I don't know what to do about moving home and new tariffs and bills now!

[Deleted User]

I should be moving home after Christmas ( mutual exchange ) and I am currently with Eon Next on one of their old fairly reasonable tariffs

The lady whose home I will be moving to has prepayment meters with Boost Energy and Eon will not remove a prepayment meter for me to stay on bills

The prepayment tariffs are MUCH higher than what I am paying now ( please don't say ''don't move then'' as that is rude AND it is my absolute forever home and a dream come true apart from these issues ) and my income is not huge as a sole carer for my Grandson with severe Autism and learning disabilities

Anyway Boost will NOT have me as a new customer as they are not taking on any new customers , nor are another very reasonably priced company called ''E'' so I may have trouble finding ANY new supplier who would not put me on an EXTORTIONATE tariff right now due to the fuel crisis ( and don't say ''suck it up'' as that's just not nice and I should not have to feel so DEFENSIVE on these forums but I do as I know how some people's mind sadly WORK lol )

So I may need to STAY with Eon Next BUT on their website it says to ring for a ''quote'' if you want to stay with them after a house move and I have been messaging them all day but am not sure if they can MOVE me onto one of their extortionate new tariffs as it seems I will have to get a new ''quote'' so it has left me with firstly ending up with a gas prepayment meter with very high prices and it cannot be billed as it is not a Smart PAYG meter as you cannot have one for gas in that area only electricity so I CAN just be billed for electricity via the Smart meter there IF I can hopefully stay on my SAME tarrif but they have not answered my question about why would I need a new ''quote'' for one of their new tariffs when moving into a new home as I am having to already pay an extortionate PAYG rate for my GAS so I cannot AFFORD to be put onto one of those terrible new 30% higher tariffs just because I am moving!

My gas bill is going to practically double as it is now and I HAVE to keep my Grandson warm and dry with his Asthma etc etc and I have a limited budget as do we all BUT moving home should not mean my fuel bills go up THIS much as some companies used to REMOVE the PAYG meter and just put or you on bills which I LIKE especially as the meter is outdoors in the cold and rain etc but Eon don't DO that and I would not have CHOSEN to go PAYG at all as it was a pain in the BUTT when I had it many moons ago and I was constantly in hardship in the winter time but it feels like my hands are TIED moving home in the middle of an energy crisis , it is NOT working in my favour and moving in the winter months with GAS on the PAYG is worrying enough as it is without also being put onto the new high extortionate tariffs just for moving home :-(

[Deleted User]

It looks like they will only be able to put me on their more expensive billed tariff which PAYG would actually be even cheaper than!

The only good thing about PAYG now is I think the government CAPPED it so only the standing charge can vary so it actually works out 'cheaper' to stick with PAYG in the new property and then see if I can change things back to billing and a cheaper tariff AFTER everything hopefully settles back down in the future but I never thought I would be back on PAYG prices as I have worked out it will be almost double or at least 1/3 on TOP of what I am paying now so a more expensive and yet thankfully dream and FOREVER house now so I can settle in and change things like tariffs and meters LATER ON now since we will be there permanently now at last , so one thing we thankfully have there is TIME and whatever is the easiest way as long as I can pay online for both of the fuels as I have a half hour walk to the nearest shop for wanting something more rural lol and our groceries are all delivered but it's horrible having eg to walk in the snow to your nearest shop miles away to top up a card and I thought I had put all of that BEHIND me BUT there IS a crisis going on regarding fuel right now so I can only do what I can do and be at the mercy of the company who is already supplying me now as NO ONE else seems to be taking on new customers AND their tariffs now are SO high that basic PAYG which does not vary much from company to company is actually working out CHEAPER than what they can offer on billing but I so wish I could keep both of my tariffs and just swap over but it is not as simple as that with PAYG meters etc in the new place so I have to stay with my current supplier and just swap over to PAYG for both fuels and just HOPE I can top up BOTH of them ONLINE as one of them does not ''show up'' on the Smart meter but she says she can pay online and then ''put a code into the meter'' so I HOPE that applies to Eon as well so more questions for them as a lot of this stuff is all new to me and I am not liking it as nothing like this ie companies refusing to take you on as a new customer plus the prices being so HIGH if you need to make a CHANGE like a house move with a different type of meter there etc :-( :-( 

