Do meter readers sometimes 'guesstimate' ?

lazyjack

I am currently sorting out a mess with my mother-in-law's electricity bill (E7) which has arisen from incorrect switch readings 12 months ago, not helped by a large number of estimated readings dating back to Jan 2010.

Anyway, I've got the switch readings all sorted and have been taking regular readings over the last few weeks. Then on Saturday she received an updated bill showing 'actual' readings taken on August 7th. However, the night reading is 171kWh more than what I read yesterday (5 days later).

Now, she has not mentioned anyone calling to read the meter so my question is, has the meter reader simply estimated the reading and marked it as actual ? Would they have access to the previous reading so they could take a rough guess ?

Matt17

The same thing happened to me and it wouldn't allow me to input the current reading online because it was lower than the reading they had from a meter reader on 8th July. I phoned Scottish power and they input the current reading for me. We can't remember anyone reading the meter so in answer to your question I do believe sometimes they will guess the reading and input it as an actual reading because they get paid for each reading they do. Nobody in = no reading = no pay!

Inspectorman

Maybe the meter was read wrong on the 7th (If someone called)? It does happen!

From my experience of doing the job, it would be a major hassle to "guess" the read and quicker to knock the door for access / leave a card. You do get the odd rogue though - a chap i worked with on his last day & pack put 00000 in for every read :rotfl:

You could get access to previous reads occasionally but persistently phoning up for them would be flagged pretty quick

Not all readers get paid per read

[Deleted User]

I can only speak of the companys I read for, BG and EDF and several small ones, we cannot see the last reads, they are on the handheld but need a code to access them. It was done to stop meter readers doing just that, guessing the next quarterly read. N.Power when I worked for them used to show the last read on the electric reads. Have just asked a freind who works for EON and theirs does nt show last reads either. I have asked BG if they would go back to showing the last reads( as they once did ) as It would help to highlight the meter bypasses, but they are not concerned about that.

lazyjack

Inspectorman wrote: »

Maybe the meter was read wrong on the 7th (If someone called)? It does happen!

From my experience of doing the job, it would be a major hassle to "guess" the read and quicker to knock the door for access / leave a card. You do get the odd rogue though - a chap i worked with on his last day & pack put 00000 in for every read :rotfl:

I have checked with my M-I-L and the meter was definitely not read last week. It's inside the property so there's no way it could have been read without her knowing.

I am convinced that the meter reader has submitted a false reading - they must have had access to a previous reading to get it somewhere near.

Don't the energy suppliers have a list of properties where the meter is inside, so they can contact the customer in advance to save a wasted journey ?

[Deleted User]

what supplier are you with.? We have indications on our handhelds where the meter is positioned a lot of the time. I ve only known Npower to do the sensible thing and give us the previous readings, it would save a lot of meter reading mess ups There will be the odd " rogue " as Inspectorman says who will try it, we call it" kerbside reading ", or "coffee shop read " as a more modern phrase. If you ve had someone doing his own guestimate its very straightforward to identify exactly who s been to your house, and if he s guessed yours, he will surely have done others
The other much more likely answer is that they ve just mixed up "A" for actual for "E" for estimate. I know I ve had that happen with mine before

Terrylw1

Glad you sorted that switch reading issue out...this at least is very easy to resolve. Have they removed it for you?

Did they produce this on an amended bill, possibly in resolving your other issues. In some systems when you amend bills, you have to input E if you are estimating, otherwise it defaults to an actual.

To find out if a reader came out, call the supplier and they can check with their Data Collector.

They may also then investigate if this reader has a history of it.

Companies & agents have to hit targets and No Access means they fail plus some contracts don't even pay for this type of abort.

Years ago, the favourite trick was to select demolished to get paid!

As Inspectorman says, you get rogues. I remember one years ago that was sitting in a pub making them up for a whole village. Their handhelds showed the previous reading and it was years ago. Unfortunately for this guy, his plan was foiled by the Meter Operator doing meter recerts which didn't get updated to his handheld in time...hence lots of high bill errors and angry customers! He was monitored and tracked to a location very very close to a pub when he was supposed to be in this village!

Check with you supplier though, it could be something they have done that's gone wrong.

If they won't change it, tell them to send a meter reader out.

spiro

'Coffee shop reads' is one of the names they are referred to because of where they are done. I had the same issue a few years ago which resulted in me getting a massive bill. As the was also one digit wrong on the meter serial number (3 instead of 8 I think) I forced them to send out a Meter Worker to sort it out. Took about 2 months has they reprocesses every reading since the meter was installed about 15 years ago. Fortunately being an 'insider' I was able to quote industry processes to the CSA.

lazyjack

Thanks for the advice. I think sacsquacco may have the answer, they have simply put down an A instead of E. I just can't get my head around the number of mistakes that have come to light when sorting out the whole mess, it's been one thing after another !

Fortunately, I have the direct email address for a very helpful member of EDF's customer service team so any queries I have now I send them an email and it gets sorted out fairly quickly - no waiting around on the phone !

I dread to think what would have happened had my M-I-L not had anyone to help her out.