Removal of a prepayment Meter

[Deleted User]

Im moving back into my home as the tenants tenancy has just ended however there is now an electricity pre payment meter in the house ( due to the tenant having problems ). I have perfect credit and want the meter removed the company who supply the electricity The Utility Warehouse are charging a removal fee.
Anyone know how I can get the prepayment meter removed for free. The gas supply isnt on a meter.

Thanks

HappyMJ

JoDe wrote: »

Im moving back into my home as the tenants tenancy has just ended however there is now an electricity pre payment meter in the house ( due to the tenant having problems ). I have perfect credit and want the meter removed the company who supply the electricity The Utility Warehouse are charging a removal fee.
Anyone know how I can get the prepayment meter removed for free. The gas supply isnt on a meter.

Thanks

Switch suppliers first then get the new supplier to remove it for free. You'll need to switch to a supplier that does that for free as not many do.

macman

Most suppliers will charge a fee. Even at £60 odd, the cost is heavily subsidised. The cost may be recoverable from your tenant's deposit if the switch of metering was in breach of the tenancy agreement.
PS: how can there be a gas supply 'not on a meter'?

[Deleted User]

The gas supply was not put onto a pre payment unlike the electric which was the decision of the utility warehouse it is billed in the normal way (monthly or quarterly )

[Deleted User]

Don t try Scottish Power as they were wanting an obscene amount , two couples quoted me £430 quid for the gas/electric prepay whilst another quoted £190 for the electric only.BG and EDF seem to have the best record for a free prepay switch.
I wonder how much debt your tenants ran away from? Its on the prepays. Not uncommon to have over 2k debt when rentals just move address and start again with credit meters elsewhere .One of the best adverts for smart meters to help stop this easy wholesale energy theft from the large transient population of the UK.

[Deleted User]

macman wrote: »

Most suppliers will charge a fee. Even at £60 odd, the cost is heavily subsidised. The cost may be recoverable from your tenant's deposit if the switch of metering was in breach of the tenancy agreement.
PS: how can there be a gas supply 'not on a meter'?

"a meter " is popular parlance for a prepayment meter. eg, " they ve come and put me on a meter because I owed 2k "

macman

JoDe wrote: »

The gas supply was not put onto a pre payment unlike the electric which was the decision of the utility warehouse it is billed in the normal way (monthly or quarterly )

Right, so there is a credit meter. All is now clear.

SwanJon

MSE article has details of different companies:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/switch-prepaid-gas-electricity

Make good use of comparison sites for PP meters, then pick who you want to swap your meters, then comparison sites again to get the best deal for your new meters.

System

I've never paid for the installation or change of a meter, I was under the impression this is what the standing charge is supposed to cover. Things have really gotten silly now.

BlueEyedGirl

Change back to the 'area' supplier i.e. the electric distribution supplier. They should maintain / change the meter for free. Then when your new meter is in place, change to an electric supplier you want! (Keep records of old meter number, removal date, removal reading etc... same with new meter)

I use to work for an electric company in the pre-payment department.

List of UK Electric Distributions:-

http://www.energynetworks.org/info/faqs/electricity-distribution-map.html

footyguy

Gold_Anaconda wrote: »

I've never paid for the installation or change of a meter, I was under the impression this is what the standing charge is supposed to cover. Things have really gotten silly now.

There is no charge for mandatory change of meter (e.g. end of life), but many suppliers do charge where it is at the request of customer.

Those that don't, as listed in the link provided by SwanJon, are essentially expecting all their customers to cover the meter switch requests of a few.

As macman says, you can use the tenant's security deposit to cover the cost of returning the property back to the same condition it was originally let in (fair wear and tear excepted) - this would include the cost of changing the meter back if you are so charged.