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We are currently using a meter with a prepayment card which is really bloody annoying. We've woken up with no heating and hot water as the gas has run out. The meter is in a cupboard behind the tv(nowhere else tv can go) and it is a real struggle for me to get to it now as I am pregnant, which will only get worse. We want to change it to paying for it by direct debit like the electric.

I have contacted our gas and electric company but they have said they will get back to us with 3 working days.

Has anyone done this or know if it is possible?

Thanks

I'm sure it's possible - although I did notice British Gas for example have a way you can top the meter up without having to go out for another card, which might be simpler?

Grim to wake up in this weather with no heating

Of course its possible! It's usually subject to your passing a credit check but it can usually be booked within 7days of the check. An exception to this would be if your has transporter is independent, instead of national grid/transco, bit even then it can be done but there may ve a wait for an Exchange appointment

Gas transporter

We did it when we moved in to a house with prepay in. Either gas or electric charged us £60 to do it though, the other one did it free.

Its good to know that it can be changed. Its just such a faff to have to go and get gas and squeeze into the gap to put it on. DP works away so he can't do it.

I did this when I moved back in July. Eon changed both meters free of charge as I was a long standing customer. Pre payment tariff is more expensive than the ones with an 'ordinary' meter as well so you will save a little bit of money

yes, perfectly possible. A credit meter is on a cheaper tariff than prepayment, as well. They usually install prepayment if a previous occupier has been a bad payer, or they have reason to suppose you might be.

If you have had a gas account at your previous home, and paid your bills on time, they should be very willing to change it.

too slow

It had the prepayment meter when we bought the house but had an electric meter that gets paid by direct debit.

if they won't co-operate, call the company that provides your electricity, and say you're inerested in transferring your gas account to them, but only on condition they provide a credit meter.

They finally replied to say it will cost £212!!!!

do you get both fuels from the same company? Try ringing another supplier and mention you are maybe thinking about changing to them and ask what incentives they can offer. Throw in the meter change and see what they say

Yeah they are both with Scottish Power. I'll give some other companies a ring to see if they can offer us something else.

I had one with British Gas and proved to be a nightmare to change - I sympathise!

Can't remember the full details but I think I had to live at the flat for 6 months or a year before they were willing to change and then I had to pay a £60 bond that I got back a year later. It was a faff but ultimately the changeover was free of charge.

charging £212 to move you from prepayment to credit tariff sounds very fishy to me. Write a short letter of complaint.

It might be different because we rent, but when we moved in here it had key meters for both the Gas and Electricity and British Gas swapped them out for nothing. We were already with them with our previous property and had been paying by DD there. They did it within the week and we had no problems at all.

I rang them as they just replied to an email. In the email it said it would be £212 but on the phone they said we need to pay a security bond of £150 which we will get back after 12 months and £62 for the meter.

Hopefully most of the cold weather has gone now and we might get it done in time for next winter.

have you got a record for having utilities credit accounts before? Is it a good one or a bad one?

It's in DPs name and this is the only house he has lived in without his parents. So its his only utilities account. He's had the house for about 2.5 years. Never late paying the electric direct debit.

then maybe get it transferred to the same company that has the electricity account and good payment history.

EDF changed mine for free once I had been with them for 3 months.

The electric and gas are with the same company.