When should I get keys?

PoGee

Thank you for replies. The supplier supplies both gas and electric. I have 5 working days within which to flag up issues e.g. with the gas boiler. I think the gas supply may have been cut off but the lights work so perhaps I'm wrong. I couldn't get any hot water, which makes me wonder if the gas as been cut off. If It takes time to get a new key fob thingy for the prepayment meter, my 5 days will be up before I get it through the post.

theoretica

Seems starting questions include whether anything else in the property uses gas - hob?  Stove? Are the electrics to the boiler on? What error code does it show?  In this weather on an unoccupied property turning heat off would seem sensible.  And is the main gas valve open - the one you can shut by hand.

CSI_Yorkshire

PoGee said:

If It takes time to get a new key fob thingy for the prepayment meter, my 5 days will be up before I get it through the post.

The supplier can usually issue a code for some credit that you can type in on the meter.  Give them a call, your circumstances are not unusual and they should know what to do.

PoGee

This is driving me nuts. The home report said supplier was Scottish Power for both but when I did live chat with British Gas, they said it was them. I managed to speak with the previous owner who said it was BG. The meter has a ref starting BGSML and then a series of numbers. I want it transferred to my name but cant get a straight answer as to the present supplier. I'll call Scottish Power in the morning. I think this is a smart meter and not a pre-payment meter

CSI_Yorkshire

That's a smart meter - which can be set to prepayment or credit remotely by the supplier (assuming they can communicate correctly).

To find out who the supplier is:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/moving-home-your-energy-supply/find-out-who-your-gas-or-electricity-supplier-is/

Jonboy_1984

We had this last year, got the keys and it was a smart prepayment meter that said £45 in credit. Came back the following day to find the supplier had wiped it overnight (turned out the previous rental tenants had hundreds of pounds of debt and their payments were on a split part use part debt arrangement and the supplier took their credit to offset). 

This left us with no energy. Phoned supplier (SSE) and they issued emergency credit and confirmed our details from my online registration. Went back on day three and found they had taken back the emergency credit…called again and they reinstated emergency credit and text me the new meter numbers to use in their app. 

Failed to tell me they wouldn’t work until following day…after I had made three payment attempts the bank authorised and then they didn’t take because the meter key wasn’t yet valid…tying the cash up for a week until the authorisation released.

Got there on day four to everything working and able to top up….they then switched my over to credit with a two week lead time.

Good luck, hopefully you can follow the above link, check with the local DNO and get sorted quickly as its a very frustrating start to a new property.

PoGee

It's Scottish Gas. Phew. What a day....

PoGee

I'm old fashioned and still pay by quarterly paper bill so setting this prepayment smart meter in my name has been brain hurting. Had to give them my DOB fgs. Going to ask for it to be removed once I get gas supply restored so I can get the boiler checked within the 5 days allowed to pick up on problems with the property.

Flugelhorn

PoGee said:

I'm old fashioned and still pay by quarterly paper bill so setting this prepayment smart meter in my name has been brain hurting. Had to give them my DOB fgs. Going to ask for it to be removed once I get gas supply restored so I can get the boiler checked within the 5 days allowed to pick up on problems with the property.

oh they always try the DOB trick, I just tell them "no I don't want to do that" and they accept it.