Leaving rental property guess what- a dispute

LilacPixie

I have just bought a new house. It has a prepayment meter installed. I called scottish gas on monday 13th and a new post payment meter is being installed on 23rd december. Not costing a penny but I did need to pass a credit check. I really fail to see an issue, the landlord calls then says switch it back and thats it.

dizziblonde

Meatballs wrote: »

When we moved into a prepayment property we used the old cards/key for a little while but the energy company sent us new ones and told us to use them in future. Don't know why, maybe so the money was going on 'our' account etc.

That's exactly why - I worked prepayment electric accounts for a few months (hated it and quit pretty quickly - another story) and hubby started out doing similar but with gas accounts. Basically the way they work is that they're billed at the company the same as other accounts - but the meter is set to only let a certain amount of utility through according to the amount you put on your card/key/crappy paper tokens that never go into the slot properly - as you "put gas or eleccy on your card" you build up a credit on your account at the energy company HQ - and if the meter and the company are charging the same amount per unit... the amount of credit you've built up covers the bill when that's generated and your running total goes back to zero (hence why most people who work these accounts get fits of apocalyptic rage when other people describe them as pay as you go like the phones).

Things fall down (SHOULD happen a lot less these days) when you get situations like "I'm running out of eleccy mum and I haven't got my card - can I borrow yours"... credit goes onto your mum's account, but you've used a tenner more than the company thinks you've paid for... or when the meter isn't updated as prices go up (I had the delightful job of chasing that kind of debt and I loathed it - was why I quit). That's one reason they're so quick at getting new cards out to customers when residents change over - and it removes any existing debts set on the meter to repay.

Of course like everything - things rarely work as intended and the system has the wonderful ability to screw up in weird and wonderful ways - keep yer reciepts!

Landlord-Certificates

Hammyman wrote: »

Wanna bet? Any tenant of mine doing that to MY property without my permission will be handed a Section 21. A new tenant had moved from a property where she was on a slot meter. She asked if she could have one and I said no. When she rang British Gas, they said no problem and sent out a payment booklet which she takes to the post office.

Sorry, you are wrong.

The person living in the property (regardless of who owns it) is the person who deccides if they want a prepayment meter or if they want to be with British Gas or anyone else.

The landlord has no rights concerning this when they rent out their property.

A prepayment card should only be used by the person who it was issued to. Otherwise you might end up paying someone else debt. ie, you top up £10, put the card into the meter and it credits you with £6. You have just paid £4 debt, and it could be someone else's if you are using their card.

Gas meter installations are normally always free! They may ask for a large deposit, ie £200 buts its refundable if you dont run into debt. Sometimes you can get a meter installed/swapped in a matter of days.

Paul_the_Painter

(hence why most people who work these accounts get fits of apocalyptic rage when other people describe them as pay as you go like the phones).

Interesting what dizziblonde said there, probably doesn't help when British Gas call their prepayment tariff "Pay As You Go Energy™"

aj_the_red

Landlord-certificates is right its up to the tennant on how they want to pay.

All you need to get done is get the meter de-commissioned and leave it in place , you can then finish your account.It only takes a couple of minutes to do because i do it .

Also you cant use a card in another meter once it has been registered to a meter it can only be used in that meter,noone else can put money on your meter with their card.Although it can be used if you transfer meter values doing a decom recom.

Last point the landlord cannot get any one else but the supplier to remove the meter.

wrightk

we have just been informed by the dps they are disputing the deposit amount. just going to phone to find out why. probably because they had to pay to set up an account with the meter.

The only reason we put a meter in in the first place is because we had a huge bill last winter.

the LA is telling me that although i had permission to put a meter in i have broken the contract because i took the gas card away?

cant see anything in the contract stating this

olly300

wrightk wrote: »

the LA is telling me that although i had permission to put a meter in i have broken the contract because i took the gas card away?

cant see anything in the contract stating this

Tenancy contracts don't state everything as a lot is implied in law.

You should really of asked here before taking the card as you would have learnt that it's a waste of time taking it and saved yourself loads of hassle.

When I've lived in properties with prepayment meters the last occupier has always left them in situ with about £10 credit on them.

You knew you are moving out at least a month in advance so you run the amount on the card down and top it up with smaller amounts.

The reason why your LA (who is acting as your LL ) is being awkward is because while the meter can changed back to the LL name instantly, it takes a few days for them to receive the new card by post so they can't top up the meter.

And yes they will need to turn the heating on to stop pipes bursting.

t0rt0ise

Landlord-Certificates wrote: »

Gas meter installations are normally always free! They may ask for a large deposit, ie £200 buts its refundable if you dont run into debt. Sometimes you can get a meter installed/swapped in a matter of days.

This is not so. Most suppliers charge £50 or £60 per meter, some far more, to change from a prepayment meter to a normal credit meter. British Gas are actually the only ones I know of who will change them for free.

So in this case the landlord should be able to get the meters changed back very easily providing she puts the account into her name. If she is wanting to leave the account nameless, which is a trick she's possibly trying on as she will try to get the new occupier to pay for any fuel used in the meantime, then she can't get the meter changed.

wrightk

i have found out today that the LA is trying to charge me £102 off the deposit.

the reasons: the landlord has apparantly had to obtain an emergency gas card to top up the meter while she waits for the gas card to come through. It is taking off |£8 when she tops up (this was our weekly recovery rate) and the £102 is our outstanding balance which she has processed a payment which will be going out on 5th january apparantly


my argument: how did the LA know that 102 was our outstanding balance, that bill is mine and i am the account holder, either they have opened a final bill in my name (which is illegal) or they have obtained figures from my account by phoning up british gas and using my details (which is illegal)

if they are obtaining a new gas card within 3 days (not the emergency one) that will be in the LL's name and will wipe the meter clean so why are they charging us the outstanding balance on the meter, thats my bill, when you move into a new house and the previous tenant or homeowner has arrears you dont go paying off their arrears before you can open an account to get gas and electricity

I have spoken to british gas and they have told me no payment has been processed to clear off the arrears, the final bill has nothing to do with the LL and the final bill will be sent to me

If they have obtained an emergency card and topped up fair enough they can take £8 off the deposit money which is our recovery rate per week

hope that makes sense
could anyone advise?

hotpot1000

As far as I can see the card is yours coz it's your bill and the gas will want it sent in to finalise your account.
regarding the arrears-it's tough- for the LL, I got a new card(from the corner shop-no big deal) after the tenant left and yes some of my credit went on the old tenants arrears.

Of course I wrote to the energy suppliers as advised by them but they didnt even acknowledge my letter. I never got the few quid back (around £10) that Id paid off my new card to old tenants account.
But that's not the tenants fault, the electric meter instantly resets itself on reading a new card, so a new card will start a new account from scratch. Not so with the gas pp meters.