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Pre-Payment Meter Standing Charges.

If somebody moves into a new house and there are pre-paid meters as used by the previous owner, is the new owner responsible for any standing charges if no electricity or gas is consumed for a period of months? The new owner has not contracted with the energy suppliers in his own name or credited the meters with a key thingy.


Z.
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  • The answer is it depends. A meter with no credit left will start counting up a debt from the standing charge. 


    What happens here, is when someone moves out, we do a “clear down”. This results in the credit or debt in the meter being transferred to the key, leaving the meter with zero money. The key is then read and a final bill or credit invoice is produced, resulting in the customer either having to pay, or receiving the credit from the meter. Obviously with zero on the meter, there is no supply of electricity.


    When a new customer moves in, the new key will zero the debt on the meter (due to the standing charge), then transfer the money the customer has put on their new key to the meter, and the supply is restored. 


    There me are obviously other scenarios too. What people forget is that the key is “two way”. It takes credit to the meter, and also provides readings and other information back to the meter operator when the key has money added to it. You can think of a key meter as a smart meter, with the comma medium being the key. 


    Regards,


    Alan.
Reply
  • The answer is it depends. A meter with no credit left will start counting up a debt from the standing charge. 


    What happens here, is when someone moves out, we do a “clear down”. This results in the credit or debt in the meter being transferred to the key, leaving the meter with zero money. The key is then read and a final bill or credit invoice is produced, resulting in the customer either having to pay, or receiving the credit from the meter. Obviously with zero on the meter, there is no supply of electricity.


    When a new customer moves in, the new key will zero the debt on the meter (due to the standing charge), then transfer the money the customer has put on their new key to the meter, and the supply is restored. 


    There me are obviously other scenarios too. What people forget is that the key is “two way”. It takes credit to the meter, and also provides readings and other information back to the meter operator when the key has money added to it. You can think of a key meter as a smart meter, with the comma medium being the key. 


    Regards,


    Alan.
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