Token Meters

andrewmurphy

Just wondering has anyone this happened to anyone else??

My friend moved into a corporation flat 8 years ago there was a token meter already installed so she just purchased the cards as normal for the meter.

Couple of months ago a ESB worker called to the flat and changed the meter saying it need to be upgrade all of a sudden she is buying twice as much cards.

She gets her bill this morning and she discovers she is in credit for over €80.00

Called EBS regarding getting a refund and she was told the only way to get the money back is if they remove the meter and put in a normal meter which is a bi monthly bill.

I find this a absolute disgrace that the ESB can get away with taken your money and the only option is change the meter.

Priori

andrewmurphy wrote:

This person is a single mother with 3 kids if she was to moves onto a bi monthly bill you can bet she is going to be in arrears within a few months.

Are you serious? I actually find that quite offensive. Because she's a "single mother" she is eo ipso incapable of managing her finances?

All she has to do is pay what she has been paying before - there are plenty of ways to do this. Oh but wait, because she's a "single mother" perhaps she should be absolved from this kind of responsibility, as she has more important things to be worrying about?

andrewmurphy wrote:

She gets her bill this morning and she discovers she is in credit for over €80.00

Called EBS regarding getting a refund and she was told the only way to get the money back is if they remove the meter and put in a normal meter which is a bi monthly bill.

Token meters are for customers in arrears. And having a token meter doesn't mean you don't get a bi-monthly bill. Your friend is already receiving a bi-monthly bill, which is based on the readings from the "normal" meter. Token meters don't replace the normal meter.

EI: Una

Hi Andrew,

The token meter would have been calibrated specifically for the needs of the previous tenant if it was already there when this lady moved in. We would recommend that she contact us. If she has a Boards.ie account, I can talk to her by private message here, otherwise if she were to telephone our customer service team on 1850 372 372 (lines open 8am-8pm Monday to Saturday).

With regards to having a standard meter, the customer does not have to wait until the bill comes every second month to pay it - payments can be made manually. Here are the ways in which payment can be made. There is also the Household Budget payment plan - I do not know whether this lady would be eligible for it, but it is something about which she could enquire.

Regards,
Una

andrewmurphy

Priori wrote: »

Are you serious? I actually find that quite offensive. Because she's a "single mother" she is eo ipso incapable of managing her finances?

All she has to do is pay what she has been paying before - there are plenty of ways to do this. Oh but wait, because she's a "single mother" perhaps she should be absolved from this kind of responsibility, as she has more important things to be worrying about?



Token meters are for customers in arrears. And having a token meter doesn't mean you don't get a bi-monthly bill. Your friend is already receiving a bi-monthly bill, which is based on the readings from the "normal" meter. Token meters don't replace the normal meter.

I didn’t intend to offend anyone I’ve since remove this part of my post!

andrewmurphy

Electric Ireland: Una wrote: »

Hi Andrew,

The token meter would have been calibrated specifically for the needs of the previous tenant if it was already there when this lady moved in. We would recommend that she contact us. If she has a Boards.ie account, I can talk to her by private message here, otherwise if she were to telephone our customer service team on 1850 372 372 (lines open 8am-8pm Monday to Saturday).

With regards to having a standard meter, the customer does not have to wait until the bill comes every second month to pay it - payments can be made manually. Here are the ways in which payment can be made. There is also the Household Budget payment plan - I do not know whether this lady would be eligible for it, but it is something about which she could enquire.

Regards,
Una

I just find it hard to believe why the ESB did nothing about this for 8 years??

token101

Token meters are specifically for debts where people have accrued massive arrears, they're not meant to be for paying the electricity bill whenever people feel like it. Everybody else in the country has to use a regular meter, why should your friend be an exception?

token101

andrewmurphy wrote: »

I just find it hard to believe why the ESB did nothing about this for 8 years??

Why didn't your friend do something? The ESB would have millions of accounts, your friend has one. Personal responsibility?

andrewmurphy

token101 wrote: »

Token meters are specifically for debts where people have accrued massive arrears, they're not meant to be for paying the electricity bill whenever people feel like it. Everybody else in the country has to use a regular meter, why should your friend be an exception?

She is no different but she can’t understand why the ESB has done nothing about it the last 8 years!!

EI: Una

Hi again Andrew,

It is best that she contact Electric Ireland, as unfortunately we would have no way of knowing about her situation unless it is flagged to us.

Regards,
Una

RoundyMooney

Um, she couldn't have bought the tokens without having a card to associate said purchases with her account.

Token meters were reset recently, she needs to liaise with her supplier who will arrange to have the weekly repayment checked.

JP Liz V1

How do I arrange a technician to look at Token Meter Box as when I enter Token Cards keeps reading card error?

EI: Una

Hi JP Liz V1,

Has this happened with one or more than one token?

Regards,
Una

EI: Una

Can you check that the token card(s) is/are slightly bent? There is also the issue of de-magnetised cards caused by strong magnetic fields, such as those generated by televisions or large speakers, or by bank cards (due to the magnetic strip on the latter).

If the above does not apply, token cards are very sensitive to light also, particularly sunlight, so try covering your hand/the meter unit while entering the card.

If none of the above are a help, we would suggest returning the card(s) to the retailer for replacement, or else contact us again.

Regards,
Una