To not have let the meter reader in to read the gas meter.

[Goawaybob]

It was about 2.30 and DP is off work poorly (not so poorly that we coudlnt have a lovely walk on the beach earlier ). He is self employed and we hardly ever get any time alone. So we were enjoying a nice cuppa before the school run.

Bang bang at the door (i thought it miht come down) and the meter man was there. I just coudlnt face pulling all the crap out of the cupboard for him to read the meter, plus its a pre-pay digital meter, which one time when we had a problem with it, british gas were able to tell us exactly what was on it, remotely, so they must have remote access to the details.

I told the man, very politely that it wasn't convenient. He just stood there sort of incredulous and didnt say anything, i said, besides its a pre-pay meter, i don't need you to read it, thanks. He said, Yes you do actually, so i said no it is not convenient sorry but you are welcome to come back at a more convenient time. He just looked really pissed off and said, Well im afraid its now or never, i'll just put you down as a refused entry shall i? I said, yeah, if you want, and shut the door.

But now im miffed, i did not refuse entry, i told him it was inconvenient because it was (cupboard chocca block and would have been a pita to get to meter and it was nearly time to pick up DD) - grrrrrrr

What is a prepay meter?

Do you know, you seem a reasonable person, so I'd love to give you the benefit of the doubt, but I really can't figure out why you didn't just let him in to read it

Sorry, I do think YABU. He's just doing his job, and presumably the cupboard will be just as full the next time he comes.

I always get warning if the meter needs reading - email usually. So I reckon YANBU and narrowly avoided being scammed!

It's a bit cheeky of them to assume that you will just be home and ready to let them in when they turn up without notice.

That said, you should probably just have let him in.

We pay for our gas as we use it wilmot, we put money on a prepayment card, stick it in the meter and it gives us gas

I didn't let him in because i didnt have long before school run, would have been a mad rush to sort cupboard out and i was

you did refuse entry thoug. it takes mintues and if you have a card or key meter they do still need to read it , MY electric meter is in the coat cupboard its full of ermm shit i just turf it out when the reader comes , YABU .

I think YANBU. My meter was always hiding behind crap aswell! Never had a problem with the meter man coming back though. Would love to know why they need to read it? Mine is pre-pay also and whenever I have rang British Gas they know what's on it anyway!

You'd be paying a hell of a lot more if they brought in an appointment service for meter readings!

They have an obligation to read and check a gas meter (every year iirc) . More so your house isn't in danger of a dodgy meter and blows up!

YANBU imo. If someone turns up unannounced, you are under no obligation to let them in. The time may well suit them, but it's your home and your time too, so they ought to contact you and arrange a mutually convenient time, if what they want to do, means they have to come into your home.

To be fair, you did refuse entry, in that you refused to let him enter your property.

That's your prerogative though, and he should have been more polite about it. It's up to you what you do with your meter and your gas supply.

How weird of him! I literally put off my meter reading person for a couple of years because my cupboard was in such a mess! I was just really embarrassed. Anyway, I tidied it all up a few months ago and they read it and we got our non estimated bill and it wasn't that different, a little bit more but no big deal. I thought everyone put them off sometimes!

Also, some women don't feel comfortable letting a strange man in the house if they are home alone - the gas man didn't know your dh was going to be home when he turned up.

Or you could have been at work/out. It would make much more sense for them to let you know in advance.

I didnt refuse entry, i asked him to come back at a more convenient time. It is MY house and I am entitled to have who i like over the threshold of it. The man wasn't rude, but i just didn't like the way he insisted that it was essential that he read the meter when i know that i don't have to have the meter read. Was told this by british gas themselves.

He could have said, when i said to him that i had to pick my DD up soon etc, shall i come back in an hour? Then i would have happily cleared up all my shit and let him have access.

Can't really use the school run as an excuse reason if your DH was home too?

YABU he was just doing his job.

Do you think they need to do manual readings in case of fraud type stuff?

YANBU though, following the stealth reveal that you were on a promise

Why is that kitten?

So what if you hadn't been in?
When I was working (mat leave) they used to stick a cards in the letterbox, I'd fill it in and Sellotape it to the window and they'd come back in a few days.

yeah right wilmot - only the promise didnt come to fruition!!! lol

With the pre-pay meters they do not have to be read because they have remote access to the data, im assuming by radio-signals.

Before we had this meter we got a really suspect bill, i checked it out and noticed it was a "meter read" reading - errr no i said, i haven't seen a meter man for about two years, to which they admitted to having problems with certain contractors just making up the readings if they can't gain access.

Two people, two different places to be..... not rocket science is it?

I have refused the meter reader entry if I am home, as the meter is behind the TV unit and -crap- toy pile, and sometimes, in my own home, I dont want to be told by strangers to sort it out and rearange the furniture just to fit into their schedule. I have asked them to give me notice of coming or call back in half an hour when I can be ready but they always refuse.

I read my own meter every month but still got a letter saying the meter must be checked for safety reasons.

I once refused entry on the grounds that I was in my dressing gown. (just woke up after nights).

Don't really think your reason was good enough. My meter reader more or less said he was used to climbing over crap to get to meters. Mine is blocked by coats shoes and the Hoover. I only pull out the Hoover and leave him to it.

You didn't let him in so you did refuse entry.

I have told meter woman I couldn't let her in as reading the meter involves getting a step ladder out of cupboard from under a pile of junk, and can't lift it out as pg - she just laughed (nicely!) and gave me a card to fill in with the readings. How it should be, surely.

I never let them in. They always call at really stupid times of day and I just ignore them tbh. I'm not comfortable letting strange people into my house when I can just check it myself.

They do usually leave a card to write the meter reading in, and there's a note to leave it in a window so that they don't have to bother knocking on again though, so tis fine :)