Moving into a new house with a prepayment meter

tomnookfan

Hi all, hoping someone can explain how best to do this as reading lots of articles has frazzled my brain. Hopefully someone on here has done it!

My partner and I are moving into our first house, it's vacant and currently has a prepaid meter for electricity and gas. We want to change to a standard meter but when is it best to do this? Is it easier to stick with the prepaid when we first move in and deal with after or should we get this sorted for move in date? If so how do we do this?

I'm not sure who the gas & electricity is with but I assume it's on some paperwork somewhere.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

SPOWER

Hi.  When I bought my 1st house the meters were on these powercards.  The gas board didn't beleive me and wanted my previous address and they credit checked me and traced my previous addresses.  I had nothing to hide and they removed the meter and put in a standard credit one.  ScottishPower wanted me to top up the electric one at a post office using a long number they gave me over the phone.  This was to get the electric meter back on as it was overdrawn.  They did take the powercard meter out soon after.  I would say, as soon as contracts exchange and the house is yours, call them up and request the meters get removed.

slimbuck

tomnookfan said:

Hi all, hoping someone can explain how best to do this as reading lots of articles has frazzled my brain. Hopefully someone on here has done it!

My partner and I are moving into our first house, it's vacant and currently has a prepaid meter for electricity and gas. We want to change to a standard meter but when is it best to do this? Is it easier to stick with the prepaid when we first move in and deal with after or should we get this sorted for move in date? If so how do we do this?

I'm not sure who the gas & electricity is with but I assume it's on some paperwork somewhere.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

You will not be able to do anything with the utility meters until you put the utilities in your name.

14 days ago, it seems you did not even have an exchange date
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78516271/#Comment_78516271

Speak to your solicitor before you even think about doing anything to the property before you complete.

Gerry1

Don't use an inherited card because it may have someone else's debt on it.

Find My Gas Supplier

Find My Electricity Supplier

tomnookfan

slimbuck said:

tomnookfan said:

Hi all, hoping someone can explain how best to do this as reading lots of articles has frazzled my brain. Hopefully someone on here has done it!

My partner and I are moving into our first house, it's vacant and currently has a prepaid meter for electricity and gas. We want to change to a standard meter but when is it best to do this? Is it easier to stick with the prepaid when we first move in and deal with after or should we get this sorted for move in date? If so how do we do this?

I'm not sure who the gas & electricity is with but I assume it's on some paperwork somewhere.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

You will not be able to do anything with the utility meters until you put the utilities in your name.

14 days ago, it seems you did not even have an exchange date
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78516271/#Comment_78516271

Speak to your solicitor before you even think about doing anything to the property before you complete.

@slimbuck - thorough research, but we have an exchange date now. I was only trying to plan ahead, didn't plan on doing anything until we completed. 

tomnookfan

Gerry1 said:

Don't use an inherited card because it may have someone else's debt on it.

Find My Gas Supplier

Find My Electricity Supplier

@gerry1 thanks those links are really helpful!

SPOWER

slimbuck said:

tomnookfan said:

Hi all, hoping someone can explain how best to do this as reading lots of articles has frazzled my brain. Hopefully someone on here has done it!

My partner and I are moving into our first house, it's vacant and currently has a prepaid meter for electricity and gas. We want to change to a standard meter but when is it best to do this? Is it easier to stick with the prepaid when we first move in and deal with after or should we get this sorted for move in date? If so how do we do this?

I'm not sure who the gas & electricity is with but I assume it's on some paperwork somewhere.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

You will not be able to do anything with the utility meters until you put the utilities in your name.

14 days ago, it seems you did not even have an exchange date
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78516271/#Comment_78516271

Speak to your solicitor before you even think about doing anything to the property before you complete.

I'm unsure if solicitors would help with top up meters. 

Gerry1

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

Start comparing credit tariffs with Citizens Advice and 'Which? Switch'.  You'll have to guess your annual consumption; the average values for electricity are Low 1800kWh, Average 2900kWh, High 4300kWh.  For gas, the average values are Low 8000kWh, Average 12000kWh, High 17000kWh.

Just compare annual costs, always ignore all projections and savings claims because they're often unrealistic.

Remember that separate suppliers are often cheaper than dual fuel, so do the sums for both. Also have a look at the customer service ratings on Citizens Advice and the 'Add your feedback on energy supplier xxxx...' threads here on the forum.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

take meter readings when you get keys, photies as well, could save disputes later on.

niktheguru

Yes,
As the above posters have said
1. Wait until you have completed your purchase before actually contacting anyone.
2. In the mean time, use the link in gerry1s post above and find out exactly who is the provider of your gas and electricity
3. Once you have exchanged and the house is yours, go to the property, look at the meters, note down any details on the meters, note what credit or debit is on it.
4. Contact the suppliers, give them your details, state you have just bought the house and you want credit meters installed ASAP.
5. Once credit meters installed then do a price comparison using citizens advice bureau comparison or MSE CEC etc and find the cheapest and most appropriate tariff for you (using estimated EAC)

As someone said, NEVER use an existing perpayment card to top up the meter, even if the previous owner left it for you. You will end up paying for their debt. ALWAYS register the account upon exchange of contracts in your name.

Good luck

tomnookfan

niktheguru said:

Yes,
As the above posters have said
1. Wait until you have completed your purchase before actually contacting anyone.
2. In the mean time, use the link in gerry1s post above and find out exactly who is the provider of your gas and electricity
3. Once you have exchanged and the house is yours, go to the property, look at the meters, note down any details on the meters, note what credit or debit is on it.
4. Contact the suppliers, give them your details, state you have just bought the house and you want credit meters installed ASAP.
5. Once credit meters installed then do a price comparison using citizens advice bureau comparison or MSE CEC etc and find the cheapest and most appropriate tariff for you (using estimated EAC)

As someone said, NEVER use an existing perpayment card to top up the meter, even if the previous owner left it for you. You will end up paying for their debt. ALWAYS register the account upon exchange of contracts in your name.

Good luck

@niktheguru thank you SOOOO much! I wish I could buy you a coffee for spelling it out for me like that haha

and thank you to everyone else who's posted!