Meter reading outside office hours?

onomatopoeia99

Are there any suppliers that have meter readers that will come round at weekends, does anyone know? I'm perfectly capable of reading it myself, but my current supplier (SSE) comes round on a weekday daytime when I'm at work. This wouldn't be a problem if they didn't keep sending me stroppy letters threatening to get a court order to break in (which I would then have to pay for) if they can't get in to look at my gas meter.

Last time I spoke to them about this they told me they could only do it in normal working hours and they expected me to use up annual leave to make myself available!

I'll happily pay a premium on my gas price for this.

Cardew

It is not SSE that read your meters - most companies employ contractors - and the gas meter must be read by law every 2 years. So changing company won't necessarily help.


Write(don't phone) and state you are not available during office hours, but the meter can be inspected weekends, or after xpm in the evenings.


If you don't get it resolved, as a last resort they can get a locksmith to gain entry.

zaax

I was with the SSE and they came at 6am in the morning

naedanger

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

Are there any suppliers that have meter readers that will come round at weekends, does anyone know? I'm perfectly capable of reading it myself, but my current supplier (SSE) comes round on a weekday daytime when I'm at work. This wouldn't be a problem if they didn't keep sending me stroppy letters threatening to get a court order to break in (which I would then have to pay for) if they can't get in to look at my gas meter.

Last time I spoke to them about this they told me they could only do it in normal working hours and they expected me to use up annual leave to make myself available!

I'll happily pay a premium on my gas price for this.

Have they offered you a timed appointment during the working week e.g. a one hour slot? If not they are, in my view, being unreasonable and you should complain in writing and see what they say. (I vaguely recall having a similar argument with a utility provider in the past and winning. I think they eventually agreed to come on a Saturday morning.)

So in my view you should send SSE a written complaint making clear you are happy for them to make an appointment at the weekend but that it was unreasonable of them to expect you to take a full day's leave just so they could read the meter. If they don't agree demand a "deadlock" letter so you can take your case to the Ombudsman. Explain why you are unavailable during the week, i.e. explain the hours you work and that you have no flexibility to work from home etc.

footyguy

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

Are there any suppliers that have meter readers that will come round at weekends, does anyone know? I'm perfectly capable of reading it myself, but my current supplier (SSE) comes round on a weekday daytime when I'm at work. This wouldn't be a problem if they didn't keep sending me stroppy letters threatening to get a court order to break in (which I would then have to pay for) if they can't get in to look at my gas meter.

Last time I spoke to them about this they told me they could only do it in normal working hours and they expected me to use up annual leave to make myself available!

I'll happily pay a premium on my gas price for this.

Most meter reading services are available from about 8am - 8pm Mon-Fri
You can normally request a morning reading (typically 8am-1pm), an afternoon reading (typically 12noon - 6pm) or an evening reading (typically 5pm - 8pm)

Saturdays are are also a possibility (typically 8am-1pm)

If you are really persuasive, you can usually get an appointment tied down to a 2 hour slot.

If you talk to your supplier nicely, I'm sure they will try to come to an arrangement with you.

footyguy

zaax wrote: »

I was with the SSE and they came at 6am in the morning

Sounds like a scam artist. I don't think authorised meter readers are permitted to call at such time, and as others say, it's not usually your supplier that reads your meter nowadays (but I think SSE do run a meter reading operation too)

I hope you checked their ID carefully before allowing access :eek:

SailorSam

I had a meter reader come once on a Saturday morning, another time one came after 7pm. I was surprised and both said it was normal. The guy who came in the evening said he worked until 8pm. I told him if he called that late in the Winter when the nights were dark i wouldn't have opened the door to him.

onomatopoeia99

Thanks all. Last time I spoke to them they said "morning" or "afternoon" only and on weekdays. This time it's not SSE but a subcontracted firm. I have a plan following the advice given here though so will ring them next week to start the ball rolling and we'll see if they're more amenable or I end up with a deadlock letter from SSE.

joncombe

I remember having similiar with npower. Each time I rang I was told that they needed to read the electric meter (it is inside, gas is outside) because it had been some time. They would ask me when someone was in, I would tell them, then they would send someone outside of the times I said and leave a card that there was no one home!

It was only when I was in the process of leaving them that they managed to send a reader at the times I gave them, I suspect because they were worried I might have been giving fake readings. I am not sure if the 2 year limit applies to electric meters?

Laurensalive

They have to physically view the meters every now and again. This is to make sure the meter are ok.
I am with SSE and lucky I was in this week. Ask them to call when you are in. See if you can book an appointment for the meter man to suit you. I would raise an official complaint for this.

naedanger

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

Thanks all. Last time I spoke to them they said "morning" or "afternoon" only and on weekdays. This time it's not SSE but a subcontracted firm. I have a plan following the advice given here though so will ring them next week to start the ball rolling and we'll see if they're more amenable or I end up with a deadlock letter from SSE.

I suspect you know this already but just in case you don't, while it is sensible speaking to the subcontractor, if you don't get the answer you reasonably want from them then you should go back to SSE to complain as your contract is with them..

However, from what others have said, and from my own experience I think you will probably get a reasonable compromise that allows the reader access at a time that suits you once they realise you are insistent.