Pre Payment Meter Standing Charges

mgsaving

Hello first visit to this site but it seems like the perfect place to pose my question so any help would be greatly appreciated, I have a pre payment meter (N-Power) in an unoccupied property and have recently discovered a whopping bill of over £1000 although no electricity whatsoever has been used. I received a letter only a few days ago saying that the meter has to be kept topped up even when not in use (even in the summer as they put it) as the meter collects a daily standing charge. This is the first time they have mentioned this and has now caused a huge problem for me I didn't know I had.

So... does anyone know how much the daily charge is (they don't mention it)?
Is there a limit to how long this can go on?
Do I have any legal standpoint as they have never even contacted me to inform me my property was stacking up a huge debt and baring in mind the property has be vacant for several years the meter hasn't even been used?

Thanks for you time

macman

Used or not, standing charges always apply if you have a meter in place-the solution is to switch to a tariff with no standing charges. Or, if you know the property will be unoccupied for several years, have the supply and meter removed.
http://www.npower.com/home/help-and-support/types-of-meter/prepayment-meters/prepayment-meter-tariffs/

spiro

A couple of years ago told suppliers to stop offer Tier 1 & 2 tariffs with standing charge plus one unit rate tariffs. All customers would have been advised at the time.
As to getting the meter and service will cost £00s if not £000s and the same again when you want electricity again or come to sell the property.