electric token meters

cwrtcoed

Hi
I bought a house from my mother in law around 3 years ago ( sadly she has since passed away). and she had a electric token meter installed long before I bought the property. I initially rented my house out, but when the tenants moved out the property was empty for a few weeks. I checked the token meter and used the emergency button which I thinks gives you around £5. Because the property was empty there was hardly any electric being used because I used the check the meter every few days and only used a few pence over the weeks. I had another tenant in on a temp contract and he has now left, since then I have been charged a standing charge of around £1.60p a week, its now accumulated up to £29 debt. I spoke to the Scottish company who's number is on the front and they have said because I have had different people in there I'm under a new contract so I pay a standing charge??.
My wife has the property next door with exactly the same situation and her token meter was put in after mine, and hers has been vacant for 5 months and the £5 emergency tariff hasn't moved, Obviously I don't want to mention that to the elec board incase they haven't picked hers up yet.
Can anyone enlighten me on this situation, because I cant see the elec board just changing a contract when they feel like it

Andy_WSM

cwrtcoed wrote: »

Can anyone enlighten me on this situation, because I cant see the elec board just changing a contract when they feel like it

When you use electricity you are in a deemed contract.

When you rented your house out your contract with the company ended and your tenant formed a new contract with them as soon as he took supply.

They left, you took the supply back on and with it a new contract.

Unfortunately for most of us the Government have been meddling with the energy suppliers and have told them, that we, the public, want simpler tariffs with standing charges - so that's what they are all pretty much doing now. Instead of 2 tier pricing we are back to the good old days of single tier + a daily charge.

I think they call it progress?

There are still a couple of companies around offering no standing charge tariffs, but they are becoming rare.

cwrtcoed

Do you mean I can change suppliers even on a token meter ? Do you know of any companies that don't have a standing charge?
Prob would have been better off not saying anything to them, my fault for being too honest

Wywth

cwrtcoed wrote: »

Do you mean I can change suppliers even on a token meter ? Do you know of any companies that don't have a standing charge?
Prob would have been better off not saying anything to them, my fault for being too honest

If you are the account holder, then of course you can change supplier if you wish.

This article explains how to find the cheapest deal for you.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/switch-prepaid-gas-electricity