changing electricity meter

[Harry101]

Hi all, I'm a landlord, and my property became empty today. The electricity meter is PAYG (key-operated) and it is broken in the sense that the display is completely blank.

The meter says "Property of S+S" - I assume Scottish and Southern. The electricity supplier is www.orbitenergy.co.uk.

I would like the meter replaced. Simple right? Nope.....it's proving a nightmare. I contact Orbit via their online chat and spend an hour explaining the situation and they send me around the houses (no pun intended) basically saying I need to email them a "End of tenancy agreement document" before they'll even talk to me. I explain I have not heard of such a thing and I have the AST, but this won't help them as it was an agreement till Aug 2021 and the tenant has left early. Nope, no luck. Before I gave up, the online 'agent' just cut my chat and logged me out. I rang Scottish and Southern Energy and their automated message basically says "Only ring us if you cannot pay, or there is an emergency. Otherwise fill in the online form." I did that and get an email saying they'll contact me in 5 business days. Marvellous.

Does anyone know what I can do in this situation? Can I simply ignore Orbit and move supplier to someone else - I have never had an account with Orbit, and it is the leaving tenant who has an account. Therefore, I should not be liable for any outstanding payments to Orbit right? And I'm a little unclear as to how the Key payment system works - surely, once the amount on the key runs out, then that should be it, or are there still maintenance charges that accumulate even if no electricity is used in the house?

Cheers

[jpkeates]

It's possible you need the key to activate the display.

You can switch electricity suppliers online using uswitch (for example).

Rather than getting the meter replaced as a 1st step, I'd try it bit by bit.
Tell the supplier that you are now responsible for the account as you are a landlord retaking possession.

They will have a point about the end of tenancy agreement though, because there must be something that has ended the tenancy, otherwise it's still active.

[Interlaken]

Meters are usually replaced by a larger provider in your area so expect to wait for S and S to get around to your request. Clear up the unusual reading first.

[Hollywood]

I think you will be liable for any standing charge even if not using any electricity from the end of the tenancy

[jpucng62]

Are you getting another tenant in straight away? If not get the meter put into your name so you are the bill holder then they should talk to you.

Either way, it is likely there is a debt on the meter so try topping it up and see if that sorts the display out.

Good luck

[45002]

The meter could be a 2nd generation smart meter set up as "pay as you go meter"

Apparently they can be switch back to a normal meter remotely by the utilities supplier.

Read on https://www.smartenergygb.org/en/sma...ips-for-prepay

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/co...-normal-meter/