At last, a normal electricity meter

Ms D.G. writes: I have been with British Gas since I had my first home when I was 19 years old, and I am now 57. I have lived at my present address for over 30 years. When we moved in, money was tight and we asked for a prepayment electricity meter. Now I am disabled and find it hard to go to the nearest place where I can charge up my key. I asked British Gas for a normal credit meter, but they have declined. Do they want to keep me on a prepayment meter as they make more money this way?

YOUR finances have changed a lot over the past 30 years. You already have a normal gas meter and British Gas collects payments from your bank account by direct debit. It makes no sense to refuse you the same system for electricity. You have told me that you have to go to a shop or showroom every three months and hand over £300 to top up your prepayment meter.

I asked British Gas to explain, and three days later, after an apologetic phone call to you from a senior official, an engineer removed your prepayment meter and fitted a new credit meter.

A spokesman told me: ‘We have now exchanged Ms G’s meter to a credit meter and have apologised to her that this did not happen when she initially requested it.’