Just moved in - debt on gas metre

Jn30

Hi, I have just moved into a council property. The gas and electric supplier is SSE. I phoned them and set up an account and gave metre readings etc. There was £43 debt left on the gas metre from the previous tenant and I was told to take the card to the nearest shop, there would be a message for me there and they would clear it. I went to the shop a number of times, just topping up a £1 each time to activate it. The debt still hasn't cleared so I've phoned this morning and SSE have said I need to keep topping up and they will take 70% of each top up to put towards the debt then after a few times of topping up they will refund me. Is this correct??
Thanks in advance. Just want to know I'm not wasting my money 😩

jbondo

Not sure how it works with key top ups, however you should not be responsible for that debt. You are only responsible for when you give your moving in meter reading.

giraffe69

I'd be getting back on to them and saying you are not responsible for the debt and that you have supplied an opening meter reading and if they repeat the same rubbish attempt to speak to someone further up the chain. Sounds like this is all for their convenience!

Hasbeen

Jn30 wrote: »

Hi, I have just moved into a council property. The gas and electric supplier is SSE. I phoned them and set up an account and gave metre readings etc. There was £43 debt left on the gas metre from the previous tenant and I was told to take the card to the nearest shop, there would be a message for me there and they would clear it. I went to the shop a number of times, just topping up a £1 each time to activate it. The debt still hasn't cleared so I've phoned this morning and SSE have said I need to keep topping up and they will take 70% of each top up to put towards the debt then after a few times of topping up they will refund me. Is this correct??
Thanks in advance. Just want to know I'm not wasting my money 😩

Would say no to this, as they should give you a new card for your account.

But perhaps they are doing this so you can have gas until your new card arrives. But I would not be paying some ones else's debt on a promise.

Would suggest further clarification from SSE and change to normal meters ASAP

Tater

I had a similar thing with British Gas, it was about £90 in debt. We topped up in a similar way, losing most of it to debt repayment. The next day a guy came round to reset the meter and then credited on to it all that we had topped up, so we weren't out of pocket at all. They explained this all on the phone to us before we did it though

System

In the past I have been given a code which I would then give to the person behind the counter when topping up and this would clear the debt. this would normally need to be done before adding credit.

Hasbeen

Just for the Op newbie who has probably done the usual one post, no thanks to anyone and gone? But:

https://blog.harwardcommunications.com/2010/10/18/metre-and-meter/

So hope you get your meter problem fixed:)

saajan_12

Hasbeen wrote: »

Just for the Op newbie who has probably done the usual one post, no thanks to anyone and gone?

Bit harsh, they only posted 2.5 hours ago, maybe they didn't expect responses so fast..

Jn30

Thank you so much for all your replies, I will definitely call them back! Thought it seemed dodgy.

Jn30

Hasbeen, sorry I'm new to this site and I've been busy with my kids so haven't checked for responses. �� Thanks for the correction of spelling, you must have a sad, boring life. Enjoy your day

Hasbeen

Jn30 wrote: »

Hasbeen, sorry I'm new to this site and I've been busy with my kids so haven't checked for responses. �� Thanks for the correction of spelling, you must have a sad, boring life. Enjoy your day

I will. And apologies! But it is surprising the amount of first time posters who pop in for advice and the are never heard from again.

And also the ones that get confused about metre v meter:D

Also it is good etiquette to thank people who have taken the time and effort to reply to you.

That is the big blue button under their post.

You do not have to thank me for my time/post as I am sad and boring:(

Hope all works well with your meter, and please consider changing as PAYG is more expensive.