Prepay gas meter in rental property

Boudica78

Hello,

I've just taken on a tenancy, and discovered (via my own research) halfway through signing paperwork that I probably had a prepay meter.

(a) should this have been in the letting details?
(b) I had written assurances that I'll be able to switch suppliers with no cost, but this was before prepay was confirmed (I was under a lot of pressure from letting agents to complete signing, getting information from them was a nightmare - and naturally given time of year I wanted to as well). Does this still apply?
(c) I have to return suppliers to what they were at the end of tenancy, but would I have to return it to prepay?

MattMattMattUK

Boudica78 said:

Hello,

I've just taken on a tenancy, and discovered (via my own research) halfway through signing paperwork that I probably had a prepay meter.

(a) should this have been in the letting details?
(b) I had written assurances that I'll be able to switch suppliers with no cost, but this was before prepay was confirmed (I was under a lot of pressure from letting agents to complete signing, getting information from them was a nightmare - and naturally given time of year I wanted to as well). Does this still apply?
(c) I have to return suppliers to what they were at the end of tenancy, but would I have to return it to prepay?

A ) No
B ) Yes
C ) You need to check your lease, you may be required to stay on pre-pay. 

Pre-pay is actually the cheapest way yo get your energy now, you can manage the whole process online now with a smart meter.

Boudica78

Thank you. Seems prepay may or may not be the cheapest (according to an article on this site) will keep that in mind.

Lease says about keeping supplier, but not method, so *shrug*

QrizB

Boudica78 said:

Lease says about keeping supplier, but not method, so *shrug*

I'm not sure whether that term is enforceable (perhaps some housing forum regular will enlighten us). Switching supplier during te notice period at the end of your lease just adds complications for you and your landlord. However it's something you can forget about until the time comes.

Scot_39

There is no simple answer.

The supplier or agency name might give a clue if your willing to post it.



Tying you to a supplier is as far as I know no longer permitted, but thats only on a standard (direct) domestic supply.   

But even here meter type revision to / from prepay would be potentially a condition and you would have to revert (these days its not necessarily a meter change if smart)  or risk losing deposit for landlord to do so.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/your-energy-meter/get-your-prepayment-meter-replaced-with-a-normal-meter/


But these direct with conventional retail supplier standard domestic arrangements are not always the actual arrangements - especially in blocks of flats - small hmo conversions or large complexes - where each unit is not on its own standard domestic supply but shares a landlord or freeholders one.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/get-a-better-energy-deal/switching-energy-supplier-if-youre-a-tenant/


It happens regularly with so called district or community heat networks for instance that provide tied single suplier heating and hot water.

Similarly as above for electric, sometimes blocks of flats are often tied to a supplier - often at commercial wholesale rates unprotected by Ofgem caps - one chosen by landlord, freeholder and or their agents. And individual flat meters are secondary meters just to allow the landlord or energy supplier chosen by freeholders (so above your landlord in many cases) to bill accurately per kWh used.

Not sure ever heard of that for an actual gas meter - but have heard of flats with community heat tied - and conventional direct gas (cooker / fire) gas / electric untied.  And those were council / HA blocks iirc in both cases.

You need to check exactly what the supply arrangement is - but whilst in an ideal world you should ideally be told before signing - it doesn't happen.

And it's really easy to say when you are not in the position - but many these days are sadly at that point potentially in a no choice situation - rent whats available or risk homelessness in worst case. 

You certainly wouldn't be the first to find themselves paying non standard rates after renting or worse still purchasing flats - if in fact you might (you might not be) just be part of the minority who end up on non Ofgem protected supplies.

Boudica78

Thank you so much everyone - sorry it's taken me a while to reply. All the info is much appreciated.