Electric meters for tenants – card pre-pay or smart?
I’m renovating a five-bed, three-story flat into three separate flats (a floor each).
I now need to determine what to fit in each flat:
Prepay card meter – tenants know how much they have, top-ups when need to, better for budgeting, and as a Landlord no standing charges between tenancies
Normal/smart billing meters – tenants can shop around for supplier of choice, may get better rates, but downside between tenancies as Landlord liable for standing charges. Also, there are issues switching companies when a certain smart meter is fitted.
Is there anything else I need to consider?
Many thanks
Reluctant
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Fast track to add 2 more storeys
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3550 - Articles: 5
7:16 PM, 21st July 2020, About 6 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Deborah Clare at 21/07/2020 – 17:04
all good if the tenants are assessed as being good for credit with the supplier. Mine aren’t and never will be due to the nature of my cohort. I think I will stick with pre payment card/key ones. If they want to change to credit then then have to go through the motions. I wont be liable for anything if they do a bunk, get evicted…or in some cases get carted off to HMP!
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 233
9:22 PM, 21st July 2020, About 6 years ago
Reply to the comment left by WP at 21/07/2020 – 19:13
Ebico’s current No Standing Charge offer isn’t all it may seem. Look at the small print and they have a minimum annual charge for each energy type. It is pro-rated if the liability changes hands part way through the year. Still cheaper than others though
Member Since January 2020 - Comments: 93
8:03 AM, 22nd July 2020, About 6 years ago
I’ve never used them, but it may be worth talking to https://www.billingbetter.co.uk/. It could give you as the landlord more options with your utilities.
Utilita are one company that does prepay smart meters with a better rate than the big six.
Can you really force a tenant to put replace the meter at the of the tenancy? I would be interested to hear if anyone has been successful in doing this..
Member Since September 2015 - Comments: 222
11:31 AM, 22nd July 2020, About 6 years ago
“Ebico’s current No Standing Charge offer isn’t all it may seem. Look at the small print and they have a minimum annual charge for each energy type”
This.
I only need accounts for void periods and lighting/smoke detectors in common stairwells (constant), so I fall foul of the minimum figure.
Member Since March 2014 - Comments: 196 - Articles: 1
1:52 PM, 28th July 2020, About 6 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Dylan Morris at 21/07/2020 – 11:06
The Mk II smartmeters are available in Co. Durham at least and I have had tenants and myself sucessfully change suppliers. Another advantage is these meters can be switched from credit to prepay or vice versa remotely by the supplier with no cost as no physical changes of meter needed. If I get a void now I just call the supplier and put the account in my name asking them to change it to credit if its prepay. If I know the void will be longer than 2 or 3 weeks because of works I move the account to Utilita no standing charge because they have dedicated contacts in each region for landlords – saves hours of hanging on the phone!