Is this info from EDF correct?

SnoopyCat1

Back in 2009 EDF put me on a pre-payment meter. Won't go into length as to why, suffice to say death of 2 family members and loss of job. However, since the beginning of 2010 I have been working and have no debt. Have always been unhappy about being forced to have the meter and kept meaning to do something about it. So read your very helpful notices on this forum and saw the one about EDF being helpful and happy to change pre-payment meter to paying monthly. Buoyed by this, I just called them. He was most helpful and happy to change me from a prepayment meter to a monthly DD. He was even happy for an engineer to come out and completely remove the meter. However, when I asked him to confirm that I would be charged the same as a customer without a prepayment meter, he said yes. He said even though I'm on a prepayment meter, I have always been charged the same as someone who doesn't have one. If I change to a monthly DD, they will still charge me the same as I'm paying now, just that instead of topping up all the time, I'll just be paying the same DD amount each month. Is this correct? I always thought that prepayment meters were an extortionate way to pay. When I said this to him, he said "Who told you that?". I said, "Well, from other meter users, TV money saving experts, money saving forums etc". He said: "That's only their opinion, they don't actually work for the energy companies, so they don't know what they're talking about". I said I would think about it and get back to them. So, I'm asking all you prepayment meter experts ... who and what do I believe?? Any advice would be most gratefully received.

Wywth

SnoopyCat1 wrote: »

Back in 2009 EDF put me on a pre-payment meter. Won't go into length as to why, suffice to say death of 2 family members and loss of job. However, since the beginning of 2010 I have been working and have no debt. Have always been unhappy about being forced to have the meter and kept meaning to do something about it. So read your very helpful notices on this forum and saw the one about EDF being helpful and happy to change pre-payment meter to paying monthly. Buoyed by this, I just called them. He was most helpful and happy to change me from a prepayment meter to a monthly DD. He was even happy for an engineer to come out and completely remove the meter. However, when I asked him to confirm that I would be charged the same as a customer without a prepayment meter, he said yes. He said even though I'm on a prepayment meter, I have always been charged the same as someone who doesn't have one. If I change to a monthly DD, they will still charge me the same as I'm paying now, just that instead of topping up all the time, I'll just be paying the same DD amount each month. Is this correct? I always thought that prepayment meters were an extortionate way to pay. When I said this to him, he said "Who told you that?". I said, "Well, from other meter users, TV money saving experts, money saving forums etc". He said: "That's only their opinion, they don't actually work for the energy companies, so they don't know what they're talking about". I said I would think about it and get back to them. So, I'm asking all you prepayment meter experts ... who and what do I believe?? Any advice would be most gratefully received.

There's only one moneysavingexpert, and I'm sure he would agree with me that those on a PPM pay about the same as those on the suppliers standard credit tariff, so beware of possibly libelling him otherwise

What is true, and I am sure the MSE will also agree with, is that better deals/tariffs are often available to those with a credit meter because, for example, paying monthly by DD is sometime (not always) a cheaper option.

Consult a comparison site to see what lowest annual price you could be paying with a credit meter.

jalexa

SnoopyCat1 wrote: »

Most likely either the question and/or the answer has been misunderstood.

The PP tariff is the same as the non-online Standard tariff. So one answer.

However, now you have a credit meter you can transfer to any tariff your supplier offers. Online Direct Debit tariffs offer the biggest discounts. Last week Edf had a very competitive tariff, now withdrawn. This week (temporarily I suspect) Edf offers little choice over Standard (but still online DD discounts). So another answer.

You are also entitled to switch to your choice of tariffs with other suppliers. Learn to use a comparison website. The best answer.

Wywth

More words of wisdom from the MSE for those on a PPM here:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/switch-prepaid-gas-electricity

SnoopyCat1

Thank you to those of you who kindly replied, in particular jalexa, who understood my message the best! Not sure who was the first responder, but for the record, libelling the EDF chap was NOT my intention at all. I just typed verbatim my telephone conversation with him. Martin said on breakfast tv last week that those of us on PPM's are paying more than anyone else, so I naturally assumed it applied to me and was paying more than someone who wasn't on one. So was hoping you'd understand my confusion after my conversation with EDF. I am a newbie to this site and a newbie to the quagmire of PPM's.

macman

It's a common urban myth on here that PPM's are much more expensive. As above, they are the same price as Standard tariff, so typically about 6% more than an online discount tariff, which you can only access with a credit meter.
I guess that the act of having to physically do top-ups makes people more aware of the cash being used, in a way that a monthly DD does not.

brewerdave

I think what further supports the "urban myth" re the expense of prepay,is that many people on prepayment meters have pre-existing debt which is being clawed back via the meter!!

Wywth

SnoopyCat1 wrote: »

Thank you to those of you who kindly replied, in particular jalexa, who understood my message the best! Not sure who was the first responder, but for the record, libelling the EDF chap was NOT my intention at all. I just typed verbatim my telephone conversation with him. Martin said on breakfast tv last week that those of us on PPM's are paying more than anyone else, so I naturally assumed it applied to me and was paying more than someone who wasn't on one. So was hoping you'd understand my confusion after my conversation with EDF. I am a newbie to this site and a newbie to the quagmire of PPM's.

It's was Martin I was suggesting you were possibly libelling, not the EDF employee


I have checked Martins appearance on last weeks daybreak show, and I can't see where he says what you are now alleging either!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJJ70E1FKqU

He does say a PPM is a "relatively expensive way to pay" (55 secs) and does recommend later "check whether she can move to a normal direct debit monthly billing because that is a lot cheaper" (1min 35sec)

But I don't see where he is supposed to have said that those on a PPM pay more than anyone else, as that would be incorrect.

:huh:

SnoopyCat1

Thank you all for your responses; just a bit taken aback at the tone of the replies to be honest. For a first visit to a forum, not a pleasant experience, but at least I've now been put straight on my ignorance of PPM's and the advice I have gleaned has been really helpful!

macman

I can see nothing unpleasant in any of the replies?