Rights to switch from prepayment to credit electric meter

Skillmister · 10 Oct 2017 at 14:30

Hi Folks

I moved into my new house on Friday and discovered it has a prepayment electric meter (amazing what you don't think to check when you view...

).

I've just rung up British Gas to arrange for this to be changed as most of the cheaper providers don't seem to accept them, only to fail their credit check which the bloke on the end of the phone thinks is probably down to my mortgage application, saying this happens all the time.

Now what are my options?

It seems the only "big six" provider that lets you change meters without a credit check is EDF so do I need to switch to them, get the meter changed then switch to a cheap provider? Seems like a huge amount of hassle...

British Gas have said they "may" be able to install a smart meter but it could take 3-4 weeks before I can even arrange an appointment as they are so busy with it at the moment.

As it stands I'll be toddling to Spar tonight (in my dressing gown for maximum effect) to buy electricity.. :rolleyes:

Uther · 10 Oct 2017 at 14:48

Why do you want to use British Gas, are they cheaper than EDF?

Skillmister · 10 Oct 2017 at 15:12

Uther said:
Why do you want to use British Gas, are they cheaper than EDF?

I don't want to use British Gas, I rang them up as the current provider to get the meter changed so I could switch to Octopus (who don't do prepayment meters). It was only after I failed their credit check I looked into providers that switched from prepayment to credit without running credit checks.

I don't want to use EDF either, it seems a ridiculous way round to have to switch to EDF, change meters then switch again immediately just because I somehow failed a credit check.

Uther · 10 Oct 2017 at 15:20

Yes it does seem crazy. Having a failed credit check isn't great either

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 10 Oct 2017 at 17:21

You probably failed credit check as you literally just moved in, so your address is not matching records.

Personally I would give it a couple of months and it should have caught up by then, assuming you get straight onto the council to get yourself on the electoral role.

paradigm · 11 Oct 2017 at 12:34

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
assuming you get straight onto the council to get yourself on the electoral role.

Except we are now bang in the middle of the prep for the annual register, which means his details might not get processed onto the open register until January.

Lartyconshayo · 11 Oct 2017 at 12:52

Who was your provider at your old property? If it was Bgas and you had credit meters they shouldn't have credit checked you. Ring your old supplier give them new address and tell them you want credit meters installing.

johnny6 · 11 Oct 2017 at 12:54

I think it took us 3-4 months from moving in to getting the prepaid meters removed. It was not a short process if I remember correctly.

Skillmister · 11 Oct 2017 at 12:55

Lartyconshayo said:
Who was your provider at your old property? If it was Bgas and you had credit meters they shouldn't have credit checked you. Ring your old supplier give them new address and tell them you want credit meters installing.

I didn't have one, I was renting from a mate. I have actually never had services in my name despite renting for the last ~7-8 years

Skillmister · 11 Oct 2017 at 13:02

To add to my annoyance I went and topped up £10 last night, put it in my meter which said "Token accepted £10" but my credit only went up by £5 :eek:

There was no debt showing on the meter beforehand... This is going to be a fun phonecall to BG...

Lartyconshayo · 11 Oct 2017 at 13:15

It's because the emergency credit was used up by previous tenant / owner or just by meter as there is a standing charge. Put the key in the meter and cycle through the screens using the blue button. Screens S and T will show any debt on meter and weekly payback rate. If they are at 0 then it was just the emergency credit. Otherwise bgas will need to reset the meter for you. It can be done remotely for elec.