prepayment meter removal

wrightk

we moved into the house a few months ago and the property had a prepayment meter installed by the previous tenants (council property), i think because of a large debt that was on it.

the trouble is as we have a woodburner for the central heating we only have electric and in the warmer days we have to use the immersion for hot water, the house is in the middle of nowhere, topped with the fact our daughters bedroom uses a lot of electric (for sensory equipment and the like to help with her learning difficulties).

the company ( sse) advised it would cost £62 pound to be removed,plus we would be credit checked and direct debited etc etc.bit steep to remove a meter? is there anything i can do to get it out for cheaper. contact other companies etc, or is it purely based on me paying this £62 to get it removed

many thanks

Wywth

wrightk wrote: »

we moved into the house a few months ago and the property had a prepayment meter installed by the previous tenants (council property), i think because of a large debt that was on it.

the trouble is as we have a woodburner for the central heating we only have electric and in the warmer days we have to use the immersion for hot water, the house is in the middle of nowhere, topped with the fact our daughters bedroom uses a lot of electric (for sensory equipment and the like to help with her learning difficulties).

the company ( sse) advised it would cost £62 pound to be removed,plus we would be credit checked and direct debited etc etc.bit steep to remove a meter? is there anything i can do to get it out for cheaper. contact other companies etc, or is it purely based on me paying this £62 to get it removed

many thanks

It seems about the going rate.

You can try other suppliers, but they may not even agree to provide you with a credit meter at all or may demand a sizeable security deposit.

molerat

Who was the supplier at your previous property, they may be amenable to a free swap if you move to them.

chanz4

Ask your supplier again, dependant on your childs disability they may change for free

wrightk

chanz4 wrote: »

Ask your supplier again, dependant on your childs disability they may change for free

thanks for the tip, i have done and because she is autistic they say they cannot remove it for free as the electricity is not supplying life dependent equipment

guess ill have to save up bit by bit, thanks anyway

smergyl

EDF and scottish power will remove it for free after you've been with them for a while. I think it's 6 months for EDF and 12 months for scottish power. However EDF are pants and cause constant problems.

Terrylw1

wrightk wrote: »

thanks for the tip, i have done and because she is autistic they say they cannot remove it for free as the electricity is not supplying life dependent equipment

guess ill have to save up bit by bit, thanks anyway

Threatening to switch often does the trick. A gaining supplier will often waive it. So will a damaging complaint.

If your credit was good with your previous supplier, I'm sure they will do it to gain the new property.

Perhaps remind the current supplier that the previous occupant caused this and you shouldn't be held accountable for their lack of payment. Suppliers love penalising new occupants for the previous and its wrong.

pooch

Terrylw1 wrote: »

Threatening to switch often does the trick. A gaining supplier will often waive it. So will a damaging complaint.

If your credit was good with your previous supplier, I'm sure they will do it to gain the new property.

Perhaps remind the current supplier that the previous occupant caused this and you shouldn't be held accountable for their lack of payment. Suppliers love penalising new occupants for the previous and its wrong.

Being refused credit or being charged for a non-essential meter change is not grounds for a damaging complaint.

In fact it's not even grounds for a valid complaint at all.

chanz4

pooch wrote: »

Being refused credit or being charged for a non-essential meter change is not grounds for a damaging complaint.

In fact it's not even grounds for a valid complaint at all.

I have to agree, the energy ombudsman also cant rule on payment methods

Terrylw1

pooch wrote: »

Being refused credit or being charged for a non-essential meter change is not grounds for a damaging complaint.

In fact it's not even grounds for a valid complaint at all.

Being held accountable for a previous occupants debt is worth a complaint.

Since a meter change doesn't cost what they quote, they will easily waive it when it comes to a referral to the ombudsman costing them a lot more for the privilege.

Even if the supplier sticks it out and the ombudsman upholds their decision...they lose £350 in a referral fee as opposed to a much cheaper meter change.

Terrylw1

chanz4 wrote: »

I have to agree, the energy ombudsman also cant rule on payment methods

No, but the ombudsman can rule on whether the decision to hold a new customer responsible for the previous ones mess, is fair. If they decide it isn't, they can state the fee should be waived.

Its a matter of whether the supplier wants to make more money or not. The ombudsman charge them far more than it costs for a meter change...plus there is the resolution costs.