Getting rid of electricity meter

expat_jo

Hi

We are looking to buy a property that was previously a rental property. It has an electricity meter which we would like to get rid of so we can pay by direct debit.

Does anyone know, how would we go about this and would there be a charge?

Thanks in advance

t0rt0ise

It depends who the supplier is whether there is a charge. Some won't even change the meter until you've been with them for a year. British Gas don't charge and will simply do a credit check but most of them don't work like that. There are threads around here where people have talked about their various experiences.

jd87

Just a slightly pedantic point - you'll still have a meter, you just won't need to put a card/money in it.

expat_jo

t0rt0ise - thanks, will take a look at other threads

jd87 - thanks, yes you are right, but the meter is in the sitting room! I was hoping that it could go somewhere a bit less conspicuous (or won't it?)

jd87

If you want it moved there'll probably be more charges.

ViolaLass

I've just been dealing with this with a rental property I'm about to move into. NPower would not remove the meter until I had been there for 12 months. In the end, I told them that British Gas would do it free once I had moved to them and had passed a credit checkand nPower said that as a goodwill gesture, they would remove the meter free once I've opened my account with them (moving in in two weeks).

In my view, the key point in the discussion with the complaints dept was when I told them that British Gas had confirmed their policy to me in writing. Up til then the guy wasn't interested but as soon as I said that he changed. It's worth a try at the very least.

That said, I don't know whether nPower would actually remove the meter or just disconnect it so that may not help you entirely. Maybe you could build a cupboard round it?

expat_jo

Thanks all, especially Violass for your personal experience. What a pulaver!