Eon Prepayment meter - Want to switch to a credit meter - help!

davidgmmafan

It doesn't make any sense to push for prepayment unless there are a balance owing. If someone is in credit where's the fire?

Generally when prepayment meters are fitted the multiple bills, reminders, phone call etc have been ignored. I agree though there needs to be something in place for change of tenancy situations.

I know I'm being devils advocate here but I usually try to see things from both sides. If the proposition is that there should be no charge for prepayment meters to be removed when there is a change of tenant someon has to cover that cost. Its too simplistic to say the company, because that really means other customers (in the prices they pay). Of course one solution is to have higher charges for prepayment meters to account for this, this was the case before but is not allowed now.

To be honest here is my take on what is happening. Companies are tightening up the criteria for when they will exchange a meter free of charge (from prepayment to credit). They may backdown if the customer pushes really hard but its similar to the way banks knock back almost all complaints in the first instance. The percentage of people who push is small, so on the whole the policy will reduce costs and save money.

This is NOT official just a hunch based on my observations. To be honest I don't understand why they don't insist on some kind of deposit in those situations - the the tenant who had the meter fitted is still there. If that doesn't show some goodwill on the part of the tenant I don't know what would! lol

In fact whilst I'm on it is staggering the amount of debt power companies let people get into, but that's a whole other issue.

MartinPC_2

davidgmmafan wrote: »

It doesn't make any sense to push for prepayment unless there are a balance owing. If someone is in credit where's the fire?

Generally when prepayment meters are fitted the multiple bills, reminders, phone call etc have been ignored. I agree though there needs to be something in place for change of tenancy situations.

I know I'm being devils advocate here but I usually try to see things from both sides. If the proposition is that there should be no charge for prepayment meters to be removed when there is a change of tenant someon has to cover that cost. Its too simplistic to say the company, because that really means other customers (in the prices they pay). Of course one solution is to have higher charges for prepayment meters to account for this, this was the case before but is not allowed now.

To be honest here is my take on what is happening. Companies are tightening up the criteria for when they will exchange a meter free of charge (from prepayment to credit). They may backdown if the customer pushes really hard but its similar to the way banks knock back almost all complaints in the first instance. The percentage of people who push is small, so on the whole the policy will reduce costs and save money.

This is NOT official just a hunch based on my observations. To be honest I don't understand why they don't insist on some kind of deposit in those situations - the the tenant who had the meter fitted is still there. If that doesn't show some goodwill on the part of the tenant I don't know what would! lol

In fact whilst I'm on it is staggering the amount of debt power companies let people get into, but that's a whole other issue.

David,

My complaint isn't/wasn't regarding that a utility provider, in this case Eon, charges for removal of the PPM, indeed I agree that their costs need to be covered and it is reasonable for them to pass this charge on, my complaint is/was that they dictate that the wrong person pay this charge ..... namely me!

A logical way around this is that they switch the charge from removal to installation, i.e. the debtor pays for the installation, in theory they are paying in advance for the subsequent removal, and when removed there is no charge, no charge to the individual currently being expected to pay for another's poor credit history.

But they're not likely to do that because customers, customers that continue to be lied to that there are no charges involved, would be unwilling to have these meters installed in the first instance and utility vendors, Eon, want these meters in to get payments in advance of the customer's usage of overpriced gas/electricity!

The bottom line is that this should never have become my problem, it was an agreement between Eon and their customer and it should have remained an agreement between those two parties and without causing a third party, me, any distress or inconvenience.

MartinPC_2

Just to follow this up:

My ex tenant popped around this afternoon to pick up her mail, we normally have a chat, she knew that I had been taking Eon to court so this was the first thing she asked me.

In chatting she categorically confirmed that when Eon proposed the PPM she declared to Eon that she is only a tenant and she might need to check with the landlord (me), Eon's reply was that the PPM installment was purely between Eon and cunstomer (tenant) and, words to the effect, has nothing to do with the landlord (me).

What a joke, has nothing to do with the landlord (me) until they ask for the landlord's instruction to remove it and demand £50 from the landlord in the process!

Meanwhile I phoned SSE (Swalec) last week, they informed me that they charge £52 for a PPM removal. My ex tenant is currently with Swalec, running in to difficulties again, having a PPM installed. and Swalec have told her there will be no charge to have it subsequently removed.

They're all a bunch of crooks!

Terrylw1

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Brian wrote: »

Hi dave_behave,

Thanks for your comments on our current prepayment meter exchanging policy and I’m sorry that you are disappointed with this situation.

It’s worth being aware that you don’t need to change the meter with us. If you arrange to move energy supplier the gaining supplier can change the meter for you once the transfer is complete. This just means that for the time it takes to transfer (usually 6-8 weeks) and the time you are supplied by E.ON you will have to manage with the prepayment meter.

I do understand how you feel, and I understand that this policy won’t suit all off our customers however this is, at present how the policy stands. Thank you for your thoughts on this matter, I will make note of these and use them as feedback.

Brian

Yes, they can, as any can. However, they may also charge so the OP will need to be careful on that. Plus what the OP also needs to know that he will be subject to credit checks and they have very little payment history to go on so it's very likely they could refuse!

