Gas, key to 'normal'

osaddict

Guys,

I am buying a property which I discovered has a key system for the gas, one of those red/orange things. As I understand it this is a very costly way to pay for your gas.

As we will own the property I assume we can change this, does anyone know the costs of doing so? Would the gas company do it for free, since they'd have a guaranteed revenue stream for us unlike customers with a key.

If anything could enlighten me that would be great.

Thanks!

Nada666

You can shop around and ask for someone to change it. But even if someone charges the payback (through a cheaper tariff) is less than one winter.

I don't follow your guaranteed stream argument - complete opposite, surely? Credit meter, no guarantee when or if they'll receive a penny. Prepayment meter - guaranteed income unless the occupants don't use the gas.

osaddict

I guess my argument is that if you sign up for a contract for a st period then they have this revenue, okay, not guaranteed but to all intents and purposes it is. Where as a key customer might not use gas or a very small amount so the revenue is less.

lstar337

osaddict wrote: »

I guess my argument is that if you sign up for a contract for a st period then they have this revenue, okay, not guaranteed but to all intents and purposes it is. Where as a key customer might not use gas or a very small amount so the revenue is less.

You use what gas you need, prepay or not.

With a credit meter you could run up hundreds of pounds of debt and then run off.

[Deleted User]

I ve never seen a prepay gas meter using a key, they all use cards, electric uses a key. Changing from prepay to credit meters the supplier usually does a credit history check , or even with a credit meter nowadays with before they accept you as a customer. BG, EDF will swap the meters for free.You are in a contract with the supplier to the property at the moment so you may have to switch ( 4 to 6 weeks ) to one of these for a free swap. I think its about £60 otherwise. Nada666 is quite correct as there is quite a big rental market now who move in to credit meters and dont pay a penny for as long as they can..then move .Prepays guarantee their money ( thats as long as they dont fiddle them )