Removing a pre-payment electric supply without incurring a fee

[flowerpothead]

Just trying to get organised with our energy supplies and would welcome some help. We inherited a key meter for our electric supply when we moved in and currently we pay 14.04p/kWh and £1.92 per week. It seems to be impossible to find the actual figures for comparison on energy websites to see if this is steep or not! It isn't a standard tariff so can't compare via uswitch etc. Main question though is does anyone know if it's possible to have a pre-payment meter removed without paying a fee - seems infuriating that someone can go into arrears and not settle a large bill (was £250 in debt when we moved in) and get their meter for free and I have to pay for it's removal - feel like I'm being punished for being able to pay my bills (I do know im fortunate to be in a position to do so)!
Thank you!

have you spoken to your energy supplier about it? who are you with?

www.moneysupermarket.com/c/news/how-to-switch-from-a-prepayment-energy-meter/0014939/ - some seem to change them for nothing but some do seem to charge

Depends which supplier you are with.

There are usually circumstances that suppliers will take into consideration when removing ppms.

If they supplied the last property and you were debt free they there they will usually waive the fee.

If your current supplier want to charge a fee, ring round some other suppliers until you find one that will remove for free if you switch to them.

When I bought our current house, It had a pre-payment meter for gas. The supplier was SSE who would charge £100 to remove, but British Gas removed for free if I switched to them.

This is super helpful, thank you everyone. Really useful article Pixie. We're with SSE at the moment. Think I'll try and give them a ring and negotiate as they've been our provider for nearly 10 years and we've always paid our bills. If they won't budge I'll try British gas - good tip, thanks MegMog. Hate financial admin stuff but has to be done I guess! Thanks again

Just seconding trying British Gas - I also inherited a pre-payment metre and was able to have a regular metre fitted for free after a credit check. Also make sure that you have had your own pre-payment account with key set up and you are not inadvertently paying off the previous occupier's debt charges.

I've seen worse rates: 14p a unit and 27p a day standing charge is not unknown for non-prepay tariffs. You can probably do better though, and getting rid of the pre-pay will give more choice. As well as being less of a nuisance.

you can see actual tariffs; easier to find on the supplier's websites. They need your postcode as it varies by area. Ignore the 'tariff comparison label' which is babble for the clueless; you need to know the unit rate and standing charge (if any).

The same thing happened to me, and I got it removed free by Scottish Gas. So it depends where yopu live?

EON also swap for free, I have lived at 2 addresses and inherited pre payment meters, they swapped both out for free.

SSE wouldn't budge but were very polite about it. I checked and actually the tariff is the same as their standard one without the £40 annual discount for direct debit so not too bad. Going to switch to British Gas though (special I found the prices eventually) as will make a saving and fed up of nipping to the shop in the cold! Thank you for all your help mumsnetters