Changed to a new dual fuel deal a couple of months ago.
Got an email from them asking for meter readings by 9/12. Made a note to read them just before this date. My theory being the actual usage over the longest period is going to make any calculation to arrive at a monthly payment more accurate.
On Wednesday, a meter reader arrived. To read just the gas meter. This morning, one to read them both. Monday, I suppose, one to read just the leccy one.
Same happened to me phoned through the readings then a week later got a second request finally someone came round to read the meters. I think they did not believe me, not Scottish Power by any chance?
Richard
As part of an initiative to prevent theft of power, government requires meters to be physically inspected by the companies (can't remember if this annually or every 2 years).
In any event, they've never got close to this frequency in my case - the indoor one has been inspected less then once every 10 years (and that's including one meter change).
I get a similar thing from Npower ask me for meter reading via a 3rd party company I think, then they want to come round to check.
Every supplier we've had (I noted with interest having just switched to E.on that we had them as a supplier 8 years ago - I'd forgotten) has been with an online-only account where you are prompted to enter your own meter readings.
Without fail, every submission has inevitably been followed by a meter readers. The most recent missed us, and left a card for us to write the reading on so he could collect it next day if we were out. This was 48 hours after submitting a reading via the website.
I can only conclude it's some sort of forgotten 1970s invented-job scheme. It would be funny if we weren't paying for it.
it is not universal, I moved to online readings, I still get a meter reader turn up once per year. Apparently there is a legal requirement for an actual visit/inspection once every two years.
None of the meter readers I've ever seen take a close look at the installation. Just read the meter as quickly as possible.
I can't be sure, but seems to have been at least once a year here - despite me entering the readings online when asked for them.
OFGEM dropped that requirement w.e.f. 1/4/16.
There was but there isn't now.
I find it was dropped in February this year, so not surprising people still think it exists.
It's never been read here. Not once. The estimates are pretty good though.
NT
I quite often see the same G4S guy with different hats on reading the meter for my own property, neighbours or the village hall. He used to work for nPower (but with different hats on when reading eON, SSE etc) but his job was "outsourced" to a cheaper outfit.
It seems they all subcontract reading out but by supplier rather than geographical zone so that he wastes a lot of time.
No, it'll be gas again. Ask Flanders & Swann.
Andy
I meant only to inform, not to criticise.
Oh, no, I wasn't being uppity, just pointing out to anyone reading the thread that, like me, thought two years was still correct, that there was a recent change.
A friend reported a clever bodge going on not far from me. At some point some bright person had obviously removed the cover from a street light put in a cable and ran it under the footway into a nearby empty house,which was actually not empty.
Kind of makes you wonder why they were not seen doing this and reported then.
People are so unobservant these days. We blind call them the sighted blind. Brian
They probably were but a don a grubby hi-viz jacket, work boots and hard hat and it's just "maintenance work".
No just SEP.
Are mechancical meters still under a statatory requirement to be replaced every 10 years and electonic ones every 20?
IIRC there hasn't been a statutory requirement to *replace* for a long time (if ever). What there was (and possibly still is) is a 10 year limit on the certification of a new design of a meter. But if monitoring of that design in use shows it is reliable and remains accurate then its certification can be extended. Some have I think been extended to 40 years.
I thought there ought to be something on it on gov.uk and there is at At first glance it's not inconsistent with what I recalled above - but sadly my memory is out of certification so you'd better believe the government rather than me ;)
My meter was renewed at 20 years old, no prior warning, they just turned up one day. My old meter was under-reading, so it was a blow to have it replaced :)
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