Pre payment gas meter from last tenant

brenda50

I am about to move into a 2 bed flat on my own and have already spoken to British Gas who will require a £300 deposit to take the meter out. This is because I have been out of the country 2008-2010 so they say I have not got enough credit history. The electric supplier is npower.

I am on pension credit and have DLA lower rate for both and wonder how to get the best deal. I rang my old supplier EBICO and they said they will take meter out for £52 but we did not get into my spell abroad and I don`t know if they will do a credit check. BG do the Warm Home Discount so should I stay with them - they say after 6 months I will have enough credit history with them to reconsider taking the neter out. Thanks for any guidance. It is a headache after the simple system abroad.

I don`t have a supplier as I have been living in lodgings and now I am taking a private rental as I don`t know how long I will have to wait for a council property which is going to cause hardship as my housing benefit is £280 pm and the rent is £425 pm.

I really need to find the cheapest provider.

Premier_2

The cheapest deals tend to be available to those on credit meters who pay by DD and operate their account online. (this is the cheapest for the supplier to service).

However, you don't have that kind of meter. Suppliers have a duty to be responsible lenders, and a credit meter is a form of lending. Without any recent credit history, suppliers will be rightfully wary to extend credit to you.

As you have found, some suppliers may be prepared to offer you credit if you lodge a hefty security deposit with them, yet some may refuse outright for the initial year you are a tenant at the property. However, each supplier is different so you could try calling them all to find out what they would offer. As you have also discovered, some suppliers may charge about £50 to actually change the meter.

Have you also discussed this with your LL, else you may have to pay again at the end of your tenancy to re-instate the PPM.

Use a comparison site to see what the best deals ypu could get are. It may not even be worth all the hassle of trying to change the meter.

brenda50

The LL knows -the prepay meter was put in without his permission.

gazjoneswales

brenda50 wrote: »

The LL knows -the prepay meter was put in without his permission.

The LL would not have a say in the matter if they were installed for debt reasons.

Hellblazer

gazjoneswales wrote: »

The LL would not have a say in the matter if they were installed for debt reasons.

True, the meter has nothing what so ever to do with the landlord. Even more so when it's put in for debt reasons.