Energy meter reader trespass??

chanz4

uk1 wrote: »

May I suggest that this idiot is treated as a troll. Firstly he will know the CCTV stuff is garbage and he also knows that no one is going to break in without (a) a court order (b) notice being served and ignored. A magistrate will not issue an order unless the utility company can prove that they have tried all other alternatives.

He is either a complete nincompoop or a troll. Either way. Let's ignore.

check out gas & electricity board rights of entry act, you will find a supplier can obtain a warrant without notice. How do you think cannabis farms / bypass meters etc are caught...not by giving notice. p.s a court order can be obtained same day.

uk1

Oh ... So you think you think you have police powers now!?

Having an obstructive customer - as you claim - would not provide a magistrate with sufficient evidence of meter tampering.

(2)If, in a case to which the preceding subsection applies, the relevant enactment does not require notice of an intended entry to be given to the occupier of the premises, the justice shall not grant a warrant under this section in respect of the right of entry in question unless he is satisfied”

(a)that admission to the premises for the purpose specified in the information was sought by a person lawfully requiring entry in the exercise of that right, and was so sought after not less than twenty-four hours notice of the intended entry had been given to the occupier; or

(b)that admission to the premises for that purpose was sought in a case of emergency and was refused by or on behalf of the occupier; or

(c)that the premises are unoccupied; or

(d)that an application for admission to the premises would defeat the object of the entry

You would need to prove a compelling reason for suspecting tampering and be unreasonably refused admission after giving the 24 hours notice.

Garbage again.

~Chameleon~

Jamie_Carter wrote: »

Ok, you have now made the company aware of this bad practice. And with any luck they will introduce better staff training.

So now why don't you prevent the problem from ever happening in the future, by submitting your readings on line? THis also often saves you money.

In my experience, offering online readings DOESN'T prevent meter readers attempting to read your meters. They get paid for every reading they take, after all.

~Chameleon~

Jamie_Carter wrote: »

Well lets use a scenario: A lady is sunbathing naked in her private back garden, as she is fully entitled to do. The meter reader turns up and rings the bell, but she doesn't hear it. So the meter reader knows that the meter is at the back of the house, and that you can access it by a side gate. Now the fact that the gate is closed should be enough to say that the house owner doesn't want people going into the back garden. But the meter reader still thinks he has the right to enter the back garden, so he tries the gate. The gate is locked, so he reaches over the top and finds a bolt. He unfastens the bolt, and enters the rear garden, and then finds himself standing over the lady. She screams thinking that he is a pervert, runs inside and calls the police.

Now without going into the possible outcome, do you think that the meter reader had the right to invade this lady's privacy? There were two barriers (both the gate and the bolt), but he still assumed that he had the right to enter the back garden.

I have been faced with exactly this scenario, although I didn't call the police, but it took me to threaten to scream "rape" to make the meter reader leave my private, enclosed garden. I was naked and attempting to cover myself with a towel yet he still insisted on reading the meter :mad:

chanz4

uk1 wrote: »

Oh ... So you think you think you have police powers now!?

Having an obstructive customer - as you claim - would not provide a magistrate with sufficient evidence of meter tampering.



You would need to prove a compelling reason for suspecting tampering and be unreasonably refused admission after giving the 24 hours notice.

Garbage again.

No just my job on a daily basis, and yes a supplier has a right of inspection and to prevent evidence loss can apply for a no notice, and does not have to wait 24 hours! Also the police only get involved if a breach of the peace

Jamie_Carter

chanz4 wrote: »

cctv cant be used as evidence unless signs are used, private property or note.

Inregards to reads, if you are obstructive they could always put suspected tamper code through on their handheld. The rpu will have great pleasure in breaking in and no notice is required.

You don't half talk rubbish :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Jamie_Carter

uk1 wrote: »

May I suggest that this idiot is treated as a troll. Firstly he will know the CCTV stuff is garbage and he also knows that no one is going to break in without (a) a court order (b) notice being served and ignored. A magistrate will not issue an order unless the utility company can prove that they have tried all other alternatives.

He is either a complete nincompoop or a troll. Either way. Let's ignore.

That's more or less the same as I was thinking. :T:T:T

uk1

chanz4 wrote: »

No just my job on a daily basis, and yes a supplier has a right of inspection and to prevent evidence loss can apply for a no notice, and does not have to wait 24 hours! Also the police only get involved if a breach of the peace

You seem to keep missing the point - purposefully. You mention dope farms. It is the police who will apply for a warrant for that not the utility company. They will normally get their warrant.

With respect to suspected meter tampering you have still missed the point - that you will need to CONVINCE a judge that the warrant is justified.

This is what you said:

chanz4 wrote: »

Inregards to reads, if you are obstructive they could always put suspected tamper code through on their handheld. The rpu will have great pleasure in breaking in and no notice is required.

That was a clear implication that you would be doing this out of spite when a customer was being obstructive. Apart from being pathetic behaviour you will not get a warrant unless you tell the magistrate a pack of lies and no one is going to break in anywhere in those circumstances except a burglar.

Please grow up.

Jamie_Carter

chanz4 wrote: »

check out gas & electricity board rights of entry act, you will find a supplier can obtain a warrant without notice. How do you think cannabis farms / bypass meters etc are caught...not by giving notice. p.s a court order can be obtained same day.

And to do that they have to obtain a warrant. And the police would be there to execute the warrant. The meter readers have no power of entry.

If a cannabis farm is suspected, then again, the police willexecute the warrant. Not the meter readers.

Jamie_Carter

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

In my experience, offering online readings DOESN'T prevent meter readers attempting to read your meters. They get paid for every reading they take, after all.

If you provide online readings, then a manual reading will normally only be taken once per year at the most. And even then they have to have permission to enter the property. And even if permission is given, this doesn't give them any legal right to cross any physical barriers that are there to prevent intruders.

The meter reading companies can't just generate their own work by turning up at houses to take readings from households where they submit an online reading.