Standing charge on prepayment gas meters

[Anonymouse]

- what the hell?!

I've got a letter today from npower (whom I've kicked in the head in favour of British Gas) about arrears in my gas account. Which on the face of it is impossible because I haven't used any damn gas since I signed up with them!!!

I rang to ask 'what the hell?' and I've been told there's a weekly standing charge on prepayment gas meters. This is the first I've heard of it - and before some smartarse starts harping on about the small print, there is nothing about that in the contract I signed. So what gives? How is it I allegedly owe them about £37 when I've never actually used any gas?!

Or is this a feeble attempt to stop me switching to BG? Frankly, I'd believe anything of these ripoff merchants!

[Paul K]

Possibly due to the the fact that on pre-pay meters you usually pay a slightly higher price for gas to cover the cost using of the meter itself. If you have used no gas then you have probably not put any credit onto the meter and therefor not met the standing charges for the meter itself.

[Hugh]

This may clarify things, as it confirms what Paul said/typed.
NPower (http://www.npower.com/At_home/Juice-clean_and_green/Tariffs/Prepayment_meter_tariffs.html)
Prepayment tariffs are structured to contain a standing charge element. This ensures that all Prepayment customers will receive the same effective service, and the money you pay properly reflects the cost of supplying you.
The quarterly standing charge covers the fixed costs of providing the supply, e.g. the cost of linking the mains supply to your home, providing a meter, reading your meter, sending out and processing the bills. The standing charge is paid irrespective of the amount of electricity or gas you use.

[Anonymouse]

Prepayment tariffs are structured to contain a standing charge element. This ensures that all Prepayment customers will receive the same effective service, and the money you pay properly reflects the cost of supplying you.
The quarterly standing charge covers the fixed costs of providing the supply, e.g. the cost of linking the mains supply to your home, providing a meter, reading your meter, sending out and processing the bills. The standing charge is paid irrespective of the amount of electricity or gas you use.
Oops. I just found a leaflet in the agreement folder which mentions the standing charge. Oh, <bleep>. All right, you illegitimate offspring of female dogs (I think you can all deduce what I wanted to say there), you win. I'll just pay the damn charge, and after that they can go fish.

God, I so hate these stolen private utilities. :mad:

[Vlad_Dracul]

Just to be pedantic, Npower is not a stolen private utility. It is simply a reseller of fuels.