Electric meter stopped working properly

Hominu

I have an electric meter with the small spinning metal disc inside. I just noticed that whenever the consumption is high, the disc just vibrates and doesn't rotate properly. When consumption drops, the disc rotates normally.

Obviously this is in my favour, but will reduce my consumption considerably, so wondering what will happen. Will they come out to inspect the meter once they receive the next reading? and then estimate my usage due to the meter being faulty? Am I liable for reporting a faulty meter? (I don't see how, a lot of people never check the meter...)

Wywth

Hominu wrote: »

I have an electric meter with the small spinning metal disc inside. I just noticed that whenever the consumption is high, the disc just vibrates and doesn't rotate properly. When consumption drops, the disc rotates normally.

Obviously this is in my favour, but will reduce my consumption considerably, so wondering what will happen. Will they come out to inspect the meter once they receive the next reading? and then estimate my usage due to the meter being faulty? Am I liable for reporting a faulty meter? (I don't see how, a lot of people never check the meter...)

Call the supplier

Hominu

But then they'll fix it. At the moment, all I have to do is turn on an electric fire and my consumption drops to almost zero.

If they'll just replace the meter, then it means cheap electric for the next few months until they realise the meter is broken (unless they guess the amount of electric I've used. Can't see how they could do that as I might be using less than there estimate).

I know it's not exactly moral, but this is the big bad energy companies we are talking about, and I'm sure one faulty meter isn't going to reduce their billions of profits by any noticeable amount.

rogerblack

Tesco never miss the odd bit of shoplifting, and what is the occasional murder with the population as it is.

Hominu

Like I said, if I wasn't watching my electricity usage, I might never have noticed that the meter was faulty.

Is it possible to not notice that you accidentally murdered someone on the way to work? I think the vast majority would notice, or someone else would notice that you did it.

As for shoplifting, well it does happen I agree and their are multiple different ways and reasons. I know some people that have accidentally walked out with stuff without paying, and people who tried to do it deliberately and got caught.

What I'm trying to say is that I didn't alter or interfere with the meter, and if I wasn't checking it daily, I wouldn't have even noticed it.

Look at it another way: If Tesco's put a price of 50p for a block of cheese instead of £2.50, would you rush to the customer services desk to inform them of their mistake, or buy more than you usual would? I can tell you that a lot of people would post about it on here, after purchasing more than usual. If you wanted to be truly honest, you would inform them and insist on paying the proper amount, but who does that?

chanz4

The sooner it gets replaced the better, if they find it and need to replace they will possibly over estimate on national average. i know they are phasing rotating disks meters out

[Deleted User]

Its in the Terms and Conditions of supply that the occupier should notify them of stopped or faulty meters. I know many would nt tell them, but they could back bill you if and when they discover the fault , possibly on exchange, because I assume the meter owners would give the meters a check over for tamper signs. Getting at the spinning disc and slowing or stopping it is one of the common frauds

chanz4

Yeah thats why we remove them, as people load the discs