First time buyer, prepay or credit meter?

milek

Hello,
I'm looking to pick up the keys to my first home in the next few days, one thing Im looking at is the utilities.

Currently the gas and electricity are on prepay meters (not sure what provider).
Anyhow, I am not sure whether it would be worth to change to a credit meter or not?
I can't see a huge difference in energy costs, I have compared energy costs per unit between a few providers for prepay and credit but cannot see a huge difference.

I have read through MSEs guides on gas and electricity but struggling to weigh up whether to change or not.

If it makes much difference, we are 2 adults living in a 4 bedroom house.

One thing I'm fairly sure on is getting a water meter rather than paying a set price, if someone could confirm this is the right thing to do that would be great 8)

Any help?

lstar337

Credit meters will give you access to cheaper tariffs.

Check if your supplier will change them for free (subject to credit check), if not switch provider to get them swapped for free and then switch to the provider offering the best deal.

Nada666

There is easily a twenty to thirty percent difference in the prices when paying by direct debit (do not just compare prepayment and credit meter prices). Ofgem have decided to hide this information to make it more difficult to find.

The return-on-investment even if you end up having to pay to switch the meters is months, not years.

milek

Hi, thanks for the info,

Just curious,
Say I was with British Gas for instance on prepayment, could I just contact Npower direct in order to take upon their deal and get meters changed etc?

If not, then what is the best way to do it (you might need to dumb it down for me )

pinkmami

Personally I'd go with pre-payment meters. This is the 2nd home we own with a leccy meter in it and it helps us with budgeting. Costs us less than £1.00 a day as I keep switching things off!

Gas in the previous home was credit with BG & I hated it. Now we have a monthly DD with Avanti for LPG and I'm frugal with that too hence I'm in credit.

I don't do DD with BT as I refused. Family member had a lot of bother with utilities upping the DD & in one case he was £600 in credit & they refused to cut the DD down. So I do as little as I can with DD. I pay 7.00 a week with a payment card with BT which covers internet/line rental calls & the vat etc.

Suits us so I won't change.