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New home prepay meters

wordsfan
wordsfan Posts: 429 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 100 Posts
:eek:

So I've always paid by dd and was in credit by over £60 with previous supplier/home.

New place has prepay meters. I can't find the top up things (key or card don't know) the people in charge of keeping data on suppliers of electricity don't have my address listed at all. They THINK it's scottish power. I am to check the meter no and get back to them.

I don't want to prepay but I'm not willing to pay £100's to go onto credit meter.

Gas seems to be with utilita who I've never heard of!

One meter is a smart meter and I've no idea how it works. Can't tell from the monitor what the smart meter is for - gas or electric. Nor which supplier.

It's a really annoying expensive mess

Can anyone advise? Thanks

Comments

  • Carrot007
    Carrot007 Posts: 4,534 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Best to ring the supplier advice line to find out, and just give the meter serials as address's can often be slightly different as you expect so searches fail.
  • The Smart meter will be for Electricity, try googling Utilita and ring them
  • wordsfan
    wordsfan Posts: 429 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts
    The data on the address is a !!!! up they've got 2 sets of data for one of the other flats.

    Will try utilita
  • wordsfan
    wordsfan Posts: 429 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts
    Why would the smart meter definitely be for electric? Gas suppliers do them too don't they?

    It's the supplier advice line who's info is messed up - even though it's looking likely to be a different branch of the same company who are my suppliers!
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,655 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    @wordsfan
    Gas smart meters can only work if it has a smart electric meter as well. The gas meters only talk to the smart electric meter as only the electric meter has the phone module in it.
  • wordsfan
    wordsfan Posts: 429 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts
    Turns out I am with utilita (who I'd never heard of before)

    Now gas meter changed to their smart meter. Have to be with them 14 days before I can switch to a credit account.

    But they don't actually normally do that they are a prepay only company so I'd still be on a prepay tariff.

    I've asked them for name of tariff and pricing with a view to checking out who's cheapest for me.

    Anyone any experience of switching without yet knowing usage?
  • Shavuot
    Shavuot Posts: 125 Forumite
    wordsfan wrote: »
    Turns out I am with utilita (who I'd never heard of before)

    Now gas meter changed to their smart meter. Have to be with them 14 days before I can switch to a credit account.

    But they don't actually normally do that they are a prepay only company so I'd still be on a prepay tariff.

    I've asked them for name of tariff and pricing with a view to checking out who's cheapest for me.

    Anyone any experience of switching without yet knowing usage?

    Is that what they told you? Some of these suppliers will tell you anything to secure a deal. :(

    Utilita offer PAYG tariffs (which is different to PPM) but you do still have to pay in advance.

    They offer various ways to pay this, including via direct debit according to their website. Maybe worth taking a look yourself?
  • SpotlandRules
    SpotlandRules Posts: 192 Forumite
    Electric Smart Meters, installed by Utilita, are listed on the database as credit meters. Just switch away.

    You can test this out by dong a quote on the EDF enery website. They show what meter you have in place.
  • wordsfan
    wordsfan Posts: 429 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts
    Smart meter now set up for both electric and gas. Did first top up today.

    I'm thinking keep track for a month, so I know my usage then look at switching? So I know I've switched to best supplier?
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