NFR: Electric Meter & rates (Merged)

[Wearethewhites]

Slightly annoying, currently with an energy company called iSupply for my electric, it's all done online, but they are very cheap, and have never had any problems with them.

However, I'm moving home, and noticed that my new house has a pre-pay meter. Didn't think anything of it, called iSupply to get this swapped out, and was told they don't change meters.

Was advised to get another company to do this, but if thats the case, won't that company want me to take their electric supply?

Reading online, some people have got EDF to do this at a 'fee' use their electric for a month, then more back to their existing supplier.

 

[Holders]

Slightly annoying, currently with an energy company called iSupply for my electric, it's all done online, but they are very cheap, and have never had any problems with them.

However, I'm moving home, and noticed that my new house has a pre-pay meter. Didn't think anything of it, called iSupply to get this swapped out, and was told they don't change meters.

Was advised to get another company to do this, but if thats the case, won't that company want me to take their electric supply?

Reading online, some people have got EDF to do this at a 'fee' use their electric for a month, then more back to their existing supplier.

 

I'm surprised to hear that they won't change the meter. Prepaid meters certainly used to (and may still) work on a higher tariff and even if they don't it's very inconvenient to have to keep getting them charged up. A valid objection might be if they don't think that your credit is good, not just that they don't want to incur the expense. EDF changed one for me no bother but I wouldn't recommend them aotherwise. You could change supplier just to get this done and then change back if you wished but watch out fior termination charges. I think I'd be inclined to double-check with your existing supplier first as it doesn't sound right.

[Wearethewhites]

Slightly annoying, currently with an energy company called iSupply for my electric, it's all done online, but they are very cheap, and have never had any problems with them.

However, I'm moving home, and noticed that my new house has a pre-pay meter. Didn't think anything of it, called iSupply to get this swapped out, and was told they don't change meters.

Was advised to get another company to do this, but if thats the case, won't that company want me to take their electric supply?

Reading online, some people have got EDF to do this at a 'fee' use their electric for a month, then more back to their existing supplier.

 

I'm surprised to hear that they won't change the meter. Prepaid meters certainly used to (and may still) work on a higher tariff and even if they don't it's very inconvenient to have to keep getting them charged up. A valid objection might be if they don't think that your credit is good, not just that they don't want to incur the expense. EDF changed one for me no bother but I wouldn't recommend them aotherwise. You could change supplier just to get this done and then change back if you wished but watch out fior termination charges. I think I'd be inclined to double-check with your existing supplier first as it doesn't sound right.

Thanks, they basically said that they don't support Key meters, nor do they offer a service to swap them out for normal meters. Went on their website 5 minutes ago and it does state this:

"As part of the iSupplyEnergy service we will exchange a meter if it is reported as faulty and an engineer has assessed and concluded that it cannot be repaired. The replacement will be a like for like meter.

To ensure our costs are as low as possible we currently do not offer meter exchanges as a standard part of the service. In this way we can ensure that 'overhead' costs are kept to a minimum so that we don't have to pass them onto our customers.

Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience that may be caused"

So, based on this, I've either got to cancel my contract with them, or find someone who will swap the meter out. What a load of hassle.

[Holders]

I used to work for the electricity board before they were privatised and this is what we get now. How standards have fallen!

It seems that your supplier is riding on the backs of those who will do their duty in changing meters. If you're not on a fixed-term contract with cancellation charge I'd swap out, get the meter changed, then swap back. EDF (Electricite de France) did it for me though I'd only just signed up with them. Just make it a condition of joining. I very much doubt if you'll find another supplier who'll do it for you FOC whilst you still stay with your present one, if that's what you're hoping!

[Wearethewhites]

I used to work for the electricity board before they were privatised and this is what we get now. How standards have fallen!

It seems that your supplier is riding on the backs of those who will do their duty in changing meters. If you're not on a fixed-term contract with cancellation charge I'd swap out, get the meter changed, then swap back. EDF (Electricite de France) did it for me though I'd only just signed up with them. Just make it a condition of joining. I very much doubt if you'll find another supplier who'll do it for you FOC whilst you still stay with your present one, if that's what you're hoping!

