Pre-payment to credit meter

daveboy

I have recently moved into a housing association flat which has prepayment meters for both gas and electricity with Utilita.

I’d like to go to a credit meter, which means changing supplier. Is there any way I can do this in the current climate, with switches being next to pointless for most people, and being unavailable on switching sites etc? I would pass a credit check. I am more interested in whether it is currently possible to do and what the process is.

Any advice is appreciated.

Curiousgirl1

Why do you need to change supplier, do Utilita not do credit meters?

Gerry1

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

EDF may be your best best.  They will accept a switch to the capped SVT but you have to phone them.

QrizB

Curiousgirl1 said:

Why do you need to change supplier, do Utilita not do credit meters?

No, Utilita is prepay-only.

OP, Utilita's pre-pay rates aren't all that much higher than DD on a credit meter (I went looking for them on their website but couldn't find them easily). You won't be hugely out of pocket if you can't switch.

Gerry1

Don't use any key or card that you were given, it may have debt on it.  Register with Utilita immediately and get a new card.

booshya

daveboy said:

I have recently moved into a housing association flat which has prepayment meters for both gas and electricity with Utilita.

I’d like to go to a credit meter, which means changing supplier. Is there any way I can do this in the current climate, with switches being next to pointless for most people, and being unavailable on switching sites etc? I would pass a credit check. I am more interested in whether it is currently possible to do and what the process is.

Any advice is appreciated.

As I understood it, your unique Utilita pre-payment meters will be placed into credit mode if you switch supplier.

Check with your supplier of choice they will grant you credit, and if so, if they will impose any terms (e.g. a security deposit)

Switching supplier at this time will cost you a lot more even for a credit tariff than what Utilita would charge you on a SVT for their prepayment meter.

Gerry1

booshya said:

Switching supplier at this time will cost you a lot more even for a credit tariff than what Utilita would charge you on a SVT for their prepayment meter.

Only if you choose a fixed tariff.  EDF say you can switch to their SVT, but you have to phone them.

booshya

Gerry1 said:

Don't use any key or card that you were given, it may have debt on it.  Register with Utilita immediately and get a new card.

I don't think Utilita use cards/keys in their meters.

I think top-ups are made online, via their app, via SMS or by phone.

Gerry1

booshya said:

Gerry1 said:

Don't use any key or card that you were given, it may have debt on it.  Register with Utilita immediately and get a new card.

I don't think Utilita use cards/keys in their meters.

I think top-ups are made online, via their app, via SMS or by phone.

OK, but presumably the OP could be paying off someone else's debt unless he registers with Utilita?

daveboy

Maybe explaining what happened to me will help.

When I got the keys, the meters were old style meters, key for electricity and a card for the gas. As I had an issue with the card not working in the gas meter (a new card so not linked to previous tenant) I had to contact Utilita. In the end I had both meters replaced at the same time so I can add credit online etc.

There was a small debt but that went with the old meters, literally before I’d properly moved in.

My question mainly was, whether it is possible to switch at all at the moment, and whether it would involve yet another change in physical meters outside. 

I will look into the EDF tariff. 

I have read threads elsewhere where others have said they couldn’t wait to move to get away from having a pre-pay meter. That is what prompted me to ask what the process was and whether I should expect a brick wall. I assume from a previous comment that the technology is in meters now for me to be able to go on to a credit tariff almost at the click of a button.

I appreciate all advice. I’m nearly 41 and this is the first time I’ve dealt with a pre-pay meter.