Prepayment meter help! EDF dark 1am

[oakleaffy]

I’m walking around at night trying to find a 24 hr pay point.
Have not ever run out of “ emergency “ before..
House historically had old prepay meter in, I am owner occupier.
I’m worried as no transport at present..local garage 24 hr said “
Not working “ for prepayment meter..

What happens???
I’m afraid to go back to a dark house as my emergency alarm went off.

Yep sounds like 25p of the emergency left. I'd switch everything off after getting extra blankets for bed, and pop my phone on charge (if battery low) so you've got the light from that, and set an alarm to head to a paypoint when they open in the morning. Fridge/freezer should be okay until then.

@Jobseeker19

Yes I think it does mean 25p left

I'll just have to hope that 25p keeps me going til the mornings shops open at 10... I looked and it said EDF won't cut you off in darkness IF you have emergency, but I had used that.. {hence the dreaded alarm going off... }

But perhaps they won't cut it off in hours of darkness??

I'll definitely Iet people know, as others might have same fear.

Many thanks for all your help....
I was sure I'd come back to a dark house...
Maybe EDF are true to their word re giving night time grace??

Glad you safe

@Jobseeker19

Normally if you run out of credit it doesn't go off until about 10am the next day.

And obviously, do not leave an unattended candle on whilst you go out.

And not when you go to sleep either op

Are you sure it wasn't a power cut? Your meter should not turn off overnight even if you are out of emergency credit. Don't leave candles unattended, going back to a dark house is not really unsafe, fire is unsafe.

Here you are op:

What is the friendly non-disconnect function on my prepayment meter?

•	Simply put, it means you will not run out of electricity at night.
•	The friendly non-disconnect function on your electricity prepayment meter acts like a safety net.
•	It makes sure you don't lose power if you run out of credit at a time when many top-up outlets are closed.
•	That means you won't lose your electricity supply if you run out of credit during these 'out of hours' times:
•	- Monday to Friday 6pm to 9am
•	- Saturday from 6pm
•	- anytime on a Sunday, until 9am Monday
•	- anytime on a bank holiday, until 9am the next day.

•	You have to top up with credit as soon as possible though, as you'll be cut off from your power supply when normal opening times resume.
•	Any energy you've used during a friendly non-disconnect period will be added onto your prepayment meter as 'DEBT'. We automatically take a payment for this debt as soon as you next top up your meter with credit.
•	Make sure you top up with enough credit to cover the 'friendly non-disconnect' energy you've used, and your ongoing energy use.
•	Not all electricity prepayment meters have the friendly non-disconnect service.
•	This information is for prepayment meters only; it's not for pay-as-you-go smart meters.

First thing tomorrow call up and get a billed meter installed - pre-payment is the most expensive way to pay for electricity.

And never, ever again leave a candle lit in an empty room, never mind leaving the house. Ever.

If you’ve got a local coop or nisa type shop, they usually open before 10 on a Sunday.

DO NOT LEAVE CANDLES BURNING WHEN YOU GO OUT. A house on fire is more dangerous than going back to a dark house

Leaving a candle burning while you’re out and wandering around at 1am on your own are far more dangerous that just staying at home in the dark until the morning when shops are open.

If its a prepayment meter and a key that you inherited from a previous occupier, then the need to contact your supplier. Unless something has changed recently, keys are not transferable.
I only know because we lived in a rented house with a prepayment meter and I rang the supplier to ask why £20 on the card resulted in £15 on the meter. Apparently previous occupier was paying off a debt and we should not have been using their card.
Sorry op. No help with your immediate problem. Hope the night was OK and you can find power this morning.

@Ffsffsffsffsffs

First thing tomorrow call up and get a billed meter installed - pre-payment is the most expensive way to pay for electricity.

And never, ever again leave a candle lit in an empty room, never mind leaving the house. Ever.

If your sole income is benefits due to disability or unemployment they are unlikely to change it to a direct debit set up, it's expensive being poor in this country

My brother was on benefits but I had no problem getting his meter changed from a key meter to a regular direct debit one. This was in an HA property too. They don't query why you want it changed. Of course, if you are on a regular meter and then keep messing around with the provider by not paying your bills, they might insist you then go onto a key meter, but otherwise it is your choice as to which meter you have.
OP it will really save you money in the long term to get your meter changed, and by the sound of it, a lot of hassle. Please don't leave candles burning!