Just spoke to EDF, said I've got to be with them for a minimum of 28 days (per-pay), and then they will swap the meter out. I can take their 'variable rate' tariff which apparently has no contract attached to it.

[Holders]

I used to work for the electricity board before they were privatised and this is what we get now. How standards have fallen!

It seems that your supplier is riding on the backs of those who will do their duty in changing meters. If you're not on a fixed-term contract with cancellation charge I'd swap out, get the meter changed, then swap back. EDF (Electricite de France) did it for me though I'd only just signed up with them. Just make it a condition of joining. I very much doubt if you'll find another supplier who'll do it for you FOC whilst you still stay with your present one, if that's what you're hoping!

Just spoke to EDF, said I've got to be with them for a minimum of 28 days (per-pay), and then they will swap the meter out. I can take their 'variable rate' tariff which apparently has no contract attached to it.

Another thought - if you're buying a house that's presumably already contracted to a supplier, when you buy you're placed with that supplier by default until your application to change to iSupply has been processed. So, maybe find out who that company is, contact them, get it done as soon as you move in then switch over to iSuipply. That might be easier.

[Wearethewhites]

After going through the rigmarole of getting my Electric meter changed from a pre-pay to a credit one, I'm now faced with the dilemma of having an Economy 7 tariff, or a standard one. At my old premises, it was just a fixed standard tariff.

When moving into my new premises, it had an Economy 7 pre-pay meter, mainly due to there being a storage heater in the front room, but the rest of the rooms have standard electric meters ( I have no gas by the way ). EDF swapped the meter like for like.

Economy 7 only seems to benefit you if you're using big expensive appliances during the night, starts around 11pm - 6am, depending on the supplier. For a start, I'm not mad enough to be running my washing machine, dishwasher and the likes after 11pm and annoying the neighbors. My boiler goes on for a hour when I get home, does me and Mrs all evening and the next morning. Cant even see me using the storage heater in the front room to be honest.

Any advice or help would be appreciated.   



 

[H4usuallysitting]

You have Economy 7 and a gas boiler?

[Holders]

Economy 7 is only of value if you have most electricity usage overnight - i.e. storage heaters or immersion. When you say boiler do you mean the immersion? Is the one storage heater the only form of heating? If you top up with an electric fire in the evenings than I don't really see how E7 would suit you as that would be outside the discounted rate and the day-rate is a little higher to compensate.

From my own experience, it's probably more economical to have the immersion on for the hour before you expect to use the water, even at day-rate, rather than heat it up overnight to have cooled significantly by the time you need it.

If you use an Economy 7 meter on standard tariff, they just charge you all at that rate for all units consumed although you have to submit the two readings. If you keep a note of those for a period, it's an easy calculation to see whether E7 would benefit you or not.

You could always go on E7 for the winter and revert in the summer!

[Andy S]

May be have an accident and smash the glass on the meter. Report it and it will be changed like for like. But be careful

[Bill2]

Slightly annoying, currently with an energy company called iSupply for my electric, it's all done online, but they are very cheap, and have never had any problems with them.

However, I'm moving home, and noticed that my new house has a pre-pay meter. Didn't think anything of it, called iSupply to get this swapped out, and was told they don't change meters.

Was advised to get another company to do this, but if thats the case, won't that company want me to take their electric supply?

Reading online, some people have got EDF to do this at a 'fee' use their electric for a month, then more back to their existing supplier.

 

This is why they are cheaper than the main stream suppliers, one of the big 6 would not be allowed to do what they are doing but by being small they are allowed to offer a poor service. Should not be a problem getting rid of the pre pay meter but why should a large supplier pay to do this and then you take energy from someone else, so they will charge you or expect you to be a customer.

[Bill2]

After going through the rigmarole of getting my Electric meter changed from a pre-pay to a credit one, I'm now faced with the dilemma of having an Economy 7 tariff, or a standard one. At my old premises, it was just a fixed standard tariff.

