Best way to get rid of prepayment meter?

gemmabe

I am moving into a new property in about 3 weeks and have just been told the previous tenant had a gas prepayment meter installed (not the elec, just the gas). The landlord has said if there is a charge to have this removed then she will pay.

Having checked it seems the current supplier - EON - would charge £50 to replace the meter with a credit meter, however is it possible for me to switch to a different supplier NOW (depending on the price comparison results!) and they may then replace the meter for free? This would mean I would get to benefit from the cheaper rates more quickly, rather than paying £50 to EON to fit new meter and then switching afterwards, which would take 6 ish weeks!

Hope this makes sense!

gemmabe

URGH! Just phoned EON and they said I will need to be with them for 12 months before they will consider taking out the prepayment meter :-O Not at all happy with this, especially as just done a price comparison and EON is waaaay down the list for me.

Any ideas?

penrhyn

If your stuck with the prepayment meter it might be worth looking at Ebico.

gemmabe

penrhyn wrote: »

If your stuck with the prepayment meter it might be worth looking at Ebico.

Great minds

I just emailed them to ask if I can switch to them (as they are a bit cheaper for prepayment) and whether or not they would remove meter.

factoryworker

penrhyn wrote: »

If your stuck with the prepayment meter it might be worth looking at Ebico.

Good tip unit price wise, but not sure they replace meters?

i thinkyou should ring eon again and hope you get someone more helpful; realistically you are going to have to pay someone sometime to replace the meter, and BG for example charge considerably more; E.on is one of the cheaper replacement costs. Anyway you state landlady is paying; providing you have a good credit record/don't owe eon i don't believe the minimum year to replace is valid; it takes about 10 days to change a meter; it will take 4-6 weeks whenever you change supplier so all this adds is 10 days; ring eon again, demand a meter exchange and be ready to pay the amount; suggest to eon that you will change supplier if they don't agree (if you have the gas with them too this a quite a leverage, as more likely to replace than risk losing you)

gemmabe

factoryworker wrote: »

Good tip unit price wise, but not sure they replace meters?

i thinkyou should ring eon again and hope you get someone more helpful; realistically you are going to have to pay someone sometime to replace the meter, and BG for example charge considerably more; E.on is one of the cheaper replacement costs. Anyway you state landlady is paying; providing you have a good credit record/don't owe eon i don't believe the minimum year to replace is valid; it takes about 10 days to change a meter; it will take 4-6 weeks whenever you change supplier so all this adds is 10 days; ring eon again, demand a meter exchange and be ready to pay the amount; suggest to eon that you will change supplier if they don't agree (if you have the gas with them too this a quite a leverage, as more likely to replace than risk losing you)

Thanks, You could be right. Hope so anyway!

Was on hold to EON for aaaages so going to try a written complaint. I have also emailed Ofgem and Consumer Direct, pointing out that I have a credit account with my current energy supplier.

I don't have a great credit rating (default history) but am up to date with my energy bills. I would be paying by monthly Direct Debit so couldn't get too far in arrears really.

TBH I would wanna switch away from EON anyway after having now done the price comparisons. They don't fare too well for me, even for a credit account.

ic

I was with Ebico at my previous rented flat when I moved into my house - which already had prepayment meters each with different suppliers. Prior to arriving in the house and realising the meters were prepayment, I'd already notified Southern Electric (the people who actually run the Ebico tariffs) that I was moving. When I moved in they supplied cards which updated the meters for me. Later they swapped the meters out for me. If you're already with a supplier, notify them that you're moving and take your account with you - based on your (good) history they should be happy to take out the meters.

gemmabe

ic wrote: »

I was with Ebico at my previous rented flat when I moved into my house - which already had prepayment meters each with different suppliers. Prior to arriving in the house and realising the meters were prepayment, I'd already notified Southern Electric (the people who actually run the Ebico tariffs) that I was moving. When I moved in they supplied cards which updated the meters for me. Later they swapped the meters out for me. If you're already with a supplier, notify them that you're moving and take your account with you - based on your (good) history they should be happy to take out the meters.

Good thinking.

I have only actually been with my current supplier for the past 3 months but am up to date with all direct debit payments. I contacted them a few days ago to cancel account but now may be better to give them a bell and ask to transfer account. Worth a shot!

acl25

Southern Electric Change your meter for free. They will do a credit check tho and expect you to pay by dd.

Might be worth a try!?

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena

Hi gemmabe,

Just wanted to make a few points clear regarding changing a pre-payment meter to a credit meter with E.ON.

They will now follow guidelines, these are as follows.

If the property is rented the tenant will need to have lived there for 12 months.
There will be a £50 charge per meter, this is to cover the cost of the appointment.
An external credit check will be performed.
If it is agreed that the meter is to be removed, the customer will need to pay their future bills by monthly Direct Debit.

As you will be renting the property, it is very unlikely that the meter will be removed, E.ON may consider this after you have lived there for 12 months, but they will use the information from the credit check.

Helena

SwanJon

factoryworker wrote: »

BG for example charge considerably more;

Not sure where you got that from factoryworker.

BG will run a credit check first, and if you pass will swap the meter.
If you fail the credit check they will ask for a security deposit of £300 (or based on usage if you've been with them a year). You will get this back agter 12 months of paying your bills/DDs on time.

So either way, you pay nothing for getting the meter exchanged.