I THINK if people are FORCED onto the new SKY HIGH tariffs as the only ( billing ) ones available I reckon they will ASK for a PAYG meter to be fitted as no one knows when this fuel crisis will be over and it is a slightly 'better' option out of the two but I will still be paying up to £80 a month MORE than what I am currently paying for my gas and electricity BUT the tariffs on offer if you have not ''GOT'' one is a RIDICULOUS amount of money and yet not much more than the PAYG as well! :-( 

MWT

I don't think you have fully understood how this works.

When you more in to your new home you will be a customer of Boost as they are the current supplier there.

When Boost say they are not taking new customers that means they are not allowing people to switch to them, you are not switching, you are moving in to a home that they already supply.

When you move in you will need to register with Boost and setup your payment method with them, you cannot stay with E.ON, that isn't an option.

Once you are registered with Boost as your current supplier you can talk to E.ON about switching to them, but that comes after you are a registered customer of Boost.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

excellent advice above.

When you sign up with Boost you should go on to their Standard Variable Tariff (SVT), which is capped until 1st April 2022, don't be talked into a 1/2 year fixed contract.

Edit: Have a look HERE, give you an idea of what you'll be paying.

GrumpyDil

Quite a lot of useful info here: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/moving-home-your-energy-supply/moving-home-dealing-with-your-energy-supply/

Looks like you will need to arrange for the prepayment meter to be removed but as above once that has been done get yourself moved onto the providers SVR rate, assuming that is possible in today's odd market conditions. 

MWT

It is good advice for sure, but fortunately I think that the Boost Smart PAYG+ or Traditional PAYG are both variable plans, which should make things easier.

[Deleted User]

Thank you everyone!

I didn't understand simply because every time I spoke to someone at Boost they told me different things!!

They were adamant they could supply me temporarily but that they could not take me on as a customer and that I would have to look elsewhere

Time and time again I argued them to the point of GIVING UP and THAT is when ONE agent finally said YES i can stay on and let them supply me indefinitely and all I would need is an account number in my name with them which they would set up when I move in!

SO I was given the wrong information to the point I had to screen shot a conversation with them to ensure YES I just continue using the supply by them already in the house and they continue to be MY supplier now that I will be living there but my 'confusion' DEFINITELY came from THEM and what they were telling me but a different person answered my query each time which was frustrating as they told me different things and the same thing was happening with Eon re the mis communication and different people telling me completely opposite things!

So all sorted and I will be staying with Boost at the property on prepayment till all the new tariffs come down

Thanks x

GrumpyDil

That's good but have you asked about getting the prepayment meter removed as that will be more expensive than being on their SVR tariff? 

wild666

nainoo said:
The lady whose home I will be moving to has prepayment meters with Boost Energy and Eon will not remove a prepayment meter for me to stay on bills

If you have a good credit history then there is no reason why they shouldn't change the meter, if it's a SMART prepay meter then it's most likely that they can just switch to a credit meter with a monthly DD without a meter change. 
My SMART meter has an option for credit on the meter so SMART Meters are duel purpose, one meter for prepay and DD. 

When the move happens then open a complaint with the supplier and if they still say NO! Ask for a letter of deadlock then go to OFGEM, you might get compensation plus the meter meter changed to pay on demand of bill or monthly DD. 

Don't lock in to a deal as the SVR is the cheapest rate at the moment.

MWT

GrumpyDil said:

That's good but have you asked about getting the prepayment meter removed as that will be more expensive than being on their SVR tariff? 

If I remember correctly, Boost are prepayment only, so that would require a switch …

Armengar

I thought all suppliers must offer an SVR deemed as part of their supplier licence? They might not sell this openly but must have the option to do so internally.