Pre pay meters.

[Harry Fisher]

The house I have just bought to restore and rent has EON pre pay card meters for gas and electricity, I hear this is a more expensive way to pay, do you think I should leave them or get them changed for regular meters?

[Richlist]

I won't entertain pre paid meters as they can be a total pain in the arse and my tenants aren't interested.

I guess it depends on your target tenant.....if you are going to let to lower class, poor people on benefits who will struggle to pay the bill for anything....then it might attract them to rent from you.

[Mortitia]

Get them changed - tenants hate them unless they are on benefits and are used to paying like that.

Aim to attract working tenants - less wear and tear on the property

[Melboy]

Having just been involved with this process 4 weeks ago...................

The charge is £52 to change the meter. If your tenant is local and stays with the same energy company the company may waive that charge in certain circumstances.

edit

Yes.... your prospective tenants will NOT want key meters.

[Grampa]

I can honestly say meters are not a problem for us and very rarely comes up during the enquires for a new tenancy. Most landlords don't seem to mind and are happy for the tenants to have either whatever they (tenants) prefer. If not, it is because the landlord may be planning to move back in some time in the future.

Occasionally a tenant or prospective tenant will ask to change from one to the other but I have never had the type of meter make a tenancy not go ahead. I would leave it as it is and let the tenant decide. As long as the account is put in their name you have no liability.

[Richlist]

I can honestly say meters are not a problem for us.....

I have always found that the main problem is during voids. Landlords like to do the occasional repair, redecoration or refurb when its empty and would

* need a key and

* need to load money onto the key and

* charge the incoming tenant for any pre paid credit and

* need to explain that the new tenant needs their own key and

* etc etc etc

I really can't be arsed with it all......its totally unnecessary when a normal meter arrangement does the job more than adequately..

[Carryon Regardless]

The last time I went through this process for the pre paid meters it took over 3/4 of an hour on the phone to get sorted with EON so I could then find a local(ish) shop to charge up a bit of plastic.

Unusual in my experience but British Gas were easier.

Now I need to keep topping the elec with £20, and now it's getting cooler and the frost stat will cause the heating to fire up I'll be doing the same with the gas no doubt.

There is no point in researching a switch back to real meters, as was when the T moved in, because the next will do what the bloody hell they like and when they have it's too late to stop 'em.

I've turned up for evening viewings at different properties that have been switched to find no power, in winter. Less than convenient to be rushing around to charge these things so a potential T can see the place, if they turn up.

The T's for these areas seem to like the key meters it's me that hates them.

[Melboy]

I waited 6 weeks for the meter change.

The high cost of key electric plus the inconvenience of having to top up puts most prospective tenants off.....well it did mine and it was a condition of tenancy that the key meter be removed.