meter reading job

rustywallet

Hi,

I am about to be made redundant, and although I work in admin, I am thinking about applying for a meter reading job.

I wondered if anyone is currently, or has been a meter reader (gas, leccy etc.).

The pay is pretty poor £12000 ish, but it mentions a bonus scheme, I wondered what was achievable?

Thanks.

djohnst

Given that many energy companies are investing heavily in smart metering I can't say I see much of a future in this industry.

PlutoinCapricorn

True, and people without smart meters can do their own readings and submit them online. I used to get someone come round regularly every quarter; now I go online. I think the energy companies aim to take their own reading once every one or two years now.

So this might be good for a stopgap job, there does not appear to be much potential in the longer term.

rustywallet

Thanks for your replies. Does smart metering mean that they read themselves and send data?
They'll probably use these for new properties, but you would think the old properties will remain with the old units?
I guess it is a stop gap, but it would be nice to know that if I liked it, I could carry on for some years.

PlutoinCapricorn

Yes, Smart Meters send the readings back directly to the supplier.

No, old meters are also being replaced with Smart Meters: I remember having my old meters replaced with digital ones, then last year EDF Energy said the digital ones must be replaced. I refused a Smart Meter and now have a new style one and send in my own readings.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

Gosh some people without much knowledge are choosing to wade in...OP you would have been better off posting this in the Energy Forum!

Smart meters remain optional, you can (and many people do) refuse them if a company tries to install them.

Importantly, if the consumer changes supplier, the smart meter ceases to be smart, ie. it stops sending readings. A Smart Meter installed where edf is the supplier is not supported by British Gas or e.on, for instance. This means the meter reader is required.

Energy companies are mandated to read the meters once every two years.

Germany turned its back on their Smart meter programme on cost grounds. I would wager that we will do the same - it has barely taken off here and has cost billions.

To summarise OP, it may (may) not be a job for life, but you'll be absolutely fine for 5-10 years.

PlutoinCapricorn

An old thread, but worth reading:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1055315

patman99

There were plans to make it a legal requirement for all homes to be fitted with smart meters by 2020. Trouble is, no-one bothered to do the maths.

The cost worked-out at £50 per household, so the scheme was made voluntary.

My parents were early adopters (BG asked them if they would like to be part of a pilot scheme to test the viability of smart meter technology and they agreed they would).
End result, as the meters do away with the need to pay someone to read them, my parents get a % reduction on their bills.

Btw, energy meters should be changed every 10 years according to the regulations. So that means that no-one should have an old dial meter left.

TELLIT01

I'm not sure whether I read it on this or another site, but seem to recall that the meter readers are basically self-employed and many/most had difficulty actually earning anywhere near the National Minimum Wage. They were only 'employed' ie paid a wage for the training period. After that they were on their own. X meters per day and if people weren't in they weren't paid.
I would check the employment t&c's very closely.

SailorSam

I'm on Jsa at the moment so read the JobCentre jobs weebsite and neter reader jobs are often on there.

TELLIT01

Being on the JC jobs website is no guarantee of quality.