Token meters v PAYG meters

downey2003

I used to be able to buy the cards for my token meter in one of two shops in my home town, both owned by the same person. When I went looking for them a couple of weeks ago, I was told the 'machine was down' and come back later. I left it for two days, but apparently the machine was still down. As far as I knew, these were the only places I could buy the cards in the town. Then one of the shop assistants told me of another shop where I could buy them, so I went there and bought the cards.

When I got home I looked on Electric Ireland's website to find out exactly where I could get cards, and it says “any Payzone or PayPoint outlet." - and then I realised it is referring to the new PAYG Card meters. There is NOTHING on the website referring to the token machines. I am not entitled to have one of the new machines as I don't owe enough. If they would take the card meter out I could easily run up a bill! But they won't take the card meter out until I have three bills in a row in credit, and so I am stuck.

I think it is unfair that people with the token meters are not allowed the same leniency as people with PAYG meters, eg. credit friendly hours. If my credit expires over the Christmas holidays and the shop I purchase the tokens in is closed, then that's tough! Let's hope the Christmas dinner was cooked first! If I had not been able to find another shop to buy tokens, I would have had less than 24 hours Electricity usage left on the emergency credit, then it would have cut off. This does not happen with PAYG meters. They do not cut off at weekends.

I rang and spoke to a pleasant young man, who could do absolutely nothing for me, so I asked that he forward a report to the relevant person/people because I really was not happy with it.

Since then more and more people I know have been having problems. The original shops have completely stopped doing the tokens. The new shop is on the extreme northern edge of the town - not so great for elderly people without their own transport. And their opening hours are not so customer friendly.

But we don't matter. We don't owe as much as the people who have PAYG meters. They have access to a much wider range of shops from which to top up their cards than those of us who have to purchase tokens. They have “credit” facilities in that their meters do not cut off at weekends & Bank holidays. But we are between a rock and a hard place.

Why does no-one want to help us?

EI: Una

Hi Downey2003,

Sorry to read you are experiencing difficulty in this regard. I am assuming the advisor you spoke to sent a request to find out whether you might be considered to have the token meter replaced with a keypad one (the newer PAYG types)? If not, I could do so for you - I would require a private message with your Electric Ireland account number, your name/address in full as they appear on your account, and either the contact telephone number on your account or your date of birth.

Have you checked the PayPoint website for all of the locations closest to you?

Payments can also be made on any Electric Ireland account (including those with a token meter associated with them) via the following means listed on our website.

Regards,
Una

downey2003

Sending you a pm now.

Paying via those alternative methods may have paid off some of my bill, but would not have given me electricity which I needed.