Need to get rid of old meters when moving in?

Meelah

I'm about to move into a house that has a Bord Gais gas meter and a pre-pay electricity box. I want to use a single company for gas and electricity, bill-pay, but each company gives me different info about how to switch.

Bord Gais says all I have to do is sign up through their website or on the phone, then get in touch with the pre-pay company, who will give me a disconnection code that I key into their meter, then Bord Gais will automatically become the supplier for both electricity and gas. And the guy said all of this can be done within two days.

Electric Ireland, on the other hand, say that a new electricity meter will have to be fitted, although the gas one 'should be ok' and that it will take a week. Then we'll be 'nearly(?!) up and running'.

Both of the people I spoke to sounded very unsure of what they were saying, especially the one from Electric Ireland. Just wondering has anyone else been in this situation and which sounds right?

foggy_lad

You say the Electric has a pre-pay box on the meter?

Is it a "Pre-Pay Power" box with a keypad or is it some other kind of card or coin meter?

markpb

Meelah wrote:

Electric Ireland, on the other hand, say that a new electricity meter will have to be fitted, although the gas one 'should be ok' and that it will take a week. Then we'll be 'nearly(?!) up and running'.

Switching electricity providers takes about a week if you're on post paid. Switching gas providers takes about a month if you're on post paid. It doesn't affect you because your supply remains on the whole time.

If you have a prepaid electricity meter, I believe it can be put into credit mode where it has no effect. You or the owning utility might still want to remove it though. I'm not sure what the process is for gas meters.

Meelah

@foggy_lad, it has a keypad but I don't know who the provider is, no indication on the meter. Do you know how to find out, is there a way of telling by the appearance of the meter?

Just to add, I don't own the house until the closing date, which hasn't happened yet. I don't have a contract with the pre-pay supplier and don't want to get into one. The previous occupant left six months ago and the house has been vacant ever since, but the power hasn't been cut off, apparently because the meter is in credit.