Standard meter is now a pre-paid meter...but why?

skint-student-nurse

me again...!

our tenant has finally moved out and we gained access to the flat today.

i noticed that - due to someone breaking off the door on the meter cupboard - our old meter (the one where they send you bills) is now a pre-payment meter :eek: my MIL said that they need permission from the owner to change the meter and the first we knew about this new meter was from today and it could have possibly been there since may 2009 so we certainly didnt give permission for this.

is it possible that the utility company would have changed the meter if someone had defaulted/not paid their bills?

as you can probably tell,im clueless about these pre-pay meters and any help/advice would be appriciated.

Skint x

stephga23

Hiya,

if someone didn't pay their energy bills any supplier can apply for a warrant to enter the property and "force fit" a prepayment meter to recover the outstanding debt and make sure future consumption is paid for.

Contact the supplier in question and advise your tenant has moved out...they may need proof of this though...if there is any debt on the meter they will arrange to clear it electronically or by sending an engineer out.....

Hope this helps )

Steph

skint-student-nurse

thanks!! just out of curiosity then,when you say that they can enter the property,can they force their way in,ie,break the door in? i only ask because when we went in this morning,there was damage to the door and frames which suggested forced entry.

am i right in thinking that once a pre-payment meter is installed,it can not be changed back to a standard meter?

stephga23

If no one was in then yes they would force entry and leave the keys at a safe place if they change the locks...normally at a police station.

It all depends on the supplier...some will charge you for it but if you say you inherited the meter then they may do it foc. Like i mentioned earlier though you will need to proove the tenant/ previous occupant has moved out.

skint-student-nurse

sweet,thanks for that! tried to ring the supplier (the one we were signed up with and who it should have been changed back to as stated in the tenancy agreement) but they are closed til the morning

PNPSUKNET

they may see the property however as a risk if its rented out.

Mankysteve

The old tenets may have just preferred to pay as you go.

Unless your paying the bills the tennet can pay how ever they want includeing switching to prepayment you can not dictate how and whom they pay. Even if its the contract it would be an unfair term.
http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/reports/unfair_contract_terms/oft356.pdf


Just ring the electi board tell them the old tenets have moved out they send out a new key and clear any remaining debt. The debt can be checked by clicking on the button on front with a key in but I cant remember what option it is.

Personally as I would leave it how it is, It less hassle for you and the new tenets can easily get it switched to credit meter if there credit rating is good enough.

I'm not sure whom would liable to the damaged door though.

GYOB

Mankysteve wrote: »

Just ring the electi board tell them the old tenets have moved out they send out a new key and clear any remaining debt. The debt can be checked by clicking on the button on front with a key in but I cant remember what option it is.

On a key meter it is usually either screen S or 8 (depending on how the meter is set-up)

skint-student-nurse

just to update....i spoke to npower today and the tenant asked for the meter to be put in,which she didn't gain consent for for and it was against her tenancy agreement. we now have to wait 12 months to get it changed even though my OH had a note on the system that he rents the property out :mad:

GYOB

If you're going to be continuing to let the property then having a PPM can be a good thing...it means that tenants are less able to run up huge debts and then do a runner and then you have collections staff contacting you for details (or even worse tenants who don't change the account out of your name or your agents name and then dissapearing leaving a huge debt behind them)...these are situations I come accross many times in a day.

PNPSUKNET

skint-student-nurse wrote: »

just to update....i spoke to npower today and the tenant asked for the meter to be put in,which she didn't gain consent for for and it was against her tenancy agreement. we now have to wait 12 months to get it changed even though my OH had a note on the system that he rents the property out :mad:

A lot of landlords place in tennancy agreements that you cant change suppliers or have a pre-payment installed. With the first fair do, however the second cant be enforced without the permission of utility providers as they own the metering equipment.