cant switch to monthly energy bill

sikas

i cant switch from a prepayment meter (british gas) on my energy to a monthly one (id be saving ~£200 a year) due to them needing to do a credit check with Experian, as ive never had credit and own my house/car/phone out right (i have no debts) - i have a bad/no credit rating!

British gas dont allow me to pay a full year upfront either

what are my options?

this seems so silly

Cristo

GingerBob_3

sikas wrote: »

i cant switch from a prepayment meter (british gas) on my energy to a monthly one (id be saving ~£200 a year) due to them needing to do a credit check with Experian, as ive never had credit and own my house/car/phone out right (i have no debts) - i have a bad/no credit rating!

British gas dont allow me to pay a full year upfront either

what are my options?

this seems so silly

Cristo

Dump BG pronto, the bloody chumps! They are the worst offenders in this respect. Go to EDF. They don't normally require a credit check and may well install a credit meter for you.

SAINTDP

As GingerBob says go to EDF.
I have just done the same and its free to change the meters too.

National_Debtline

Hi

I agree with the others here. You can't force British Gas to change their policies but you can try a different supplier instead.

James
@natdebtline

sikas

thanks guys, just found out as they supplied me with a smart meter i have to revert to a standard key meter and then i can switch - hopefully BG wont charge me to go back.

jacja

Just done the same with Scottish Power. I have switched to EDF with a prepayment meter which you have to keep for the first 28 days after the switch. After 28 days just ring customer services and ask to have your meter swapped to a regular credit meter. There is no credit check and they also will not ask for a security deposit. Also you are not locked into any contract and you can switch again to another cheaper supplier immediately with no exit fee! Win, win!!

GingerBob_3

jacja wrote: »

Just done the same with Scottish Power. I have switched to EDF with a prepayment meter which you have to keep for the first 28 days after the switch. After 28 days just ring customer services and ask to have your meter swapped to a regular credit meter. There is no credit check and they also will not ask for a security deposit. Also you are not locked into any contract and you can switch again to another cheaper supplier immediately with no exit fee! Win, win!!

And another big plus is they don't report you to the CRAs, so that's one more non-opportunity for mistakes to be made.

tripled

Have you actually been through the check? It used to be the case that as long as you were on the electoral register and have no adverse credit hstory you would likely pass, although they may have toughened it up. If you did fail it, they would still let you switch as long as you paid a security deposit.