EDF pre-payment meter: expensive?

insurgente

Hello MSEers, I've seen a fair bit about Electricity costs on these forums but I don't think they specifically answer what I'm looking for.

I recently moved into a flat that seems to be having account issues with EDF...bill is about 650 quid, which fair enough, isn't really my problem.... but after having all these issues for the past 6 months, the EDF guy turned up the other day to install a pre-payment meter

I thought we were being obligated to have it, due to some ''debt'' but it turned out we could choose, and it would be free. As people are moving in and out of the flat all the time, it struck me that it may be an easier way to track down bill payments.

But just to generalise, pre-payment meter work out more expensive yes? Are there any electricity companies where the difference isn't so high?

thanks for the advice :beer:

biggaz26

Im with British Gas at the moment and I think all pre payment meters are extra expensive.. Woul be nice to know who has the best value one..

I think pre payment customers get a raw deal anyway. On my gas card for example if i go into emergancy credit when i top my card up again i takes money for 'debt' before applying the credit...usually about 20-40p. No idea why.

anyway...sorry to crash the party.

G

Bark01

EDF Energys Electic prepayment prices are alligned to their credit prices so you should be alright. Their Gas isn't alligned however but will only cost £10-£20 more a year if you are a typical consumer.

KimYeovil

"Aligned to credit prices" is a very different statement from "aligned to online direct debit prices", however!

And, Biggaz, of course you have to take debt and emergency off any top-ups. It is limited to only 70% of your credits so 30% should be available for you to use immediately even if you have not topped-up enough to completely cover missing payments.

KimYeovil

Bark01 wrote: »

EDF Energys Electic prepayment prices are alligned to their credit prices so you should be alright. Their Gas isn't alligned however but will only cost £10-£20 more a year if you are a typical consumer.

Are you sure? As far as I can see it will be a couple of hundred pounds, not £20, dearer for an average dual consumer.

Gerrard_8_lfc

Try and get them removed for a start and that will save money.

Failing that try Ebico for your gas and BG for your electric I have seen people on here saying that was one of the cheapest PAYG energy combination.

Bark01

KimYeovil wrote: »

Are you sure? As far as I can see it will be a couple of hundred pounds, not £20, dearer for an average dual consumer.

I was only looking at core gas prices

Prepay is ~£800
SF credit is ~£790
Gas part of DF is ~£770

Prepay DF losses £16 of discount so i make it ~£36.

If they swap from pre-pay to a DF DD online they could save ~£200. I guess I was just trying to make the pointless point that pre-pay unit rates are not that different to core.

Joyful

biggaz26

British Gas charge the same for PP electric as a credit meter and £32 more for PP Gas. If you go online to BG website and sign for PAYGE click you will save approx £70 so it's a better deal.

As the Gas meters cannot be set to charge a higher rate for the first units and a lower rate for the rest they are set to recover a small amount in the early hours. You will only notice this if you go into emergency credit as it does not collect then so when you top up it the takes it back. This is what will be showing as debt.

biggaz26

KimYeovil wrote: »

"Aligned to credit prices" is a very different statement from "aligned to online direct debit prices", however!

And, Biggaz, of course you have to take debt and emergency off any top-ups. It is limited to only 70% of your credits so 30% should be available for you to use immediately even if you have not topped-up enough to completely cover missing payments.

I understand taking the emergancy credit used off first. but I have been on a key meter since I moved in and dont have a debt with anyone for gas so why is it taking my credit as debt??

biggaz26

Joyful wrote: »

biggaz26

British Gas charge the same for PP electric as a credit meter and £32 more for PP Gas. If you go online to BG website and sign for PAYGE click you will save approx £70 so it's a better deal.

As the Gas meters cannot be set to charge a higher rate for the first units and a lower rate for the rest they are set to recover a small amount in the early hours. You will only notice this if you go into emergency credit as it does not collect then so when you top up it the takes it back. This is what will be showing as debt.

Sorry missed this post....so effectively you are saying that if i never go into emergancy ill never pay that debt bit..