Looking for an electric supplier with prepaid meter and no standing charge

allyssa

Recently I took possession of a small flat. I do not intend to live in the property for at least a year.
I identified the electric supply was from British Gas, so I contacted them 8 weeks ago and asked if they could swap the meter to prepaid because I did not want to be paying a standing charge for electric in a property that is lying empty. BG agreed to replace the meter and n the 30th of July this was done.
Today I popped by the flat to check for mail, etc. and discovered there was no power. I'd been given a power key that had £5.00 emergency on it so I inserted that, but still no joy. I then noticed the meter said there was a debt of £10.70.
So, I called BG and asked why I had a debt on my meter when there was no power being used? Eventually after a 30 minute wait and being passed all round the houses, I was informed there was actually a standing charge of £1.84 per week on the meter!
So basically I feel I have lied to and been missold a tarrif plan a/c by BG. I would like to get my money back and swap to another supplier who will actually allow me to pay ONLY for the electric I use.

Can anyone advise how to complain and which supplier would be best for me, please?

[Deleted User]

Hi, you ve nothing to complain about as £1.84 standing charge a week is British Gas es normal rate for every one on electric prepay. nearly everyone pays a standing charge on meters. If your meter is an Actaris KBD meter it can be set up to collect the standing charge built into the units. The end result is the same as a weekly standing charge ( £90 a year ) unless you are a very low user. True "debt "on these meters is set on screen "S " which you can see only with your key inserted. Screen " A " shows the standing charge debt only.If it is a Landys and Gyr prepay , I dont think that meter allows "no standing charge". Possibly they could switch the prepay meter to the Actaris prepay. another option is to switch to a credit meter and select "no standing charge " if you intend to have the flat empty. A charge may be applied by BG for that though

Terrylw1

If you stated you wanted the PPM to avoid standing charge, they should have advised you that it wouldn't work.

So, its a kind if miss selling. Raise a complaint.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

the £1.84 may be rental for ppm, so not really a standing charge on electricity.

[Deleted User]

Just to make it clear to Allyssa, if your prepay meter is an Actaris, all that is needed is a call to B.G. who will send you another key which will programme the meter to work as a "no standing charge " meter, where it will collect the standing charge as you use the units. No units used, no standing charge used. the only other meter used with prepays is the Landys and Gyr which I have never seen operating as a no standing charge meter .About 50% of the Actaris prepays I see are set up for no standing charge.
Its not been a good idea by the Utilities to give the term " no standing charge " to meters as it gives the totally wrong idea to people. We all pay rentals etc on all meters, just like we do on our phone lines

undaunted

Personally I'd feel I had something to complain about given the above "claim", ie that customer asked for ppm as they wanted no standing charges & they now find they have a charge anyway - regardless of what you wish to call it. Operator should have advised them of the correct position.

Ebico advertise no standing charges https://www.ebico.org.uk/

Joyful

All new customers to British Gas now go onto the Clear and Simple tariff which has a charge plus every unit charged at the same price. This is instead of a two tier price. This tariff will not be changed on the prepayment meter. It will have an effect when properties are vacant on the PP meters but when the electric and gas start being used it will no longer have the first units per day charged at a higher price before dropping to the lower price. For most people it will be swings and roundabouts. All suppliers will be heading this way as it is what Ofgem and customers have been asking for.

For any customers already on the 2 tier tariff their will be no change but they can ask to see if they would be any better off on the Clear and Simple tariff.

[Deleted User]

thanks for that info Joyful, Allyssa appears to be a new customer but still is getting a fixed standing charge of £1.84 a week.
I hope B.G. and others drop the " no standing charge " phrase as all that has done is confuse people.

Joyful

The daily charges is approx 25p so this will equate to what the weekly charge shows on the meter.

Terrylw1

There is still the issue of the supplier misadvising them.