When was the last time someone came to read your meters?

fly-catchers

About two years ago when the meter reader read the clock as my reading!

savers_united

These days they tend to focus on properties where there have been issues with readings or they will visit properties where the meters are close or beyond their normal life for safety reasons, I think that is approx 20 years.

They now hold enough data from many years of previous readings and the ever expanding smart meter rollout. This data can give fairly accurate annual usage patterns so advanced computer algorithms can quickly detect fraudulent or faulty meter readings.

I would expect visits to increase for those with no smart meter in the coming years. 

Verdigris

fly-catchers said:

About two years ago when the meter reader read the clock as my reading!

Ha! I worked as a meter reader before I retired and I seem to remember getting caught the same way. It was a meter type that normally defaulted to the R1 reading. Fortunately, if you enter a reading that is wildly different from the expected value, you have to do it again, so you have another look.

SpanishBlue

My 32 year old gas meter tends to get read once a year.

My electric meter (which was changed from an economy 7 meter over 3 years ago) still hasn't been read since it was changed in 2018.

Both meters are 5 meters apart either side of my front door.

I have changed energy companies twice in the last couple of years BUT always send in a reading once a month.

adam06_2

I have been living here 2 and a half years and nobody has come to read. However today a guy came to read the gas.

I submit readings every month and have a smart meter.. but it's not compatible with my current supplier as it's one of the old models

oldagetraveller1

Not actually read by a third party but there was a card shoved though my letterbox, by Lowri Beck, about 12 months ago. This requested me to submit readings, gas and leccy, by either phoning or online. Their reader was obviously too frightened to read both meters situated ouside the house!?

On a different matter, Severn Trent Water e-mailed requesting a meter reading a couple of weeks ago. Normally read remotely by them. Maybe a lack of reader personnel after testing positive for the lurgi?

njm123

"Read" in the loosest sense about 4 weeks ago.

I've got smart meters that were installed 9 months ago and are working properly so was a little surprised when a meter reader turned up.   Even less impressed when he didn't know I had Economy 7 or know how to read the second register so entered a zero reading for the night usage, which got used in billing so got a credit payment.     

I did complain just to make sure that my regular bill wasn't skipped and that the Direct Debit wasn't altered.   I'm very careful with Octopus as I've had a lot of issues with them on billing, getting the smart meter working and the direct debit to match my consumption rather than a fantasy usage figure based on a previous meter error when they took over ENGIE.

EssexHebridean

No idea on the gas - they can just read it by leaning over the fence so never disturb us. The electric meter though I'm not convinced has ever been read since it was installed which must be around 7 years ago now. We've been in the habit of providing regular readings for years so they don't tend to need to. 

armco

no idea for electricity, as its an external box by next doors front door - gas (its internal) in October after pfp went tits up, as the no so smart "smart meter" regularly looses connection and fails to update for months at a time..