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Tenant put key meter in without my knowledge

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  • 22-11-2018 9:26pm
    #1
    tvjunki
    Registered Users Posts: 601 ✭✭✭


    How to remove prepay power meter?
    I have a tenant put a key meter in without my knowledge. I found out when she let slip that she had to top it up. She has just moved out and said it would cost her to remove it and told me to get it out myself. Still have deposit.
    I hate these meters and for the company putting it in without my knowledge is not acceptable. Also the electric is economy 7 so with the meter it must be costing her a fortune than paying the normal way.


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    #2
    TomOnBoard
    Registered Users Posts: 5,109 ✭✭✭TomOnBoard


    tvjunki wrote: »
    How to remove prepay power meter?
    I have a tenant put a key meter in without my knowledge. I found out when she let slip that she had to top it up. She has just moved out and said it would cost her to remove it and told me to get it out myself. Still have deposit.
    I hate these meters and for the company putting it in without my knowledge is not acceptable. Also the electric is economy 7 so with the meter it must be costing her a fortune than paying the normal way.

    Whose name is on the account?


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    #3
    LollipopJimmy
    Registered Users Posts: 5,437 ✭✭✭LollipopJimmy


    The company don't need LL permission to put it in.

    Anyway, pick a supplier, register with them and the company who own the meter will deactivate once you go off their supply which takes a few days. You can leave the dead meter in situ or have it removed. Frankly, a prepay meter is handy in a rental property, you'll never be stung with a bill


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    #4
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users Posts: 73,384 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    Silver lining is at least she hasn’t left a huge bill behind.


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    #5
    johnnyskeleton
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 14,469 Mod ✭✭✭✭johnnyskeleton


    These are the yolks from the 80s that you put 50p in and it gives you a day's electrity or whatever? Then at the end of the month you open it up and have your money for the bill?


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    #6
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users Posts: 73,384 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    johnnyskeleton wrote: »
    These are the yolks from the 80s that you put 50p in and it gives you a day's electrity or whatever? Then at the end of the month you open it up and have your money for the bill?
    No. It’s a prepay meter.


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    #7
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    johnnyskeleton wrote: »
    These are the yolks from the 80s that you put 50p in and it gives you a day's electrity or whatever? Then at the end of the month you open it up and have your money for the bill?

    They're a bit more advanced now. You buy a voucher in the shop or top up online and there's no bill.


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    #8
    garhjw
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,424 ✭✭✭garhjw


    OP, keep deposit until it is removed and the wall it was mounted on is back the way it was beforehand - there are likely holes drilled, paint gone etc. I had issues getting 1 removed by the provider so got my electrician to do it.


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    #9
    Ginger83
    Registered Users Posts: 3,446 ✭✭✭Ginger83


    LollipopJimmy wrote: »
    The company don't need LL permission to put it in.

    Anyway, pick a supplier, register with them and the company who own the meter will deactivate once you go off their supply which takes a few days. You can leave the dead meter in situ or have it removed. Frankly, a prepay meter is handy in a rental property, you'll never be stung with a bill

    But the tenant would.


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    #10
    Fol20
    Registered Users Posts: 3,623 ✭✭✭Fol20


    As others have said. Withhold deposit until removed and keep whatever it costs you to get it remove and or damages on the wall. Keep receipts for everything.


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    #11
    tvjunki
    Registered Users Posts: 601 ✭✭✭tvjunki


    garhjw wrote: »
    OP, keep deposit until it is removed and the wall it was mounted on is back the way it was beforehand - there are likely holes drilled, paint gone etc. I had issues getting 1 removed by the provider so got my electrician to do it.

    Thanks for the heads up.
    This is going to be fun. I am now going have to be there when the company takes the key meter and wait around until it is done. I did not know the wall mounted box was screwed into the wall inside the house. Why don't they just leave it next to the wall?
    Meter in tenants name. I don't think she expects her deposit back some how. She said house not properly cleaned as she said she as not had a chance to do it.


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    #12
    tvjunki
    Registered Users Posts: 601 ✭✭✭tvjunki


    LollipopJimmy wrote: »
    The company don't need LL permission to put it in.

    Anyway, pick a supplier, register with them and the company who own the meter will deactivate once you go off their supply which takes a few days. You can leave the dead meter in situ or have it removed. Frankly, a prepay meter is handy in a rental property, you'll never be stung with a bill

    Problem with leaving key meters in is the tenant does not put the heating on and mould appears in the rooms as they think it costs too much.


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    #13
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,266 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    LollipopJimmy wrote: »
    Frankly, a prepay meter is handy in a rental property, you'll never be stung with a bill
    If the account is in the tenant's name, the landlord can't be stung (for the bill) anyway.


