Can anyone please help? Urgent!

PeppermintPattie

Due to illness (serious mental health issues) I was unable to work for over a year and ran up unpaid electric bills in my home. As a result I now owe the electric company over £1000. I got in touch with them to try to set up a payment arrangement. They are demanding £200 a month. If I don't pay it they are going to go and get a warrant and forcibly install a pre payment meter. The problem is that I live in a building of flats where the meters are in a cupboard elsewhere in the block. Residents don't have access to the meters and the cupboards are locked. Only a residential officer who only comes in 3 days a week has a key. I explained to the electric company that I would not have access to the pre pay meter to top it up and that the residential officer refuses to give keys out to residents. The building owner also said that pre pay meters are not allowed here.

The electric company's reply was "that's not our problem. We will go to court and put in a pre pay meter whether you like it or not."

I can't afford £200 a month. At present, after I've paid for my housing and food I only have £50 a month left over to cover any other bills. The electric company keep calling me "reminding" me that if I don't make payment they'll put a pre pay meter in and then I won't have regular access to electricity. I've made two payments and as a result I've sunk into overdraft and have no money left for the remainder of this month for food.

How do I deal with this?

CharlieBilly

Many energy suppliers have charities which can help with one off bill but you also need to take into account that you have to pay for what you use.

each energy company runs there own charity so you need to google it


You may also get help if your on certain beenfits with warm home discount which can amount to £140 per year for electricty which is as credit not directly paid to you but your account only certain energy companies do this

Marktheshark

Look on you tube for "Trial by social media" this guy may help with some very good advice, he has beaten the gas firms and their perjury warrant scams many times.

SwanJon

As CharlieBilly says , some of the suppliers have a charity that can support their customers.

Generally a condition is that you will be able to support your ongoing use without getting into debt again.

It can't hurt to apply either way.
http://www.charisgrants.com/application-forms/

[Deleted User]

Contact your local Citizens Advice for debt management help.