Switching to prepayment

[Gina1980]

So I'm currently with British Gas for energy but they seem to want to just increase my direct debit at their free will without any sort of discussion even though I'm in credit (I know other suppliers do the same) so I'm considering switching to pay as you go so I know where I'm at. I wouldn't need my meters exchanged they just change them remotely from credit mode to prepayment. I would be switching to Utilita who offer competitive rates for prepay tariffs.

Does anyone know here use prepayment is it better or worse?

I moved into a house with prepayment meters and for various reasons have not changed them. I don't mind them - not nearly as much of a pain as I recalled from student days.
I never let them run too low so top up regularly - 2 of us in a (v old, v cold in winter) 3 bed terrace - averages out about £50/month each.

It's a royal PITA.

We had a house that had them when we moved in. They were going to charge us a few hundred quid to remove so we just lived with them.

I will never forget that sudden beep beep beep beep beep...then the moment of clarity and creeping dread...then blackness and everything off at 8pm in January. Fucks sake. Get dressed, haul two young dc to the bloody shop in the dark and cold and rain to top up the key.

Although I think it's come on a bit now and you can top up online. But still, i'd never do it again!

Can you not just switch to a variable direct debit which means you just pay for what you use each month?

I’ve always had a pre payment meter, for electric, in the house I’m in and I find it no problem at all. I have a set amount that I put in at the start of the month when I get paid and that does us all month.

I used to put in more when my children were at home but now that it’s just me and dh I’ve cut it down slightly. I don’t always use all of it so I sometimes build up a little bit of excess.

The energy company don’t seem to like that I only put in money once a month as I quite often get a letter from them saying it’s been a while since you topped up your meter and to call them if I need help.

So I'm currently with British Gas for energy but they seem to want to just increase my direct debit at their free will without any sort of discussion even though I'm in credit

Everyone is in credit the end of the summer. That’s the whole point of a set DD for twelve months a year- you build up credit during the warmer months so you don’t have bigger bills over the colder months.

If they want to increase your DD now it is likely because you haven’t built up enough credit to get through the upcoming winter on your current DD based on their projections of the rates and your historic usage over the winter.

I personally would not switch. You’re just letting yourself in for a bill that changes every month with no warning.

I've just signed up to Fuse Energy because they were cheapest but their default method of payment is monthly bill based on the amount used so you're never in credit.

If you're not in a current fix and would like to use my referral code, which is. SHARON12421 we each get £100 if you sign up.

However, like a PP says, you should expect to be in credit at this time of year and it will be used up quickly over winter and by Christmas and early next year you'll probably be in debt. It also requires a lot higher payments over the winter months, which a lot of people struggle with, especially as it coincides with Christmas.

Although, like all other suppliers, you can switch to a fixed direct debit based on the average across the year.

I’ve got Prepayment meters, they were in the flat when I moved in and were too expensive to change at the time (£130 per meter!) I’ve now kept them for 22 years and I have no intention of changing. I’m totally in control of how much I pay and when. I just pay a regular amount on payday though.

I have always paid £40 electric and £40 gas each month but I’ve been having to top up a bit at the end of the month more regularly so I’m going to increase to £50 per month each. This covers the electric and lets me build up a bit of extra for the gas for winter. I have to top up more in December, January and February but that depends on how much I work from home and I choose how much and when. It’s all done online now so it’s easy and convenient and they warn you on your phone when your credit drops below £5. We’ve never suddenly been plunged into darkness since the switch to online payments. I’m with E.ON Next.

Switch to octopus using this link

https://share.octopus.energy/airy-newt-73 (will give us both £50 credit for clarity - you don't need to use the link but it benefits you too)

Every time they request an increase and I'm in credit I just click to refuse it and tell them I will pay the difference manually. No fuss, no call centres.

You can control the amount you pay if you cancel the Direct Debit and switch to paying by Standing Order. You decide how much to pay on that, you control it.

I used to work in billing, everyone builds a credit over summer, that is the whole point. I have meter readings and graphs on a spreadsheet, our electricity consumption is fairly consistent throughout the year as our lights are all low energy LED. It is the gas central heating that obviously gets used far more over the winter months.

You can switch to a monthly bill payment but you will be paying far more in the winter months. I am with Octopus Energy, they are great and every time I build too much credit I get some refunded back to me as I can work out my own consumption having done it for hundreds of customers.

I would not recommend switching to prepayment because you would not be able to switch to any fixed tariffs which tend to be cheaper than the Ofgem cap. The cap
prices are expected to rise in October by about 4% and then again in January by horrendous 25% - thanks to the war in Iran. Definitely worth switching to a fixed tariff because prepayment is going to cost a fortune this winter!

You’d be better off just asking for 3 monthly bills and paying them as they arrive.

British Gas offers variable direct debit where you pay for what you use. It would be easier to do that than move provider/change to prepayment