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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Meter reader

23 replies

LL12 · 19/02/2015 08:39

Sorry if this is in the wrong thread, yesterday when I was bathing my disabled dd I saw through the window, a car speed up my little cul de sac, turn round in a neighbours driveway and then park across my driveway.
I thought it was a driving instructor at first that had got lost but then saw a man get out and walk up my driveway, he rang the doorbell but as I could not leave my dd alone I thought he would leave a note, instead he walked into my porch and started to bang on the door a few times, it started to scare my dd, he eventually left but didn't leave any note, although as he drove off I saw that he was from the meter reading company.
He has just come again at 8.15am and again walked into my porch and started banging on my door, as my disabled dd was in the middle of having a meltdown I wasn't able to answer the door.
I feel really angry with the way he started banging on the door, we have a working doorbell outside and the only people that ever enter our porch unless invited in are our friends and family, it always feels like an invasion of our privacy if a total stranger just walks in let alone start banging on the door.
I suppose I wanted to know if this is normal for meter readers to be so aggressive?

OP posts:

Momagain1 · 19/02/2015 08:45

I have never encountered such rudeness, though I can imagine if they think you are behind on having a proper reading, or on paying, or they mistakenly think you are, they might be quite ballsy.

Call your provider and lodge a complaint via that, and find out if they are expecting access for some reason. Offer to send a clear and readable picture of the meter if they desperately need a current reading.

londonrach · 19/02/2015 08:47

Complain to provider!!!! He very rude.

hoppus · 19/02/2015 08:49

Write your meter readings on a piece of paper and stick in the window visible to him for when he comes back.

They do generally seem to be very stroppy if you don’t run immediately to the door and let them in. I had one banging on my windows once when DD was newborn.

Original poster

LL12 · 19/02/2015 09:01

Thanks everyone.
I provided my meter reading online only about 3 weeks ago and pay DD each month.
He hasn't left a card of any sort again, I recognised the logo on the side of his car as being one that does meter readings, so I assume that is what it was for.
Whenever my parents aren't in they always leave a card saying that they will be in the area again on a certain date or to put the meter reading on the card and leave outside, they are with different energy companies to me although only in the next road.
I have let meter reader in before but never had one be so aggressive in manner with his knocking and walk into my porch before.

If he comes back and my dd isn't having a meltdown at the time, I don't really want to answer the door anyway now incase he is aggressive or rude towards me.
I'll get the number out for my supplier to complain to.

OP posts:

Optimist1 · 19/02/2015 09:11

Sorry, I think you're over-reacting a bit, OP. Bad timing for both his visits, but no-one's fault. He presumably has a quota of readings that he has to complete each day. If your doorbell is outside the porch I guess he can't hear whether it's actually ringing in the house, so not unreasonable of him to revert to knocking on the inner door? He doesn't know whether you're someone with hearing difficulties or a mother with a disabled child - he just has a job to do.

pictish · 19/02/2015 09:19

Agree with optimist - meter readers are very used to being ignored or not heard at people's doors. They have a job to do and have to reach a certain quota, so they do their best to get an answer.
I don't think trying your inner door was a terrible thing to do...how does he know if you can hear him from outside the porch, or if your bell is working?
He has no agenda other than to get your address ticked off his list.
Calm down.

pictish · 19/02/2015 09:21

P.s years ago my dh was a meter reader. He is a shy man that would never choose to foist himself on anyone, but he had to do what was expected of him all the same.

MrsTawdry · 19/02/2015 09:27

I also think it sounds like you're overreacting a bit OP. It was bad timing twice...that's all. I expect they're used to not getting people's attention and so might be a bit heavy handed with the knocking....but it's not really something to get upset about.

pictish · 19/02/2015 09:29

That's exactly right mrs tawdry.

Nothing has happened here. Meter reader tried to get reply. It's their job!

MidniteScribbler · 19/02/2015 09:30

Person knocks on front door. Shocker!

krustyem · 19/02/2015 09:33

Midnightscribbler, I'm not sure if it's the citalopram kicking in but that made me chuckle

mrsdicaprio · 19/02/2015 09:35

I have no idea why they can be so rude. When I went into labour I called my mum, locked the house up and was waiting for her on my doorstep with my hospital bag. She was just pulling up and the man bullied me and bullied me into trying to open the door and let him read the meter.
My waters had gone and there was loads of stuff in the way under the stairs, he got very rude and would not take no for an answer and shouted abuse as we drove off.

