Bought a house with a prepayment meter, Eon wont switch me to a normal meter

zootzootzoot

Hi 
We bought a house in February that was previously an HMO, let to students. We also didnt realise it had key and card for the utilities. The provider is Eon. 

I rang them and they said it was no problem to switch to a normal meter and to call them back when we were ready to sort it out. The house was empty for a while. Then builders were due to come in to do some work, so I called Eon and they said they werent switching prepayment meters to normal ones at the moment. I made various complaints and was told that it is a business decision and that they would let me know when they would be allowing this in the future. I've since chased a few times and they just wont let me do it. 

I explained that we were the new owners, have never been in debt etc, and expressed how puzzled I was about the whole situation, but to no avail. 

So I thought I would contact the other 2 providers in my area (Scottish Power and OVO), to see if I could switch to one of them (as a prepayment customer) and then switch to a normal meter with them. They both said they are not taking on new prepayment customers. 

So I'm scratching my head at this point, paying through the nose with a key and card meter. 

Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks in Advance

QrizB

Welcome to the forum.

Have you tried requesting a smart meter?

Ultrasonic

zootzootzoot said:

So I'm scratching my head at this point, paying through the nose with a key and card meter. 

Just on this point note that the difference in cost is actually pretty small currently. On tariffs set by the price cap anyway.

SAC2334

Ultrasonic said:

zootzootzoot said:

So I'm scratching my head at this point, paying through the nose with a key and card meter. 

Just on this point note that the difference in cost is actually pretty small currently. On tariffs set by the price cap anyway.

How small is the difference ..In kwh rates not average price ? Maybe you have had better luck than me trawling the internet to get this basic information . 
.I only ask because for some reason I ve not found the regional kwh capped rates published anywhere showing  pay by DD , prepay or cash and cheque in comparison  so these users can apply to go on the lowest of the capped rates. 
You would think the info is readily available all in one easy to see list  .Its not . , Not on MSE, OFGEM, Citizens Advice etc 

 

zootzootzoot

QrizB said:

Welcome to the forum.

Have you tried requesting a smart meter?

I havent actually. Presumably I'd still have the same issue. Stuck with a prepayment meter (smart or not) and not a normal one. would make it easier to top up though. Have to go down the shop and pay in cash currently.

stewie_griffin

SAC2334 said:

Ultrasonic said:

zootzootzoot said:

So I'm scratching my head at this point, paying through the nose with a key and card meter. 

Just on this point note that the difference in cost is actually pretty small currently. On tariffs set by the price cap anyway.

How small is the difference ..In kwh rates not average price ? Maybe you have had better luck than me trawling the internet to get this basic information . 
.I only ask because for some reason I ve not found the regional kwh capped rates published anywhere showing  pay by DD , prepay or cash and cheque in comparison  so these users can apply to go on the lowest of the capped rates. 
You would think the info is readily available all in one easy to see list  .Its not . , Not on MSE, OFGEM, Citizens Advice etc 

 

eonnext.com/tariff-search

Astria

zootzootzoot said:

QrizB said:

Welcome to the forum.

Have you tried requesting a smart meter?

I havent actually. Presumably I'd still have the same issue. Stuck with a prepayment meter (smart or not) and not a normal one. would make it easier to top up though. Have to go down the shop and pay in cash currently.

Smart meters can be changed between prepayment and credit remotely, so they'd be more willing to do it, plus they have a target to install X amount of smart meters a year, I think they'd be quite interested in the idea.

pochase

SAC2334 said:

Ultrasonic said:

zootzootzoot said:

So I'm scratching my head at this point, paying through the nose with a key and card meter. 

Just on this point note that the difference in cost is actually pretty small currently. On tariffs set by the price cap anyway.

How small is the difference ..In kwh rates not average price ? Maybe you have had better luck than me trawling the internet to get this basic information . 
.I only ask because for some reason I ve not found the regional kwh capped rates published anywhere showing  pay by DD , prepay or cash and cheque in comparison  so these users can apply to go on the lowest of the capped rates. 
You would think the info is readily available all in one easy to see list  .Its not . , Not on MSE, OFGEM, Citizens Advice etc 

 

Here you go

https://www.edfenergy.com/sites/default/files/r1299.pdf

Prices for direct debit, cash/cheque and prepaid for all regions.

SAC2334

stewie_griffin said:

SAC2334 said:

Ultrasonic said:

zootzootzoot said:

So I'm scratching my head at this point, paying through the nose with a key and card meter. 

Just on this point note that the difference in cost is actually pretty small currently. On tariffs set by the price cap anyway.

How small is the difference ..In kwh rates not average price ? Maybe you have had better luck than me trawling the internet to get this basic information . 
.I only ask because for some reason I ve not found the regional kwh capped rates published anywhere showing  pay by DD , prepay or cash and cheque in comparison  so these users can apply to go on the lowest of the capped rates. 
You would think the info is readily available all in one easy to see list  .Its not . , Not on MSE, OFGEM, Citizens Advice etc 

 

eonnext.com/tariff-search

Thanks Stewie.
 This is Eon Nextflex for Yorkshire Region      electric direct debit       27.36 p/kwh
                                                                         prepayment meter       27.12  p/kwh                                  
                                                                                          pay on bill   28.82  p/kwh   
Daily standing charge DD -48.53
prepay meter                      53.43 
pay on bill                           54.52

SAC2334

pochase said:

SAC2334 said:

Ultrasonic said:

zootzootzoot said:

So I'm scratching my head at this point, paying through the nose with a key and card meter. 

Just on this point note that the difference in cost is actually pretty small currently. On tariffs set by the price cap anyway.

How small is the difference ..In kwh rates not average price ? Maybe you have had better luck than me trawling the internet to get this basic information . 
.I only ask because for some reason I ve not found the regional kwh capped rates published anywhere showing  pay by DD , prepay or cash and cheque in comparison  so these users can apply to go on the lowest of the capped rates. 
You would think the info is readily available all in one easy to see list  .Its not . , Not on MSE, OFGEM, Citizens Advice etc 

 

Here you go

https://www.edfenergy.com/sites/default/files/r1299.pdf

Prices for direct debit, cash/cheque and prepaid for all regions.

Thanks , Thats the list I needed , all regions and all tariffs clear to see .

Kakes88

@zootzootzoot I’m in exactly the same position. Recently completed on a house with PAYG gas (British Gas) and electricity (Eon). We’ve managed to change our gas to pay monthly, but from Eon we were told by 3 people that they were currently unable to do credit checks in order to move us over and today I’ve also been told that ‘it’s a business decision.’ Very frustrating 😤