Advice needed on elecric rates set by Landlord re: coin meter!

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J87
J87 Posts: 2 Newbie
in Energy
My landlord has recently increased the KWH unit on the coin meter in my flat, by 2 pence, along with upping the daily standard charge by 3 pence. Therefore it’s now 20p per KWH & 28p for the daily std charge. He has not informed me of this increase!! (The git). If it wasn’t for checking the meter I wouldn’t have known.

Previously, for around the last 2 years it was set to 18p per KWH with a 25p daily standard charge. Roughly over 12 months it’d work out that I’d pay around £70 per month, if not more! Seems pricey considering it’s a tiny flat. My landlord is not the easiest of people to converse with & I’ve been avoiding confronting him about this recent increase.

I would appreciate any comments relating to the price increase & if it seems unfair. I have never seen any electric bills, although I do know I have the right to see them at my request... it wouldn’t go down too well though! He practically refused to answer my question about switching to choose my own energy supplier, basically he made it quite clear it was not up for discussion. I really wish these coin meters would be banned!! As other than that it’s a lovely little place to live.

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  • matelodave
    matelodave Posts: 8,608 Forumite
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    Have a shufti here to see what the rules are https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/74486/11782-resaleupdateoct05pdf

    There's lot of other stuff on the internet
    Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
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    edited 17 November 2018 at 9:28PM
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    You would have to find out who the supplier is to your landlord. Then its easy to check on UKpower what the standard variable rate is for that supplier for your area .That would be the maximum he could charge you per kwh. I m not sure if he can make a profit on standing charges.
    Your landlord could be on a business suppliers rates so that would be difficult for you to compare.
    20p per kwh is very high for a single rate electric tariff. In my area I can get it at around 13p /kwh.There has been a sharp rise the last few months in prices.
    You can t switch supplier while you have in place a sub meter. The landlord would have to have a new meter fitted and that would be either a prepayment or credit meter.
    How do you heat the flat ?
  • coffeehound
    coffeehound Posts: 5,674 Forumite
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    The LL sounds grabby and unreasonable. Move elsewhere if you can.
  • wavelets
    wavelets Posts: 1,164 Forumite
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    edited 18 November 2018 at 12:05PM
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    J87 wrote: »
    My landlord has recently increased the KWH unit on the coin meter in my flat, by 2 pence, along with upping the daily standard charge by 3 pence. Therefore it’s now 20p per KWH & 28p for the daily std charge. He has not informed me of this increase!! (The git). If it wasn’t for checking the meter I wouldn’t have known.

    Previously, for around the last 2 years it was set to 18p per KWH with a 25p daily standard charge. Roughly over 12 months it’d work out that I’d pay around £70 per month, if not more! Seems pricey considering it’s a tiny flat. My landlord is not the easiest of people to converse with & I’ve been avoiding confronting him about this recent increase.

    I would appreciate any comments relating to the price increase & if it seems unfair. I have never seen any electric bills, although I do know I have the right to see them at my request... it wouldn’t go down too well though! He practically refused to answer my question about switching to choose my own energy supplier, basically he made it quite clear it was not up for discussion. I really wish these coin meters would be banned!! As other than that it’s a lovely little place to live.

    Whilst the discussion with your landlord may have been difficult and short, he told you the position.

    I will gladly expand on that if you would like.

    You cannot change supplier because you do not have a meter registered to any supplier.
    You are on a sub-meter, so your supplier is effectively your landlord.

    You would have known this as the landlord can only charge you for electricity where it is ststed in the tenancy agreement.

    As such you have no opportunity to change the supplier, not only bacuse you habve no existing contract with a licenced energy supplier, but because no supplier will recognise your meter and so will be unwilling to supply you.
    Btw, no licensed energy supplier now uses coin operated meters either, not least because they require regular emptying, and would probably need a Securicor van to accompany them nowadays to carry take away the bundle of coins. i.e they are not cost effective

    Your landlord will be buying the energy from a licenced supplier, and may well be on a commercial tariff. However he cannot charge you more than the unit charge he pays and can only charge you your proportion of standing charges.
    Without knowiing what unit price he is paying, and what other properties (if any) the landlord also sub-supplies from the same main meter, it is not possible to give a firm view on the charges applied. (but the standing charge does seem high if the main meter also supplies another property)

    Here's some brief advice from the CAB
    https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/problems-with-your-energy-supply/what-your-landlord-can-charge-for-energy/

    I'm sure they will gladly assist you further if you have any further questions on this.
  • amcg100
    amcg100 Posts: 277 Forumite
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    The landlord is not allowed to make any profit on reselling electricity. The only way to find out if he is or not is to see the bill ( if the supply is on contract )



    If the supply is in contract then he is breaking the law, since the price will not be 18pence per Kwh ( unless he is a real dipstick )


    Otherwise, 18 pence sounds like a standard variable rate which can be checked if you know who the supplier is. Your regional electricity company will have a contact number for enquiries about the current supplier - you just phone them, give the address and they will tell you the supplier. You can then check the standard variable rate on the supplier's website. This rate will be the maximum charged by that supplier within that area.
    If a man does not keep pace with his companions, then perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away. thoreau
  • J87
    J87 Posts: 2 Newbie
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    Thank you for the replies, so informative!! The supplier is British Gas - I’ve sent them a message... I hope they can shed a bit of light! I just need something to show the landlord, to make him aware that I know he is overcharging me... like a few estimate prices... ‘you’re breaking the law’ might be a good comeback to any BS he might come up with, haha. I would move if I could but I’m seriously limited in choice, I don’t drive & can’t afford to buy/run a car either :’( on the upside I live a 15 minute walk from work :) - mainly use panel heaters to heat the flat, with a halogen heater for extra warmth & other similar cost effective heater to keep the cold at bay!!
  • DJC1690
    DJC1690 Posts: 49 Forumite
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    HomeEnergy Fix Jan 2020


    Supplier British Gas Tariff name HomeEnergy Fix Jan 2020 Tariff type fixed Payment method Monthly Direct Debit Standard unit rate 16.3p per kWh Standing charge 25.07 p per day* Tariff ends on 31/01/2020 Price guaranteed until 31/01/2020
  • DJC1690
    DJC1690 Posts: 49 Forumite
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    HomeEnergy Secure Feb 2021



    Supplier
    British Gas Tariff name HomeEnergy Secure Feb 2021 Tariff type fixed Payment method Monthly Direct Debit Standard unit rate 18.05p per kWh Standing charge 25.2 p per day* Tariff ends on 28/02/2021 Price guaranteed until 28/02/2021
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
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    edited 20 November 2018 at 1:03PM
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    If BG s current standard price in your area is 18p/kwh then probably 20 p/kwh is a fair reflection to cover his costs if the £100 year standing charges are applied... London and the South East, far away from the main power stations always have higher tariffs than what we pay up North.. His 20 p kwh could well be correct.
    One question I m not sure of is do sub meters in flats attract a standing charge ?. BG charge around £100 a year standing charges, nearly £2 a week. Does anyone know ? Could be the landlord is passing on his standing charges on his credit meter onto an occupier.
    I visit lots of places where there are several sub meters in HMO s and flats and we never have to read them or inspect them . Personally I don t see how a supplier can levy a standing charge on all these sub meters. if landlords don t have to pay that for every sub meter then if hes charging 20/kwh hes definitely profiting, which is against the rules.
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