Is it better to get prepay electric/gas meters in?

[Karma]

May 24, 2013 19:02:11 GMT dannyw14 said:

oh sorry yeah it is, it's in a shared house, the gas is paid by the landlord.

Sounds to much to me!  Find out if your local council has an Energy Advice person, the one here is really helpful!

[dannyw14]

it's not really a problem as whatever we put on the electricity meter, we take out of the rent.

[syycoe]

have you checked to see what tariff you are on as when your existing tariff ended the cheeky buggers will put you on their standard tariff which is extortionate worth a look as i forgot to change at the end of my fixed one and the bill sky rocketed.

[moonraker]

Pre pay is the most expensive way to pay duel fuel DD is the best

[Deleted]

Just an update peeps. Cancelled the arrangement date to get the meters installed. Got a card to pay at a paypoint during the quarterly. The guy on the phone has changed the tariff to help me, not sure whether it be better but at least I think its the right direction.

Just want to say I took the invaluable advice you posted, digested it and spat it out at the poor guy on the phone.

Thanks again all.

[digicig]

Prepayment meters can help folk budget - as long as they always keep them in credit. Most folk on them don't and use the 'Emergency Credit Facility' and that's when they become stuck in a trap. It costs to get out of the Emergency Credit cycle - if thee allow it to happen once - it'll cost something like £8 to set it back to zero. A lot of folk do that and then run out of money and end up back in the Emergency Credit Trap the next week.

They charge silly money for the units used whilst in Emergency - out of the £8 to reset it - thee'll only get at most £5 of meter use - and so on.

If thee keep in credit they are a more expensive, but manageable way to budget for utilities - get caught in the Emergency Credit Trap and thee'll be paying silly money.

I pay quarterly with EDF - and they may not be the cheapest - but give me enough lee-way to pay after 4-5 months if i've needed it