Scottish Power

[katex]

Originally Posted by West Ender

If I were your daughter I'd be checking every appliance and if I thought everything was OK I'd have my gas/electric meters checked.

Problem is with this West Ender, if it turns out not to be the meter, then they will charge you around £65, and was advised that it is very rare for it to be so..sorta' gamble really.

A combi boiler would save me about £250 per year (I was advised by a gas fitter), but how long would it take me to recoup this capital outlay .. plus all the adjustment aesthitically to my kitchen.

[West Ender]

I know the meters are rarely much out but, if it's not appliances, there must be something wrong. It can't be just that S P is more expensive or all their customers' bills would be as enormous and - well, mine aren't.

I changed to a combi boiler 6 years ago, Kate. Before that I had the most ancient, delapidated boiler in my kitchen. It was about 40 years old and looked every day of it, it was horrible. I was ready for a new kitchen anyway but the boiler went in what was the airing cupboard as I no longer have a hot tank. My old boiler was costing me a fortune - I don't think its thermostat had worked properly for years - and my heating bills dropped by about a third. The boiler cost about £3000 so it hasn't paid for itself yet but in terms of efficiency and reliability, plus the instant hot water, it was worth every penny.

In the 6 years I've had it, the boiler has gone wrong just once and, of course, it had to be during a particularly cold spell in 07. I have a maintenance contract with British Gas, though, and it was soon fixed.

[jambutty]

Seeing as accyman mentioned pre-payment meters can anyone confirm if what I heard is true?

Private landlords tend to have card meters installed in their property for rent and refuse any request to change to a normal meter. I understand that the reason for this totally unreasonable behaviour is that a private landlord is a re-seller of energy and he can set his own tariff on the meter and thus gets a cut of the fees charged to the user. Much like public phones in shops, community centres etc. where the premises owner sets the phone call tariff.

[shillelagh]

My brother when he rented his house out had a normal meter in - when the people who had it did a moonlight flit - left him with the leccy and gas bills..... which were sky high. So before he rented it out again he asked for a prepayment one put in.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by jambutty

Seeing as accyman mentioned pre-payment meters can anyone confirm if what I heard is true?

Private landlords tend to have card meters installed in their property for rent and refuse any request to change to a normal meter. I understand that the reason for this totally unreasonable behaviour is that a private landlord is a re-seller of energy and he can set his own tariff on the meter and thus gets a cut of the fees charged to the user. Much like public phones in shops, community centres etc. where the premises owner sets the phone call tariff.

good question, i heard the same a while ago, had completly forgot till ya just mentioned it.

[jambutty]

Originally Posted by shillelagh

My brother when he rented his house out had a normal meter in - when the people who had it did a moonlight flit - left him with the leccy and gas bills..... which were sky high. So before he rented it out again he asked for a prepayment one put in.

That’s fair enough as far as it goes. Except for one tiny detail. Energy is supplied to a person at a particular address not the other way around.

Social housing landlords like the local authority or housing associations are not liable for their tenant’s energy bills if they renege and neither is a private landlord unless the property is rented as part or fully furnished. Canny private landlords rent a house out with carpets already laid thus making it partially furnished and that’s how they get away with insisting on pre-payment meters and re-selling the energy.

These pre-payment/card meters are just another way of extorting money out of others. Far too many ordinary folk who cannot get council or housing association properties to rent are forced into the private market and fall prey to sharp practices. Who are these people? Why the most vulnerable.

It wouldn’t be so bad if the Tenancy Agreement stated the facts about energy meters but it doesn’t.

[Neil]

When I was private renting the meter belonged to the supplier not the house owner. I had a pre payment meter changed to a standard one just by phoned my supplier. It has nothing to do with the property owner. I also did it the other way round many years ago. I rented a house and then had a prepayment meter fitted.

I think people forget the extra cost of these meters. Put that together with the way you pay, at a local shop often so they want their cut for allowing you to pay their. Then there is the cost of these pay zone type machines as well. Is it any wownder that the energy costs you more money when on pre pay?

Why should it cost the same on pre pay and direct debit? Those on direct debit would in effect be subsidising the expensive equipment needed by pre pay customers.

The Government appear to be moaning about the cost of pre pay. I wonder if they actually know why it costs more.