Super exciting question about meter reading

[UncomfortablyDumb]

Ok not at all super exciting obviously 😆

How often do you have your meters read? By an actual Official Person, I mean.

For very dull reasons, it's awkward when the meter reader comes. We do provide regular readings to our energy supplier (Octopus if that makes a difference).

I understand there is/was a legal requirement for the meters to be checked annually (I think, not sure if that's still the case) and that the supplier may want to check we're not cheating the system in some way, but the meter reader comes by far more regularly than that.

I wish there was some kind of opt out system. I know the poor bloke is only trying to do his job, but its annoying for both of us.

Do you have a smart meter ?

I have never seen my meter readers. That might be because they never turn up. Or might be because the meter boxes are outside and they check on them without disturbing me. I know it is very easy for the water meter to be read as it has a remote sensor that they can use just by putting a measuring device on the wall.

You could probably get your meter boxes moved outside. But my guess is it would be expensive.

Clearly there is not going to be an opt out system, because surely anyone who would want to cheat would then opt out.

I don't have a smart meter, I have lived in my house for about 21 months and never had the meters read. I did have them done at my old house annually though.

I'm with Octopus. Don't think they've ever been to read ours and we've lived here 5 years! Unless they've gone round the back of the house when we haven't been in, and I've never noticed. I send in readings every month and that's it.

I understand there is/was a legal requirement for the meters to be checked annually (I think, not sure if that's still the case)

Never heard this? Think I've had one person round to look at mine in 8 years in current house

I think there is a requirement for them to inspect periodically.

But not sure they always do. Maybe the question to ask is why they seem to be doing it so regularly to you whereas most other people they don't seem to do it at all.

Do you have any history with payment "anomalies" ? Or do you just happen to live close to where the meter reading training goes on :) ?

Once in about 5 years

Legally meters had to be read every 2 years, but the introduction of smart meters has muddied the waters slightly because smart meters can send all sorts of data to your supplier to confirm everything is working as required (not just usage). Ofgem can now allow exceptions to companies that apply for them with specific criteria.

If you must have your meter read and you keep denying the company access they can apply for a warrant to gain access to inspect the meter. Generally this is reserved for people where abstraction/theft/interference with supply is suspected.

However if you're on a meter readers list, they'll knock every time because it's their job. They don't really care if you say no so don't feel bad about about denying them access.

Feels like all the time - also with Octopus. However he always brings a dog treat for my dog and it's a bit of an event for her so I don't mind.
I'm the most honest person and always give meter readings since my smart meter went dumb so yes, I do take it a bit personally.

We don't have a smart meter, just regular ones inside the house in a awkward place.

No payment anomalies. Lived here 10 years, and they haven't always come this often, frequency seems to have increased. Always the same bloke, maybe he's more efficient than the previous ones 😆

😂at living close to the meter reading training centre

Thanks for the reassurance about not feeling bad.

We're with Octopus, transferred from Bulb. I've always provided monthly readings, no smart meter. I'm 100% sure our meters haven't been read since sometime before covid as we'd have to give access. We've been here 14 years and I think they've been read twice.

Old house, no smart meter. Not read from 2015 til we left at the end of 2022.

New house - had smart meters put in about 9 months ago. But that's the only time in 18 months we've seen anyone.

Maybe if you get a smart meter they will stop.

You can get all sorts of weird things why random checks happen.

I used to work in a place where they had vehicle inspections and they used to stop me all the time. I wondered why and then found out it was because I left slightly later and they had to fill their quota up for the day so they tended to stop proportionately more vehicles at that time, plus I was friendly with one of the guards in the office and he sometimes stopped me because he wanted to chat.

Funnily enough I just had an email from them regarding the meter reader.

More patronising than it needed to be. Lots of bla bla about the importance of regular readings and 'If you have been regularly submitting your readings, or have done so recently (in the last few months), then just respond to this email and we'll look into why we think you haven't.'

So I pointed out that I'd submitted a reading on the 9th. The 'looking into' amounted to looking at my record and agreeing with me.

I was just a bit bemused before, but now I'm irritated. Will have to go watch cats being silly on the internet for a few minutes to counteract 😂