Moving from prepayment metre to credit metre for gas

theonenonly

I live with my old man who got into financial issues and was forced to have a prepayment meter installed for gas about 10 years ago.

The type where it's a card and you have to top it up at off licences.

I'm taking over the gas bill now and want to move onto a variable tarriff with the Ocotopus as their variable rate is cheaper than SSE payg. 

However, Octopus cannot take me on because they say this on their website:

"Do you have a smart prepayment meter? We can't support smart prepay just yet. If you're keen to switch to us, first you'll need to get in contact with your current supplier and ask them to switch your smart meter to credit mode (so you can pay by Direct Debit instead). If you try to switch to us while your smart meter is in 'prepay' mode, your switch will be interrupted and your home might even go off supply."

The issue here is twofold:
1. I don't know if it is a smart meter. It looks exactly like the picture attached. It was fitted in 2011. I don't have one of the displays people have in their homes, and I top up using a "quantum" card at paypoints.

2. SSE won't change it from a prepayment/pay as you go to a credit direct debit tariff due to my dad's poor credit history. Despite me telling them I'll be paying for it just that he'll be the account holder, SSE won't budge. They were skimming off a debt repayment per top up but that's been finished for years.

What can I do? I'm desperate to get off this payg gas repayment tariff as its costing me so much, but I don't have any options.

Any help would be greatly appreciate 

Spoonie_Turtle

If it is a smart meter, is your credit history better so can you set up your own account with them?  You could close your Dad's and open your own, as if he's moving out and you're moving in.  Then get it switched to credit.

theonenonly

Spoonie_Turtle said:

If it is a smart meter, is your credit history better so can you set up your own account with them?  You could close your Dad's and open your own, as if he's moving out and you're moving in.  Then get it switched to credit.

My credit history is fine. Issue is I don't know if it is a smart meter. 

Spoonie_Turtle

theonenonly said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

If it is a smart meter, is your credit history better so can you set up your own account with them?  You could close your Dad's and open your own, as if he's moving out and you're moving in.  Then get it switched to credit.

My credit history is fine. Issue is I don't know if it is a smart meter. 

Neither do I, which is why I offered the suggestion in case it is   If it is a smart meter and Octopus can't support it in prepayment mode, you need a way forward.  If it's not, then great!

EssexHebridean

L&G site reckons it is… https://www.landisgyr.eu/product/landisgyr-libra-310-series-2/

GrumpyDil

Googling "landis gyr libra 310p" comes up with various links such as "http://www.sgultd.co.uk/landis-gyr-libra-310-series/" 
Which suggest it is a smart meter, so I'd suggest you need to transfer the account into your name and then look to get it changed from prepayment. 

theonenonly

GrumpyDil said:

Googling "landis gyr libra 310p" comes up with various links such as "http://www.sgultd.co.uk/landis-gyr-libra-310-series/" 
Which suggest it is a smart meter, so I'd suggest you need to transfer the account into your name and then look to get it changed from prepayment. 

So transfer SSE account to my name, and ask for a direct debit / credit type account, and then switch to Octopus?

[Deleted User]

Hi,

it was installed 23/09/11, doubt if many smart gas meters about then.

Spoonie_Turtle

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

it was installed 23/09/11, doubt if many smart gas meters about then.

Not many, no, but some - installation started in 2011 according to this page https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8119/

GrumpyDil

theonenonly said:

GrumpyDil said:

Googling "landis gyr libra 310p" comes up with various links such as "http://www.sgultd.co.uk/landis-gyr-libra-310-series/" 
Which suggest it is a smart meter, so I'd suggest you need to transfer the account into your name and then look to get it changed from prepayment. 

So transfer SSE account to my name, and ask for a direct debit / credit type account, and then switch to Octopus?

I'd suggest that would be a potential way forward, assuming that SSE would let you take that account over. It certainly can't do any harm to try. 

theonenonly

Ha easier said than done when you're waiting in their call list for 25 mine minutes per call!