Electricity token meter
 

I've just moved in to a new flat which uses electricity tokens but I haven't been able to get a swipe card from the energy supplier (I'll have to wait til monday for that) and it's already using the emergency credit.

I know someone who has got the same type of meter, would I be able to use their swipe card to obtain tokens for my meter? IIRC the tokens don't seem to be linked to the swipe card machine so would this work in the intrim?

If it's any help, the token it would take are the long rectangular green ones with a black strip running underneath it.

Does anyone know for certain?

Re: Electricity token meter
 

You could, but that would put your machine in debt. You would be crediting your friends account.

Re: Electricity token meter
 

OK that wouldn't bother me for now as I'd get my own card in the next few days, but you're certain I could top up my meter that way? (thanks by the way)

Re: Electricity token meter
 

pretty certain. Used to have one myself. The tokens are not linked in anyway to the machine. The Swipe card is basically used to credit your account.

Re: Electricity token meter
 

When you buy a token, don't they just simply pluck it out of the till and hand it over?

Re: Electricity token meter
 

Yes. The tokens themselves are just simply tokens. They swipe your card on a swipe machine and enter the amount you have bought, which then in turn gets credited on your account with whichever energy supplier you are with :)

Re: Electricity token meter
 

You would have great difficulty in crediting the payments to your account - you would have no proof that the tokens were bought for your account and not your friend's account. The supplier should be able to give you a generic account number over the phone. Make a note of it and use it to buy the tokens. Keep your receipts and claim the money back.

Which supplier? NPower can take upto 28 days to create accounts for new customers...

Re: Electricity token meter
 

I'm not all that bothered about crediting it to my account - I just want enough electricity for the next few days :D

The supplier I've chosen isn't open until monday morning, if they sent the card straight away the earliest I'd get to use it would be tuesday night, I just want something to last me until then.

Thanks anyway tho :)

Re: Electricity token meter
 

The best way to get the credit back would be to get your friend to buy an equal amount to what you've bought, on your card.

:)

(used to loose mine all the time lol)

Re: Electricity token meter
 

It depends if the meter uses a smartcard or regular tokens

Re: Electricity token meter
 

Normal tokens - the long green ones with a black strip underneath.

Re: Electricity token meter
 

Who is the supplier NOW?

Doesn't matter who you want to be with (that takes 28 days) you need to call the current supplier and they'll give (or should) give you a 19 digit number to take to the shop to get tokens. :) They should have an out of hours number.

Edit - Assuming your picking your supplier on price (rather than ethically, or for greenness) then I'd hold fire as (you'll probably know ;) ) they're all changing their tariffs again so it's worth holding on for a bit. :)

Re: Electricity token meter
 

if you call the CS for your new supplier they will give you a temporary account number to use when buying tokens
you have to get the seller to enter the code perfectly and its like 18 digits or something, but it will work.
didnt see shauns reply sorry!
good advice

Re: Electricity token meter
 

Cheers both but the supplier I chose isn't open now until monday and I need to sort something out tomorrow.

Re: Electricity token meter
 

Powergen recently came and changed our white token meter to an electronic key one because they're phasing all the paper token ones out.

Re: Electricity token meter
 

Your chosen supplier has nothing to do with it. :) It's who the property is supplied by now that you need to contact.

By chosen supplier you do mean who you want to be with eventually, right?

If so then that is of no consequence now as they'll more than likely not be the supplier now. The change over will take 28 days so you need to contact whoever is the current power company.

Re: Electricity token meter
 

To be honest, this particular situation has no bearing on who the supplier is or os going to be - I just need to get a token or two for the next few days!

Re: Electricity token meter
 

When we moved into this house, the meter didn't have any credit so I phoned Powergen up, they gave me a temporary number to get some with, without a card.

Re: Electricity token meter
 

Cheers - am on the phone to Powergen right now, let's hope the department is open on sundays. Went to my flat this morning and the emergency credit has gone so there's no electric there at all. £4 in less than 2 days isn't right!

---------- Post added at 12:34 ---------- Previous post was at 12:26 ----------

Just got through to a stuttering (not a speech impediment but in a please-don't-shout-at-me-its-my-first-day sort of way) geordie who told me I'd need to speak to the previous supplier (SWALEC - who are closed today) to sort this out.

Re: Electricity token meter
 

No, £4 in less than two days isn't right. Hope you get it sorted soon.

Re: Electricity token meter
 

If the previous tenant was in arrears that would explain why extra money was taken from the meter, to pay off there account.

Re: Electricity token meter
 

Just borrowed my mate's swipe card to get a £5 token - and it worked! My meter took it, everything is great, except it took £4 for the emergency credit and left me with zero balance so I need to put more on again but that's not so important, at least I now know it works. I'll be straight on to the supplier tomorrow to zero off any debt from the previous tennant.

Cheers everyone :)

Re: Electricity token meter
 

Which is want I told you several posts ago Russ. :disturbd:

Re: Electricity token meter
 

Well yeah, but it still ain't right! :p: