PrePay Electric

[Sockpuppet]

Ok so as the last muppet in the flat I want to rent was a moron (probably the landlord too) EON stuck a prepay meter in the flat. Now I've never had to use one...not even as a student.

Just spoke to them and as a new tennant they are asking for 12 months and £50 before they will change it.

Anyone know what the options are. I've already gone down the route of asking for reduced rent if the meter stays (to the order of £100pcm - will accept £50) for the pita that its going to be. The idea of wandering down the the local shop to stick £200 on the meter every few months really doesn't appeal. Plus the electric is expensive on prepay.

Can the landlord pay to get it changed or swtich supplier and get it changed?

Ideas?

[DimPrawn]

Yes. Buy a house.

HTH

[Moscow Mule]

Ideas?

edit: Miss read question.

Go and rent somewhere else.

[Advocate]

Invest in a hex key, some cable and examine your nearest lamppost?

[Sockpuppet]

I may end up renting elsewhere. Its not a cheap place - council tax band F

Certainly not usual prepay meter territory.

[Qdos Contractor]

I have recently bought a house, which I'm currently renovating, and electricity & gas are on those silly meters. Southern Electric were the previous occupants' company and they are coming to switch them for free.

Although buying my power from the Co-op is slightly embarrassing, I find putting my plastic key in the meter and watching it register my money strangely enjoyable.

[Dow Jones]

Check

A pre-pay meter is installed in cases where there are large arrears and the utility companies are no longer free to cut off customers (in case there are babies/old folks in danger). This normally works at the same rate as the std one, so you are not at a disadvantage by using it. You shouldn't have a problem with using a key to charge/upload money, however check that there is no outstanding balance, as you may be poaying off someone else's debt.
A lot of landlords prefer it as it avoids (unpaid) bills and constant name changes on the account, also tenants pay what they can afford.

[beercohol]

I had this experience. I called BG who continually tried to derail me with different stories each time. "We want to see you use it for at least 6 months first!" or "there will be a charge". The last straw was "We will call you back to arrange it"..................

Then I called for the last time and said "I am calling to have this prepay meter removed as I pay by quarterly bills...." and repeated it every time they tried giving me any flannel. I assured them I will stay on hold while they get their paperwork sorted. Eventually they put me through to someone who was completely helpful. They did an instant (right there and then) credit check, saw I was a legit middle-class moneybags, went all nicey and arranged a day and time for a Siemens engineer to swap it out. Simple.

Apparently the difficulty is due to them thinking you are an asbo-laden dropout product-of-liberalism type trying to get off pre-pay.

Once you have flexed your decent-capitalist-fairplay-dignified-straight-up muscle at them, they place you into the circle of trust you enjoyed at your previous property!

[Sockpuppet]

Yeah, I've given the landlord an ultimatum of get rid of the prepay meter or find some other chump willing to rent it. Well there was a third option of lower the rent by £100pcm.

The rent is high enough >£1k a month so I don't feel that I should wander down the shops to pay the electric, I'm not a dead beat. I don't want to have to check if there is enough credit on it and I'm going away for the weekend wondering if my fridge is going to stop working.

Its also a test. If the landlord refuses I'll tell him to shove it as if he's like this with basics (such as electric) then if the washer goes how long is it going to take to get that fixed etc.

[Bagpuss]

Someone hasn't been paying the bills. Those meters are bloody expensive.

Surely you have a good previous history with a utility supplier that you can negotiate with?