Pre-Pay Meters - A Rant

Witch consumer

Moderator
Sep 8, 2008
1,593
3
0
Debtors retreat
I have got the keys today for a new (rental) property.

The property has a card meter, the services are supplied by Eon, I phoned them to find out what I needed to do about the supply, never having had a prepayment meter. I was told I had to go and get a key from a supplier, give them a code then come back and put the key in the meter, then go to any paypoint outlet to put credit on the key.

OK, so where are the outlets, outlet A is 4 miles away, outlet B 7 miles away, A- £4 return bus fare and B - £3.50, both probably a good hour return trip, thats without going for the card, buses run every hour, that's a potential 3 hours.

I phone a friend who I know is close to B but they have to wait an hour until Eon say the number is active - outlet B doesn't do the cards, my friend phones back, I phone Eon (did I mention I only have a mobile phone as no landline in yet?) and ask them why I was sent somewhere 7 miles away that didn't do cards, "Don't know" comes back the reply "outlet B isn't on our list" here's some others, he gives me 4 other alternatives, none on a bus route, the nearest 3 miles , the one I went to didn't have any keys.

Now imagine I am on low income, disability benefits, elderly or have 4 young kids all on school holiday, how do I cope with this?

As it happens I have a car, kids are grown up and I've taken a couple days off work BUT this is the most pathetic, archaic, frustrating, annoying load of garbage I have ever come across in my life and to think these people (and me now) pay at a premium rate for the privilege!!!!!

.......oh and I can't change the meter until I've lived there for 12 months, who is the supplier at my current home? - Eon of course!!!!!

Well done if you managed to get to the end of it, apologies for wasting so much of your life!

RANT OVER
 

Rachelle

New Member
Apr 25, 2009
895
0
0
Thought I'd better throw in a positive here: at least no scary bills. :) Seriously though, I can understand your frustration. Infuriating when something that doesn't need to be turns into something so complicated.
 

Tony

What Consumer Founder
Apr 7, 2008
18,307
3
38
Bolton
I suppose it is a good example of old technolgy being better for the customer than new I.e coin operated meters. It must have been a pain when they were full
 

Witch consumer

Moderator
Sep 8, 2008
1,593
3
0
Debtors retreat
It Gets Worse..................!!!

Tony the Utilities were nationalised in those days and energy was cheap, the meters never got full!!!

I went to the 4 places suggested, 2 shut at 6 the other 2 had no keys, the last shop I went to told me someone from Eon had been and taken all the keys away. By this point I'm learning by my mistakes so I phone Eon from outside the shop and repeat what I had been told, she didn't believe this so I took my mobile into the shop and asked the assistant to confirm to Eon that they had no keys because someone from Eon had taken them away.

That sorted, Eon told me they would get an engineer out to reset the meter and leave a key, he would be with me in the next 4 HOURS. (This is 7:30pm, I refer back to the single parent with 4 kids scenario). Anyway, not wanting to sit in a dark empty house, I sit outside in my car for 4 hours, did the engineer turn up? I'll let you work that one out.

This morning I tried to phone Eon back on the number I had stored in my phone yesterday from saynoto0870 (I still only have a mobile) only to be told by a recorded message "sorry this number does not accept incoming calls".

Needless to say, I have just phoned Scottish Power and I await their return call shortly after 9, if necessary I will delay moving into the house until the supply is switched, such is my determination to avoid companies who provide such poor customer service it beggars belief how they manage to stay in business.
 

Chutzpah

Moderator
Jan 9, 2009
618
1
0
twitter.com
I had a similar experience with trying to source a gas card at a property I started renting in Swindon. If I remember rightly, they said I couldn't get a card by special delivery because I wasn't old or infirm, and that they would have sent someone around to top it up with emergency credit, but couldn't because it was the weekend and they didn't provide that facility at the weekends.

So they put it in the post the following week and I got it by the Wednesday.

That was British Gas.

I remember the coin operated meters, I remember the chap from the electricity company coming around with a big green sack and emptying the coins into it.
 

Witch consumer

Moderator
Sep 8, 2008
1,593
3
0
Debtors retreat
Eon called me this morning to give me (another) shop from which to get a key, I will leave the conversation to your imagination, bar saying the engineer wouldn't come out - thats it, no apology, no reason, just "I can give you this address or I can leave it with you".

That'll be left with me then.
 

robroymcrooster

New Member
Aug 15, 2009
1
0
0
E.on

I contacted Eon as I lost my meter key and was running out of electricity. I got hold of someone who seemed to be brain dead as I told her I had no key for my meter cupboard either as it was lost with my meter key. She asked me how much was in the meter. I told her it must be very low, perhaps £1.00. She asked me to read the meter for her. I told her again I had lost the key. I told her the meter was in a metal cupboard on the wall outside my flat. She asked me to open it and read the meter for her. I eventually asked her if she was from Planet earth and understood English. She said she was trying to be helpful. She was as much use a chocolate watch in Australia. I went to a shop about a mile away after being given a number by E.On The idea was that I should give them this number and get a new key from them.The shop didnt have any keys. I walked two miles for naff all and when I spoke to them again they really couldnt give a damn. They said as long as there was a penny in the meter the customer would just have to wait till at least 9 am the next morning. What a useless bunch. I am switching supplier as what good is a supplier when you get told more or less to f**k off in an emergency. The rip me off all year but not any more. Dont deal with this company as they are not worth urinating on, let alone giving your custom to.