Switching from prepayment meters to monthly bill

uncle-albert

Hi. My mother's on prepayment meters for both gas and electric through no reason other than she couldn't be bothered changing. Both are with eon and British gas. We want to do away with the prepayment option and go to having a monthly direct debit. I believe it's called a credit account. I tried to use MSE energy club to compare and switch but that will only show us prepayment meter options when we add our details. How can we switch to one supplier and move away from prepayment using the comparison site? Thanks for your help.

Largs

I can't answer your question but just to point out something, I am monthly DD with EDF Energy for my gas supply.  My bill just arrived and it shows a message about if you can save money by moving to a cheaper tariff.

This time it tells me I would save £35 moving to pre-payment and to ring them if I want this.  I don't think pre-payment nowadays has the same high costs as before the energy crisis.  Someone else will come along and help more.

lohr500

Pre-payment was actually a little cheaper for us with EDF than either a variable or fixed monthly direct debit..

I set up the system through the EDF website to auto top up the balance using our current a/c debit card when it fell to a minimum level. So no worries over running out of electricity. 

I also found comparison sites wouldn't show the alternatives and in some cases even trying to get quotes directly from the suppliers online wouldn't work.

You could possibly try entering a nearby address or postcode to generate some quote examples. Then, if you find some good savings, call those suppliers directly to see what they can do.

Or in the short term ask Eon & BG to be moved to variable direct debit and then start to shop around once the databases recognise your mother is no longer on pre-pay. 
 

Gerry1

Several related issues here.

uncle-albert said:

Hi. My mother's on prepayment meters for both gas and electric through no reason other than she couldn't be bothered changing.

Are they smart meters, or dedicated prepayment meters with a key or card?

uncle-albert said:

Both are with eon and British gas.

Not possible.  Presumably one fuel is with Eon and the other is with BG?

uncle-albert said:

We want to do away with the prepayment option and go to having a monthly direct debit.

A dedicated meter will need to be replaced, but a smart meter can be reprogrammed remotely.

uncle-albert said:

How can we switch to one supplier and move away from prepayment using the comparison site?

Firstly, you'll have to choose your dual fuel supplier.  Note that Direct Debit may be slightly more expensive than prepayment, similarly dual fuel may be more expensive than separate suppliers.

Also, the best deals are seldom available directly via the comparison sites, you'll have to contact the supplier(s) yourself

uncle-albert said:

I tried to use MSE energy club to compare and switch but that will only show us prepayment meter options

Comparison sites work in different ways.  Many look up your details via the national database and only offer like for like, refusing to show different payment methods or single rate if you're on E7 and vice versa.

Other sites such as https://theenergyshop.com allow you to change these parameters; remember to see the whole market by clicking on 'Filter Your Results', selecting 'Show only tariffs available through The Energy Shop' and clicking 'No'.

Best to compare Gas & Electricity, Gas Only and Electricity Only.

Scot_39

1) some suplliers now offer monthly variable direct debit.

SHE / You may want the smoothed payments annualised plans provide if on limitted / fixed income etc.


But with mvdd - you pay monthly in arrears based on actual use. 

As J say though means no building up summer credit for winter though - so will still se higher costs in winter vs summer - but will be paying that on regular  top ups anyway.

Smart or monthly submitted readings ?


2) Just to echo above - prepay can be cheapest rate currently.

And smart prepay can avoid those tedious trips to the shop in unpleasant weather if smart  meter actually connected to suppliers - the credit downloaded autipomitically I guess.  You she can pay via phone or online account by card if confident.

Direct debit / mvdd might be less hassle for an elderly person though - one not into Internet or smart apps - and buying on line etc.

Some here switched in April or July as the TDCV cap for prepay was cheaper.

It's currently £1669 prepay vs £1717 DD vs - £48 less. 

Obviously you would need to check your regional prices  for sc and units vs consumption for her actual price difference.

Standard credit (pay on paper bill) a higher still £1829 - you have to really dislike the alternatives to pay that extra £112 or £160pa pro rata to actual use. But many still do so.