Prepayment Energy Meters?

[McDougal]

Does anyone have any experience with these?

We're moving next month to a rented house and have just been informed that it has prepayment meters.

A quick google tells me that usually only the big 6 energy suppliers switch these to normal meters but then surely we'll be tied into a contract with them?

We've just recently switched supplier and they're so much cheaper so really want to avoid the bigger companies if possible.

Any advice appreciated

I think that would terrify him if I placed it next to the screen .

Thank you everyone for the replies. I'm no longer panicking about the landlord saying no the changing the meters.

do you know if you can insist on a smart meter being installed as I'd imagine not all prepayment meters are smart meters?

No. The are on the generation 2 phase of Smart meters. Not all properties can have them. You are best ringing and finding out.

They shouldnt charge you for them though. Before switiching to a smallee supplier maybe look at their call centre times and response rates. When I worked at one of the big six, we would get people calling in saying they couldn't get hold of their smaller company and had no electric/gas. We couldnt do anything because we werent the supplier.

BG has the best response times to get people back in supply when a meter problem occurs and the other big 5 also have decent response times.

I must admit I did love my prepay meters. I didn't mind paying extra for the convenience of knowing where I was with the bills. However on a low income it wouldn't have been fun! Like a pp though I was very careful with my appliances and use.

So much misinformation out there but your landlord does NOT have any say over whether you switch the meters or not, it's nothing like knocking down a wall . They can insist that you put them back to prepayment when you leave though but worth the hassle imo. I'd get non prepayment put in asap, could save loads (check comparison sites though and compare how long you'll be locked in to any contract)

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/get-a-better-energy-deal/switching-energy-supplier-if-youre-a-tenant/

Just had mine removed. They did a credit check and them out quickly

The landlord shouldn't be telling you whether or not you can replace them. They are the property of the energy company.

Thanks everyone. If I get a negative response from the landlord, I've now got a few links I can forward to them.

I do think that we might be more aware of what we're using (as we're using it) with a prepayment meter but, compared to what I'm paying now, the tariffs for prepayment are ridiculous.

There will be prepay because a previous tenant didn't pay their bill and they were enforced. Electricity and gas debt left by tenant is not down to landlord as long as they notify the company of meter readings and have proof of move out date. I had a tenant who regarded utility bills as voluntary (same as rent) and it has no effect on me or the next tenant.

Watch it with smart meters , they will go dumb when you switch supplier.

Thanks, Special. Sorry if I'm being thick but what do you mean about changing supplier? Are they not just transferred over?

The letting agent has agreed so now just to find a supplier that will install credit meters for free.

All the info online suggests this isn't a problem when you're already with the supplier so hoping it's the same when we're coming to them as a new customer.

the smart meter programme is a bit of a cockup and not all suppliers use the same technology. So if you change supplier, the new one may not be able to use the 'smartness' of your meter and it goes back to being a standard one.

Every house in the UK could be properly insulated for what this programme is costing. The actual reason for smart meters is to manage demand - decades of neglect mean we are on the edge with energy capacity, combined with mania for onshore wind, biomass and unscientific blubbering about nuclear reactors. Add EU enforcement of closing power stations to UK government not replacing them, and we are quite badly screwed.

so sooner or later there will be enforced cuts. Get ready.

The British gas man who installed nine yesterday explained about the monitoring demand thing. He said by knowing when we all use electricity more they can prepare for surges and apparently save enough to close two power stations it's meant to save us money in the long run (that's what he told me anyway)