Vanishing Water Meter...

aimzee84

Hi! I really hope someone can offer some advice here..

My nan's next door neighbour recently had a water meter installed, my nan herself has been on a meter for several years. When she left the house, my nan noticed her water meter cover in the pavement was new (and shiny she said!) so, out of curiosity, she lifted it. Her water meter has vanished, seemingly on the same day her neighbours one was installed. They checked the neighbours meter, and it is different, with their numbers on it. My nan contacted the supplier-Southern Water-and they told her not to worry, and that if there was any difference in her next bill she should just contact them, but they refused to put this in writing.
I am worried about her, and the situation, because she is a 77 year old woman, living alone. My mum is only down the road (I am in Greece), but the water company wouldn't speak to my mum.
Has this happened to anyone before? Why would it have been removed? We're very concerned..

Thanks for any help and advice you can offer!

HappyMJ

Vanished or covered by another cover. Mine has some sort of foam that needs lifting out to read the meter. Maybe they put one of them in the hole when replacing the top cover on the pavement.

They won't have removed it. Do you have a photo?

aimzee84

Hi! I haven't actually seen it as I'm not in the country, but my mum went and had a look and said you can see down to the water pipes..the meter is gone.. The water company don't know why, but my nan is tying herself in knots worrying in case she gets a demand letter or something!

Gothicfairy

Your mum can speak to the water company as long as your nan gives her permission so get your mum to call them with your nan there so that they can sort that bit out.
The meter might have been exchanged or replaced or even moved but there should still be one connected.

You could also ask for a appointment meter read and that would clear the whole thing up in 5 working days.

aimzee84

Thank you for your replies! My nan telephoned today and asked for an appointment.. and was told it wasn't possible. I called Southern Water for her (from Greece-think of the phone bill haha!!) and spoke to a lovely lady. Apparently the person she spoke to first had 'more or less referred to your nan as a loopy old lady', so am making a complaint as well. She has organised an engineer to go to my nans house on Wednesday morning, and she believes the meter may have been stolen, perhaps not even recently! We're keeping our fingers crossed that it's all resolved soon..
What a difference it makes when they think they are talking to an old lady who knows nothing. I am quite disgusted that what the operator thought of my nan he actually wrote in his notes!! (She is a bit loopy-but not stupid!!)

deanos

I very much doubt you meter would have been stolen, they would have had to have the tools to remove it and a plug to fill the gap left by the removed meter

If the boundary box looks new more than likely its had a new one fitted and the old meter was not fitted in the new box, if the neighbors boundary box is next to hers then its even more likely as sometimes they will change damaged boxes if they are in the same excavation to save costs going back later