Letting a meter reader in?

DON79

Hi all,

we are with Scottish Power, we do all our own meter readings online.

Been annoyed with them over the past couple of bills because they keep sending a demand for meter readings at least 14 days before the bill is due to be calculated. I have complained because every time I log into the website to check when the bill is actually due, I log out, then they send a demanding email saying I have failed to provide my meter reading which is now overdue! :mad:

Complaints don't seem to make any difference.

Anyway, the past two months, we have had a meter reader turn up wanting to read the meter. For various reasons, it has not been convenient to let him in to read the meter.

And he has just been again now.

Aside from the fact that we do our own readings online -- Do I have any legal obligation to let him in to do a meter reading?

Quite frankly, I don't want to. I am capable of doing the readings myself.

Swipe

They are obliged to take a physical meter reading once every two years.

DON79

Swipe wrote: »

They are obliged to take a physical meter reading once every two years.

fair enough, but do I have to let them??

and I hate it when they turn up out of the blue, also they might be wearing an ID badge but how do I know they are even from my Supplier? It certainly does not say Scottish Power or representative of Scottish Power anywhere.

victor2

The meter reading is often outsourced, so the reader may have nothing to do with Scottish Power. They should have ID anyway and you have every right to check it.
As well as reading the meter, they are supposed to do a visual check as well, although I doubt that goes beyond a "yep, it's there" inspection.

bobthedambuilder

DON79 wrote: »

Hi all,

I have complained because every time I log into the website to check when the bill is actually due, I log out, then they send a demanding email saying I have failed to provide my meter reading which is now overdue!

Does this mean you don't provide the meter reading when you log in? If that's the case, why don't you fill in the reading on the date you log in, and let SP do the calculation. The worst that can happen is that they extrapolate the reading up to the date of the bill; on the plus side, they may simply use the reading you give them to work out the consumption for the period.

I suspect that if you're not careful, you'll end up with a bill which uses an estimated reading, and SP can put what they like for that. Where will you be then?

murphydog999

I had a meter reader knock the door a few months back. As it happened, the day before I had sent a reading over so knew I was up to date. The gas meter is outside anyway, so no problem there, but he would have had to walk through to the back of the house to get to the electric in the kitchen. I told him it had just been sent through and he said 'anyone can say that!'

He wouldn't have it, but I refused and he got quite ratty, he said 'I'm going to have to log it that you have refused entry and you will be reported,' I said that he could do what he liked but wasn't coming in, and shut the door. I'm with EON, and he said he was from an 'agency,' which was another reason he wasn't coming in.

I do my readings regularly and unless EON notify me in writing they need to read the meter for whatever reason, then fair enough. As long as you don't give them any reason to need to come in, and everything is up to date, then you have a right to refuse.

Edit. I've just read the above posts re. agency, so understood. I think if he had been a bit 'nicer' he might have stood a better chance!

jd87

Sorry but I, like the rest of the country, have absolutely no problem letting meter readers in, and I'm not going to agree with this whole "I give them my readings, I have the right to refuse blah blah". If you are doing nothing wrong then you have nothing to hide. If you won't let your meter be read then it stands to reason that you could well be up to fraudulent activity, something the rest of us shouldn't have to subsidise.

Meter readers have been around as long as domestic gas and electric. What did you people ever do before the internet?

DON79

bobthedambuilder wrote: »

Does this mean you don't provide the meter reading when you log in? If that's the case, why don't you fill in the reading on the date you log in, and let SP do the calculation. The worst that can happen is that they extrapolate the reading up to the date of the bill; on the plus side, they may simply use the reading you give them to work out the consumption for the period.

I suspect that if you're not careful, you'll end up with a bill which uses an estimated reading, and SP can put what they like for that. Where will you be then?

I provide the meter reading as I log in on the day before the bill is due. So the meter readings are updated accurately every three months.

If I entered the meter reading when they ask for it, the bill is continually being produced 14 days before it is due.

I don't get estimated bills as I always give a reading.

baza52

I cant understand why you cant let them in?
It takes only a few seconds for them to read it and then they are gone.
Is your house messy or are people in a state of undress?
Even if you about to go out a few seconds will not make any difference.

DON79

baza52 wrote: »

I cant understand why you cant let them in?
It takes only a few seconds for them to read it and then they are gone.
Is your house messy or are people in a state of undress?
Even if you about to go out a few seconds will not make any difference.

read my previous post "I don't see why they could not arrange a prior appointment when it is convenient to me? I am not being unreasonable, I just prefer not to let strange men claiming to be meter readers into my house with my three young children when I am alone."


and with three kids, the house is rarely completely tidy....

soothyerboots

You are out of order tbh. Never mind, just you keep refusing. Hopefully they'll come around with a warrant soon enough .

Perhaps you are a dodgy electricity-stealing !!!!!?