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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:05 pm
by Wizzard
Hi Peeps 'n Peepettes
Just another episode in the life of a new IVA'er. I have been considering changing my electricity supplier for a many reasons, not just financial. In the course of this my present supplier has blocked me 3 times so far. I am on a pre-payment meter and so far this year I have paid £693. I contacted my present supplier this a.m. to ask why the are blocking me to be told I am in arrears to the tune of £435.00 (this on top of what I have already paid). I cannot understand how this could have happened as I pay in advance, and they have never ever contacted me about this debt. I have never even had a statement. So now it seems I now have yet another creditor with no way to pay them. You try to sort out your life and as my mother used to say .... when one door closes another one slams in your face.
Sorry ... but I really needed a whinge xx
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:08 pm
by Moneystinks
Sorry Ray - how rubbish for you. I hope you get sorted soon. XX
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:20 pm
by Jan01
Whinge away Ray. I can't see how you can be in arrears with a prepayment meter. Still what do I know?
Jan
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:24 pm
by indebtforever
i didnt think it was possible to be in arrears when you dont top up the lights go out end of story!!!!!???[:(!]
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:29 pm
by Viki.W
Ray, I don't blame you, that's awful. I don't understand it! Crikey, hope you get it sorted soon. X
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:43 pm
by kallis3
Ray, what a bummer for you! Always thought with prepayment that you paid upfront? Perhaps that's where I've been going wrong!!!!!!
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:46 pm
by Moneystinks
My sis has prepayment and she has a minus balance. She had a debt before the meter was put in.
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:17 pm
by lighton
ive got a prepayment meter, because i had a debt of 400 it has been cleared this week .so im going to have it removed .if you have a debt on your meter you will be able to see how much it is and how much you are paying off it each week.hOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THE METER?AND DID YOU OWE ANYTHING BEFORE YOU HAD IT FITTED? you definately cant run up a debt of that much on one
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:20 pm
by lighton
if you had a debt with previous supplier it may well be that this supplier has brought debt off last one and that this has been added to your key meter,go and check it because it will say on meter think its blue button to press on electric and black on gas
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:24 pm
by Soulgrowth
This was all on the news at the weekend regarding payments by direct debit. By law they only have to read the meter every three years now so if you don't do it yourself then you can end up in arrears by paying only a set amount each month. They reckon it's part of a con so that you can't afford to change suppliers. I pay qaurterly still as I don't like direct debits and so my meter is read every quarter.
I can't see how this can apply to prepaid meters though unless they average the amount they allocate to you based on previous usage.
Debbie
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:40 pm
by kallis3
The only problem with reading your own meter, if your bill is estimated, is with the electric one. Ours is one of the old ones with the dials, and they are soooo difficult to read!
The gas one is fine, and I know you can update your electric meter, but you have to pay and they are not cheap!
I do like paying by dd, and as Atlantic read the meters every six months I'm not too bothered.
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:47 pm
by lighton
You cant run up a debt of 400+ with a pre paid meter it is impossible you pay for what you use and daily rates are taken out daily , make sure you get this checked out i had a similar prob once was being charged twice new supplier didnt realise i was on pre paid meter and was billing me for normal usage by estimating , kept saying i owed them, when i knew i couldnt as i had always been on meter with them.got it sorted in the end but drove me nuts in the meantime
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:08 pm
by Wizzard
lighton wrote:
ive got a prepayment meter, because i had a debt of 400 it has been cleared this week .so im going to have it removed .if you have a debt on your meter you will be able to see how much it is and how much you are paying off it each week.hOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THE METER?AND DID YOU OWE ANYTHING BEFORE YOU HAD IT FITTED? you definately cant run up a debt of that much on one
I've had a meter for a number of years ... and last October I had a £90 refund .... so this 'debt' has appeared over the last 9 months.
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:10 pm
by Wizzard
kallis3 wrote:
The only problem with reading your own meter, if your bill is estimated, is with the electric one. Ours is one of the old ones with the dials, and they are soooo difficult to read!
My meter is supposedly read by professionals every 3 months Kalli .. strange innit??
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:11 pm
by kallis3
Perhaps they have the same problem as me Ray!