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    #14
    engiweirdo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 593 ✭✭✭engiweirdo


    So tenant prevented you from being left with a major bill. Prepay meter is simple, new tenant registers with their details and starts with clean slate, no pre-existing debt. Literally did you a favour and all you can think of is punishment(keeping deposit) and how you feel hard done by and have a bunch of cheerleaders to back you up. The Irish landlord is indeed a special kind of low. No doubt you have a sob story about how "accidental" your landlord job is too....


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    #15
    AmberGold
    Registered Users Posts: 1,284 ✭✭✭AmberGold


    engiweirdo wrote: »
    So tenant prevented you from being left with a major bill. Prepay meter is simple, new tenant registers with their details and starts with clean slate, no pre-existing debt. Literally did you a favour and all you can think of is punishment(keeping deposit) and how you feel hard done by and have a bunch of cheerleaders to back you up. The Irish landlord is indeed a special kind of low. No doubt you have a sob story about how "accidental" your landlord job is too....

    As the utility would have been in the tenants name the landlord would never have been left with a bill.

    No favour has been done, it shouldn’t have been installed without permission and should be removed at the tenants cost. These are the facts, simple.


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    #16
    vintagecosmos
    Registered Users Posts: 851 ✭✭✭vintagecosmos


    Price to have it removed and wall put back to normal and deduct from deposit. Simples.

    Tenant is obligated to pay for damage.


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    #17
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    engiweirdo wrote: »
    So tenant prevented you from being left with a major bill. Prepay meter is simple, new tenant registers with their details and starts with clean slate, no pre-existing debt. Literally did you a favour and all you can think of is punishment(keeping deposit) and how you feel hard done by and have a bunch of cheerleaders to back you up. The Irish landlord is indeed a special kind of low. No doubt you have a sob story about how "accidental" your landlord job is too....

    The LL wouldn’t have been left with a bill regardless once the account was in the tenants name (which it obviously was as they changed to prepay nonsense). You obviously have no idea how bills work if you think the LL would be left with a bill.

    The tenant is in the wrong here and deserves to have the deposit retained until the costs of returning the house to what it was have been covered.


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    #18
    engiweirdo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 593 ✭✭✭engiweirdo


    AmberGold wrote: »
    engiweirdo wrote: »
    So tenant prevented you from being left with a major bill. Prepay meter is simple, new tenant registers with their details and starts with clean slate, no pre-existing debt. Literally did you a favour and all you can think of is punishment(keeping deposit) and how you feel hard done by and have a bunch of cheerleaders to back you up. The Irish landlord is indeed a special kind of low. No doubt you have a sob story about how "accidental" your landlord job is too....

    No favour has been done, it shouldn’t have been installed without permission and should be removed at the tenants cost. These are the facts, simple.
    Opinion not facts. No landlords permission is needed. No cost is incurred by the landlord. But sure keep the rentier pity party going. Wont anybody say a prayer for the poor landlords of Ireland.


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    #19
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    engiweirdo wrote: »
    Opinion not facts. No landlords permission is needed. No cost is incurred by the landlord. But sure keep the rentier pity party going. Wont anybody say a prayer for the poor landlords of Ireland.

    Permission is most certainly required if adding a new meter which involves physical changes to the property. You haven’t a clue and/or are blinded by some anti LL bias you have.


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    #20
    AmberGold
    Registered Users Posts: 1,284 ✭✭✭AmberGold


    engiweirdo wrote: »
    Opinion not facts. No landlords permission is needed. No cost is incurred by the landlord. But sure keep the rentier pity party going. Wont anybody say a prayer for the poor landlords of Ireland.

    Is it not a fact that the Landlord is incurring costs returning the property to its original condition?


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    #21
    tvjunki
    Registered Users Posts: 601 ✭✭✭tvjunki


    engiweirdo wrote: »
    So tenant prevented you from being left with a major bill. Prepay meter is simple, new tenant registers with their details and starts with clean slate, no pre-existing debt. Literally did you a favour and all you can think of is punishment(keeping deposit) and how you feel hard done by and have a bunch of cheerleaders to back you up. The Irish landlord is indeed a special kind of low. No doubt you have a sob story about how "accidental" your landlord job is too....

    Prepay power is a rip off. I think of the tenant paying over and above for electric and they are being robbed.
    For all you know that tenant could have pre existing bill from their previous house and are carrying it to this one?... Don't assume everyone has a clean slate as you say. These meters are not always the best.

    I want it out so the next tenant does not pay the huge rates. 19cent I think a day on top of standing charge and energy use.
    we are not all bad landlords.


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    #22
    questionmark?
    Registered Users Posts: 3,071 ✭✭✭questionmark?


    colm_mcm wrote: »
    Silver lining is at least she hasn’t left a huge bill behind.

