How do I know what we're paying?

Dinah93

Hi all, wondering if anyone can help me, we're on a prepayment meter. The little stick thing you put money on say's n-power, so presumably we're with them? I've never recieved a bill from them, been living in the house 8 months now. It's only rented, so I don't mind being prepayment, but we seem to get through a LOT of money on it, as in about £15 a week, when usually we only have the living room and kitchen lights on, one tv, two laptops, freezer... and thats about all! Heating is gas not electric, as is the hob although not the oven. What I'm asking is, how can I find out how much we pay, and can you swap providers on a pre-payment meter? Sounds terrible but I just always ignored the energy switching advice because I thought it didn't apply to us.

Thanks for your time, D x

SwanJon

They key is a good indication of who you are with, but it's not gaurenteed.
Did you phone them when you moved in? If not you are still set up as the previous tenant, and maybe paying their debt.
You can check the sceens to find out.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....html?t=594450
Find out who your supplier is first (start with npower), but yes you can switch just like anyone else.
They can only stop you if you have a balance, so make sure you get an account set up with your current supplier first.
They only send statements once a year so that's why you've not had one yet.

Dinah93

Thanks that's really helpful. But I don't get how it could be in debt, surely the point of the meter is to make it pay as you go? It is still in my landlord's name, by an amazing coincidence a letter arrived last night to the 'present occupier' but then stating his name and the address in the letter, saying if we weren't him, then to read on anyway and to notify them and him of what we were doing, and they would be coming to take a meter reading in july

tattycath

I was renting a property a few years ago. It had pre-payment meter. I had been in the house a month or 2 when I found out that I had been paying the previous tenants debt on the meter. Apparently she had got into arrears with her electricity bills, so the company installed a ppm and set the payment for it so that every payment made into the meter paid for some electric and some of the debt-the electricity companies can set the meter and re-set the meter.
I used to work for a company selling gas and we were told that we couldn't sell to people with a quantum meter-I thought it was the seame for electric-apart from the odd few companies who will take them on?? maybe I'm getting confused. No doubt if i'm wrong some nice person will come over and correct me.

SwanJon

Dianh - it's possible that a previous tenant built up the debt, and the meter thinks you are them as you are using the same key.
The best thing to do is get the account in your name - try calling nPower and telling them when you moved in. If you have overpaid they will be able to set up an account and refund you.
Was there anything on Screen S or T?