To have not let this man into my home.

[Koothrapanties]

A man has just turned up at my home to read the meter. He was apparently sent by npower, but had a different company uniform on.

I apologised, but did not let him in. I said that I had had no notification from npower and that i was not comfortable allowing him into my home. He was fine about it and I apologised again for wasting his time.

Surely npower should have told me they were sending someone? How else am I supposed to know to trust this person?

When I was young and lived at home with my parents, a man knocked on the door and tried to gain entry to 'read the meter'. My mum realised all was not as it seemed as the meter had been read recently and the company knew it was outside, not in the house. Our dog also growled and became very defensive which was incredibly rare for her to do (completely daft golden retriever). Perhaps this has made me more wary, but would you just let some random man into your home with no notification?

This would be the latest in a long line of crappy customer service from npower, but I want to make sure ianbu before I ring them and kick up a stink again.

[ScarletStar]

We're not with Npower, we're with Hydro Electric, but we're never given notice that they're coming to read the meter.

You were not wrong to have gone with your instinct, better safe than sorry in my opinion, especially as he had the wrong uniform on!

[formerbabe]

Yanbu.

Your house...you can let anyone you want in. Tell them you will ring them with the meter readings.

[SoleSource]

Yanbu at all!!

[almondcake]

We're with Npower and they don't send a letter first. You don't have to let in the meter reader when he just turns up. It is fine to read the meter yourself.

[tshirtsuntan]

They should always have an id badge with name, photo and the company's name on. I think some companies use the same meter man,iyswim, but not offering id should be a deal breaker for most people, agree you should call npower (although they were a total shower of shit in my experience )

[CommanderShepard]

They outsource their meter reading to Lowri Beck. YANBU - I don't let them in and enter readings on their website instead.

[Koothrapanties]

It takes about half an hour to get through to npower usually so it wouldn't have been possible to ring and check while he waited.

Is it standard practice to just send someone without notice? Am I overly paranoid or is that a bit stupid? How would you know who to let in and who is a chancer?

[Emubaby]

YANBU if he had no id. However I have never been notified when they come to read the meter, they just turn up.

[Ploppy16]

Meter readers are usually outsourced I think, not sure about NPower, we're with another company but ours is generally from a different company and we've never had a problem.
YANBU to not let them in if you felt uncomfortable but he was more than likely just a bloke doing his job.

[BreconBeBuggered]

Meter reading is quite often outsourced to another company, and you don't usually get notice of readings. But it's your house.

[Viviennemary]

I don't think anyone gets notice that a meter reader is coming. But if you didn't feel comfortable you did the right thing not letting him in.

[Nocomet]

Personally I think your being a bit paranoid, but I'm never bothered my things like that.

NPower never use their own meter readers, but the ones the do send have very jazzy sign written cars, which are much harder to forge than a bit of paper.
(They are also overcharging bastards, but that's another thread)

DD2(13) is far more paranoid than me, by the time I'd gone out and happily chatted to the man from Western power poking about in our garden without knocking, she'd googled to check it was a real company.

[TalkieToaster]

They have the legal right to check the meter, but it's not very frequent. It might be something like once every two years.

I have never got notification that they're coming, only a card pushed through the door if they've already called round and we've not been in. I've also checked the meter myself and written the numbers out, then put them in the window if I've missed them calling round and most of the time, they accept that.

[DrDre]

Energy companies have to read the meters at least every couple of years, it is a legal requirement. If they had to notify customers when they were turning up it would obviously be an extra cost for them, which would be passed on to us! If he had identification on him I imagine it would be fine, but your house, your rules. We are lucky, our meters are on the outside of our house!

[peggyundercrackers]

meter readers are generally outsourced to one company and they deal with meters for more than one company. we have never had any notification someone is coming out but never had any issues but I always let the man in and its done in 2 mins. if your unhappy with someone in your house maybe think about moving the meter outside so they can do their job without disturbing you.

[SooticaTheWitchesCat]

We never get notice that someone is coming to read the meter but they always have id with them so I have never thought to not let them in.

If you were not comfortable with the situation the YANBU to not let him in though and he was fine. I would phone them but I wouldn't kick up a stink.

[Morgause]

I've never been notified that our meters are going to be read. I always check ID, though.

[comedycentral]

When you check ID how do you know what your looking for? It would be easy to make a fake ID. I always ring up with mine.

[CoffeeTea103]

Yanbu, it's better to be safe than sorry. He can come back If it all check out ok

[ElsieMc]

I was wary about E-On coming into my house. He then stood on tip toe looking through various windows in the house and searched around the garden. No way would I let him in after that.

[NinjaBunny]

At my old house it was under the stairs behind a load of stuff. They'd always turn up just as I was leaving for school and get in a right huff when I said it was inconvenient..!



Now ours is in the garage, up near the ceiling.



They never bring a ladder, either. Awkward.

[HobbetInTheHeadlights]

They have the legal right to check the meter, but it's not very frequent. It might be something like once every two years.

We went through the rigmarole of having smart meters fitted - we were told they could then read the meters from outside the property and wouldn't need to come round or in house to do it.

I still get people trying to come and read the meter - last one I said no to as was really bad time got really nasty with me - telling me they still needed to read the meters every so often - I wonder if this is why though I'm sure it was only done few months before.

YANBU