I got dc down for a nap the other day. Much needed and tricky to settle and then the man bangs aggressively on the door, cue dog starts barking and baby is screaming the place down. I answered the door and said "Sorry it's not a good time I have a poorly baby to see too", He was again rude to me and in the end said he would come back at 7.30 PM.
I'm not usually rude to people but I snapped back "actually, no you won't because that's bedtime".

iklboo · 19/02/2015 09:37

While you provide online readings & pay your DD on time, they still have to take physical readings from time to time. It's unfortunate it was inconvenient for you & you found it unnerving but he's not to know your porch is for family & invited guests only. He needs to reach a quota - particularly if you haven't had an 'official' reading for some time.

pictish · 19/02/2015 09:42

Plus, they know full well no one can be arsed with them. It's always an inconvenient time. Doesn't change the fact that they get paid to take that reading. Meter readers encounter a lot of rudeness themselves.

Pastamancer · 19/02/2015 09:45

What on earth do you think a porch is for if people are not allowed in it? Surely they are somewhere to stand out of the weather while waiting for the door to be answered.

Momagain1 · 19/02/2015 09:50

That he didnt leave a note, either time, moves it from acceptable into rude. He has no idea that anyone inside the house has seen the logo on his car. Either no one has been home, or the only people that have been home are those who can't answer the door, or won't answer to a male who seems very aggressive.

We always get a letter telling us when it's reached the point of them having to take a reading and when to expect them (the week of_, not a firm time.) There may even be a number to call to make better arrangements. So if OP doesnt have that, nor a notice from either attempt, he isnt communicating his business.

gamerchick · 19/02/2015 09:55

They check the meters as well though. The meters don't belong to you.

Ring the company and give an agreeable time for them to check it. It's a 10 second job.

Also it's not good to have stuff piled in the meter cupboard.. especially if you have a gas meter in there in case it gets knocked and leaks. (Bitter experience)

Pastamancer · 19/02/2015 10:06

Have you looked into getting your meter moved outside? We never have meter readers at the door as our water and electric meters are both outside. They just come, read the meter and go without bothering us at all. It makes life easier for us and them.

My friend's husband is a meter reader and the job can be a real nightmare as he gets allocated a number of houses each day and has to get readings on a certain percentage of them. There are lots of holiday homes around and during the off season it can be very difficult for him to reach his quota. He ends up working into the evening as he has to keep going back to houses that didn't answer to avoid getting into trouble.

pictish · 19/02/2015 10:26

Pastamancer is right. That's how it is for them. It's not an easy job to do, because people are often obstructive and self important about having their meter read. Meter readers get treated like shit.

OP - he doesn't know you've got a disabled daughter or that only family and friends are allowed in your sacred porch. He's just trying to make sure he gets paid for the shitwork he does.

unlucky83 · 19/02/2015 10:27

The thing is he could probably tell someone was in -so he thought you were just ignoring the door ...as people do avoiding cold callers etc. And this is now twice that you know about he's been.

(I had to knock on doors looking for my cat a few years ago - long story but had escaped into enclosed rear gardens in SW London -about 30% of people answered - and out of the 70% who didn't, in half I could tell someone was in)

And he has to get a reading from your house...maybe he only needs to get you now in the whole neighbourhood and he has to keep coming back...so is getting pissed off ...
And he doesn't know whether your doorbell works or not etc - I'm amazed by the number of people I know whose doorbell doesn't...
In fact I used to have loose wire in mine ...so someone told me it wasn't working I tried it and it did - this happened twice in over 5 yrs - on the 3rd time I tried it and it didn't. I bought a new one and discovered the wire taking the old one off -I now have two!
I also have a little sign saying you should be able to hear the doorbell - if you can't please knock....
(The amount of people who must have thought we were ignoring the door !!! Eg the window cleaner stopped cleaning my windows! He hadn't been for his money for the last two cleans - then I was in and saw him miss us out and start on the next house. I went to talk to him (with his money) and he said something about never managing to catch me in when he came for his money so not wanting to do them anymore...he must have thought I was avoiding him - but them maybe he could have knocked too...)

pictish · 19/02/2015 10:42

And did you know that their wee machines sometimes have short notes attached regarding certain addresses?
It might say 'obstructive' if it's someone who continually ignores the door or tells the reader it's not convenient. It might say 'warning - aggressive' if the person has been rude to a reader in the past.
Dh even had one that said "Beware - this family are f***g MENTAL. Good luck!"

Addresses that are obstructive get bumped to the top of the list, as their meter will need read the most.

So as much as people might be thinking "go away little man, I'm far too busy and important to deal with the likes of you" - the response will be noted, and only make them all the more determined to get that reading.

pictish · 19/02/2015 10:44

Of course it might have changed now - it was many long years ago that dh did this most foul and miserable of jobs.

pictish · 19/02/2015 10:51

And no, they don't always leave a card, because they often decide to try again later, or the next day. I card generally gets left after several attempts.

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