Keeping Meter Readings ( electric )

venomx

Is it important to do this every few weeks or so ?
My supplier allows me to input them online

Thanks:beer:

dogshome

Yes - Even the best supplier, (Assuming there is one ), can have glitch on the accounts

Robin9

An emphatic YES. You don't have to look very far on this forum to see people who have not done so and got in a mess and received big catch up bills. Even if its a Smart meter read it, keep track of your consumption and see where your energy (and your money) is going.

The second stage is to read and understand your bills - see if you are in Credit or Debit and then either get a refund or pay more more.

Farway

Another YES, you can do it easily by just taking a photo with your 'phone which I assume will then record time & date automatically
and depending on your phone, may even store a back up in a cloud somewhere

BrendanRendering

I understand the importance of giving meter readings but I'm unable to, I live in a block of flats with the meter in a shared cupboard. When I moved in the new supplier sent an engineer out to take an initial read of the meter, he did it wrong and for the next 6 months they said I was lying every time I gave them a reading. I had to email videos of my meter and they refused to just change the initial read that they messed up, I had to go to the ombudsman to get them off my back. The ruling went in my favor and first utility had to credit £100 to my account, the problem is now they've more than doubled my bill and there's no way I can pay it.

The meter cupboard was sporadically open but now it's permanently locked and I'm not allowed to access or read my own meter. I went to the council to buy a key, they say they don't have one & it's the electricity supplier's responsibility to come out and read the meter, obviously the supplier isn't going to mess about with this, they also deny having a key.

first utility has been saying for months they'll fit a smart meter but since the ombudsman went in my favor they're now refusing.

I can't give readings, I can't pay the massively inflated bills and the companies involved are being deliberately obstructive. Has anyone else been in this situation and knows how to sort it?

[Deleted User]

Many suppliers completely ignore constant meter readings.Seems a waste of time if eg. Eon/Edf and others only take quarterly readings online and use them solely for billing even if occupiers are submitting them every week or month...I was with Eon for a while and most times I submitted readings I got a quick automated reply that "they cannot use my readings at this moment and will email me when they are due " or words to that effect
..So quarterly readings is good enough for Eon

macman

Your remedy is with the council, if it's their property. The supplier only has to read every two years by law. If the council don't have a key, how can the supplier access it?
Make a formal complaint in writing, and cc your local councillor and MP.: they love that.
PS: by meter 'cupboard', do you mean a meter box, or a dedicated room with the meters in? You can buy a meter box key for about a pound at any hardware or DIY store.

wavelets

Houbara wrote: »

Many suppliers completely ignore constant meter readings.Seems a waste of time if eg. Eon/Edf and others only take quarterly readings online and use them solely for billing even if occupiers are submitting them every week or month...

Ive never come across any energy supplier that ignores meter readings, except with good cause e.g. they are clearly incorrect and so are not verified by the independent meter reading agency.

Supplying regular meter readings will help the supplier improve the accuracy of any estimated read they need to produce, and should assist the independent meter reading agency in improving verication of any genuine submitted reading.

molerat

Houbara wrote: »

Many suppliers completely ignore constant meter readings.Seems a waste of time if eg. Eon/Edf and others only take quarterly readings online and use them solely for billing even if occupiers are submitting them every week or month...

I have been a customer of both E.On and EDF. I supplied regular monthly readings and was billed to those readings every time. They will only ask for a reading every 3 / 6 months and will bill to an estimate if not supplied but will bill more regularly if provided with a reading.

Chrishazle

I've been recording and spread sheeting my gas and electricity readings for years, it allows me to track our useage and see any spikes. Twice it's been beneficial. First time the meter was faulty, elec company accepted that (after a visit and tests) and replaced it. Second time it turned out our dishwasher had somehow been switched to double hot rinses - that took some finding, but we'd spotted the spike after a month so knew something was not right.


My current (last 2-3 years) supplier Affect Energy emails me every month with a reminder to submit meter readings, a couple of months ago they figured my monthly DD was a little too high so reduced it by £7pm!

Rodders53

macman wrote: »

PS: by meter 'cupboard', do you mean a meter box, or a dedicated room with the meters in? You can buy a meter box key for about a pound at any hardware or DIY store.

There are sometimes standard keys used for locks and padlocks on cupboards like this, known as Fire Brigade or FB Keys.