When moving into my new premises, it had an Economy 7 pre-pay meter, mainly due to there being a storage heater in the front room, but the rest of the rooms have standard electric meters ( I have no gas by the way ). EDF swapped the meter like for like.

Economy 7 only seems to benefit you if you're using big expensive appliances during the night, starts around 11pm - 6am, depending on the supplier. For a start, I'm not mad enough to be running my washing machine, dishwasher and the likes after 11pm and annoying the neighbors. My boiler goes on for a hour when I get home, does me and Mrs all evening and the next morning. Cant even see me using the storage heater in the front room to be honest.

Any advice or help would be appreciated.   



 

Economy 7 is really only for the heating aspect although it makes sense to run your dishwasher etc on the lower overnight tariff. If boiler is gas nothing to do with E7, there is no gas equivalent.

[Wearethewhites]

@ H4usuallysitting, no I don't have a gas boiler, I have an electric one that has 2 x thermostats, switch those 2 on for an hour when I get in from work ( 6pm roughly ) and we have hot water for the rest of the evening and first thing in the morning. It's not timed, I just turn the thermostats on/off to suit.   

@ Holders, the storage heater is the main front room, the other 2 bedrooms, hallway, bathroom etc just have standard electric heaters, they are not storage. I have an oil filled heater that I can use in place of the storage heater.

@ Andy S, someone told me today that you can still run a standard tariff on an E7 meter? You just add both readings together or something, you don't need to change the meter ( if true ).

Anyway, I'm currently with EDF for 28 days as they changed the meter from pre-pay to credit, but will be changing back to my supplier after this as they are the cheapest in my area.

Their tariffs are as follows:

Standard Fixed: 16.6p Standing Charge, 11.1p per kwh

Economy 7: 16.6p Standing Charge, 12.4p kwh Day, 6.55 kwh night

( if that makes sense )

[Wearethewhites]

After going through the rigmarole of getting my Electric meter changed from a pre-pay to a credit one, I'm now faced with the dilemma of having an Economy 7 tariff, or a standard one. At my old premises, it was just a fixed standard tariff.

When moving into my new premises, it had an Economy 7 pre-pay meter, mainly due to there being a storage heater in the front room, but the rest of the rooms have standard electric meters ( I have no gas by the way ). EDF swapped the meter like for like.

Economy 7 only seems to benefit you if you're using big expensive appliances during the night, starts around 11pm - 6am, depending on the supplier. For a start, I'm not mad enough to be running my washing machine, dishwasher and the likes after 11pm and annoying the neighbors. My boiler goes on for a hour when I get home, does me and Mrs all evening and the next morning. Cant even see me using the storage heater in the front room to be honest.

Any advice or help would be appreciated.   



 

Economy 7 is really only for the heating aspect although it makes sense to run your dishwasher etc on the lower overnight tariff. If boiler is gas nothing to do with E7, there is no gas equivalent.

She's the dishwasher, I won't buy one that runs on electric.

[Holders]

It's absolutely correct that you can run standard tariff on a meter that separates day and night usage. In that case, the total consumption is simply added together for the bill and charged at the same rate. No problem at all, people do it all the time. The split meter will have been installed as provision in case someone should want to perhaps install storage rads in each room.

In your case, it's quite clear that you'll be better off not to use E7. Just shop around for the cheapest supplier of single-rate supply for your anticipated consumption.

I have no sympathy with EdF (Electricity de France)!

[Wearethewhites]

It's absolutely correct that you can run standard tariff on a meter that separates day and night usage. In that case, the total consumption is simply added together for the bill and charged at the same rate. No problem at all, people do it all the time. The split meter will have been installed as provision in case someone should want to perhaps install storage rads in each room.

In your case, it's quite clear that you'll be better off not to use E7. Just shop around for the cheapest supplier of single-rate supply for your anticipated consumption.

I have no sympathy with EdF (Electricity de France)!

Thanks Holder and everyone else for your help  0001.jpeg