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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not let the meter reader in?

171 replies

midastouch · 19/02/2013 18:03

my electric meter is in my cellar/playroom, so they have to trapse through my house to get to the meter. I had a screaming baby so i told him it wasnt convenient I got quite a lecture about checking it for safety so i asked him to come back in a couple of hours (to give me a chance to sort lunch out and clear the playroom floor so he doesnt break his neck!) he was not impressed and knocked again half an hour later. I ignored it he knocked 3 times! It was only read 2 months ago and I dont really like strangers demanding entry to my home! Anyway i now have a note to say ive refused entry twice!

OP posts:
FannyBazaar · 19/02/2013 22:00

McNewPants2013 I stopped HV coming into my home Blush, couldn't believe someone would turn up unannounced and expect me to welcome them in (meter reader excepted), gave her a right flea in her ear. She agreed to come back later and was absolutely lovely, I actually wrote in to PCT in praise of her!

A meter reader/safety inspector left a card for me the other day while I was out. Apparently highly urgent but card a bit higgledy piggledy, says from British Gas and implies I am a customer and that my gas electricity meter needs to be checked for safety. I am not a British Gas customer.

onedev · 19/02/2013 22:03

Completely agree with Herrena - your house, so you decide who gets in & if someone makes you feel uncomfortable then no way would I let them in!

Baffledandbewildered · 19/02/2013 22:43

I have no problem letting the meter man in . However when they see our meter at the top of our wall at Celling height ( in my house about 15 foot up !!) they get stroppy because I haven't got a ladder! We have asked for the meter to be moved by the energy company want us to pay for it. So it causes problems every time :(

Granitetopping · 19/02/2013 23:19

I don't let anyone into my home without a pre-arranged appointment. (not even my family)!

There are too many scammers and con men/women out there who are only too willing to take advantage of unsuspecting people.

I don't answer my doorbell unless I am expecting someone.

MushroomSoup · 19/02/2013 23:32

My DH let the meter reader into the house while I was in labour with a home birth - and getting to near the pushing stage!!
I was just relieved it wasn't his mother...

diddl · 20/02/2013 07:03

Here (Germany) we send water online.

Electricity is read once a year.

He asks if he may come in & read the meter.

And wears his badge around his neck so that it is clearly visible.

Original poster
midastouch · 20/02/2013 11:14

ive never actually asked to see id, never thought to! mushroomsoup im still laughing at your comment!

OP posts:
eggso · 20/02/2013 11:25

yanbu. I don't have a clue what a meterman id should look like. I wouldn't let a stranger in my home unnanounced, especially since he didn't give you any warning.

phantomnamechanger · 20/02/2013 11:43

it all depends on how much an invasion of your home there needs to be in order to read the meter.

If you feel vulnerable letting someone in because you are alone - they should acept you getting the reading for them. If you are up to your ears in LOs tea/bath/bedtime, they should respect this and not assume they have the right to disrupt. What if you are hosting a wake, waiting for an urgent GP visit etc. I also worry for my elderly relatives who i am sure would let in anyone claiming to be a meter reader without even checking ID!!

Fortunately our meter is not within the living area, its in a cupborad in the front lobby - I have huffed a bit when it was blocked with all the camping gear as we'd just got back, but at least that chap was polite and waited nicely. Another basically called me a liar when I said the reading had been taken less than a month earlier and in any case we were signed up to send online.

MiaowTheCat · 20/02/2013 11:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

valiumredhead · 20/02/2013 11:57

I never let the meter readers in unless dh is here. YANBU.

Sizzlesthedog · 20/02/2013 13:47

YANBU, I was going to post the same thing a few days ago. Our meter is in a cupboard upstairs, I never let the man in to read it. I would feel uncomfortable about a stranger being near my bedrooms etc and walking through the whole house.

I always ask for a card for DH to fill in and leave out for them the next day. I would ask for them to come back when DH is here if they have to read it themselves.

It's your home and you shouldn't feel uncomfortable about letting anyone you don't know, turning up unannounced into it.

If the meter was at the front door I would let them read it every time, but not as it is upstairs.

sittinginthesun · 20/02/2013 13:57

I am absolutely sick of this at the moment.

The meter reader came round, we were at work, he left a note.

He came round again, DH let him in, he read the meter.

