Energy meter reader trespass??

Jamie_Carter

uk1 wrote: »

You will need to do him a drawing.

Label each bit ie. "road" "house" "side gate" etc then colours for public, private with permission, and private NOT needing permission ie "path to front door". It may however still prove too complex a subject for him.

Give up if I were you.

Joking aside, I don't think this is anything to do with intelligence. This is more like you see on one of the undercover Rogue Trader type programs. Where the reporter is being trained, and asks about gaining access. And then is told "don't worry about the householders security or privacy, just make sure you get the readings by whatever means, and then you will get paid more. If they complain we will just argue about what is regarded as reasonable".

chanz4

uk1 wrote: »

You will need to do him a drawing.

Label each bit ie. "road" "house" "side gate" etc then colours for public, private with permission, and private NOT needing permission ie "path to front door". It may however still prove too complex a subject for him.

Give up if I were you.

must be just like you then, as parcel companys do leave around the back of propertys...cant see you complaining

chanz4

Jamie_Carter wrote: »

Nobody is complaining about the meter reader going through the front gate, that allows access to the front door. Because that gate wouldn't be there to prevent intruders. A high gate to the back garden would.

so what if they have a low gate, any different? and if the gate was unlocked its not secure ....

Arthurian

11 pages and no-one's mentioned Richard Stilgoe's "Statutory Right of Entry" song from BBC's Nationwide in 1974? Probably out of date now, but passed into folklore as Richard dressed up as 7 different professions (including, if I recall correctly, a meter reader) who all had "statutory right of entry to your home" and could therefore (IIRC) enter your house without permission. Hums nostalgically.....

mattcanary

Hmm, some nobs on this thread.

If a gate is unlocked and you are there to do a job, eg: read an outside meter, deliver a parcel, etc, what do you do?

Knock on the door, No answer? try the gate - unlocked? Well you would enter (after making sure there is no aggressive dog behind the gate) to do your job (read the meter, leave a parcel in a safe place, etc).


If you don;t want someone to go into your back/side garden to do their job, simple: lock your gate!


From my experience as a past meter-reader, there was a high proportion of customers that were annoyed at a meter-reader not going through a gate to read the meter ("why did you knock?, just go and read the bloody meter!") Just can't please some people....

chanz4

nope you cant, can remember on tv seeing parcel delivery that threw the over gates lol, they complained to

Terrylw1

Jamie_Carter wrote: »

You would be fighting the meter reader's employer and the meter reader.

Would you?

Considering the suppliers cover it with their t&c's and have seperate contract with agents that won't even mention access, it could sit between them as an implied term of some sort.

Then we have the fact this used to occur when it was national. So, you can't focus on one company because its a practice brought forward that was government backed.

Then we have Ofgem who have no issue with it.

So, its more like you would be fighting the entire industry.

You also need to broaden this out as meter readers are only one party. We also have distribution engineers and Meter Operator engineers. The latter being what you will know as the meter fixers who are contracted by the suppliers. The latter have very weak contracts with suppliers but it does not cover equipment on the network...so the supplier can't be held accountable for the actions of these guys.

Terrylw1

Anyone going to comment on properties with no side or back gate? Would it be considered reasonable to the owner who finds a meter reader outside their back door?

chanz4

Terrylw1 wrote: »

Anyone going to comment on properties with no side or back gate? Would it be considered reasonable to the owner who finds a meter reader outside their back door?

more to the point, if you don't like them going around the back move your meter!

uk1

mattcanary wrote: »

Hmm, some nobs on this thread.

If a gate is unlocked and you are there to do a job, eg: read an outside meter, deliver a parcel, etc, what do you do?

Knock on the door, No answer? try the gate - unlocked? Well you would enter (after making sure there is no aggressive dog behind the gate) to do your job (read the meter, leave a parcel in a safe place, etc).


If you don;t want someone to go into your back/side garden to do their job, simple: lock your gate!


From my experience as a past meter-reader, there was a high proportion of customers that were annoyed at a meter-reader not going through a gate to read the meter ("why did you knock?, just go and read the bloody meter!") Just can't please some people....

Right ... yes ... we're all nobs aren't we. What are you exactly?

I'll try and make this really simple.

If a customer has indicated to you on a previous visit that they do not object to you trying a gate then you can try the gate on subsequent visits without asking. Got it? If you can see the meter without touching a gate or door - take the reading. OK so far? Even meter readers should be able to crank up the brain to sift a pattern here. However, there is the point where people with pea-brains can't cope with more complex thought processes.

Because one customer doesn't object - it doesn't mean that it's OK for you to do this with all customers. The others that haven't agreed aren't scum or nobs. If you want them to respect you - then respect them. Get it? It's tough .... sit down .... clear the brain and put your thinking head on and see whether you can cope with it.

So you do not try the gates or doors of people's private property unless you have their prior approval. First time you do it - ask them if it's ok for you to take the reading next time without banging on the door. Make a note. If they haven't then treat others with a bit of respect. Not doing so makes you a nob - not them. I know that in meter-man land that makes us nobs - but just do it. Many people know that a parcel is coming and leave a message on the door saying "please put the parcel behind the gate" or " in the garage". So that's clear then? Otherwise, you .... like the parcel man .... leave a card.

The gate - with or without a lock is none of your business to find out.

Some people leave gates unlocked so a neighbour can let themselves in to feed a dog for example. Idiots like you will let their dog out. On Meter-Nob-Man land this is the customers' fault not yours isn't it? Some elderly people leave a gate unlocked so carers or neighbours can get in to check on them. But it is iditotic scum like you that frighten old people by wandering around their gardens making them feel vulnerable and scared. Some of them wil be really upset .... or even worst.

So to summarise.

1. If you can see the box when approaching the property and it isn;t through a gate or door - then take the reading.

2. If you've been told before you are permitted to go through a gate or door without asking - do it without asking again.

3. If one person has told you it's ok - it doesn't mean that permission covers the whole wide world.

Anything else involves you potentially breaking the law and also placing yourself and your company's customers in potential danger.

So try and treat people with a bit of respect and then perhaps they might reciprocate?