Phoenix gas card meter, help!

[~max~]

Hi all! I moved into this rented flat last week. It has a Phoenix gas meter, with a card that you top up. I put �10 on the card last saturday (so, less than a week ago). I have had the heating on for just a couple of days, and it's just me having showers.
Today, it seems that there is no credit in it! Is it normal???
Am I likely to have used up �10 worth of gas in such a short time? Many thanks!

[bravejordy]

Leela, the way I understand it is that max is using the previous tenant's gascard and presumably the account is still in the previous tenant's name (forgive me, max, if I have this wrong). It is possible that the previous tenant owes the gas company a large bill and the meter could be set to take say �4.00 per week off the outstanding bill, which in effect would mean that everytime max puts a tenner in her meter she's only getting 6 quid's worth of gas.

I know this from experience. I owed British Gas over �500 from when I was on quarterly bills and they offered to install a Quantum meter so that I could repay the amount outstanding at a rate of �4.00 per week. Well, I say "offered" but it was more a case of having a Quantum meter or having my gas supply cut off cos there was no way I could afford to pay 500 quid in one lumpsum. In max's situation it's possible that the previous tenant was on a similar thing to me but has failed to mention this to her when she took over the tenancy and account.

Like I say, apologies if I've got my wires crossed here but if you are using the gas in a previous tenant's name, I'd strongly advise you to change it over to your own name asap. Otherwise you're gonna end up paying his bill for him.

[~max~]

Thanks all! The previous tennant is a acquaintance of mine, and he has been using a prepay meter the whole time, so can't have got bills...He also said that you can't be in debit with this machine. He said it sounds extremely high, as he was normally paying around 25 per month or less in winter!
I have now put another �10 in, and the machine said "18 KW"...

I've no idea what that means, but if it runs out quickly again, I'll be phoning Phoenix. I hate being ripped off! lol

Oh, and there is no such menu on the screen, Bravejordy, nothing happens when you press red, and black is only for updating the total when you put money in....

[GillianD]

if the previous tennant used the emergency credit (available when you run out completely) then you would indeed be paying back his debt although I am not sure if he would have known he used it as i think it automatically kicks in when u run out