RE: Advice on Next Move with a Prepayment Meter

CannotFindHelp

Last week I moved into a new house, I share it with five other bedrooms, some of which are slowly filling up with new occupants.

I went about the business of sorting out the Gas and Electricity, since the landlord informed me that the previous tenants had had some problems, as a result a pre payment meter was installed - this was not the usual practice of this property agency, they insisted and happened when arrears and debts became too much with the last group of tenants - resulting in a bailiff visit and the installment of these absurdly priced meters.

Gas and Electricity are both run by Scottish Power, so I called them up and opened a new account, informing them of the clean slate I intended to start from and also giving the current meter readings. I was issued a new card and I got an RTI through the card to wipe off almost £118 in debt that had managed to compile on the Gas Meter. I also reset the Electricity Meter and, thankfully, there was only a £7 debt so that wasn't too bad.

Currently, however, we (myself and the other tenants) are finding that the Gas and Electricity prices are much higher than they would be without pre payment meters and it's a little problematic to be constantly checking how much we're spending - having to limit the central heating to short bursts, twice a day, in order to keep fuel costs at a minimum.

I had asked Scottish Power about removing the pre payment meters and they said for this they'd have to run a credit check, depending on the results of that, they'd either charge me a security deposit and remove the meters for a cost or not charge me the deposit but still charge me to remove the meters. I told them to call the Letting Agency and sort it with the Landlord, but they refused, saying they would expect it to be sorted through me as I opened the new account.

My first question in all this is whether I should contact my letting agency and ask them to foot the bill? As far as I see it, there is no reason for me to suffer added cost of pre payment meters, when I have nothing to do with their installation and don't want them there. Legally speaking, is there something the Letting Agency should do, is their an obligation they have to provide a certain cost to cover the fee of removing the meters that I'd be charged?

My second question relates to the supplier. If Scottish Power supply my Gas and Electricity now, and there is no arrears on my account, am I entitled to leave after 28 days (or before) and go to another supplier? If so, will Scottish Power then have to remove the pre payment meters as it is them who installed them in the first place? Again, there is no debt associated to my name or my account, I also see no reason I should accept the burden of unwanted pre payment meters.

Is there a way that I can remove these devices and return to normal, sanity like, billing without the need to pay extra on my Gas. Even with the RTI having been activated and the debt wiped, my meter is still docking a large amount of any top up we put in the meter for "debt owed" - which, I assume, can only be to top up the emergency credit? It seems like we're paying a lot of money for nothing.

Can someone also give me an idea of how much Gas and Electricity we should expect to pay as a household in a given month?

pooch

CannotFindHelp wrote: »

Last week I moved into a new house, I share it with five other bedrooms, some of which are slowly filling up with new occupants.

I went about the business of sorting out the Gas and Electricity, since the landlord informed me that the previous tenants had had some problems, as a result a pre payment meter was installed - this was not the usual practice of this property agency, they insisted and happened when arrears and debts became too much with the last group of tenants - resulting in a bailiff visit and the installment of these absurdly priced meters.

Gas and Electricity are both run by Scottish Power, so I called them up and opened a new account, informing them of the clean slate I intended to start from and also giving the current meter readings. I was issued a new card and I got an RTI through the card to wipe off almost £118 in debt that had managed to compile on the Gas Meter. I also reset the Electricity Meter and, thankfully, there was only a £7 debt so that wasn't too bad.

Currently, however, we (myself and the other tenants) are finding that the Gas and Electricity prices are much higher than they would be without pre payment meters and it's a little problematic to be constantly checking how much we're spending - having to limit the central heating to short bursts, twice a day, in order to keep fuel costs at a minimum.

I had asked Scottish Power about removing the pre payment meters and they said for this they'd have to run a credit check, depending on the results of that, they'd either charge me a security deposit and remove the meters for a cost or not charge me the deposit but still charge me to remove the meters. I told them to call the Letting Agency and sort it with the Landlord, but they refused, saying they would expect it to be sorted through me as I opened the new account.

My first question in all this is whether I should contact my letting agency and ask them to foot the bill? As far as I see it, there is no reason for me to suffer added cost of pre payment meters, when I have nothing to do with their installation and don't want them there. Legally speaking, is there something the Letting Agency should do, is their an obligation they have to provide a certain cost to cover the fee of removing the meters that I'd be charged?

My second question relates to the supplier. If Scottish Power supply my Gas and Electricity now, and there is no arrears on my account, am I entitled to leave after 28 days (or before) and go to another supplier? If so, will Scottish Power then have to remove the pre payment meters as it is them who installed them in the first place? Again, there is no debt associated to my name or my account, I also see no reason I should accept the burden of unwanted pre payment meters.

Is there a way that I can remove these devices and return to normal, sanity like, billing without the need to pay extra on my Gas. Even with the RTI having been activated and the debt wiped, my meter is still docking a large amount of any top up we put in the meter for "debt owed" - which, I assume, can only be to top up the emergency credit? It seems like we're paying a lot of money for nothing.

Can someone also give me an idea of how much Gas and Electricity we should expect to pay as a household in a given month?

Answer 1
You can certainly ask the letting agent if they will fund the replacement meters. Don't be surprised if they refuse. There is no legal obligation for the letting agency to fund such a request.

Answer 2
You can change supplier. Use a comparison site to discover if you could get a better deal elsewhere.
Meters are not changed when you change supplier.

The average annual household consumption is 13500kwh p.a. of gas and 3300kWh p.a.electricity. (but a 6 bedroomed house is much larger than the average, so make an allowance for this, especially when they become fully occupied)

[Deleted User]

Check screen "S" , only viewable with key inserted to see total of debt on meter.The meter will be catching up on weekly standing charge, approx £1.85 a week. Most rented propertys opt for prepay meters because as in your case the previous tenants racked up a debt and left it unpaid.. you are on standard tariff now, the dearest tariff, but they are popular with people who dont want the big bill and direct debits
I see your scenario all the time with people moving in and inheriting prepay meters. If you are keen to get rid of them, bite the bullet and pay the switch fees,.I have seen various prices and conditions such as a repayable deposit,credit checks,free, £50, try calling your former supplier if you have a good credit history with them and switch to them. A quick look at M.S.E bit on prepays say that EON and BG may switch you free

SwanJon

PP prices are not massively more expensive, although you would save with direct debit.
In multiple occupancy this may cause issues if anyone doesn't pay their way. PP will bring this to the fore earlier and before anyone gets too far behind.
As above, the landlord/agency do not have to change the meter - I take it the meters were in when you viewed the property before signing the contract?
Other suppliers may change the meters for free (See MSE's PP article, although it is a bit out of date. I think moneysupermarket have a more up to date one).
Once you have the house full it's probably worth talking it over with the other tenants before making any decisions, but the first stop would be a comparison site.