Moving house - Scottish Power want £50 to remove prepay meter

Wail

When you move in, make sure that you take your readings and tell the suppliers to ensure that you do not end up paying for a previous occupiers debt.

DragonQ

cajef wrote: »

I had been with Scottish Power for over eight years in my previous property, when I move into this property four years ago it had prepayment meters with another supplier.

As I had been a long standing customer with a good payment record and always paid monthly by direct debit they agreed that if I switch to them after I moved in they would change the meters for free.

Maybe worth contacting them and asking.

Interesting. I'm not a long standing customer (only had utilities in my name for 18 months) but have always paid by direct debit with them. Might give them another call tomorrow, explain what Southern Electric are doing and ask why they can't do the same (including replacing the prepayment meter).

macman

DragonQ wrote: »

But I've already been credit checked at my current address. Surely it's only necessary with a new provider?



Well that sucks. It can take like 6 weeks to change supplier though so that means I'm going to have to pay higher rates for that time. I also wouldn't be able to keep my existing tariff since it's no longer on offer so I'd end up on a higher priced tariff regardless.

Also, if British Gas is the current supplier, for example, and I asked them to replace the meter for free, would that lock me into a contract with them?

Maybe. But that's how it works, and has done for decades now since deregulation. Otherwise who do you think pays for the energy used between occupation and registration for an account? Under the old system the power or gas would have to be disconnected and then reconnected-hardly convenient.
A switch typically takes 3-4 weeks.
PS: attempts to switch before taking up occupation invariably end in tears-and the existing supplier will reject the switch if you're not registered with them.

Scottish_Power

DragonQ if you e-mail details to [EMAIL="social@scottishPower.com"]social@scottishPower.com[/EMAIL] we will see what we can do to help. Thanks David

DragonQ

scottishpower_company_representative wrote: »

DragonQ if you e-mail details to [EMAIL="social@scottishPower.com"]social@scottishPower.com[/EMAIL] we will see what we can do to help. Thanks David

Done, thanks David.

SwanJon

DragonQ wrote: »

Called Southern Electric (my gas supplier is Ebico) and they said that because I gave them so much notice, they will do the supplier switch for the day I move in (so no need to deal with the current supplier). Is there any reason why Scottish Power can't/won't do the same with the electricity supply?

macman wrote: »

attempts to switch before taking up occupation invariably end in tears-and the existing supplier will reject the switch if you're not registered with them.

The switch will still take 4 weeks (2 weeks cooling off, then 2-3 weeks industry gubbins). So when the current supplier are told that the switch is going to happen they will write to the existing customer who will know nothing about it and may try to stop it.
If the swtich goes through too soon you may end up paying for the previous tenant's consumption on your bill.

DragonQ

Just had a chat with Gerry from Scottish Power. Turns out I can't keep my current tarrif (Online Fixed Price Energy January 2014) anyway because they'd have to set up a new account and it's no longer on offer. This might mean that Scottish Power is no longer the cheapest option for me anyway, but if they are they've offered to replace the prepayment meter with a credit one for free, so that's good of them.

Southern Electric currently supply the electricity, so they may well already supply the gas, which could be why Ebico can supply me from the date I move it.

macman

DragonQ wrote: »

Just had a chat with Gerry from Scottish Power. Turns out I can't keep my current tarrif (Online Fixed Price Energy January 2014) anyway because they'd have to set up a new account and it's no longer on offer. This might mean that Scottish Power is no longer the cheapest option for me anyway, but if they are they've offered to replace the prepayment meter with a credit one for free, so that's good of them.

Southern Electric currently supply the electricity, so they may well already supply the gas, which could be why Ebico can supply me from the date I move it.

No they can't. Ebico is an entirely separate company, the only connection is that they buy their wholesale product from SSE.