Npower - Gas/Elec Meters - Please HELP!!!

colbol

Hi
Can anyone advise why it costs £60 to have my Gas/Elec Meters removed as I want to go back to paying by DDI. It costs a fortune on meters and I'm forever topping them up!! I did owe some money but I have nearly paid this back. I didn't pay to have the meters installed and was never told that it would cost £60 to have them removed and was advised "it's easy to have them removed"!!!!!!! Apparently all Gas/Elec companies charge this amount???
Thank you and any advice would be greatly appreciated.
:mad:

Premier_2

Because the guy who will come and fit it wants paying for his labour ... not to mention the cost of maintaining and running the vehicle that'll be used as transport.

No, not all gas/electric suppliers charge this amount.

specialsparky

Premier says it like it is, changing meter costs money and £60 may be cheap if compared against a fixed tariff once tou have had you meter changed. Some comapnies want a security deposit,some want to do a credit check on you, so looks like none of them will do it for free,unless Premier knows different?

Premier_2

It is true that a supplier will probably want to conduct a credit check and/or want a security deposit.

There is no charge for the credit check and the security deposit is repaid after 12 months (assuming all bills are paid in full & on time) with interest!

Agreeing to pay monthly by direct debit may waive the requirement for a security deposit with some suppliers (again perhaps in conjunction with a good credit reference)

But there are suppliers that will fit a credit meter for nothing in the right circumstances. I had one replaced by BG for no cost (after a bit of negotiation). I believe some other companies will also do so.

I think SSE or Ebico may fit a credit meter for no charge too (if eligible), SP and Eon will charge.

I suggest anyone that wants a credit meter makes calls direct to the suppliers to see what they can negotiate. A good credit history will obviously help (and in the case of BG, it was a long-standing credit history directly with them at a previous address that helped me; saved them going to an external credit reference agency)

Mankysteve

BG switched mine for free.

billycasper_2

A quick call to npower telling them that bg will change them for free should give the nudge required for npower to do likewise. if they refuse. switch

foxglove666

npower will change a PP meter to a credit one free of charge if you have a clear debt on the meter and have 1 years usage history with them. in other words if you've been a customer with npower for a year and no debt they won't credit check or ask for a deposit and they'll change them. But if your a new custome with them they "shouldn't" offer a free exchange unless the advisor needs the sales and has an understanding manager.

clarinette

Npower wouldn't do this for me. They wanted a £100 deposit. I had been a customer of theirs for years, have a good credit rating, and the only debt on the meter was due to their failure to update it promptly. I switched to Southern Electric who promised me a free meter exchange, turns out it wasn't true, so I'll be switching again very soon.

Premier_2

clarinette wrote: »

Npower wouldn't do this for me. They wanted a £100 deposit. I had been a customer of theirs for years, have a good credit rating, and the only debt on the meter was due to their failure to update it promptly. I switched to Southern Electric who promised me a free meter exchange, turns out it wasn't true, so I'll be switching again very soon.

A non-refundable charge for changing a meter is very different to a refundable (with interest) security deposit that suppliers ask to reduce the risk of you not paying the bill when it arrives.

Security deposits are refundable with interest after 12 months (assuming you pay the bills in full & on time).

clarinette

Premier wrote: »

A non-refundable charge for changing a meter is very different to a refundable (with interest) security deposit that suppliers ask to reduce the risk of you not paying the bill when it arrives.

Security deposits are refundable with interest after 12 months (assuming you pay the bills in full & on time).

Foxglove said that 'if you've been a customer with npower for a year and no debt they won't credit check or ask for a deposit and they'll change them'

As I said, they wouldn't do that for me, they asked for a deposit.

talulahbeige_2

Sites like this encourage people to get a company to change the meter for free then to switch to a "cheaper" deal. When all is said and done a utility company is a BUSINESS and is there to make money so they are protecting themselves for people who play the system. Wouldn't most people protect themselves from people who play them?