Pre-paid gas meters to help customers in debt

THOUSANDS of consumers with cash-flow problems are expected to take up pre-paid gas meter systems, being rolled out outside the capital for the first time.

Bord Gáis yesterday confirmed that its card system, which is used by customers with massive debts, will be made available to more than 100,000 consumers.

The decision follows suggestions by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) paper last June, which included discussion over recovering debts through the pre-paid meter scheme.

Bord Gáis advertised for meters outside Dublin last week also seeking “easily accessible, nationwide network of outlets/vending points” for the pre-paid cards.

More than 80% of all residential gas customers — more than 540,000 — are in the greater Dublin area.

Currently, 22,000 Dublin customers with swipe cards pay for gas meter instalments, which they manually put into systems at home. This is 5% of Dublin gas users and includes local authority housing sections.

Extending the system outside Dublin “will allow vulnerable customers and those on low incomes to budget for their gas requirements over summer months by topping up the meter in advance of the winter,” according to the CER.

The CER consultation paper included advice from Limerick City Council, the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), Swiss-based energy measurement group Landis & Gyr as well as members of the public

A Bord Gáis spokeswoman said: “It is very difficult for Bord Gáis to estimate the future uptake of the scheme.”

But she added that the system would be rolled out nationally by 2008. By then, areas in Galway and Mayo including an extra 11 towns will be linked to the gas network and will be able to avail of the meter system.

The society of the St Vincent de Paul yesterday said paying gas bills was quite a problem for some of its clients.

Cork regional coordinator Padraig McCarthy said the use of pre-paid meters would be welcome outside Dublin. Some of St Vincent de Paul’s clients are struggling with old bills which have mounted to 600, he explained.

Control has been put back into the users’ hands with ESB pre-paid meters, he added, which was working very successfully.

On average consumers were hit with a 300 annual hike in gas prices last October. The CER recently announced that bills will be adjusted, to meet stabilising oil markets — dropping by 10%. This still means gas consumers are paying 175 extra compared to last year.