Pre-Payment metre question.

valeriargh

I recently moved into a new property and the gas metre is a pre-pay one, the landlord has switched us over to southern electric from british gas, the switch has just completed and we are yet to receive a top up card for the gas metre from southern electric, the gas has now run out and I don't know what to do, if I topped up my excisting card would it work?

Its not ideal but its really cold and we just need something to keep us going untill I can get through to southern electric, been trying for 3 days now with no luck, must of been on hold for at least 2-3 hours without speaking to a soul. Which is really filling me with confidence.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance!

penrhyn

If the meter is in the landlords name then maybe you should talk to him/her in the first instance.

valeriargh

The gas and electric are in our names, the landlord insisted that the supplier be changed to Southern Electric just after we moved in, set the process in action then gave them our names. So the bills etc come to us and we deal with them.

penrhyn

In which case ring Southern Electric, I use them (well Ebico) for gas and they are usually very good. try 0800 912 3000

robin_banks

You may be able to change the meter, the landlord does not own the meter.

Plushchris

If you are paying the bills its up to you what supplier you use not the landlord, it may be in your tenancy agreement that you cant change the meter but you can change the supplier to whoever is cheapest (unlikely to be Southern Electric)

Joyful

If you still have the BG card continue to use it until your new supplier sends one. All that will happen is Southern will claim back the payments.

Premier_2

robin_banks wrote: »

You may be able to change the meter, the landlord does not own the meter.

It doesn't matter who owns what.

The Landlord lets and the Tenant rents. T is expected to return the property in the same condition as it was originally let (fair wear & tear excepted), and if not L is permitted to charge such costs of restitution.

Best to seek permission from L first before T goes off modifying let property.

valeriargh

Thank you for all the advice, I finally managed to speak to someone at SE and a card is being sent! Its in our tenancy agreemant that we can't change the supplier, don't ask me why cause I don't know! The switch was put in motion by the landlord as we were moving in it would appear.

Premier_2

valeriargh wrote: »

Thank you for all the advice, I finally managed to speak to someone at SE and a card is being sent! Its in our tenancy agreemant that we can't change the supplier, don't ask me why cause I don't know! The switch was put in motion by the landlord as we were moving in it would appear.

Don't worry about that term, it's unenforcible.
(and no way a LL would know during the tenancy, so no risk of him evicting you over it)

As the account holder, you are free to choose any supplier you like.
If you wanted to be really kind, you could simply switch back to initial supplier just before end of tenancy and earn yourself some switching money, instead of L pocketing it.

Plushchris

Premier wrote: »

Don't worry about that term, it's unenforcible.
(and no way a LL would know during the tenancy, so no risk of him evicting you over it)

As the account holder, you are free to choose any supplier you like.
If you wanted to be really kind, you could simply switch back to initial supplier just before end of tenancy and earn yourself some switching money, instead of L pocketing it.

Spot on!

Its obvious the LL probably switched just to bag some cashback, if the bills are in your name then its up to you who you pay.

The landlord could also write in the agreement that you have to shop at Waitrose and can only buy your clothes at M&S, doesnt mean its enforcible.