Is there a penalty for an electric company not reading a meter for 3 yrs.

Cyril

As above really, are there any repercussions if someone should complain.

Farway

Have you submitted any of the meter readings yourself in the three years?

Like filling in the form they shove through your letterbox, or even going online & submitting them?

chris1973

I've no idea in relation to the company, but the penalty which may exist for the customer, is the risk of a back bill covering a period where the payments have not been covering the usage nor several energy price increases. If you read some of the threads where this has actually occured, these back bills can often run well into four figures, for less than the 3 years given on your example

Cyril

The supply was a new connection in 2007 to a piece of land. Owner wasn't supplied with a key and meter is on land so accessible to electric board. Rang to have a reading taken after first year and request key. Told key would only be available from an engineer ? and would follow. Engineer arrived to take reading but didn't leave key.

Estimates paid thereafter and numerous requests for key but none forthcoming. Customer now getting fed up and thinks no reading as engineers can't be bothered to cross field to read. Electric Co agree a strange place for engineers / contractors to put meter box in field as opposed to barn. Lots of buck passing.

Customer now wanting something done as to get on top of actual reading.

chris1973

If its a standard utility box using a triangular type key, you can buy them online
http://www.kozy-homes.co.uk/products/90008,gas-and-electric-meter-utility-box-triangular-key

undaunted

They are supposed to read & "inspect" the meter at least every two years (& even that's ridiculously high in my opinion) but I'm not sure what (if any) effort is made to ensure that they do so (or even try & do so) in reality.

Try writing to your supplier with a complaint & asking them to make an appointment to read the meter - hardly unreasonable to expect a visit once in 3 / 4 years.

If that fails to produce a response within a reasonable period you can make the same request to the Energy Ombudsman

chanz4

undaunted wrote: »

They are supposed to read & "inspect" the meter at least every two years (& even that's ridiculously high in my opinion) but I'm not sure what (if any) effort is made to ensure that they do so (or even try & do so) in reality.

Try writing to your supplier with a complaint & asking them to make an appointment to read the meter - hardly unreasonable to expect a visit once in 3 / 4 years.

If that fails to produce a response within a reasonable period you can make the same request to the Energy Ombudsman

The inspection rule is only for gas, an electric meter is certified for longer. Although suppiers are supposed to make effort to read once every 2 years

spiro

chanz4 wrote: »

The inspection rule is only for gas, an electric meter is certified for longer. Although suppiers are supposed to make effort to read once every 2 years

The other difference is that for gas the 2 years does not reset on change of supplier, but on electricity it does. This means if you change elec supplier every 12/18/20 months then you meter may never be read.

That said lots of suppliers have a clause in their T&Cs that require customers to submit reading twice per year.

The location of the meter will have been determine by where the distribution company installed the supply cable which would have been agreed between the distributor and person requesting connection. It may be that is was a lot cheaper to put the meter were it is rather than in the barn and the requestor opted for the cheaper option.

Also the is no 'electricity board' any more.

chanz4

your correct, they have MOPS, distribution, supplier.