Can you refuse entry to meter readers?

theoldmiser

My electricity meter is inside a porch at the side of my house, which has a locked gate in front of it. I am not happy about allowing alleged 'meter readers' into my house via the front door - I have read many times about conmen pretending to be meter readers and then gaining access to people's houses.

Shouldn't the electricity companies be sending out a letter to customers which a) tells them exactly when their meter reader is going to be coming round to read the meter, and b) gives the customer a code which the meter reader has to also know, thus proving that they are who they say they are? Anybody can hold up a so-called 'ID card' and nobody will know if it is real or not, and anybody can buy a handheld device for noting meter readings on, so how else is a member of the public supposed to know if the person knocking on their door is really from the electricity company?

Spies

They do have to carry ID.

Can't you unlock the gate and let them round that way?

QrizB

Your energy supplier(s) have right of entry to read meters.

If you refuse, they will think you're up to no good.

kevin1802

Send a letter to tell the homeowner when the meter reader will call? Who's going to pay the cost of that?
I worked as a meter reader over 10 years ago and we always wore id with a phone number on it in case the homeowner had any suspicions 

[Deleted User]

theoldmiser said:

My electricity meter is inside a porch at the side of my house, which has a locked gate in front of it. I am not happy about allowing alleged 'meter readers' into my house via the front door - I have read many times about conmen pretending to be meter readers and then gaining access to people's houses.

Shouldn't the electricity companies be sending out a letter to customers which a) tells them exactly when their meter reader is going to be coming round to read the meter, and b) gives the customer a code which the meter reader has to also know, thus proving that they are who they say they are? Anybody can hold up a so-called 'ID card' and nobody will know if it is real or not, and anybody can buy a handheld device for noting meter readings on, so how else is a member of the public supposed to know if the person knocking on their door is really from the electricity company?

I note your concern but there is a simple solution to what is troubling you. Ask your supplier to install smart meters.

Gerry1

kevin1802 said:

Send a letter to tell the homeowner when the meter reader will call?

Yup, that will give them plenty of time to remove the croc clips and the cables going off to the waccy baccy farm...

kevin1802 said:

I worked as a meter reader over 10 years ago and we always wore id with a phone number on it in case the homeowner had any suspicions.

So the scammer wears ID with his mate's phone number on it...

Ultrasonic

Gerry1 said:

So the scammer wears ID with his mate's phone number on it...

I was thinking the same. Could a customer phone their energy provider on the regular number to check using the ID number, or do meter readers work independently?

Ultrasonic

[Deleted User] said:

theoldmiser said:

My electricity meter is inside a porch at the side of my house, which has a locked gate in front of it. I am not happy about allowing alleged 'meter readers' into my house via the front door - I have read many times about conmen pretending to be meter readers and then gaining access to people's houses.

Shouldn't the electricity companies be sending out a letter to customers which a) tells them exactly when their meter reader is going to be coming round to read the meter, and b) gives the customer a code which the meter reader has to also know, thus proving that they are who they say they are? Anybody can hold up a so-called 'ID card' and nobody will know if it is real or not, and anybody can buy a handheld device for noting meter readings on, so how else is a member of the public supposed to know if the person knocking on their door is really from the electricity company?

I note your concern but there is a simple solution to what is troubling you. Ask your supplier to install smart meters.

^This. 

An appointment will be made to fit the new meters so there won't be the same concern re. legitimacy there.

MattMattMattUK

Gerry1 said:

kevin1802 said:

Send a letter to tell the homeowner when the meter reader will call?

Yup, that will give them plenty of time to remove the croc clips and the cables going off to the waccy baccy farm...

kevin1802 said:

I worked as a meter reader over 10 years ago and we always wore id with a phone number on it in case the homeowner had any suspicions.

So the scammer wears ID with his mate's phone number on it...

But surely the scammer would also be capable of sending a letter ahead of their visit, or creating a "verifyyourmeterreader.com" website, or whatever else people are worried about.

My meter is in the a cupboard off the hall, if they want to read it they are welcome to, if they try and wander off into my living room or bedroom they will find that they will not get very far. 

Verdigris

theoldmiser said:

My electricity meter is inside a porch at the side of my house, which has a locked gate in front of it. I am not happy about allowing alleged 'meter readers' into my house via the front door - I have read many times about conmen pretending to be meter readers and then gaining access to people's houses.

Shouldn't the electricity companies be sending out a letter to customers which a) tells them exactly when their meter reader is going to be coming round to read the meter, and b) gives the customer a code which the meter reader has to also know, thus proving that they are who they say they are? Anybody can hold up a so-called 'ID card' and nobody will know if it is real or not, and anybody can buy a handheld device for noting meter readings on, so how else is a member of the public supposed to know if the person knocking on their door is really from the electricity company?

Why not let them in through the side gate; then they won't have to come through the house?

You can get your meter read by appointment but you will be charged over £30 if you fail to keep the appointment. The reason meters are read "on spec" is that it would be impossible to get through the amount of reads in the time window allowed by the suppliers (all meter reading is now sub-contracted). Meter readers are expected to average around 100 reads a day in urban areas but fewer in ruaral areas owing to the travel between properties. If they didn't acheive those rates the cost of each read would go up, substantially, and that would be reflected in your bill.

The ID cards have a freephone number on them, which you can ring to check the credentials. Petty criminals aren't going to go to that expense. I was always happy to show the consumer their details on my handheld if they were doubtful.

Although meter readers have no right of entry, persistent refusal to allow a reading will raise suspicion of illegal energy abstraction. Eventually, a court warrant will be obtained to gain entry, by force if necessary.

As Dolors said, get a smart meter if you wish to reduce the frequency of safety inspections.

imeach

Having smart meters unfortunately won't stop meter readers, still got to do the "visual inspection"

Easiest way to make sure they are genuine, set up a password with your supplier, the meter readers should then have this, although we don't always.

Ringing your supplier to confirm if they have sent a meter reader won't work either as they normally say no, as technically they haven't as Verdigris said, they are all sub contracted. So whichever supplier department takes your call will say no, happens all the time.

Also as Verdigris said, no way of sending letters, the suppliers give us a read window of 2 to 4 weeks on average and we could turn up anytime.