I’M Quite Liking Pre-Payment For Gas....

[chrissa1]

I’m quite liking being able to pay for my gas as I use it by pre-payment. I’m stuck with this because Eon, in their useless method of changing me over from pre-payment to credit when I’m moved, only did the changeover for my electricity account.

All this after having spent £22 hanging on the phone, waiting for them to answer my call.

However, I have no idea if I’m paying much more than I would, if my gas was on credit account.

Anyone have any idea how much more I’m paying for my gas in, pp?

[Buenchico]

The Competition and Markets Authority introduced a prepayment price cap to cover over 4 million households on prepayment meters in April 2017. It's administered by Ofgem (and has since been extended to cover vulnerable customers on other types of tariff). It effectively ensures that customers with pre-payment meters don't get charged more than those without them (as they used to)

More here:
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-price-caps/about-energy-price-caps/price-my-energy-bill-capped/prepayment-energy-price-cap

[goodgoalie]

You shouldn't have to pay to deal with your energy company. Alternative 0800 Freephone numbers can be found here:

https://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1212443732/15

[chrissa1]

Thank you very much, gg. I will make a note of your post.

So Chris, are you saying I’m not paying more for my gas than I would if I had a credit account?

[chrissa1]

Chris, I’ll read your link tomorrow. Thanks.

I’m not unable to pay my gas bill and wouldn’t qualify for any help from the state. Don’t know if that matters.

[Buenchico]

The cap determines the maximum that a supplier can charge. (They're free to charge less of course). Because there are so many different tariffs, it's difficult to make a direct comparison between pre-payment prices and those paid by other customers but the aim of the cap is to ensure that pre-pay customers aren't ripped off, so the amounts paid by both types of customers will be broadly the same.

[chrissa1]

Good news!! Thanks.

[Buenchico]

I'm trying to work out how you could end up paying £22 to contact (or fail to contact) E.ON. All of their main contact numbers are 0345 ones
https://www.eonenergy.com/for-your-home/help-and-support/phone-numbers
and Ofcom rules state that all phone operators (both landline and mobile) must charge '03' calls at the same rates that they charge for '01' and '02' numbers.

That means that the vast majority of callers don't pay anything at all for their calls to E.ON because they've either got 'bundles' (with loads of 'included minutes' for 01 and 02 calls) on their mobile phones or landline plans that give free calls at certain times (such as at weekends or during the evening, or even at any time).

Even paying BT's standard rates you'd need to be on the phone for 2 hours 25 minutes to run up a £22 bill.

[chrissa1]

I don’t have any “bundles” Chris. I have just checked my landline phone and I rang them 6 times, and every time just put the phone on speaker and did a crossword, while waiting and waiting and waiting, for someone to pick up.