Prepay power in a rented house ?

MouseTail

billie1b wrote: »

This was all changed I believe, RA to people who are on it constantly is paid directly to the LL now, its only people who are put on it in emergency circumstances that get it to their account

I didn't know that, that's great news for LLs and for RA recipients. That deserves a sticky thread as it totally changes the dynamic. Do you have a link?

billie1b

MouseTail wrote: »

I didn't know that, that's great news for LLs and for RA recipients. That deserves a sticky thread as it totally changes the dynamic. Do you have a link?

Its on the Rent Allowance application form for either LL or Tenants bank details, if it the LL you just attach a note saying you want it to go directly to your account instead of the tenants.

The_Morrigan

Folks can you please stop veering off topic. This thread is about prepay meters not RA tenants.

Big Davey

MouseTail wrote: »

I didn't know that, that's great news for LLs and for RA recipients. That deserves a sticky thread as it totally changes the dynamic. Do you have a link?

Guys this thread is about pre pay meters guys so that the topic we should stick to. I will say one last thing and leave it at that. I am in the process of recovering rent due to me and have had a lot of contact with SW how the rent allowance is paid is solely up to the tenant and even if the tenant signs the form for the cheque to go to the landlord they can change their mind at ANY point and get it back in their bank account. No need for a sticky on this as these are the facts straight from the head SW man. I have decided not to go with pre pay meters as I found a quick solution with Electric Ireland that I am happy with. If a tenant wanted to put a pre pay meter in I would have no problem with it and it seems like a good idea in certain circumstances if they adjusted their prices to match other suppliers I recon lots more people would go with them. Thanks for all the advice and tips from everybody very appreciated.

Vabal

I know this is an old thread, but I only came accross this subject now.
I rent a house for nearly 10 years now, never had any issues with bills, never missed a single payment. And out of the blue, my landlord insists me to switch to prepay power.
Can I refuse to switch to prepay, having that my expences for electricity will increase at least by 140 euro per year? What rights I have on this one?

Thanks

TheChizler

They should have no control over who you choose as a supplier, they might be able to insist (maybe) that the meter is installed, but ultimately it's your choice who you go with and if you use it or not.

Big Davey

vaidasb wrote: »

I know this is an old thread, but I only came accross this subject now.
I rent a house for nearly 10 years now, never had any issues with bills, never missed a single payment. And out of the blue, my landlord insists me to switch to prepay power.
Can I refuse to switch to prepay, having that my expences for electricity will increase at least by 140 euro per year? What rights I have on this one?

Thanks

It's nothing to do with the landlord who your supplier is or if you use a pre pay meter or not. He has as much say in which insurance company you get your car insured with and that's zero. As he owns the property I suppose if he was being a total knob he might be able to get the meter put in but you do not have to use it.

Cedrus

If you are the customer, the landlord has no say in the matter, if the landlord is the customer of course he can change the meter.

However the suppliers are very reluctant to put them in and will only do so if the customer is a consistently bad at paying the bill, so if you are giving the landlord money for electricity and his supplier wants a prepay meter then he's not passing on your money in a timely fashion.

CatFromHue

Ask for a reduction in rent comparable to your increase in electricity, the LL might not actually know that prepay is much more expensive.

markpb

Cedrus wrote: »

the suppliers are very reluctant to put them in and will only do so if the customer is a consistently bad at paying the bill,

This isn't true any more. Prepay Power, Pinergy and probably others will supply prepaid meters to anyone who wants them, they don't have any debt customers. Electric Ireland and others will do both; they'll supply to debt customers and also to anyone else who wants them.

Big Davey wrote: »

As he owns the property I suppose if he was being a total knob he might be able to get the meter put in but you do not have to use it.

Once the meter is fitted, you've no choice whether to use it or not. I agree it's a awkward thing for a landlord to do mid-tenancy.

Vabal

Actually I got this prepay box installed last Friday (2 days ago) as my landlord rushed me through this process and arranged that a Prepay Power staff called my mobile and arranged contract details with me.
Now I feel that I was tricked and cheated by my landlord. Consequences - I have a yearly contract on my name, which I didn't want (I cannot even terminate rent now for a year). I will pay 20% more for electricity. Before that I had joint gas and electricity account (with a better rate because of that) with Electric Ireland, and I have a bad feeling that my gas price will go up because I terminated electricity account.

