Energy provider / Change of tenant

MissAnon1986

Hi all 👋 

So I moved into a council property (flat) in 2018. I found out who the energy provider was for gas & electric.
Both on pre-paid metres (gas card & electric key)
At the time I contacted a new provider who told me that I would need to get new metres installed, would require to be home for the installation & I didn’t have the leave & didn’t want to take unpaid leave to do so. So I left it thinking I could still add credit to both.

I never got round to it & just continued to top up every time.

The amount I was paying has always been low imo. 

It’s just me & little one (6year old now)
Work full time, little one spends two nights a week at dads and I also have family we visit in a different county so tend to be away a few of the half terms.
Before April was paying £80 for both gas & electric.
Probably like £120 now.
That is affordable to me.

I am not too sure how the £400 “help payment” would reach me on a pre-pay metre.
If they top straight up on the metre, great. If they need to check account holder name to a beneficiary bank account holder it won’t match.
I mean personally mine is affordable to me & although it would be nice, I am in a position I could be without it.

My question is should I rock the boat & try to move it to my name now, cause I think it would be disadvantageous & potentially I could get put on a much higher tariff then I am paying now?
Do I have a legal obligation to change it to my name? I’m paying as I use.
I have no idea who’s name it is in tbh 🤷🏻‍♀️

Looking forward to your thoughts 

itsjustafad

From what I've understood, pre-pay customers will get the money in voucher form through the post or via text.

BUFF

Afaik it should be applied to your meter as a credit.

Having a credit meter & paying by DD will probably get you a saving overall on your bills. Also, if/when cheaper fixes are available you can take them which you can't on prepay.

MissAnon1986

BUFF said:

Afaik it should be applied to your meter as a credit.

Having a credit meter & paying by DD will probably get you a saving overall on your bills. Also, if/when cheaper fixes are available you can take them which you can't on prepay.

Wasn’t sure if it would be applied to metre or vouchers issued in account holder name (not me).

Seen lots of comments from people paying £200+ (on fixed rate / DD agreements) which is more than I’m paying now.
I guess that is based on usage & how many are in their household etc.

There is no issue to carry on paying on the card / key even though these are not in my name? 

pochase

You will get vouchers you can add to your electricity account through your key.

If you have smart meter they should be able to credit the meter directly.

MissAnon1986

pochase said:

You will get vouchers you can add to your electricity account through your key.

If you have smart meter they should be able to credit the meter directly.

Thanks for your reply.
No smart metre.
Wonder if they will send the vouchers to a named individual or whether they just identify the properties that are on pre-pay and send them there  🤷🏻‍♀️

Someone said about text but I’m not registered with the supplier & therefore they would not have my number 

pochase

They should send it to the account holder.

You have never registered with them as the new tenant?

MissAnon1986

pochase said:

They should send it to the account holder.

You have never registered with them as the new tenant?

Nope.
When I went to they said about changing the meters etc.
Can I register as the tenant now without changing anything like the tariff or will I have to be treated as a new customer essentially?

Alnat1

If you have been there since 2018, it can't still be on any low fixed tariff, it's going to be on SVT. That means the prices won't change until the new cap prices come in on 1st Oct. 

Best to get it changed into your name now, nobody really knows yet how each company will deal with the £400 but if you did receive vouchers in the wrong name and couldn't use them you are going to have problems sorting it.

MissAnon1986

Alnat1 said:

If you have been there since 2018, it can't still be on any low fixed tariff, it's going to be on SVT. That means the prices won't change until the new cap prices come in on 1st Oct. 

Best to get it changed into your name now, nobody really knows yet how each company will deal with the £400 but if you did receive vouchers in the wrong name and couldn't use them you are going to have problems sorting it.

Ok thanks.
Can they just change the name on the current supply without the previous tenants involvement or will I need to start from scratch?
Any suggestions on providers?
Sure current one is on Utilita & they’ve just said online that they are only doing quotes for smart energy tariffs not pre-payment (but could call them to discuss) but advice would be not to change & to sit tight 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ectophile

Any suggestions on providers?

The current one.  Don't even try to switch until you have an account open with the current supplier.