moving into a flat with an electricity key

Bella_82

HI everyone - hope you can all give me some advice. 
I'm just about to move into my own flat for the first time (worst timing ever, I know) so I am a bit clueless about some of these changes to bills and tarrifs etc. 
Currently the flat does not have gas and instead has an electricity key which is 'topped up' at a nearby shop. 
I am able to have a meter installed but I woner if I will be better off staying on the key system given the current price hikes. 
Does anyone have any experience of this or can anyone tell me if I need to brace myself for paying over the odds for electricity? I am happy to set up a new supplier (painful as It might be) as long as I am not paying in excess of everyone else.
Thank you in advance! 
Bella

MWT

First thing you need to do is contact the current supplier, give them a meter reading and open your own account and get your own key, do not use a key previously used by anyone else or you may find yourself paying for their debt.

Do you know who is the current supplier?

Bella_82

I don't i'm afraid - i was given the impression that it's a top-up key that you pre-pay on. No idea who supplies it. 

Gerry1

Find My Electricity Supplier

QrizB

Bella_82 said:

I don't i'm afraid - i was given the impression that it's a top-up key that you pre-pay on. No idea who supplies it. 

The problem with using the existing key is that if the previous resident hasn't cleared their account,, you'll be paying off their debts. For example you might top up the key by £10 and have £5 deducted for existing debt, and only £5 of electricity credited.

You really need to contact the supplier and set up your own account as soon as possible.

Gerry1

You need to get a key in your name, but if you insert the existing key and press the blue button until the 'S' reading is displayed you should be able to see any existing debt.

theoretica

The price cap for prepay is around 1% higher than for credit accounts.

MWT

The other way you can lose out is the landlord would like nothing more than for you to use the key and pay for the daily standing charges since the last tenant moved out, so do make sure you deal with the current supplier as an immediate priority on day 1, if not before...