Smart meter

441983

I am a tenant with a private landlord. I have a Emlite top up electric meter. It isn’t topped up by voucher or key. It’s topped up by a credit/debit card on a website. The meter is controlled by my landlord and it’s In his companies name. He can dictate what price he wants to charge me for electric. I read that the government has put a price cap at 34p per kWh used, my landlord is charging me 45.8p as it tells me on the meter. Also, there is a government funding of £400 for bills that gets automatically topped up onto your meter or vouchers sent to for the meter. How will this work when my meter hasn’t and can’t be automatically topped up and vouchers won’t be accepted as it’s a credit/debit card top up. And also the meter has a central control by my landlord. I have spoke to my landlord and he’s playing dumb at the moment. 

So the 2 questions I have are:
1. is it legal for him to charge me above the government cap of 34p that I’ve read (if that’s correct)? 
2. How do I go about getting the government funding of £400 when the meter is in my landlord’s name and it only tops up via credit/debit card? 

[Deleted User]

I think that the issue is that you are paying business rates for your energy. As this link suggests your landlord will see some relief applied to his energy costs:

https://www.jwhinks.co.uk/latest-news/new-business-support-announced-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

The Caps that you are referring to above are for consumers on domestic tariffs. I confess that I have absolutely no idea whether you are entitled to the £400 rebate given the nature of your energy contract.

QrizB

The question you haven't asked is "is my landlord allowed to make a profit on resale of electricity?" and the answer to that one is no, they aren't.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/resale-gas-and-electricity-guidance-maximum-resale-price-updated-october-2005

buckweb1323

Tenant Energy Rights: Are You Being Overcharged by Your Landlord?

Is your landlord charging you too much for electricity?  The cap is 34p/kWh anything above is not legal. Get the facts! Learn more about your rights and how to claim government energy support.

EssexHebridean

buckweb1323 said:

Tenant Energy Rights: Are You Being Overcharged by Your Landlord?

Is your landlord charging you too much for electricity?  The cap is 34p/kWh anything above is not legal. Get the facts! Learn more about your rights and how to claim government energy support.

This is misinformation. Specifically, and as linked above by Qriz, 
"From 1 January 2003 the maximum price at which gas or electricity may be resold is the same price as that paid by the person who is reselling it ("the reseller"), including any standing charges."
(My underlining for emphasis)

A landlord may well not be buying the energy at the capped rate in the first place - again, as explained above, the cap figures referred to are specifically relating to domestic supply contracts, and many landlords will be paying commercial rates. 

The best advise for tenants may well be to shy away from entering into any rental agreement where energy is supplied centrally and recharged!