Removing Prepayment Meter (Scottish Power)

kiis102

Hey Guys,

Ok we've been on a prepayment meter (Electricity Only, the Gas is already on a normal Direct Debit option) for round about 15years. We used to be with British Gas/Npower and in the past few years, Scottish Power.

For some reason despite topping up using a Key every week, we get a bill for round about £50 from SP every quarter. They say that's normal as the bill covers charges that don't relate to power. However we never used to receive a bill from British Gas/Npower at all.

Anyways, after being told constantly that it would be much cheaper to remove the prepayment meter and have a standard credit meter. I've just put our usage stats into Uswtich who say we would save around £75 a year (both Gas+Electic) if we had a normal Direct Debit plan with Co-Op Energy Company.

So we're thinking of Switching. MoneySupermarket are stating Scottish Power would charge us about £50 to replace the meter. I'm just wondering do we call Co-Op and ask to switch to them and they will replace the meter or do we ask Scottish Power to replace it then switch to Co-Op??

Thanks, Ryan

Wywth

kiis102 wrote: »

Hey Guys,

Ok we've been on a prepayment meter (Electricity Only, the Gas is already on a normal Direct Debit option) for round about 15years. We used to be with British Gas/Npower and in the past few years, Scottish Power.

For some reason despite topping up using a Key every week, we get a bill for round about £50 from SP every quarter. They say that's normal as the bill covers charges that don't relate to power. However we never used to receive a bill from British Gas/Npower at all.

Anyways, after being told constantly that it would be much cheaper to remove the prepayment meter and have a standard credit meter. I've just put our usage stats into Uswtich who say we would save around £75 a year (both Gas+Electic) if we had a normal Direct Debit plan with Co-Op Energy Company.

So we're thinking of Switching. MoneySupermarket are stating Scottish Power would charge us about £50 to replace the meter. I'm just wondering do we call Co-Op and ask to switch to them and they will replace the meter or do we ask Scottish Power to replace it then switch to Co-Op??

Thanks, Ryan

It's not normal to get a quarterly bill if you have a prepayment meter - all the charges are supposed to be collected via the pre-payment meter.

I suggest you ask your supplier again as I think you or they have mis-understood. You may get a statement - but that is not a bill.

You can switch supplier with a PPM and then ask if the new supplier will install a crediot meter for you (if you follow this route, it's probably best to clarify the situation with the supplier before you switch ), or you could ask your existing supplier if they will install a credit meter for you.

Thgis link explains how the major suppliers handle requests for a credit meter.

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/c/news/how-to-switch-from-a-prepayment-energy-meter/0014939/

Scottish_Power

If you want us to clarify the bill issue, please e-mail us at [EMAIL="social@scottishpower.com"]social@scottishpower.com[/EMAIL]. Any bills we issue on a prepayment meter accoun should just be a reconciliation of charges already collected via the meter, i.e. charges for readings from the meter against payments in the meter. There should not be additional non-energy charges. meter rental is included in the standing charge and that is covered in the bill and meter is set to collect this.

I hope that helps.

David

kiis102

Oh sorry guys, been away from a computer for a few weeks. Ok so this is a statement from May last year (can't find a more recent one, their laying around here somewhere!).

http://s2.postimg.org/44yi99cy0/bill.jpg

We have a meter as I said previously and top it up by £10 a week or so. For some reason we get these statements asking for money every quarter and have done so for a few years. I have no idea how we can top up by key & pay a bill at the same time :S.

DragonQ

I was just about to make a thread with a similar title, although the issue is slightly different. I'm currently with Scottish Power for electricity and want to take my account and tariff with me when I move in a month's time. However, my new flat has a prepay meter for electricity. How does this affect my options? I'm on a fixed tariff (no exit penalty) so switching to a prepay one will undoubtedly cost me more.

I see on the MSE website that E.On, EDF and British Gas replace prepay meters with normal ones for free, but Scottish Power apparently doesn't. It would be cheaper to switch suppliers than get Scottish Power to replace the meter at their normal price.

Wywth

kiis102 wrote: »

Oh sorry guys, been away from a computer for a few weeks. Ok so this is a statement from May last year (can't find a more recent one, their laying around here somewhere!).

http://s2.postimg.org/44yi99cy0/bill.jpg

We have a meter as I said previously and top it up by £10 a week or so. For some reason we get these statements asking for money every quarter and have done so for a few years. I have no idea how we can top up by key & pay a bill at the same time :S.

So it's not a bill, but a statement.

One that shows your account is in credit to the sum of £17.31
(i.e. you have paid the £17.31 more than you have used so far)

lstar337

Wywth wrote: »

One that shows your account is in credit to the sum of £17.31
(i.e. you have paid the £17.31 more than you have used so far)

How can that be with a pre-pay meter?

lstar337

DragonQ wrote: »

I was just about to make a thread with a similar title, although the issue is slightly different. I'm currently with Scottish Power for electricity and want to take my account and tariff with me when I move in a month's time. However, my new flat has a prepay meter for electricity. How does this affect my options? I'm on a fixed tariff (no exit penalty) so switching to a prepay one will undoubtedly cost me more.

I see on the MSE website that E.On, EDF and British Gas replace prepay meters with normal ones for free, but Scottish Power apparently doesn't. It would be cheaper to switch suppliers than get Scottish Power to replace the meter at their normal price.

I would suggest you make a new thread anyway. Your post will get lost here and any replies would be confusing for you and/or the OP.:)

macman

A PPM costs the same as the supplier's Standard tarif. So maybe 6% more than the cheapest online discount tariff.

Wywth

macman wrote: »

A PPM costs the same as the supplier's Standard tarif. So maybe 6% more than the cheapest online discount tariff.

Or maybe 15-20% more expensive

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=60713619&postcount=5

SwanJon

lstar337 wrote: »

How can that be with a pre-pay meter?

Any statement on a prepayment meter is likely to be inaccurate as the dates of reads and payments don't line up.

In Kiis's example the bill is dated (produced) on 30 May, but the latest reading is 8 May - payments will have been made between these dates, but no electricity 'charged'.

Also there even if you manage to line these up, there will probably be credit left on the meter, which would also show on the statement.