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

Bit "meh" as they are paid by the house not by hours or round. So you cost him a portion of his wages. In this day and age and economic climate, preventing someone doing a job because you have a cupboard full of clutter and CBA is a pretty poor show TBH.

you DID refuse entry, which in itself is NU, but the meter reader was NU to put that down, they probably only have a small selection of codes and "come back at an unspecified time which happens to suit me better" is not one of them!

why couldn't the re sort of the cupboard have waited till after the school run?

Meh. Don't give a shit if they're pay criteria is bollocks.

curiosity kitten have a dear!

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

Firstly, two people one place to be - school run, if DP is home we like to pick up DD together as DP doesn't get chance often, its a treat, we went for an ice cream.

Secondly, i didn't have to be home for the meter man, no appointment made, impromtu visit - not my fault if its inconvenient, had he called ten minutes earlier id not have been in anyway.

Was it because he had a 'bob' namebadge?

Oh come on Trois!!! FGS firstly who would actually know that and secondly they mostly seem to come round when the vast majority of homeowners are at work so I am sure that most of the houses they knock at do not respond at all. I don't think anyone is BU not to let a complete stranger into their house when they arrive unanounced. When I had my meter checked recently the company called me and made an appointment which worked well.

ETA I'm always nice to meter readers, anyone who has to go into strangers houses alone like that for a job is braver than me! I did a work placement which involved going into members of the public's houses, luckily I didn't have to go in alone as was shadowing - but my god it was scary at times even with two of us!

and a cluttered cupboard AINT NOTHIN compaired to what you see behind a shocking amt of front doors on any given street!

I don't understand - you have a pre-payment meter so presumably you have to reasonably often take the card out to top it up, then put it back in? Yet the cupboard was too full to let a meter reader read the figures on it, which takes all of 30 seconds?

YABU. In an hour he would have been an hour away, you then expect him to schlep back to your house?

I have told them it's not a good time a few times too, when they knock and I've been on a night shift. If I'm in my dressing gown and still half asleep I don't think I should have to let some random man in, thanks very much! I just say I'm sleeping, on nights, come back or I'll take the reading myself. They can't expect to just show up whenever and for it to be a good time, sometimes it really isn't!

What people are missing, i have repeatedly said that the meter DOESN'T NEED READING! its a prepay meter that BG have remote access to the figures, i know this because i have had telephone conversations with their tech guys when they have told ME what is on the screen so i dobut the guy would have got paid anyway.

If he wanted the money that badly, he could have said, i'll come back at x oclock if that is more convenient - giving me time to clear cupboard

Thing is, i could have had a load of naked people writhing in my living room, but the boring answer is, i coudnt be arsed

who would actually know that

Umm, well I know it - but thats because I read.

i hardly ever let them in. i hate people i dont know in my house. Theyll just estimate it, and it makes no diff if youre on prepayment anyway

i alway let them in, the meters are right by the door and that is one cupboard i don't have crap cluttering.

op and everyone else you need to keep the gas meter free of clutter incase of a gas leak ( maybe iabu and over catious)

yanbu not to allow him in if it wasn't convinent

Why always so confrontational and rude trois?

That McHappy, is a very good point though , it really is at the open the door chuck something in and shut the door quick stage im such a messy cow! Although i don't acutally have to remove anything to get to the meter to put the card in, i have a convenient little access hole in all the crap .

Be careful.
Legally they own the meter and have the right to inspect their property which happens to be inside your home.
If you refuse entry too many times they have the right to charge their costs and "gain" entry if they have reason to believe you are not telling them the truth.

I would however, have let him use my toilet though - actually do feel a bit shit about him missing out on money though - what a bollocks system

I am on a pre-payment meter and let them in to read the meter.

I think you were unreasonable and should clear out the cupboard!

That can't mean that they have a right to entry any time it suits them. What would be reasonable, would be for the gas company to phone and arrange a time which suits the OP. If they just turn up, they can't expect women to just allow a strange man into their home.

YANBU, I have asked them to come back at a more convenient time too. I opened the door rushing out to work one day, and the man was stood there. He was all huffy when I said to come back too.

I have to say, I got annoyed at his 'well i'll just put you down as refused access shall I'. How about no, you turned up with no appointment and just expected to be let in. Sod off! I read my own meters online monthly anyway! What did he want me to do, leave late for work knowing I have to be there early or on time - I am letting my colleagues down by being late - they are waiting to hand over to me so they can go home!

GRRR!

You'll get a letter from the gas board inviting you to contact them before they take legal proceedings, OP, for refusing entry.

I know this because I had one, after the gas man NEVER left a card saying he'd called (and I work all day and he only ever calls in the day and never at weekends). They HAVE to check the meter is safe, properly calibrated etc ... it could be running fast and costing you money or something!

Didn't know they had a right to enter. We've been in the same house for 6 years now and I've never let anyone in to read the meter. They always ask if it is convenient to read the meter and I always reply no. No one has ever said anything along the lines of putting us down as refused entry etc. We just give them the reading once a year by phone. Not sure I'd still them in though. Hmmm.

YABU - sounds like you were rather rude to the guy.

Also, I think the meter is owned by the company and that if you have kept hole for accessing with the pre-paid card, it should be feasible to read the meter through that hole.

And it take no time at all for the meter to be read. Not like he was selling you tea towels or a jehovah's witness.