Meter reader trespass?

Insolence_2

My energy company, E.ON Next, has made a proper Horlicks of my account.  Their latest is to tell me that there was a meter reading in April.  I'm disabled, so need to have the meter read, but I haven't let a meter reader i since August last year.   Usually the door to my flat is locked; sometimes not if I pop round for a chat with a neighbour, but I'm never very far away.  
I have asked E.ON Next to tell me the date and time of this purported reading - so far without success.  If it turns out that a meter reader let himself into my flat, what redress do I have?  
Many thanks. 

MattMattMattUK

Insolence_2 said:

My energy company, E.ON Next, has made a proper Horlicks of my account.  Their latest is to tell me that there was a meter reading in April.  I'm disabled, so need to have the meter read, but I haven't let a meter reader i since August last year.   Usually the door to my flat is locked; sometimes not if I pop round for a chat with a neighbour, but I'm never very far away.  
I have asked E.ON Next to tell me the date and time of this purported reading - so far without success.  If it turns out that a meter reader let himself into my flat, what redress do I have?  
Many thanks. 

You can complain, they might give you a £25-50 "shut up and go away" gesture of good will, beyond that nothing. 

Spoonie_Turtle

Are you sure that's an actual reading, not estimated?

Robin9

It's not unknown for meter readers to guess

Qyburn

Insolence_2 said:
If it turns out that a meter reader let himself into my flat, what redress do I have?  

I think would depend on what loss if any you've suffered. The supplier will have some sort of right of access for their appointed meter readers. How do you think he let himself in?

QrizB

This is a month-old thread and the OP is an infrequent visitor.

Mobtr

I really don’t think a meter reader would enter your flat without you being there. He’s more likely to knock & go away again if no answer. You say you haven’t let a meter reader in since last August, is that because no one has been to read your meter or that you refused them entry? If you’re on a reagular read scheme you should have an appointment booked & you should get a notification as to when this will be. Do you get these? If not, contact EON Next and enquire about it 

SAC2334

20 years meter reading and the thought of me or any of my colleagues entering a property without permission is absolutely ludicrous . It won t have happened . Much more likely the supplier has messed it up or the meter reader knew ( it is hidden in the data collector and managers have access to them ) the last reading and guessed the next .

 We do not have any incentives to be that keen on collecting more readings.
 I was on a good bonus scheme when good old Accuread were running the show but that changed when useless G4S commandeered us and took over and the current contractors  Morrisons were better but still not interested in incentive bonus s.

Nowadays from what I hear from my former colleagues its just a matter of getting through the day with no pressure on getting good numbers of readings and having an easy day.
Entering a property without permission is not trespass , its breaking and entering in the eyes of the law. 

molerat

My daughter had a meter reader read for electric and an estimated read for the gas on the same date.

Electric meter is inside the house under the stairs and the gas is outside next to the front door.

Nobody in the house most days, no meter reader let in and no card left.

JSHarris

In the late 1970's I had a meter reader for SWEB climb in through a kitchen window to read the meter.  I was at work, the house was locked.  The bloke put his arm through an open fanlight in the kitchen, opened the larger window below it, climbed in and read the meter in the cupboard under the stairs.  I only found out about it after the police investigated the break in I'd reported (the kitchen window was left wide open when I got home from work).

No action was taken.  The police told me that SWEB had a right of access, and that no laws had been broken.  Not true, but what can you realistically do?

SAC2334

JSHarris said:

In the late 1970's I had a meter reader for SWEB climb in through a kitchen window to read the meter.  I was at work, the house was locked.  The bloke put his arm through an open fanlight in the kitchen, opened the larger window below it, climbed in and read the meter in the cupboard under the stairs.  I only found out about it after the police investigated the break in I'd reported (the kitchen window was left wide open when I got home from work).

No action was taken.  The police told me that SWEB had a right of access, and that no laws had been broken.  Not true, but what can you realistically do?

Did you or anyone actually witness this entry through a window ?

Its a long time ago , well before my time meter reading for a living , in an age where everyone accepted meter readers   had rights of entry which then never did without a warrant. If a warrent was in place and access to their meter was nt allowed then they can enter anyway they can and if a window is open at least they don t have to get round door locks .
The Police appear to have backed this up by your  account..
 
Did you enquire if he or they had a warrant of access to check the meter ?
Suppliers are doing this every day of the week gaining access to properties without permission of the occupant .
There are many bodies who have access to peoples homes without permission even without a warrant in some cases. .