Changing our payment method

trickydicky58

Our gas and electricity supplier is British Gas and we use pre payment meters for both. They have both been in my partners name since she moved into the property nearly 10 years ago. Can we ask for them to be taken out and for me to open a new account with a different payment method. Any help would be appreciated.

t0rt0ise

Yes, they will do a credit check but providing that's okay they will change the meters for no charge.

dogshome

Hi trickydicky58 - Presume you want to swap pre-pay meters for credit meters which give you the advantage of D/Debit and Online account discounts.

If this property is rented there may be a clause in the lease that bars the Pre-pay meters being changed over to Credit meters, however if there is no clause or it's owner ocuppied, the change can be made but at a cost

If there is not a debt or a history of debt on this 10 year old account BG should play ball, but they will expect you to pay for the meter swaps and may well ask for an upfront deposit that will be returned after 1 year providing all bills have been paid on time

t0rt0ise

British Gas don't charge for a meter change. Other suppliers do. BG changed mine for no charge a few weeks ago.

trickydicky58

Cheers for the replies, I will get in touch with British Gas and get the meters changed over

Premier_2

If the accounts were in your partner's name, she could probably get the meters changed subject to status (and perhaps a sizeable security deposit).

If you try and put the accounts in your name, then BG will not usually change the meters immediately unless you have had a credit account with them recently (obviously in good standing).

If you are now sharing the property with your partner, then BG may be happier if the accounts were in both your names