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Old debt on prepayment meter

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A few years ago I run up a large debt on my gas meter(£1000) and my meter was changed to a prepayment meter. I was paying the debt for a while then changed suppliers and have never been asked to pay this money back. I now want to get a standard meter again but am wondering if I will be asked for this money as the debt is still showing on the meter?

Comments

  • stimpo
    stimpo Posts: 74 Forumite
    Yes you will be asked to pay the remaining balance
  • Terrylw1
    Terrylw1 Posts: 7,038 Forumite
    You will need to clear a balance or prove that you are credit worthy. If you have kept up payments and have very little left, they may agree to change it anyway or even ask for a deposit. It's less likely though as they would prefer you clear it first.

    I wonder if the debt has actually been transferred from the old to new Supplier? Are you paying against it when you top up? If not, I would suggest that their is some confusion between the Suppliers.

    Your new Supplier would not be able to bill this on your top ups if the old Supplier did not agree to transfer the debt. They should have chased you in a debt collection capacity though.

    I hope you are with one of the Suppliers that does not operate shady backbilling policies on PP.

    Is transferrign allowed on PP in the gas market now? It's not in elec.
    :rotfl: It's better to live 1 year as a tiger than a lifetime as a worm...but then, whoever heard of a wormskin rug!!!:rotfl:
  • foxxymynx
    foxxymynx Posts: 1,270 Forumite
    energy companies can only reclaim moneies owed within 52 weeks

    hope this helps
    If my typing is pants or I seem partcuarly blunt, please excuse me, it physically hurts to type. :wall: If I seem a bit random and don't make a lot of sense, it may have something to do with the voice recognition software that I'm using!
  • SwanJon
    SwanJon Posts: 2,339 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    foxxymynx wrote: »
    energy companies can only reclaim moneies owed within 52 weeks

    This is not quite true - they can only bill you for use over the last 12 months, but once they have billed you if they can choose to take longer to get the money back (usually with a PP meter, or if there has been a mistake)

    As with other debt, they can continue to chase for it.
  • I have actually changed supplier twice since the debt. I was issued with a new card and am paying the debt on the card but its only pennies every time. The meter is still showing £900 debt, I will call my supplier tomorrow. thanks
  • Terrylw1
    Terrylw1 Posts: 7,038 Forumite
    That sounds more like you are not paying the debt but there could be an issue with the charging being incorrect unit price wise. Either that or someone has set the debt very very low which is unusual.
    :rotfl: It's better to live 1 year as a tiger than a lifetime as a worm...but then, whoever heard of a wormskin rug!!!:rotfl:
  • hi there,

    Does your meter show a debt?

    If it's one of those quantum meters (big brownish colour), press and hold button A (red button) until it beeps. You should see a "01" in the bottom right hand corner. Keep pressing the butto till you get to "24" and the screen should say "insert card".

    Put the card in and scroll through a few more times and it will come to a display stating "owed" or "debt".

    This will be your outstanding debt
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