Two weeks later, I got a threatening letter from Npower, informing me that we hadn't let a meter reader in for 2 years, and threatening to get a warrant. I phoned them, they apologised and said the meter reading hadn't reached them. I gave a verbal reading over the phone.

I got an updated bill, with the new reading.

Today (around 2 weeks after the bill), I get another threatening letter, telling me I haven't given a number, and to phone to meter reading company. I call them - they don't send the letter, so have no idea who I am, or what the records say.

So I have just called NPower again, and I'm waiting for a call back.

I am not happy...

diddl · 20/02/2013 13:59

Yes, it´s quite amazing.

With technology today, you would think that they could put a reading straight into their system!

sittinginthesun · 20/02/2013 14:54

Ah, apparently it's a gas safety inspection. What a load of rubbish - and they don't have a note of the last one. The only have a record of the electric. Even though I saw them check the gas meter.

And it doesn't matter if I change supplier, because it's the same meter reading company.

I can't believe how much we pay for such crap service!

MummytoMog · 20/02/2013 15:01

I don't let some meter readers in when I'm in my dressing gown, the kids are in their PJs and it's before nine am. Or sometimes just because I'm feeling a bit vulnerable and it's a big man and I'm in the house on my own with the kids although I do keep my sabres behind the front door. I think that's ok.

I have also refused to let the HV in when she didn't make an appointment. It's not a crime.

ItsallisnowaFeegle · 20/02/2013 15:04

I think there's a sense of it being an unannounced caller that gets under my skin when meter readers turn up at my door.

That said, I always let them in, if I'm at home to answer the door.

I don't think you're being unreasonable OP. You had a baby screaming and offered a compromise.

ItsallisnowaFeegle · 20/02/2013 15:15

The last time (a few weeks ago) I had someone come to my door unannounced (wasn't meter reader but someone the landlady sent to look at the loft for insulation) I had just got out of the shower.

I quickly threw my dressing gown on (as he kept knocking and was obviously not going anywhere)

I apologised for being in my gown when he explained who he was/ where he was from. I told him I'd literally just gotten out of the shower and he replied saying 'Well I don't want a shower but I can scrub your back if you like'! I was home alone with my newborn.

Was he just doing his job?

There's nothing wrong with asking people to call back at a more convenient time.

fluffyraggies · 20/02/2013 15:33

itsall i know how you feel. I have an overly familiar parcel delivery guy at the moment and it's getting to the stage where i hate answering the door to him.

Our meters are both external now so i don't have the meter man problem. Used to though. Meter was right up high and it was always a pallava. Sometimes i wouldnt answer the door.

I don't think YABU OP.

Jojobump1986 · 20/02/2013 15:42

I don't open the door when DH is out. They leave a card & we fill it in & leave it for them to collect. They very rarely seem to come round though. Last time someone came round & DH was in they discovered something potentially wrong with our gas meter & we had to call an emergency number & wait for someone to come look at it. Of course, they took ages to appear & made us late for a fancy dress party. My family came with us to the party so we were all sitting around in fancy dress (me in my wedding dress) when the bloke turned up! Grin

BlatantLies · 20/02/2013 16:19

I am absolutely stunned that so many other posters won't let a 'strange' man into the house unless their DP or DH is there. You can easily check they are legit by calling your energy company.

I wouldn't let someone in if they made some wierdo creepy comment but, otherwise, as long as I could check their identity I wouldnt be the least bit worried about them.

I wonder how single women manage Confused

usualsuspect · 20/02/2013 16:23

I'm amazed so many women on here won't let the meter reader in when their husbands are out.

usualsuspect · 20/02/2013 16:25

What do you all do if you need a workman in?

pumpkinsweetie · 20/02/2013 16:28

Yabu- The man was trying to do his job and there wasn't a real reason for him not to check it.
It pays to have your meter checked as ours was over estimated and it turned out they owed us over £200.

I know it's a nuisance but it's a necessary one.

Arithmeticulous · 20/02/2013 16:31

If it's someone I've arranged to come in, that's fine. If some random stranger, with what could be made up ID for all I know, knocks at some inconvenient time demanding to come in to read the meter, despite the fact he claims to work for some company we don't get our gas from anyway and I know I submitted an online meter reading a month ago and let someone in a while ago - well, the answer will be no.

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