Renting into a house with prepayment meters

madvicker

I am renting a place which originally had prepayment meters. I got them switched over to credit meters shortly after arriving - no need for landlord's permission or notification. But I did tell the letting agent what we were doing, only polite. For all intents and purposes, they do not have the right to stop you from changing.

Also, a point to remember - some companies charge for installing a credit meter. Npower are one of the few that do not charge.

Smodlet

madvicker wrote: »

I am renting a place which originally had prepayment meters. I got them switched over to credit meters shortly after arriving - no need for landlord's permission or notification. But I did tell the letting agent what we were doing, only polite. For all intents and purposes, they do not have the right to stop you from changing.

Also, a point to remember - some companies charge for installing a credit meter. Npower are one of the few that do not charge.

Wow, madvicker, you mean nPower (who are my supplier) are better than most at something? :rotfl: You know the reputation they have for customer service (undeserved, imo, BG are much worse) What a refreshing thing to hear. I have not needed a new meter for years but the last time we did, it was indeed free.

gongor

So my plan is:

- Tell Npower tomorrow over the phone that I'd like to cancel the contract I initiated with them to get my prepayment meters going
- Use CEC to find the cheapest tariff available to me (considering new meter charges too)
- Sign up to new contract

What happens to any outstanding prepayment credit when I cancel the contract with Npower? Will my supply be cut off before I sign my new contract, if I cancel with Npower?

xylophone

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/get-a-better-energy-deal/switching-energy-supplier-if-youre-a-tenant/

Your landlord can't stop you replacing a prepayment meter with a normal meter that lets you pay after using energy rather than in advance. You don't need your landlord's permission to do this.

gongor

Even if there's a clause in the Tenancy Agreement that I signed...?

Smodlet

gongor wrote: »

So my plan is:

- Tell Npower tomorrow over the phone that I'd like to cancel the contract I initiated with them to get my prepayment meters going
- Use CEC to find the cheapest tariff available to me (considering new meter charges too)
- Sign up to new contract

What happens to any outstanding prepayment credit when I cancel the contract with Npower? Will my supply be cut off before I sign my new contract, if I cancel with Npower?

Can't tell you about pre-payment meters as I have only ever had one for a matter of days when I bought a house with one in place :eek: Our gas engineer thought the valve had gone until he realised the reason there was no pressure was because the credit had run out. This was a week before Christmas, oh yeah.

As for the bit in bold, heck, no. And I would consider getting nPower to change the meter for free (they ain't cheap if you have to pay) before switching; call me a scoundrel. This is a money saving site, after all.

I do not think you needed to worry about the supply as most people do not arrange for their supplies to be cut off before moving out these days unless they know the property will be empty for a long time. It is just not worth the hassle.

You will be in a deemed contract (i.e. you are stuck with whichever supplier the previous occupant had) until you switch or enter into a contract with the current supplier on a tariff of your choice. Until then, most likely you will be on their SVT and paying through the nose so the sooner you address this, the better. It is, however, prudent to pay more for your gas and electricity for a few weeks in order to get a free credit meter fitted rather than switch in a rush to a cheaper supplier who charges for a new meter.

Please also be prepared to pay a deposit if required, depending on your credit status. Some suppliers demand this.

Please let us know how you get on.

xylophone

Even if there's a clause in the Tenancy Agreement that I signed...?

Read link and check with CAB.

Pixie5740

gongor wrote: »

Even if there's a clause in the Tenancy Agreement that I signed...?

The landlord does not own the meter.

Slithery

gongor wrote:

Even if there's a clause in the Tenancy Agreement that I signed...?

I believe so.

The meter never belongs to the LL in the first place, it's owned by the national grid. Therefore, you don't need the LL's permission to get it changed.

Smodlet

There have been references on this board and the energy one about LL's "reselling" electricity which, I have to say, sounds as if it should be illegal but apparently is not. This may be in HMOs but I think it can also pertain to flats. Here's hoping this is not the case for gongor, though I think there is guidance about this on the Utilities bit of the main site.