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Prepay power gas meter removal

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  • 17-06-2021 8:52pm
    #1
    reddanmm
    Registered Users Posts: 105 ✭✭


    i I need advice on this . My brother who lives in the UK rented his out to someone who installed a prepay gas and electric meter without his permission.
    I rang Bord Gais on his behalf and they want €197 to install a bill pay meter . When I rang prepay power I discovered that she has the account in her 5 year old daughters name . He allowed her rent the house based on a sob story and she was paying below market value .

    She is gone now tg but left a mess behind for us to clear up . No deposit was paid as she was in dire straits when he rented to her . HAP paid her rent .

    Can anyone advise how we handle prepay power .

    They are ringing me back tomorrow

    Thanks in advance.


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    #2
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 69,012 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    The meter should be able to be turned to normal metering mode by moving to a new operator; assuming its the normal recent Landis+Gyr meter or equivalent. There should be no charge for that. If they cannot convert it, it should be able to be moved to a less usuriously expensive operator on a prepay deal still.

    Prepaypower have to chase up the account holder if they think they're owed money somehow, even though that won't be possible obviously.


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    #3
    victor8600
    Registered Users Posts: 1,642 ✭✭✭victor8600


    L1011 wrote: »
    There should be no charge for that.

    Nope. I have a prepaid gas meter (Landis+Gyr). Tried couple of companies, none would shoulder the cost of charging to the bill meter. If you know which company can move me to a bill meter for free, please let me know.
    L1011 wrote: »
    If they cannot convert it, it should be able to be moved to a less usuriously expensive operator on a prepay deal.

    Yes, I can confirm that moving to another company is possible with a prepaid meter.


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    #4
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 69,012 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Old prepay meters have no bypass mode. Newer ones are built to have one, Ervia/GNI should absolutely have enabled that.

    If they haven't done it it may be worth complaining to the CRU, but you'd have to pay to get anything done quickly.

    The proper prepay electricity meters (not the additional ones Pinergy/Prepay use) can be converted in about a minute back to normal mode.


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    #5
    reddanmm
    Registered Users Posts: 105 ✭✭reddanmm


    Thanks for all the replies . The Gas meter can not be changed to bill pay without the charge, it's fee for the electric meter . She had no permission to change it plus the account is not in the tenants name , she had it in her young daughters name . Surely the ask for ID when signing people up .
    We want the meters changed back to bill pay.


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    #6
    Darc19
    Registered Users Posts: 3,817 ✭✭✭Darc19


    The tenant was the person that did the change, so she's liable and as she's gone, you simply have to suck it up.

    You could spend hours and days arguing to/fro with different companies and it will make little difference except exhaust you. it is not their fault and they are not responsible for what your tenant did as the tenant had a valid lease.

    Tell your brother that sob stories are almost always told by people who are trying it on and should at all times be avoided as it will simply spell trouble


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    #7
    mondeoman72
    Registered Users Posts: 875 ✭✭✭mondeoman72


    Hold it one second there.
    I had this EXACT issue with Bord Gais. A tenant built up huge arrears and installed one. The owner was abroad. I bounced off them and made them remove it as it was unauthorised and they had no right to install it onto a property without the owners permission. The owner was abroad and they then started on about wanted details of the owner, property tax the works. I kept at them and they deactived it eventually.

    Looking back through my emails, the address used was admin@collections.bordgais.ie,

    Reading again, I am confused about prepay power and BordGais. I thought the prepay power was connected to the original meter is it not. If it is, it needs to be de-connected. There must have been a meter there to start with.


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    #8
    reddanmm
    Registered Users Posts: 105 ✭✭reddanmm


    mondeoman72 wrote: »
    Hold it one second there.
    I had this EXACT issue with Bord Gais. A tenant built up huge arrears and installed one. The owner was abroad. I bounced off them and made them remove it as it was unauthorised and they had no right to install it onto a property without the owners permission. The owner was abroad and they then started on about wanted details of the owner, property tax the works. I kept at them and they deactived it eventually.

    Looking back through my emails, the address used was admin@collections.bordgais.ie,

    Reading again, I am confused about prepay power and BordGais. I thought the prepay power was connected to the original meter is it not. If it is, it needs to be de-connected. There must have been a meter there to start with.

    Yes my issue is the same . Owner is abroad . Apparently Prepay power put in a meter for the gas and in order to put in the proper meter it cost €197.
    No permission and the account is not in the tenants name .
    Prepay Power don't care . They don't ask for ID or any permission from the house owner whatsoever.
    They take the their word for it . While waiting to get the proper electricity sorted we have spent €30 in 4 days topping it up and that's only for lights .
    I don't know why people think this is a good alternative.


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    #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 25,611 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    reddanmm wrote: »
    Yes my issue is the same . Owner is abroad . Apparently Prepay power put in a meter for the gas and in order to put in the proper meter it cost €197.
    No permission and the account is not in the tenants name .
    Prepay Power don't care . They don't ask for ID or any permission from the house owner whatsoever.
    They take the their word for it . While waiting to get the proper electricity sorted we have spent €30 in 4 days topping it up and that's only for lights .
    I don't know why people think this is a good alternative.

    I was in a similar situation, moved into a house last summer and when I tried to get rid of the gas meter to switch to billpay I was told it would be 300 quid, that was with Bord Gais. I don't use much heating so it wouldn't be worth it for me unless I end up here a lot longer than I'm planning to.
    Had a PrePay power meter for electricity for a while and it was costing me 20 quid every 4/5 days, still had my name on the Electric Ireland bill elsewhere and circumstances meant it took a while to switch. Bill is now about 100 every 2 months, ****in hate PrePay Power. :pac:


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    #10
    reddanmm
    Registered Users Posts: 105 ✭✭reddanmm


    Totally agree they are preying on vulnerable people making them believe that they will be paying less , when in fact the are paying twice the rate they would be on bill pay.


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    #11
    crossmolinalad
    Registered Users Posts: 837 ✭✭✭crossmolinalad


    reddanmm wrote: »
    Yes my issue is the same . Owner is abroad . Apparently Prepay power put in a meter for the gas and in order to put in the proper meter it cost €197.
    No permission and the account is not in the tenants name .
    Prepay Power don't care . They don't ask for ID or any permission from the house owner whatsoever.
    They take the their word for it . While waiting to get the proper electricity sorted we have spent €30 in 4 days topping it up and that's only for lights .
    I don't know why people think this is a good alternative.

    most of those tenants who get a prepaid meter are in arrears
    Their options are get disconnected or get a prepaid meter
    If they chose for a prepaid meter then they pay triple the standard price
    A price for what they use plus a part per unit to clear their arrears
    If they move out and say nothing the depts. stays on the meter and the next tenant or owner pays their depts.
    If the leaving tenant says to let say board gais im leaving the house they have to pay the outstanding amount so they say nothing and move on
    And they are not allowed do change a meter is not true also , at the moment the contract is in their name they can do what they want , change to prepaid
    meters , double tariff meters whatever and sadly dont have to bring it back to the old situation
    The biggest problem here is they can move for free from situation 1 to situation 2
    But when you want to move back from 2 to 1 you have to pay
    It should be pay for moving from 1 to 2 and it should be free to move from 2 to 1
    And none of the suppliers asking for an ID when the change or open a new contract
    when i moved myself house they asked nothing except what they needed for the direct debit


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