It is fairly easily to be meters changed to a billing meter.

Agree with a previous poster. Did you inherit the keys from a previous occupant? You need to set up your own account and make sure the meter has no previous debt working away in background.

Unlikely you will get an electric smart meter PAYG at mo if that’s what you want as they are in short supply. You can go on waiting list though.

If your emergency credit runs out over the weekend your electric doesn't cut off until the Monday morning usually.

I changed over to a direct debit meter when unemployed and on full benefits.

@Ffsffsffsffsffs

First thing tomorrow call up and get a billed meter installed - pre-payment is the most expensive way to pay for electricity.

And never, ever again leave a candle lit in an empty room, never mind leaving the house. Ever.

Re candle it was in a lantern in a “ safe” place..with nothing above. ( I lived off grid for a while years ago so know how dodgy candles can be .. but the thought of returning to a pitch black house was a bit alarming.

Just topped up meter, EDF clearly do give night time grace.

Local shop that opened at 8am also say how panicked people get when meters run out, and when I said local 24h garages have broken top ups he agreed .

They are expensive, and I’ll look into getting it taken out.

Many thanks for all who replied.

@CornishTiger

It is fairly easily to be meters changed to a billing meter.

Agree with a previous poster. Did you inherit the keys from a previous occupant? You need to set up your own account and make sure the meter has no previous debt working away in background.

Unlikely you will get an electric smart meter PAYG at mo if that’s what you want as they are in short supply. You can go on waiting list though.

No, I had the meter put in years ago after DH left when my mortgage was huge. Paying everything on one income was hard, and the electric company didn’t bill me for a year....

So I had a mega bill I couldn’t pay.

They suggested a key meter to pay off the money I owed.

After that, it was ok... it was a relief not to get a quarterly bill.

BUT despite EDF saying they charge no more for pre payment they aren’t that cheap.

A friend’s daughter was paying an extortionate amount on hers.. think £30 a week for a one bed flat.
I think her landlord tampered with it?

I don't know why your power went off last night but it won't have been credit related. It would be around 930am on Monday before they would cut you off if you ran out of credit on Saturday night.

I'm suprised someone who used to live off grid is as afraid of the dark as you seem. I can guarantee you EDF didnt cut you off in the middle of the night at the weekend. Almost certainly a power cut.

@oakleaffy Maybe you could keep some torches and batteries handy so you have light if lights go out in future. I am terrified of the dark so I understand you not wanting to go back to a dark house. I'm a candle user and I've left them lit overnight loads of times in the past. I wouldn't leave the house with them lit though. Sorry you had an upsetting night. Can you buy a spare electricity key?

Can you buy a spare electricity key?

What for?

OP had no credit. You could have 10 keys but if you haven't topped up you haven't topped up.

Ok, it was just a thought.

[quote PainterInPeril]@oakleaffy Maybe you could keep some torches and batteries handy so you have light if lights go out in future. I am terrified of the dark so I understand you not wanting to go back to a dark house. I'm a candle user and I've left them lit overnight loads of times in the past. I wouldn't leave the house with them lit though. Sorry you had an upsetting night. Can you buy a spare electricity key?[/quote]
I haven't a torch, but loads of Candles...In retrospect I should have put the candle and matches outside the front door for safety.

Re key meters, they run off a plastic ''key'' with a copper chip inside that one can't get duplicates of.

I wasn't sure how they worked when I had one installed, but the key is ''charged'' by taking it to a Pay Point, giving the shop worker money who then charges the key.

BUT...... when it runs out, it is a pain.

''Pay Point'' map EDF show is actually out of date, with operators of Paypoint devices having defunct machines.

''Not working'' is an all too common comment when you proffer the key.

Re hating the dark....It must be a primeval thing.
And watching too many horror films as a teenager.

One imagines a leg being grabbed, or blundering up against something scary.

We take electricity so for granted until we don't have it.

Washing clothes, hoovering, internet, radio, boiling a kettle for a cup of coffee.