meter reading companies?

[LackingEnergy]

Fair enough knocking on the door and asking to read the meter but

• You're not from my energy providers
• I submit my readings online
• I don't have to let you in
• Yes you seem to have the right address but I can assure you that your company is not my provider so no you can't take a reading
• The last time you came (same man same company) you read it wrong and we were charged far more than we should have been (I also had forgotten which provider we used so made the mistake of letting you in)

After being told all of the above why do you still insist that it is your god given right to invade my home and incorrectly read my meter?

• No I will not let you in
• No I will not stop the dogs barking (all 6 of them)
• No I will not call them away from the baby gate that's blocking your entry into my home
• Yes I will repeat the above reasons why you are not coming into my home

I expect you to politely leave at this point not continue to harass me with your incorrect bullshit. I would have preferred you to leave after the initial no you can't read the meter to be honest. I will be complaining to your employer

Was it unreasonable to firmly close the door in his face mid way through his rant about how he still had to read my meter (after politely wishing him a good day, which was more than the argumentative sod deserved)?

They still have to read the meters whether you give them online or not though.

Course it's up to you who you have in your house but I think he'll be back sadly.

Since we started doing it online our actual provider hasn't made a single house call to read the meter so I wasn't expecting someone from a different company to demand access to read it

The energy companies have a requirement to look at the equipment on an annual basis. This is done via meter readings. They can sub contact that work to whoever they wish to appoint. The meter is the energy companies property and as such you are obliged to allow a reasonable request for access. They can apply to court for a warrant to allow access if you obstruct as you have done.

But what's the point in letting him in, him reading it wrong, my payments going up and subsequent hassle of fixing his mess? It's a difficult to read meter and most meter readers are unable to read it correctly on their first or even second visit without a lot of help which to be honest I'm not up to at the moment.

I appreciate how you feel but the energy company still have the right to examine their equipment and also to confirm the readings you are giving are correct.

No you are not unreasonable and you were polite, he was not.
I had one like this and after the 3rd rude visit in under 3 mths I did make a complaint because he started peering in my windows when I didn't answer the door, legally you have to allow them in every 2-3 yrs not every few months!

I don't really like them either. Ours seems to come every month which I don't really understand... And every time he comes he checks the electric one and then comes back a few hours later to do the gas one .

I know you are legally obliged to let them in though just to check the safety of the meters above all but I'd argue once a year was adequate for that. They will be back so it's not worth the hassle to have to constantly send them away.

They're only coming in to have a quick look at the meter - I don't see the big issue here.

Let him in, he checks the meter, he leaves. It takes less than five minutes!

I've never had anyone be rude to me about reading my meter.

I had issues with this, even more ridiculous as we have a smart metre so they know what our metre says. He always came at least once a month, usually in the middle of nap time. I used to tell him to come back later. I asked the energy company on the phone if it was right and they said inspecting the metre once a year was all you need for a smart metre. I told the reader that he can come in once a year as per instructions and I haven't seen him since.

I really don't get this 'problem'. once per year someone needs to read your meter.

why is it a big deal? unless you make it one..........

If you don't see a problem with this i assume you only have polite metre readers who only come once a quarter maybe? Believe me if you had someone coming frequently, who was rude, meant you had to move furniture or unseal your back door (my electricity metre is on a wall in the lounge behind the fire guard to stop the kids getting to it so all that has to be moved out whilst the gas metre is outside with no outside access and I seal up the door in the winter as it's so drafty) you would see why it's annoying.

It's a problem when it's the same guy every few months, he can't read the meter properly, is from a company we refuse to use due to their shoddiness, is rude and demanding

DH says they read the meter in aug so it shouldn't need doing again this year

Our provider sends G4S to read the meter now. Yes. Really.

Last time the chap came the same day I had an email telling me the readings were due. I didn't bother to send the readings since an actual man had been. A few weeks later I had a letter telling me I was in breach of contract because no meter readings had been submitted for x amount of months.

Who knows what that man was actually doing in my cupboard.

Well we rang our company and the guy trying to read our meter today wasn't acting on their behalf so will presume he had the wrong address

I have had a meter man call on either Boxing Day or the day after; I have had rudeness and personal comments when I refused one entry, as the meter was, literally, inaccessible and, even when it is, technically, accessible, I've been heavily pregnant hoiking furniture to make access vaguely possible (they are not well positioned and would cost a fortune to relocate) whilst the meter man stands in the way!!