don't know how to read my gas meter (sorted)

Jemma01

Hi

[I think I'm good now, found a video for how to read the gas meter]

This is probably my most uneducated post I'll ever put out there, but I really need help.

I moved in to my new home on the 25th of October 2024, and I read the electricity meters (I didn't know what it was at the time). When I looked at the other whitebox outside the house, I had no clue what it was, and the screen was off, my ignorance led me to think that it was just not working and that it was probably an old electric meter left there!! I genuinely thought that one meter was for both gas an electricity 🙈

Anyway, I later learnt that it was the gas meter. Now I want to submit a reading, and the screen is off, so I googled and found this. It says (with a meter that looks just like mine):

• If the screen is off, press the red “A” button.
• When “Credit On” appears, press that button again.
• The display will then show “Meter Index,” which is the meter reading.

I thought great, sorted!!! But then it is the same reading as that the previous owner had given!! We're now in March. It can't be the same, I've been using the gas for cooking (only).
I'm worried Octopus Energy will think I'm trying to scam them!! 

This is my meter reading, am I doing something wrong? Should I be pressing the black button as well!?
(I hid some of the details hoping nothing will lead to my address)

Brie

On the meter itself in your photo it says to push A and then B (so red and then black).  Try that and see if the numbers change.

Whatever the result pop the numbers along to your supplier and see what they say.  You'll either get a bill with your new reading or you'll get a message back to say that your meter needs to be replaced.  

Jemma01

I'm scared to click on the update, what is it updating !! I'm worried it'll take me to some configuration things and I mess it up lol. Smart meters are supposed to be smart and read automatically, why am I having to update them myself, what a pointless project.

On the Octopus page (found it after posting) it says (with a meter that looks like mine)

To read your Landis and Gyr Smets2 gas meter, press either 'A' or 'B' to wake up the screen. This should automatically come up with your gas reading.

Which is what I did, I clicked the A button and took the screenshot.

badmemory

Are you really only using gas to cook?  If you are it is quite possible that you have actually used zero.  One unit can go a very long way.  In a warm summer, cooking every day by gas, I have actually had 3 months with usage zero.

Jemma01

Found this one as well, so I guess I've done it correctly, but something is def wrong, I'll email Octopus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpWh2cEIByY

I'm disappointed to know I've got SMETS1

Jemma01

badmemory said:

Are you really only using gas to cook?  If you are it is quite possible that you have actually used zero.  One unit can go a very long way.  In a warm summer, cooking every day by gas, I have actually had 3 months with usage zero.

Yes, it is just the stove, nothing else is connected. I've got Heat pump so everything is electric, including the oven.
I hardly cook on the stove (I batch cook lunch for work 1x/w), evening I just have tea + biscuits made with an electric kettle.
That makes sense now, because I thought I wasn't reading the meter correctly, but seeing the video I'm certain, and if like you said it goes a long way, then I probably haven't used enough.

bob2302

If you only use gas for cooking, and don't even use it much, you should consider switching to an electric cooker.  The standing charge on a gas meter is ~ £100 a year.

FrugaiMacDugal

Reading on your photo is 00107.953, if you read it again after using the hob the 3 digit should've advanced.

badmemory

I would have thought with the very small amount you are using it would pay you to have the gas removed because the standing charges will be costing you almost £100 a year.  The advantage of the gas would be if your electric is off for a few days in winter.  The last few years they have been promising power cuts so who knows.

jbuchanangb

It's just worth mentioning that when you submit your gas meter reading to the energy supplier, you only submit the whole number. So in the case of your reading of 107.953, you submit 107 to the supplier. The characters "m3" tell you that the reading is in cubic metres. Some old (non-smart) gas meters read in 100s of cubic feet.

QrizB

Jemma01 said:

badmemory said:

Are you really only using gas to cook?  If you are it is quite possible that you have actually used zero.  One unit can go a very long way.  In a warm summer, cooking every day by gas, I have actually had 3 months with usage zero.

Yes, it is just the stove, nothing else is connected. I've got Heat pump so everything is electric, including the oven.
I hardly cook on the stove (I batch cook lunch for work 1x/w),

We had gas solely for the cooker in a previous house that was otherwise all electric. We used the stove regularly and got through 2-3 cubic metres of gas a month.

I can imagine that if you're only using it once a week, you might not have used a full cubic metre yet.