Tennents and pre-payment meters

chanz4

macman wrote: »

With a debt of £1,300, if the tenant wants a supply then they're going to fit a PPM anyway. That's an incredibly high debt to accumulate in just 7 months (a whole year's dual fuel usage?), so he can't have paid anything at all to date.
Sounds like he will be doing a runner at some point anyway-that's the only thing he has 'figured out'. I'd make sure he doesn't get behind with the rent.
If you want the PPM's removing later then you'll have to recover it from his deposit. But I suspect that that will be the least of your problems with him.

Im not so sure he would be able to recover the cost, as the meter isnt the landlords property

asdash

The tennant states he has been paying £50 pm so far

Spark have told him they have to have my permission to change the meters

Tennant says he will have to move out if they don't fit the meters as he can't afford the £100 pm they want from him - I have pointed out that it will probably cost him more than that with PPm

Andrea

Wywth

chanz4 wrote: »

Im not so sure he would be able to recover the cost, as the meter isnt the landlords property

chanz4 wrote: »

Im not so sure he would be able to recover the cost, as the meter isnt the landlords property

Yes, the reasonable costs of reinstating the property to the condition it was originally let in (less fair wear and tear) are recoverable from the tenant

Wywth

asdash wrote: »

The tennant states he has been paying £50 pm so far

Spark have told him they have to have my permission to change the meters

Tennant says he will have to move out if they don't fit the meters as he can't afford the £100 pm they want from him - I have pointed out that it will probably cost him more than that with PPm

Andrea

Sounds like your tenant is struggling financially.

Maybe best to let the tenant go if they wish - it's the easiest way to get rid if they decide to go.

macman

asdash wrote: »

The tennant states he has been paying £50 pm so far

Spark have told him they have to have my permission to change the meters

Tennant says he will have to move out if they don't fit the meters as he can't afford the £100 pm they want from him - I have pointed out that it will probably cost him more than that with PPm

Andrea

It's tenant. Either he is lying or something is seriously awry. If he's paid £50pm over 7m then that's £350. But you say he already has a debt of £1,300. That would mean a usage of £1,650 in 7m, or £236 per month. That's about £2,800pa-more than double the average dual fuel bill. I think you need to look at the opening and present reads again and rework the figures. Spark do not exactly have a good track record in terms of billing.

Fire_Fox

asdash wrote: »

The tennant states he has been paying £50 pm so far

Spark have told him they have to have my permission to change the meters

Tennant says he will have to move out if they don't fit the meters as he can't afford the £100 pm they want from him - I have pointed out that it will probably cost him more than that with PPm

Andrea

It is 'tenant'.

Write to Spark and tell them they do not have your consent to install prepayment meters. Let the tenant go if they want to, point them in the direction of MSE instead of getting embroiled in their debts. They need to check the bills are correct, possibly send a statement of affairs to Spark to show what they can afford as an overpayment. Debt Free Wannabe board will help them with this.

I don't see how they can have built up a debt so large in just seven months: either they have been using regular electric panel heaters on pricey day rate of E7 or they are lying to you or they have paid absolutely nothing in the entire time they have been there or a combination. None of which are your concern/ business as a landlord. Don't be a gullible amateur landlord to a professional tenant.

chanz4

Fire_Fox wrote: »

It is 'tenant'.

Write to Spark and tell them they do not have your consent to install prepayment meters. Let the tenant go if they want to, point them in the direction of MSE instead of getting embroiled in their debts. They need to check the bills are correct, possibly send a statement of affairs to Spark to show what they can afford as an overpayment. Debt Free Wannabe board will help them with this.

I don't see how they can have built up a debt so large in just seven months: either they have been using regular electric panel heaters on pricey day rate of E7 or they are lying to you or they have paid absolutely nothing in the entire time they have been there or a combination. None of which are your concern/ business as a landlord. Don't be a gullible amateur landlord to a professional tenant.

People are missing the point, the owner has no right to a meter and can not force a supplier to not fit a pre-pay. Gas is not life essential

spiro

chanz4 wrote: »

People are missing the point, the owner has no right to a meter and can not force a supplier to not fit a pre-pay. Gas is not life essential

I agree, if a customer is in debt the supplier is within their rights to install a PPM and they dont need to property owners consent. In temrs of getting it switched back, suppliers will consider this on a case by case basis and if they know its a rental property and it has recently had a PPM fitted (they'll guess its for debt) they may decide not to swap it back to credit and there is nothing you can do about it.