Switching from pre pay electric meter

Rachel491830

I currently have a pre pay meter in my apartment (it's not registered under my name, just to the occupier - since i moved in).
I am looking to switch to a bill pay meter.
Does any one know if i have to contact British gas first for the removal of old / installation of new meter before I can contact a cheaper provider?
Or do i just contact whichever provider i am looking to move to? Thank you! :beer:

dogshome

Not registered under my name !!!! ?

Before you do anything you must register your occupancy with BG, giving them the date you moved in and the meter reading.

Until you do this you are paying the previous occupiers bills and any debt they had on the account
BG will send you a 'Welcome Letter', and once you have this you are free to choose a different supplier.
Be aware that until you move to another supplier or choose a particular BG tariff, BG will have you on the most expensive 'Standard' tariff

Meter changes from Paygo to Credit take a bit of time, (BG have strict credit check policy), but one of the Big6 may agree whilst the smaller newer Co's in general, won't want to know.
A possible is EDF, ( not the cheapest supplier on the block), who I know will do it, but make your enquiry by the 'webchat' so you have a written record of their agreement

System

There could well be a debt on the meter.Screen " S " will show it .Bg credit check as do most of the other big six. I have seen on here that EDF do not apply a credit history check .OFGEM brought out a new rule that they cannot charge for the exchange but there are a few rules to that proviso.

Rachel491830

Thanks for your replies.

I may not have explained very well. I have lived in this apartment for a number of years and just didn't get around to replacing the meter. The meter is not registered to the previous occupant. It is a pre-pay meter it is just registered to "The Occupant" of this address and we've been paying by passkey since moving in.

I get a yearly summary in the post from BG which asks to register our name with them. It's just one of those things that I kept meaning to do but never did

If I register to BG and get the meter changed to a bill meter, would I get locked into a contract with BG for a few months or would I be able to change to the cheapest provider as soon as I had changed?

dogshome

My guess is that if BG do agree to a meter change, they will put you on the expensive 'Standard' tariff when the new meter is installed, unless that is you have signed up for a different BG tariff., however this is likely to be a 'Fixed' tariff with exit penalties.

Be aware that apart from the timeline of starting the Switch process to it's conclusion, there is a futher delay in your your new meter being registered on the Regional Data base, and until this is completed you cannot start the Switch process

About 10 days after the new meter installation, google 'Who supplies my Electricity.' This will give you the phone number of your Regional Data base who will tell you what meter is on the register - If the answer is still the old one, then keep phoning weekly and as soon as they tell you it's the new one, you can start the Switch

SwanJon

dogshome wrote: »

My guess is that if BG do agree to a meter change, they will put you on the expensive 'Standard' tariff when the new meter is installed, unless that is you have signed up for a different BG tariff., however this is likely to be a 'Fixed' tariff with exit penalties.

Expanding on this - as you haven't given them your name, I suspect that you are still on the standard tariff. I'm fairly sure that if you try to register for a different tariff you'd get asked for a name.

As such you are currently on the standard tariff, and changing to a quarterly billing/DD meter will not change the price you pay. However, changing meter would open up the opportunity for a cheaper way of paying even the standard tariff (by Direct Debit), as well as the multitude of tariffs from all the suppliers.

Call BG on 0800 048 0303 and they'll take you through a credit check before giving you an answer. If they can change your meter, this is likely to be the quickest option.
If not, you can switch suppliers on the PAYG meter. Your choice then is who is most likely to swap the meter (then swap again to the cheapest), or go to the cheapest DD and ask them to change the meter.

Loads more detail in the MSE article:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/switch-prepaid-gas-electricity

Rachel491830

Great. Thanks for your help everyone