10 years trouble-free tenancy, didn't miss a single payment, looked well after property. We were in a perfect landlord/tenant relationship until now. And now this came just out of nowhere - I really feel like I got a good slap to my face for nothing.

I am thinking what could be my next steps, because I am extremely unhappy and upset about this.

markpb

vaidasb wrote: »

Actually I got this prepay box installed last Friday (2 days ago) as my landlord rushed me through this process and arranged that a Prepay Power staff called my mobile and arranged contract details with me.

I believe that EU and Irish customer protection legislation gives you a two weeks cooling off period to cancel any contract, even after it has taken effect. It might be worth reading this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=85263123

TheChizler

markpb wrote: »

I believe that EU and Irish customer protection legislation gives you a two weeks cooling off period to cancel any contract, even after it has taken effect. It might be worth reading this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=85263123

Only applies if you signed up online.

Vabal

TheChizler wrote: »

Only applies if you signed up online.

Signing up over phone - would it not be the same?

markpb

TheChizler wrote: »

Only applies if you signed up online.

CitizensInfo wrote:

Shopping from home is also known as distance selling and includes purchases made by e-mail, fax, telephone, internet shopping and mail order. Distance selling involves communication between a trader and a consumer where they are not in each other's physical presence.

link

melekalikimaka

Big Davey wrote: »

It's nothing to do with the landlord who your supplier is or if you use a pre pay meter or not. He has as much say in which insurance company you get your car insured with and that's zero. As he owns the property I suppose if he was being a total knob he might be able to get the meter put in but you do not have to use it.

cant be installed with ll permission

Greenmachine

vaidasb wrote: »

Actually I got this prepay box installed last Friday (2 days ago) as my landlord rushed me through this process and arranged that a Prepay Power staff called my mobile and arranged contract details with me.
Now I feel that I was tricked and cheated by my landlord. Consequences - I have a yearly contract on my name, which I didn't want (I cannot even terminate rent now for a year). I will pay 20% more for electricity. Before that I had joint gas and electricity account (with a better rate because of that) with Electric Ireland, and I have a bad feeling that my gas price will go up because I terminated electricity account.

10 years trouble-free tenancy, didn't miss a single payment, looked well after property. We were in a perfect landlord/tenant relationship until now. And now this came just out of nowhere - I really feel like I got a good slap to my face for nothing.

I am thinking what could be my next steps, because I am extremely unhappy and upset about this.

How could you let him do this. You have already posted on here that you were unhappy with his proposal. And you were told you didn't have to agree to it.

Vabal

Greenmachine wrote: »

How could you let him do this. You have already posted on here that you were unhappy with his proposal. And you were told you didn't have to agree to it.

That's right. When I wrote my previous post yesterday, the contract was already in place. Landlord rushed me to have this done asap. Due to busy time at work, I didn't even have a chance to do a proper research on this.

What I asked yesterday was in general - can I refuse to switch to prepay, if my landlord demands it? I know it's already post factum, but this might help me to plan my next steps, because if I was forced to do this without legal grounds, I am going to talk to my solicitor.

TheChizler

vaidasb wrote: »

Signing up over phone - would it not be the same?

Ah sorry I should have said remotely, for some reason I imagined the landlord making the tenant actually sign a document.

Greenmachine

vaidasb wrote: »

That's right. When I wrote my previous post yesterday, the contract was already in place. Landlord rushed me to have this done asap. Due to busy time at work, I didn't even have a chance to do a proper research on this.

What I asked yesterday was in general - can I refuse to switch to prepay, if my landlord demands it? I know it's already post factum, but this might help me to plan my next steps, because if I was forced to do this without legal grounds, I am going to talk to my solicitor.

Hope you don't end up stuck in a contract that you don't want.

Vabal

Greenmachine wrote: »

Hope you don't end up stuck in a contract that you don't want.

Unfortunately I am stuck now. But after quite unpleasant discussion with the landlord, we came to an agreement that I can go back to my old usual way to manage my utility bills. But landlord won't refund early contract cancellation penalty or difference in rates, so I am in ~140EUR loss.
I think this is against the law and I could go furhter, but it's not worth it. I will leave it there.

Thanks for your advices, guys.