Pre Payment Key meters cost more for Gas and Electric
It has to be acknowledged that some of the UK’s poorest people live in Social Housing. Some of these very same people use pre-payment meters to pay for their energy charges. Ofgem, the energy market regulator, introduced new rules which prevent energy suppliers from charging prepay customers more then the cost of maintaining their meters. [ad#Google 200×200 right]These rules have actually saved customers £100 million a year. But and it’s a big but – the energy suppliers can still charge more for the energy supplied. British Gas for instance charge an extra £40 more for the fuel used. One million customers are still paying more for their gas solely because they are on a pre-payment meter. How unjust and unfair is that?
Whilst there is a campaign to ensure that all homes are insulated and energy saving materials and items used, it has to be said that a lot of social housing seriously falls behind in this area.
If you want to get involved in this campaign, write to your MP, British Gas or your supplier.
You can read more here
I can now pass on the good news that an announcement was made yesterday by British Gas saying that it will no longer charge a premium to its gas prepay meter users.
I am one of those customers that have prepayment meters. It is so unfair and unjust to be charged so much extra because you pay for your utilitiy bills as you use them. I pay between £18 – 20 each for electric and gas, that’s per week! It is unreal to expect us to pay so much. But because I’m disabled and need the warmth, we have no option but to pay this ridiculous amount. We have a 3 bedroom bungalow, so that amount of money we pay is so unreal. We are with Southern electric for our gas and electric and a little while ago they promised me cheaper fuel costs … but so far that hasn’t happened. They also sent us a letter saying that if I went to the main post office to get my gas then they would put £12 on the card as a good will gesture. So down we went … a bit out of our way but we went none the less. I gave the cashier the letter and my gas card, she took the lettter as it had a bar code on it so you had to give the letter as that was what the money was on. I also gave her a further £15 cash to go on the card. Which makes that a total amount of £27. When we got home, my son put the card in the meter and within 10 days all of the money had gone!!! So much for a good will gesture. I know which kind of gesture I would use and it wouldn’t be lady like! It seems to me you just can’t win where these big companies are concerned.
i have to agree there,and no, it does feel like you can’t win joyce