part of all the questions your solicitor will send them as part of the buying process.

b) Yes it's completly free. In fact i'm sure I read somewhere that if you are not in debt with them then they legally have to change it if you request it to be. Could be wrong though.

jxtreme

ok here goes,

the prepayment tariff with all suppliers is the most expensive tariff you can get, these meters are usually installed at a property where a customer has gone into debt with a supplier or a landlord wants to have them or some people find it easier pay as you go, however on prepayment you dont recieve any discounts for having fuels with a supplier, and you cant have affinity products, not so sure about other suppliers but Pgen & BG prepayment have a standing charge of around 17p per day this is the only tariff where you still pay a standing charge, which can lead to more problems. if you went on holiday or went away somwhere for some time and your electricity runs out you still get charged a standing charge regardless of whether you have credit on your meter or not, this then runs up more debt for a customer.

also the tariffs on prepayment meters can be changed at any time without notice through the paypoint or payzone network, often these tariff changes dont get actioned onto meters so a customer is not paying enough and when they come to move out of a property or contact the supplier then the customer is liable for the difference in tariff's

also anyonne who is in the north west and has a british gas prepayment electricity meter will have to go through hell if they need to change supplier,

BG are installing Key meters in property's which were designed to be used down south, so no company can moniter the use of these meters or change anything on them so if you wanted to change supplier you have to have your meter changed

calleyw

With most suppliers pre-payement is the most expensive. I had this when I moved in my first property. Cost me over £70 for a quarter for electric. But got a normal electric meter put in and the bill dropped to £45 a quarter.

Ebico don't charge a standing charge if you are on a pre-paid meter.

No matter how you pay you are charged the same price.

They are not for profit charity.

Unless you are totally useless with money. I don't see the point of pre-payment meter. As no matter what you are normally going to be pay well over the odds. I know of people who put in a £10 a week for electric so approx £40 a month so £120 a quarter :eek:. My last gas and electric bill for last 5 months (Don't ask But not had a bill since the end of November)was £127 and I am home all day. If they had a normal meter in it would be costing them about £20 a month.

I budget and transfer every month the money for electric/gas and water (On a meter for that too.)in to another account. Once the bill comes I pay it.

It is the less well off that suffer. As you pay a lot more.

Yours


Calley

shelly

calleyw wrote:

Unless you are totally useless with money. I don't see the point of pre-payment meter. As no matter what you are normally going to be pay well over the odds. I know of people who put in a £10 a week for electric so approx £40 a month so £120 a quarter :eek:. My last gas and electric bill for last 5 months (Don't ask But not had a bill since the end of November)was £127 and I am home all day. If they had a normal meter in it would be costing them about £20 a month.

I can't obviously speak for anyone else but I wouldn't get rid of my pre-payment meter unless I was forced. I am good with money and I don't mind paying for the priviledge of a card meter as I wouldn't want the chance of an unexpectedly high bill, which I couldn't afford to pay, landing on my door mat. I put in about £20 every 4-5 weeks and I'm home all day. Hubby pays for gas when the bill comes in so I have no idea what that costs.

calleyw

shelly wrote:

I can't obviously speak for anyone else but I wouldn't get rid of my pre-payment meter unless I was forced. I am good with money and I don't mind paying for the priviledge of a card meter as I wouldn't want the chance of an unexpectedly high bill, which I couldn't afford to pay, landing on my door mat. I put in about £20 every 4-5 weeks and I'm home all day. Hubby pays for gas when the bill comes in so I have no idea what that costs.

But if you can find the £20 every 4-5 weeks why not hive it off to another account and pay the bill when it comes in. As it is more expensive in the first place you should have the money ready to pay the bill with some left over. Unless you are using ebico.

Sorry I still don't get. Why are you going to be getting a huge bill. If you use the same amount of electric on card meter as you do a normal meter then you aren't going to be getting huge bill.

But each to there own. You will never convince me any other way. To me if you budget every month for £20 then you should have enough to cover the bill when it comes in.

I am paying about the same in electric for a 3 bedroom house than I am for my one bedroom flat. And I now have a chest freezer.

99% of the people on card meters are not very good with money and can't budget. Some of the 99% are going to be using card meters because of bad credit and the electric/gas company have enforced it pay off back debt.

If you don't budget for items like gas/electric/water bills. Of course they are going to seem huge. It is like car tax if you don't put X amount every month then you have to find a lot in one go.

Also there is the time and hassle issue. To have prepaid meter you have to go somewhere to charge it. if I want to pay my gas and electric bill I can pay it from the comfort of my nice warm computer chair.

I do have to ask the question if you are on a pre-paid meter are you more careful with your electric and gas. And rather than turn things on you keep them off. If the answer is no then it makes no sense having a pre-paid meter then. As I don't use more electric or gas because I am not on pre-paid meter.


Yours


Calley

shelly

calleyw wrote:

Sorry I still don't get. Why are you going to be getting a huge bill. If you use the same amount of electric on card meter as you do a normal meter then you aren't going to be getting huge bill.

Not saying I would but I don't want the chance. My parents budget for the bills, like me my mum pays the leccy. (not on a card meter) She had what she thought was enough in her acct but when the bill came in it was about £100 more than expected. My Dad and hubby both looked at the meter and the estimated reading and all was fine. Something to do with the price of leccy going up and her meter hadn't been turned up to accomodate for this.

calleyw wrote:

Also there is the time and hassle issue. To have prepaid meter you have to go somewhere to charge it. if I want to pay my gas and electric bill I can pay it from the comfort of my nice warm computer chair.

I don't find it a hassle to go into my local shop on a saturday morning and but my leccy at the same time as my paper.

calleyw wrote:

I do have to ask the question if you are on a pre-paid meter are you more careful with your electric and gas. And rather than turn things on you keep them off. If the answer is no then it makes no sense having a pre-paid meter then. As I don't use more electric or gas because I am not on pre-paid meter.

No I don't take much care when using leccy. If I want something on all day then it'll be on all day Like I said. I prefer it this way, its not for everyone but for me its fine. Our gas isn't pre-paid, hubby gets a bill for that.

calleyw

shelly wrote:

Not saying I would but I don't want the chance. My parents budget for the bills, like me my mum pays the leccy. (not on a card meter) She had what she thought was enough in her acct but when the bill came in it was about £100 more than expected. My Dad and hubby both looked at the meter and the estimated reading and all was fine. Something to do with the price of leccy going up and her meter hadn't been turned up to accomodate for this.

Ok I sort of understand but don't if you know what I mean. If you feel that is best for you and it works then I suppose the old adage if it an't broke don't fix it.

But I want my money to work for me and get the best deal. That is why I don't do DD every month. As I have lost control of my money.

Oh are you with ebico. One way to get a better deal.

I read all my own meters every month so I know roughly how much my bills will be.


Yours


Calley

shelly

calleyw wrote:

Ok I sort of understand but don't if you know what I mean. If you feel that is best for you and it works then I suppose the old adage if it an't broke don't fix it.

But I want my money to work for me and get the best deal. That is why I don't do DD every month. As I have lost control of my money.

Oh are you with ebico. One way to get a better deal.

I read all my own meters every month so I know roughly how much my bills will be.


Yours


Calley

Yeah I do know what you mean

No I'm not with ebico, not sure who I am with to be honest, hubby sorts all that out, I just keep the meter topped up