Meter readers - can you tell them to go away?

[KrazyIvan]

I was always under the impression that they turn up whenever, so that they can see if you have "tampered" with the meter, and taking a reading is just a bonus.

[Kindersley]

No chance in hell a meter reader will also be doing a Safety check etc

why are they not all remote control etc and can be read from outside etc ??

[Marf]

Kindersley said:

why are they not all remote control etc and can be read from outside etc ??

Smart meters are coming.

[Ken Sington]

Laurel Green said:

I think they have to inspect the meter at least once a year for safety purposes.

That may be the case, but some of those that turn up round here don't look or sound as though they can be trusted to find their own backsides.

[Laurel Green]

Ken Sington said:

Laurel Green said:

I think they have to inspect the meter at least once a year for safety purposes.

That may be the case, but some of those that turn up round here don't look or sound as though they can be trusted to find their own backsides.

Unfortunately, it seems to be the norm these days. Cost-cutting and, farming out the reading to outside contractors to save a penny or two. Gone are the days when an old chap, who I suspect, had come up through the ranks and knew what he was looking at/inspecting. With this 'new lot' the only qualification, I suspect, is the ability to use a PDA.

[Simpo Two]

Here's an idea.

Refuse the meter reader access.

Get estimated bills for ten years.

Then the Day Of Reckoning arrives and you get a bill for £5K. Whose fault is that then?

[poo at Paul's]

Simpo Two said:

Here's an idea.

Refuse the meter reader access.

Get estimated bills for ten years.

Then the Day Of Reckoning arrives and you get a bill for £5K. Whose fault is that then?

Or just telephone the meter reading through every 3 months or so?

[ShadownINja]

Every time I let them in to do a reading, I later get an email saying I have to do a reading. I email them to say they did a reading last week. They say they only have one reading despite the guy taking both. It's easier, therefore to say, "No, you can't do your job." and then wait for the request to read my meter.

[Milky Bar Kid]

Kindersley said:

No chance in hell a meter reader will also be doing a Safety check etc

why are they not all remote control etc and can be read from outside etc ??

Well, they should be doing one, although I agree that many of the readers make monkeys look modern and useful.

Smart meters are en-route. The Gov't have said you should have by 2020 at the latest. Eon will probably start fitting them to domestic properties in the next 18 months or so. There are already some in place on industrial/3 phase supplies, but until everyone stops arguing about the data transmission side of things, not too much will happen.

[Zeek]

Simpo Two said:

Here's an idea.

Refuse the meter reader access.

Get estimated bills for ten years.

Then the Day Of Reckoning arrives and you get a bill for £5K. Whose fault is that then?

Or...get a lump sum back because you've been supplying over-reads for the past few years to buy fuel at lower prices?!

[sparkythecat]

Zeek said:

Simpo Two said:

Here's an idea.

Refuse the meter reader access.

Get estimated bills for ten years.

Then the Day Of Reckoning arrives and you get a bill for £5K. Whose fault is that then?

Or...get a lump sum back because you've been supplying over-reads for the past few years to buy fuel at lower prices?!

Now that's smart metering

[zebedee]

Simpo Two said:

Here's an idea.

Refuse the meter reader access.

Get estimated bills for ten years.

Then the Day Of Reckoning arrives and you get a bill for £5K. Whose fault is that then?

or refuse access, provide your own readings and pay the right amount?

[Marf]

zebedee said:

Simpo Two said:

Here's an idea.

Refuse the meter reader access.

Get estimated bills for ten years.

Then the Day Of Reckoning arrives and you get a bill for £5K. Whose fault is that then?

or refuse access, provide your own readings and pay the right amount?

I provide my own readings but BG still pop round every so often to take their own.

[DJFish]

Odd that this has come up as I had to let my neighbour know yesterday that an energy company had just broken into her house with the help of a locksmith, presumably executing some kind of warrant.

It's quite suprising the amount of people who can legally enter your house!

[missdiane]

Makes me wonder who read our meter last time he turned up, as we still got an estimated bill

[Milky Bar Kid]

DJFish said:

Odd that this has come up as I had to let my neighbour know yesterday that an energy company had just broken into her house with the help of a locksmith, presumably executing some kind of warrant.

It's quite suprising the amount of people who can legally enter your house!

Whilst I can't speak for other companies, we will only enter properties to either disconnect them or to forcibly fir a pay as you go meter set with a high weekly charge for debt recovery.

But as you say, many folk are quite surprised when they refuse entry to the bailiff so he just calls the police. Who get us in, one way or another.

[F i F]

Milky Bar Kid said:

If it really bothers you that much, then just do it all on-line yourself, or ring the automated phone system to hand your own readings in.

This ^^^

Every month they send me an SMS saying "Oi git, send us your readings"
Every month I read the meters, text them back with the numbers.
Or I could do it online which would save me cost of an SMS message if I were over my allowance, which I never am.
They then text me back saying "Fanks"

If I forget I get an estimated reading for that month.

Not difficult.

[Gareth79]

Milky Bar Kid said:

However, having folk turn up unannounced is a PITA. We do all carry ID's which can be checked. There will be a freephone number, 08000322409 in my case, that you can ring and confirm a 3 digit pin with the person carrying the card. It is perfectly ok to lock them out whilst you do this. If the code they give is wrong, put the phone down and call the police ASAP, and they will respond as they and the companies get quite upset with people using false ID's.

The householder would need to know the phone number in advance though, or be able to look it up quickly. It's certainly not safe to call the number printed on the card to check their identity!

[Simpo Two]

Marf said:

I provide my own readings but BG still pop round every so often to take their own.

I suspect they have to, by law. Otherwise if you were less than honest, possibly a used car dealer for example, you could simply under-declare for ever.

Quite astonished at the paranoia here, thinking that meter readers are going to rape your children etc. You could get the meters moved outside - which would cost money of course, but what price the children's safety?

Edited by Simpo Two on Saturday 21st August 20:49

[ShadownINja]

missdiane said:

Makes me wonder who read our meter last time he turned up, as we still got an estimated bill

I was warned by my supplier that if I didn't supply a reading, it would be another estimated one, too.