Scottish Power - £200 "debit" on a Prepayment meter

knightlie

Hi all,

I've just switched energy supplier from Scottish Power to Eon. I have a prepayment meter which obviously I have to keep topped up in order to keep the lights on. Scottish Power have now contacted me claiming I owe over £200 "in debit." How can this be possible on a Pay-as-you-go tariff? Isn't the clue in the name? I fail to see how I can run up a huge debt on a prepayment meter.

Before I call them and rip them a new one, I'd love to hear some thoughts on this.

Thanks in advance.

[Deleted User]

you can be in debit on prepay meters in two ways, standing charge debit, thats on screen A on the electric key meter, and added debt ( non payment of a credit meter account ) on screen S. the same applies to prepay gas . Standing charge on the electric is something like £1.80 a week with a lower weekly standing charge on the gas prepay. Gas prepay debt is , I think , on screen 26. The added debt are only viewable with key/card inserted.
If you moved into a property and took over the account and did nt actually start crediting the meter for a long time you could definitely owe £200 eventually

knightlie

I've lived here since 1998, and switched from NPower around a decade ago, there was no debt from the previous occupant. It doesn't make sense to me that I can be so much in debt, unless they don't take the standing charge out of the money I put on the meter. Looking at the bill, they've just slapped over three hundred quid onto it when I switched, and with the credit I had (which doesn't make sense to me either) it ends up as £210.

I'm electric only, btw.

[Deleted User]

standing charge is deducted weekly,approx £1.80 a week, I think its taken off on wednesdays, so as long as you have a credit on screen A and no debt on screen S, they have messed up and owe you £210.

knightlie

I thought that was how the standing charge works. The bill has me being £150 in credit, then top-ups of £70, then a suddenly £3-400 charge to put me £200 in debit.

I'll call them - I don't understand how I can end up in debt with a prepayment meter.