How can I get rid of this meter?! It’s costing me a fortune.

heidi3333

Hi I am at my wits end and don’t know what else to do! 

I bought my first flat over 2 years ago. It had a prepayment meter which covers electricity to both heating and power. At first I quite liked it but over time I’ve realised it’s costing me an absolute fortune. During cold days I have to put up to £10 a day on it, less in summer but averaging about £7 a day. If I stayed in my flat every day it’d cost me £200 a month on power for a small 2 bedroom flat! I’m a single mother and don’t have a high income (on tax credits as well as working) and can only afford to stay in my flat about 10 days a month due to the price of the power. I’m lucky in that I can stay with my parents the rest of the time but I want to spend more time in my flat with my 4 year old.
i have called Scottish power multiple times over the last year to ask for a credit/ direct debit meter and they always tell me they their is a shortage of those types of meter nationally and I just have to wait until they become available. I ha tried changing to different companies but none have been able to help me as they say they can’t supply power to my flat as it’s powered with a related (2 supply) meter. so I’m stuck in this situation for the foreseeable future.

This is driving me insane. Scottish power said I could complain but their response would be the same.

i feel the only way out of this is to sell my flat and move out but I really don’t want to do this.

can anyone help me?! Advice/suggestions gratefully received!

thank you 

spiro

I am guessing you have a 2 rate PPM with 7hr night rate, is that correct? If not you may have something more complex.
If you are on E7 how much are you using on the day rate (more expensive) compared to the night rate (cheap rate)?

Richie-from-the-Boro

I suspect you are between a rock + a hard place. All providers are installing (dumb useless) SMETS1. Equally non-smets will be scarce, and potentially not manufactured anymore. Many providers will roll up both counters and not bother changing the meter. SP if I remember will not. One work around would be to request a smart meter (I wouldn't)  I'm sure they would be overjoyed to do this. Best of luck.

Kitchen_Sink

heidi3333 said:

Hi I am at my wits end and don’t know what else to do! 

I bought my first flat over 2 years ago. It had a prepayment meter which covers electricity to both heating and power. At first I quite liked it but over time I’ve realised it’s costing me an absolute fortune. During cold days I have to put up to £10 a day on it, less in summer but averaging about £7 a day. If I stayed in my flat every day it’d cost me £200 a month on power for a small 2 bedroom flat! I’m a single mother and don’t have a high income (on tax credits as well as working) and can only afford to stay in my flat about 10 days a month due to the price of the power. I’m lucky in that I can stay with my parents the rest of the time but I want to spend more time in my flat with my 4 year old.
i have called Scottish power multiple times over the last year to ask for a credit/ direct debit meter and they always tell me they their is a shortage of those types of meter nationally and I just have to wait until they become available. I ha tried changing to different companies but none have been able to help me as they say they can’t supply power to my flat as it’s powered with a related (2 supply) meter. so I’m stuck in this situation for the foreseeable future.

This is driving me insane. Scottish power said I could complain but their response would be the same.

i feel the only way out of this is to sell my flat and move out but I really don’t want to do this.

can anyone help me?! Advice/suggestions gratefully received!

thank you 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/switch-prepaid-gas-electricity/

If your current supplier is causing you issues, either raise a complaint following their complaint procedure (and if their resp[onse is the same, escalate the complaint to the ombudsman), or ditch and switch to another supplier.

There cannot be any shortage of credit meters what with all those taken out of properties that have elected to have a smart meter fitted.

heidi3333

Hi thanks for the replies and suggestions. I haven’t made an official complaint to SP yet but will do in the next few days. I hoping something can be done!!

RelievedSheff

It isn't the meter that it costing a fortune it is the tariff that you are on.

Have you checked to see you are on your suppliers best tariff?

RelievedSheff

You are also using electric heating which is by far and away the most expensive form of heating.

Electric costs in the region of 14p per kWh. Gas for example costs under 3p per kWh. 

heidi3333

RelievedSheff said:

You are also using electric heating which is by far and away the most expensive form of heating.

Electric costs in the region of 14p per kWh. Gas for example costs under 3p per kWh. 

I didn’t know that.

MeterMan

If you are using electric heaters during the day, then you wont be being billed for these on a cheaper rate.