Electric supplier in new rented flat

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melb
melb Posts: 2,873 Forumite
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hi there this is probably a stupid question but my daughter is about to move into a rented flat in a house which is divided into a flat, a studio and a 2 storey maisonette, all separate and self-contained.

As there is only one meter will everyone in the three households have to use the same supplier?

Think she will be paying on a meter card (for which she is awaiting the key) thanks
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  • PaschalFun
    PaschalFun Posts: 241 Forumite
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    melb wrote: »
    hi there this is probably a stupid question but my daughter is about to move into a rented flat in a house which is divided into a flat, a studio and a 2 storey maisonette, all separate and self-contained.

    As there is only one meter will everyone in the three households have to use the same supplier?

    Think she will be paying on a meter card (for which she is awaiting the key) thanks

    No, each tenant can use whichever supplier they prefer.

    If each tenant registers with their preferred supplier and gets their own top-up key from that supplier, just pop this into the meter as and when required and the meter will know who has used what and when.

    How smart is that? They are not known as a SMART METER for nothing

    :rotfl:
  • melb
    melb Posts: 2,873 Forumite
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    did I hear Martin Lewis talking about some being incompatible with other suppliers? Might have been something else. thanks for your reply anyway
  • D_M_E
    D_M_E Posts: 3,008 Forumite
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    Where did OP mention a smart meter?

    If there is only one meter supplying the whole building, no matter how many living spaces it's divided into, then there will be only one supplier and I foresee endless arguments about who use3d what and when.

    Also, since there is only one meter there will only be one bill which would presumably be in one name, again causing arguments over who used what and how the bill should be shared.

    This needs sorting by getting a meter fitted for each premises, either a sub meter or a completely new supply - at vast expense - for each property.
  • House_Martin
    House_Martin Posts: 1,462 Forumite
    edited 11 April 2018 at 9:06PM
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    One meter supplying three different self contained households is a recipe for arguments unless a proper sub meter is installed for two out of the three, its not doable. I ve seen it working with 2 and that is bad enough with always one of the tenants subsidising another. Splitting the bill three ways may just work if you re all using more or less the same kwhs but one of them will be using the electric oven all the time and tumble dryer 3 times a day and rows will develop
    OP also check if the electric bills are inclusive . Only one meter is needed if thats the case. That is very likely in the set-up you describe.
    If the electric bills are not inclusive in the rent , please have a good look round for other meters, they could be hidden around in strange places. I ve even seen them in roof spaces and cupboards beneath floorboards. .
    Nice idea from Paschalfun but they are not that smart to allow 3 different suppliers sharing the same smart meter
  • melb
    melb Posts: 2,873 Forumite
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    I'm going to check this out. Her dad said there was only one meter but it doesn't make sense. Anyway the update is that the "Tenancy tuckshop" or something like that has been in touch with her and she has switched from the previous supplier (NPower) to Enstroga and the estimated usage means she will be paying £29 a month on direct debit. The tariff is 12.750 p per kwh - don't know if that is average? Anyway she has a 14 day cooling off period. I am therefore assuming from this that she has her own meter
  • House_Martin
    House_Martin Posts: 1,462 Forumite
    edited 12 April 2018 at 8:41AM
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    melb wrote: »
    I'm going to check this out. Her dad said there was only one meter but it doesn't make sense. Anyway the update is that the "Tenancy tuckshop" or something like that has been in touch with her and she has switched from the previous supplier (NPower) to Enstroga and the estimated usage means she will be paying £29 a month on direct debit. The tariff is 12.750 p per kwh - don't know if that is average? Anyway she has a 14 day cooling off period. I am therefore assuming from this that she has her own meter
    That KWh price seems pretty cheap for a prepayment meter, cheapest in the UK probably.
    If she currently has a card/key to load the credit on the meter she has a prepayment meter and she will need a meter exchange to a credit meter to go on a direct debit tariff unless it is a smart prepayment meter. The supplier can switch it to credit mode.
    Watch out for high daily standing charges tho from this new supplier Enstroga.

    edit. I agree with D_M_E and think its a bit early to be signing up with new suppliers. Find out whats what first regarding meters/occupiers and current supplier. You need to get a start reading in to Npower first and registering with them before switching
  • D_M_E
    D_M_E Posts: 3,008 Forumite
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    That price is cheap and suggests a credit meter.

    Also, as she has not yet occupied the property then I assume any energy supplier switch has been done not by her by by the lettings agency - tenancy tuckshop whatever that is.

    She needs to be careful as the previous supplier will send a bill for the period while any switch is going through - the previous supplier is the deemed supplier and if they still supply when she moves in then she has to notify them of her occupancy as soon as she is in - read the meter (if there is one for her alone) and tell Npower the reading and start date of tenancy.

    If it does turn out to be a single meter for the entire building then there could be trouble ahead......
  • melb
    melb Posts: 2,873 Forumite
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    thanks for further replies. The daily standing charge is 16.10p or £58 over the year. When she went into the flat on Monday there was nothing on the meter (ie no credit). I went onto a comparison website yesterday and none of the other companies seemed to compare pricewise with Enstroga which I understand is a newcomer to the Energy market. We shall see ...
  • PaschalFun
    PaschalFun Posts: 241 Forumite
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    D_M_E wrote: »
    Where did OP mention a smart meter?...

    I don't know, where did OP mention a smart meter?

    And what difference does it make anyway????:cool:
  • PaschalFun
    PaschalFun Posts: 241 Forumite
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    melb wrote: »
    thanks for further replies. The daily standing charge is 16.10p or £58 over the year. When she went into the flat on Monday there was nothing on the meter (ie no credit). I went onto a comparison website yesterday and none of the other companies seemed to compare pricewise with Enstroga which I understand is a newcomer to the Energy market. We shall see ...

    I never knew Enstroga accepted PPM customers.
    You learn something new everday on MSE!

    :D

    Any idea when they will be updating their website?
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