new tenant no gas meter...

bili

hi all,

Im a new tenant for this council flat (bedsit as im a uni student) that i got offered to last week. Today, i went to the place to sort out utilities (gas & electricity).

After numorous phone calls, i found out that i was with british gas for my electricity and the guy on the phone (sounded like a technician) offered me a ref number so i can collect a new key with £8 as i described to him that there is a key on the meter with debt of £20 so that was ok.

Now gas, he offerd to find out for me who is my current gas supplier then he said there is no gas suppliers at my address so im free to take on any suppliers and if at all desire, go with british gas. I went berserk and tried to search for this gas meter but i couldn't find it so he said that it might had got taken out...

So my question is:
Should i go with british gas for gas as well and should i go with meter as well ( prepayment meter?). I read few posts in this website before signing up and i feel like dd is better than prepayment meter?

thanks in advanced

PNPSUKNET

it may of been disconnected for debt

spiro

PPM costs the same as the basic standard tariff, you get extra discounts for DD, dual fuel, online billing plus the payments are even across the year.

In terms of gas what sort a meter a supplier fits will depend on your credit rating and any payment history for gas. I'm guessing you wont have been paying a gas bill before so thats not in your favour. Therefore if they do fit a credit meter you are likely (not certain) that you will have to pay a deposit of a couple of hundred pounds which you will get back after a year.

robpw2

i just have to ask this before you get a gas meter installed etc do you have any appliances in the flat that take gas , as in your heating could be electric your cooker could be electric ...
btw british gas are one of the cheapest prepay tariffs for dual fuel according to go compare

bili

thanks all

yes, i never have to deal with this sort of things (paying for utilities) until now so im a bit overwhelming.

The flat has absolutely nothing in it so no appliance as yet and i hate the fact that kitchen is in the same room as my bed (imagine burning my food..) and the floor is bare.

I still dont know what to do about a cooker yet.

I was told to sort out my gas and electric supplier so the council will come to test the boiler when the gas is ready to be used.

Paint comes today so i will be busy painting on the next few days.

From what robpw2 and spiro said, it seems to me that i should go with british gas for gas and electricity prepayment meter and see how it fare.

Thanks again,

Premier_2

Maybe there is no gas supply ... gas is not commonly supplied to flats (but is sometimes)

bili

Premier wrote: »

Maybe there is no gas supply ... gas is not commonly supplied to flats (but is sometimes)

Given the fact that there is no gas meter around and what premier said, supposed that it is indeed true there is no gas supply how can i get hot water?!

terryw

Is there not an electric immersion heater?

bili

terryw wrote: »

Is there not an electric immersion heater?

ah yes sir! when i was looking for a gas meter, i came a cross this giant looking thingy and it said immersion heater. I have no idea what it is until now, well i thought it gotta be use to heat something but i was only searching for the gas meter.

But how do i get it to work? or i need to call someone in?

terryw

It will be wired to a on the wall. Switch it on. Ask one of the other bedsit tenants who have sussed this out for help if you have bother.

spiro

Phone the council and ask if you have gas which I suspect you have if they said "so the council will come to test the boiler when the gas is ready to be used". They will also know were the meter is which could be in a box on the outside wall of the building.