Eon Prepayment Problem

christhesparky_2

I have recently changed gas and electricity suppliers from Eon to Ebico, both were on a prepayment meter,

Today i have recieved final bills for both, both in debit,

May just be me but how can I owe them money when I was on a prepayment meter for both?

Thanks in advance

Chris

Premier_2

Assuming its not because the meters were being run on the emergency reserve credit part which most meters have to avoid you running out of gas/electric at midnight when the shops are shut and you cannot obtain more credit, its probably because the meter rate no longer matched the actual charge rate.

Prices change on a certain date, but it is impossible to reset all prepayment meters on that same date and so a variance between what you have paid and what you are charged is inevitable. This delay is not as bad with newer style key, smart or quantum meters as the charge rate on these is usually changed the first time you buy more credit after a price rise, but if you still happen to have a token meter, it could have been a year or more since this was recalibrated as they have to be done manually when the meter is read.

The other possibilty could be that you were put on a prepayment meter because of existing debts with the utility company. In such circumstances, the meter rate is often adjusted so that it actually charges you more than the normal unit charge so that over time you pay back that debt (as well as pay for the electricity/gas you are using). If you have ended the supply contract earlier than the date when the debt was planned to be eliminated, then obvously a shortfall would still exist.

christhesparky_2

Meter is a newer style key meter,
No debt on meter, on a recent annual statement (2 months) we were in credit!!!

Also was told that there was no standing charge but on final bill i am being charged one

UtilityMan_3

Hi Chris

Interesting question, which as usual raises more than it will ever answer!

I worked for BGAS on contract, many moons ago (that might stop people throwing eggs at me already!).

I was contracted to remove meters in empty properties (Bailiff, for want of a better word), due to the fact the standing charge had been removed.

It hadn't been removed, the host supplier (regional board) still charged the supplier, but the SC had been converted to the unit cost.

From the little I have seen on here standing charges are creeping back in?

I have asked around and there definitely should NOT be a standing charge on a PPM. However, it may be the cost of installation charge spread over a 12 month period. That is why if a PPM is fitted for whatever reason, it cannot be replaced by a credit meter for a minimum of 12 months.

That said, I am reliably informed the costs are recouped by a higher unit cost. In some cases 22+% per unit!!!!

However, now there appears to be competition in the PPM market, rules are changing daily.

I am studying PPM's with a vengeance as I cannot for the life of me see why the poor, should have punitive charges put on them because they are poor.

Obviously, you are not poor, you like the simplicity of it (I have never met a poor sparks!), but bear in mind your unit costs, and credit meters seem a good idea!

Regarding debt recovery on a PPM, it never adjusts the unit costs, it takes a set amount per week.