Fitting Of A New Electric Meter

Helen819

my electric company rang yest,and said they are comming to change my meter,as the other one is too old.Im petrified that im gonna be ripped off somewhere along the way.Ive read so many stories about people then have an enormous bill,after the change over.What can i do to minimise the risk of this happening to me.Im sure i read somewhere in these threads that the new meter will have a code on,so that tell me whether it will be brand new or reconditioned(but cant find thread).ive already voiced my concerns to the company and they have just advised to take a meter reading and thats it.I pay by whole bill,so its not a prepayment one.Can any one advise??

espresso

All meters have a service life and will eventually need changing. The exact time depends on the particular type of meter. Takes about fifteen minutes if it's easily accessible and is nothing to worry about.

mute_posting

Best thing you can do is take your own reading just before the old one is removed, and just after the new one is installed (perhaps photograph if you really want to)

These 2 readings should appear on your next bill (split into 2 sections - a section for usage on old meter and one for new meter)

Unless you have been paying on estimated bills there should be no surprises (either way) if you don't read your own meter(s) reguarly - make a habit of doing it from now on.

HTH

MP

Helen819

Yes will make sure i read my meters,ive just gone on to doing everything on-line so this ill make sure i do.Thankyou.

moonrakerz

When they changed my gas meter, the gas man filled in a card with the old and new meter readings, asked me to verify that they were correct, then left the card with me.

Poosmate

Hi Helen

I had a new elec meter fitted on 23rd Jan. All is well now, although when I got my latest bill (Apr 17th) which charges from Dec 13th to Mar 13th, I noticed that they had only charged me for the electric used up till the day of the meter change.

Given that my next bill is due in June and they reduced my monthly payments by £18 I could easily have been stung for almost 6 months worth of electric in one bill! That would awful especially as they'd put up my monthly payments to an extortionate amount which you just don't need in the latter half of the year coming up to Christmas!

I have got it sort now though, I'm still in credit with the electric and my monthly payments have reduced and I am still paying a little bit over the minimum payment.

As has already been suggested, I would take the readings before the old meter is removed and make sure the new meter is set at zero. Try to be there when they come to change the meter and just make sure they charge you for the electric used through your new meter on your first bill.

Oh, and the other thread you saw was "HUGE electricity meter reading" or something like that - I've posted on it myself.

HTH

Poo

Helen819

POOSMATE

My next bill will be due 1st week in june,they are comming to put the new meter in on the 8th may.so in theory i will be roughly charged my elec from my old meter,by bout 1 month out.My last bill date was 7th feb,so is this bout right.Another thing ive always presumed when the man who comes to read my meter,why is it that if he read it why does it have 2 sets of estimated bits on my bill(only just noticed this by the way)1 each as i have split tariff.Thought if hes read it it gonna be passed to my supplier who in turn send out my bill.??

Poosmate

Hi Helen.

I don't know why your bill would show estimates if the guy came to read the meter - strange. I always have estimated bills as I'm at work during the day so never see the meter readers. To be honest, it's only been this last year really that I've actually started to scrutinize my bills and make sure I am paying enough but not too much over.

Last year was a real eye opener when I was really skint and was trawling through the houshold bills to see where I could shave off a few quid here and there and I realised I was £148 in credit with BG on my gas account. Getting the money back was a real nightmare and so I study every bill now and make sure I send in my own readings if they are way off the mark and review my own account. I feel as though I am much more in control. I called BG today and their Customer Service guy was really helpful. He told me a new figure for my monthly payments so I told him I would like them to take a bit more (I like to have a bit of reserve credit building up). I'm happy with my new lower payments and that I decided what I was going to pay them.

Anyway, good luck with your new meter and just remember to make sure they do charge the electric you use through it on your next bill.

Regards

Poo