Martin - many consumers & landlords get caught up in the previous debtors trap. When Suppliers swap them out free, it worked, Now they charge, a completely innocent party ends up paying for a previous debtor. It wasn't long ago that Suppliers were stating they wouldn't remove PP's for a year even when a new tenant moved in...hence putting the new tenant in a position created by previous poor payers. Another downside of a badly regulated industry.

Terrylw1

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc wrote: »

Hi davidgmmafan

The charge of £50 is made for any non-essential meter change, prepayment or credit.

Generally, a meter will already be in place whenever someone moves into a property. If the customer requests a different meter, we usually impose the charge unless it is either faulty or due for a statutory change.

The charge is to cover the cost of the engineer's visit to carry out the work.

Malc

If someone falls into debt, you fit a PP free to recover your money. Sorted.

They move out, a new innocent customer moves in with a good credit check and you want them to pay £50 for the the mistake of the previous customer.

Do you pass on all the costs for site visits? So, everytime your DC takes a read because you want outside of read cycles or everytime you send out the MOP to check the meter details? What about if the customer rewires and needs the new load connecting, do you charge then?

Or do you only charge for removing a PP? Understandable for the customer causes you the headache, but not a new one.

If you have pulled the fuse and a new customer moves in, it's still a cost you could do without.

Not the policy of all Suppliers but in an industry with a poor regulator, you can bet them will all do it at somepoint.

I realise this is a commercial decision, not something you can impact, however it's worth pointing out that such charges are not always equal and PP meters are an easy target for additional charging.

MartinPC_2

Terry,

Agreed, with a PPM in place it might deter future prospective tenants renting the property, affecting the property owner financially, and/or if future tenants decline to pay for meter removal, and/or insist that the property owner have standard metering installed, it all serves to affect the property owner financially, and these @sshole utility providers claim it has nothing to do with the property owner!

I can only suggest to such property owners to "sue the b@stards" for the cost of the PPM removal, the property owner stands to lose £50 in court fees getting it to court, it's going to cost the utility provider a hell of a lot more to defend the claim in court, however the County Court ruled in my favour.

t0rt0ise

It's a strange business as each supplier has its own rules and prices. I was with Ovo in my last house, asked them when I moved if they'd remove the PPMs, both gas and elec, here and I'd continue to use them. Oh yes, they said, but it would cost £200 to remove one meter and £300 for the other! I declined and cancelled with them and stuck with the previous occupant's supplier here of British Gas and got the meters changed for free.

What's also odd is that the new tenant in my old house who is deeply in debt with BT, many catalogue companies and others can use the credit meters there with no check at all. It's a funny game. We did a house swap so the reason for the PPMs here is obvious. I suppose she'll have to get in debt with Ovo before they twig and install PPMs there.

MartinPC_2

Tortoise,

Terry posted that it is a poorly regulated industry, this was my reason why I went directly to Money Claim Online rather than a biased, supposed, regulator.

They all want these PPM's in to get their monies, somewhat understandably, they offer direct debit discounts but offer no such discounts if a PPM customer tops up by X amount per month or similar, the utility providers are creaming it in on overpriced utilities then some bright spark, in one of these providers, decided they could cream it in further, on top of the £100's they've already made on an overpriced product by charging for removal, that'll keep the PPM in that little bit longer for 'us' to really 'take the p1ss', other utility providers jumped on the bandwagon, but they're trying to put, they are putting, the onus of the removal charge on an innocent party.

If you utility providers, you sharks, are reading this then all it takes is one of you to put it around that you have decided not to charge for a PPM removal, that can be proven as having been installed for a customer other than the current occupier, and you'll have so many customers signing up you'll make your money back ten fold.

Until then ... property owners put in my position ... sue the b@stards!

kareka

Hello ... need a help? I lived for six months in a rented private residence. When I moved the landlord put the bills such as water and council tax on my name and the energy and gas continued in the name of the landlord. won the contract but when he asked me to leave because he would need the house. So that months before the boiler blew and we were 15 days without hot water. and the bill came too high. So that months before I asked the landlord's brother who was in charge of the house while the landlord was in turkey for him to put the bill (gas and power) in my name, but he did not. I moved when I asked him conciderasse value and help me pay the bill because the failure of the boiler was not mine. he agreed and said it would solve. but after he leaves the house received a bill from E.0N in my name for me to pay the entire bill. I called in and asked E.ON what right they had to change a bill to my name without my permission they gave no importance and I am now receiving charges from credit companies ... please tell me what and where should I turn right. Why should I assume part of that bill, but only because he changed the bill after I left and why E.on accepted without my autorizacao.Thanks

kareka

Another problem, some lived in a residence mese ago when I moved and not left behind any bill back, so my ex landlayd put an account in a collector that I pay for a value of approximately £ 300.00 pounds for the british gas for use pre-pay gas meter. I've called in British Gas and told me it was a fee charged to use pre-pay meter. Now I wonder if I have to pay this bill or fee and whether the landlord's obligation to pay. Thanks if possible show me where that code of law is