Meter readings at weekends (gas)?

onomatopoeia99

My supplier only offers meter readings during normal working hours. Anyone know a supplier that offers a sane (as in compatible with full time work during normal office hours) service? I'm happy to pay more to avoid losing annual leave every time they deem a "gas safety inspection" is required on the meter, rather than just reading the number.

Last time I ended up with them threatening me with a court order to break in to my home (and charging me for the privilege) :eek: as I wouldn't take a day's leave to wait for them and they wouldn't come on a weekend. I backed down at that point.

Don't have family locally and am not imposing on neighbours that also work full time and have young families etc to manage, but there has to be a better way than using up annual leave to wait in for a bloke in a van to spend two minutes looking at my gas meter.

House_Martin

Not sure who your supplier is ( sounds like Npower with the veiled threat implied ) but I work for 4 of the big 6 and we do the safety inspection checks up to 8 pm at night and Saturdays all day till around 5 pm..
Safety checks on all meters are a government legislation which OFGEM insist all suppliers must adhere too, but in my experience both Scottish Power and EDF don`t seem to follow the guidelines judging by how many safety checks they send me for from these two suppliers.
I don t blame you for not wanting to waste precious holiday leave up for a standard safety check..Try leaving the reading in the window, many meter readers will just accept this and not be bothered about actually viewing the meter

trickytree1963

If your Gas Meter is outside do companies do these checks without appointment? Been in current house over 17 years never had a Gas Safety Appointment request but my meter is on outside wall of garage .

House_Martin

trickytree1963 wrote: »

If your Gas Meter is outside do companies do these checks without appointment? Been in current house over 17 years never had a Gas Safety Appointment request but my meter is on outside wall of garage .

Yes, we will just read it , quick check on the meter/regulator ( for various meter fiddles which are always happening , poss small leaks ( through smell only ), rusty pipes , make sure serial matches and we re gone in 30 seconds. We don`t need to post a card to say its done.
Its normally on our data collector to tell us where the meter is positioned. They only come up as appointments after say, 3 or 4 failures to get access in normal cyclic meter reading work.

onomatopoeia99

They (Atlantic) always fail to get access with me as Claire calls when I'm at work. The meter is in the garage, which is locked.

Thank you for the replies, good to know that Saturday inspections are possible.