# Tenant installed prepay power meter without permission



## hippy1975 (22 Sep 2017)

Hi, my tenant is moving out and i have just discovered that they installed a prepay power meter without my permission.  Apart from being a bit p'eed off about it (added to parking space sublet without my permission also...)  is there anything I need to be concerned about ?  I called electric Ireland and they said in order to move it back the tenant would need to ensure prepay power deactivate, now when I Google I'm reading things about standing charges could have built up....just wondering if anyone has any advice as to what I need to watch out for as I haven't dealt with them before.
I'm willing to let this go with the tenant and give them full deposit back tomorrow but just concerned in case there is more they have not been forthcoming about and leave me stung, or in case I miss something as no experience dealing with ppp.  Thanks in advance !


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## qwerty5 (22 Sep 2017)

Is there a cost to switch back to a normal meter? My sister bought a house with one of these. To switch back to a normal meter she was quoted a couple of hundred quid. This was a year ago so it might be different now.


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## hippy1975 (22 Sep 2017)

Oh crikey, I better check that out, and will let you know, thank you.  Electric Ireland didn't say anything about that - do you know was that for a deposit with new provider or was it a prepay power cost to deactivate? If it's new provider deposit I'm okay with that as could go DD with them instead


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## mathepac (22 Sep 2017)

Simply tell the tenant that in order to restore the property to its pre-let status, he must deactivate the pre-pay supply AND arrange to restore the supply from the previous provider, some of whom may ask for deposits of hundreds of euro before beginning a "new" contract, especially if they know it's to a rental property.


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## hippy1975 (22 Sep 2017)

Thanks mathepac, I wonder would a new provider take it in my name / no name from them though and tenant surely wouldn't put it in their name when they're leaving.  I totally agree with you that's what should happen.  Just found this schedule of charges from prepay power and there are definitely implications depending on when they signed up and if they have completed contract etc, I'm going to have to figure this one out and be prepared.  I hate holding anyone's deposit but I may have to hold part of it in this case until this is sorted, I'm beginning to get the feeling I've been lead up the garden path a bit. 



[broken link removed]


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## hippy1975 (23 Sep 2017)

Well, an update in case its of use to others, so it's not prepay power it's a prepay with Electric Ireland (who, let me say, have been most helpful)  and it turns out that when the tenants moved in (they were a couple who since broke up so only one moving out now) they had a previous debt from another property which moved with them into our apartment, where they installed the meter without my knowledge or consent, and in 2.5 years never mentioned it.  EI now can't release (give me a deactivation code) until I talk to their Credit Control on Monday and prove that we own the property, not connected to the tenant, etc etc which means in the meantime I've no power to proceed with getting carpets cleaned and all that.  Most worrying is how the remaining tenant was not forthcoming with me about this, tried to act dumb, eventually I've been able to clean that the original debt was 900 euro in the ex-girlfriend's name, still is, he is paying it off he tells me but says he doesn't know how much is left!!   His deposit was only 570, cos that was the monthly rent - I've been way too generous - which I've had to hold until we get this unknown amount sorted out.  Should be straightforward enough but we don't know until we know, and clearly he hasn't been honest with me up to now.   On a positive note, EI have been nice to deal with and they say the meter can be removed at no cost once the account situation is sorted out.   
I thought this couple were lovely, she is local, I met both her parents, not much more you can do to vet someone.   So disappointed, being an accidental landlord is the biggest expense and pain in the neck.


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## AlbacoreA (24 Sep 2017)

You have to ask how can the electric supplier install these without getting proof the person asking is the owner. 

Considering, they hold the owner to ransom to uninstall them.

I've had no end of messing around similar issues with Electric suppliers.


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## hippy1975 (24 Sep 2017)

They don't even look for permission from the owner - just confirmation from the tenant that they have the owner's permission, in arguably, the full knowledge that it's completely bogus.  My guess is that's  why they're saying they'll remove it for free - they know it shouldn't have gone in in the first place.


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