    Rubbish. No landlord should ever have the bill in their name when the property is rented out so should never get 'stung'.


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    #23
    tvjunki
    Registered Users Posts: 601 ✭✭✭tvjunki


    engiweirdo wrote: »
    Opinion not facts. No landlords permission is needed. No cost is incurred by the landlord. But sure keep the rentier pity party going. Wont anybody say a prayer for the poor landlords of Ireland.

    This is a fact not opinion..There is a cost. I had to get a gas key meter removed from another place and it cost 200. No deposit left due to me not taking a full deposit. Gave a tenant a chance but never again.Rent in arrears. I had to wait half the day for the gas engineer to call out to remove it. There is a cost to a persons time.


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    #24
    TomOnBoard
    Registered Users Posts: 5,109 ✭✭✭TomOnBoard


    Not much love being shown to the tenant here.

    That said, how was a prepay meter installed without the LL giving written permission? The supplier may have been remiss here.


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    #25
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    questionmark? wrote: »
    Rubbish. No landlord should ever have the bill in their name when the property is rented out so should never get 'stung'.

    There are situations where it makes sense for the LL to keep the bills in their name in fairness for instance if letting rooms separately as there is usually a tenant turnover and the constant moving around of bills is awful hassle. In these instances prepay power does make sense though most LL who do it just continue to use normal bills and almost never have hassle from it.

    I’ve rented rooms in house share where the bills were in the LLs name and where the tenants had them and it was a massive pain when they were in tenants names as every few months a bill would have to change, hassle with breaking contracts, hassle with readings, hassle with getting things done right it was an absolute pleasure in comparison when all we had to do was open the LLs bills and pay them.


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    #26
    TheChizler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,412 ✭✭✭TheChizler


    Wouldn't it work out easier for everyone if you just left it there but deactivated? Unless it's very ugly on the wall or something I don't see any real reason to remove it.


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    #27
    LollipopJimmy
    Registered Users Posts: 5,437 ✭✭✭LollipopJimmy


    tvjunki wrote: »
    This is a fact not opinion..There is a cost. I had to get a gas key meter removed from another place and it cost 200. No deposit left due to me not taking a full deposit. Gave a tenant a chance but never again.Rent in arrears. I had to wait half the day for the gas engineer to call out to remove it. There is a cost to a persons time.

    That's gas, not electricity.


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    #28
    Blazer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,416 ✭✭✭✭Blazer


    colm_mcm wrote: »
    Silver lining is at least she hasn’t left a huge bill behind.

    They can still leave a bill. You're charged a daily rate outside of usage.
    Depending on how long ago she stopped stopping it up there could be money due on it.
    When I moved into a house a few years back there was over 150 euro due on it. Landlord never checked it and I had to top it up on the day we moved in.
    I immediately cancelled it and make sure the landlord reimbursed me for it.
    So be wary. Cancel it asap.


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    #29
    Xcellor
    Registered Users Posts: 2,794 ✭✭✭Xcellor


    TheChizler wrote: »
    Wouldn't it work out easier for everyone if you just left it there but deactivated? Unless it's very ugly on the wall or something I don't see any real reason to remove it.

    I'm not a land lord but if someone I rented a house to decided to make changes like this I would want it undone. i.e. if you decide to paint the house grand provided its painted back to what it was beforehand... Regardless of if it's ugly or not leaving sh*t behind is not on.


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    #30
    LollipopJimmy
    Registered Users Posts: 5,437 ✭✭✭LollipopJimmy


    Blazer wrote: »
    They can still leave a bill. You're charged a daily rate outside of usage.
    Depending on how long ago she stopped stopping it up there could be money due on it.
    When I moved into a house a few years back there was over 150 euro due on it. Landlord never checked it and I had to top it up on the day we moved in.
    I immediately cancelled it and make sure the landlord reimbursed me for it.
    So be wary. Cancel it asap.

    The prepay companies will clear any outstanding balance if proof can be shown, a dated lease is enough. Also the two main players in that market have dedicated account managers for landlords.

    As a landlord these meters supply a safety net, the property won't be disconnected and possibly left without power for 10 days (which can happen if there is a debt flag with ESBN). Self disconnection can be sorted quickly and easy.

    When they are removed the engineer fills the holes also.


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    #31
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    I've had seen a good few occasions where electricity suppliers have transferred an out standing bill from a tenant to the landlord. Even to a bill on one property to an another property. All were resolved with the tenants and supplier after a lot of arguing.

    So regardless if the supplier is allowed to do this, they do it.

    Same with getting reconnected the landlord has a problem if the won't re connect after someone doesn't clear their last bill.

    Really these bills should stay with the person not the property. The utilities could be an lot more progressive with how they deal with rentals.

    A prepay meter has its issues but it solves many hassles too.


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