Meter reading

[Frederick Williams]

From time to time Siemens will drop a card on my door mat telling me
that I wasn't in when they called. Sometimes I am in and within hearing
range of the doorbell. Are they expected to read more meters than they
have time to and do they put such cards through letter-boxes willy-nilly
as they run out of time?

My electricity bill records meter readings(*) as "read by us" (i.e.
Siemens), "read by customer" or "estimated". Sometimes it is deemed
"read by us" even when it has been read by me or not read at all.

Does the electricity board require that they (or their agents) read the
meter from time to time, and when they haven't they just pretend that
they did?

(* I am using the word loosely but not, I hope, in a confusing way. In
any case it is the word used on the bill)

[michael adams]

Post by Frederick Williams
From time to time Siemens will drop a card on my door mat telling me
that I wasn't in when they called. Sometimes I am in and within hearing
range of the doorbell. Are they expected to read more meters than they
have time to and do they put such cards through letter-boxes willy-nilly
as they run out of time?
My electricity bill records meter readings(*) as "read by us" (i.e.
Siemens), "read by customer" or "estimated". Sometimes it is deemed
"read by us" even when it has been read by me or not read at all.
Does the electricity board require that they (or their agents) read the
meter from time to time, and when they haven't they just pretend that
they did?

I don't think the Electricity Supplier will be that bothered. Providing
a customer has lived in a premises long enough, and has shown a consistent
enough pattern of use so that they can calcuate an estimate. Which will
usually be in their favour, if only by a small amount. Money which they
will then earn interest on.

There may however be a statutory requirement supposedly enforced by the
relevant watchdog, that they should do at least one meter reading a year.
Maybe so as to prevent the vulnerable from running up large bills as a result
of a string of underestimated bills.

However as an individual customer, just so long as you do your own
readings, these are accurate and you pay the bills it shouldn't really
matter. Except of course if they claimed they couldn't gain entry on
a number of occasions. However as they themselves are clouding the issue
by using "read by us" when in fact they haven't, it would seem that they're
happy with your readings, which must fall within your usual usage pattern.


michael adams

...

Post by Frederick Williams
(* I am using the word loosely but not, I hope, in a confusing way. In
any case it is the word used on the bill)
--
He is not here; but far away
The noise of life begins again
And ghastly thro' the drizzling rain
On the bald street breaks the blank day.

[Tony Bryer]

Post by michael adams
I don't think the Electricity Supplier will be that bothered.
Providing a customer has lived in a premises long enough, and has
shown a consistent enough pattern of use so that they can calcuate
an estimate. Which will usually be in their favour, if only by a
small amount. Money which they will then earn interest on.

In today's climate, over-estimating means they're selling you
tomorrow's energy at today's price. Much better to underestimate
somewhat and then get 25% more for the difference at a later date.

[h.tees]

Post by Frederick Williams
From time to time Siemens will drop a card on my door mat telling me
that I wasn't in when they called. Sometimes I am in and within hearing
range of the doorbell. Are they expected to read more meters than they
have time to and do they put such cards through letter-boxes willy-nilly
as they run out of time?
My electricity bill records meter readings(*) as "read by us" (i.e.
Siemens), "read by customer" or "estimated". Sometimes it is deemed
"read by us" even when it has been read by me or not read at all.
Does the electricity board require that they (or their agents) read the
meter from time to time, and when they haven't they just pretend that
they did?
(* I am using the word loosely but not, I hope, in a confusing way. In
any case it is the word used on the bill)
--

They just do it to snoop and make sure you're not fiddling the meter.
I submitted my readings and a man insisted that he come in to read
the meter. He did try to argue for a while and force his way in so
I showed him where the gate was and the police took care of him.
He's been charged with aggravated burglary! That was Southern Electric.

[Joe Lee]

Post by h.tees
They just do it to snoop and make sure you're not fiddling the meter.
I submitted my readings and a man insisted that he come in to read
the meter. He did try to argue for a while and force his way in so
I showed him where the gate was and the police took care of him.
He's been charged with aggravated burglary! That was Southern Electric.

What did he steal ?

[terry]

Post by Joe Lee

Post by h.tees
They just do it to snoop and make sure you're not fiddling the meter.
I submitted my readings and a man insisted that he come in to read
the meter.  He did try to argue for a while and force his way in so
I showed him where the gate was and the police took care of him.
He's been charged with aggravated burglary!  That was Southern Electric.

What did he steal ?
--
Joe Lee

Assuming that electrcity will cost more in the future!
Then paying a little more now (paying a bit too soon) might be in your
favour?
Here we have a budget plan which also ensure that if we pay monthly on
time (easily ensured by automatic bank payment) we automatically
receive a 1.5% discount.
However the budget plan also provides that if one has not paid
sufficient for electrical consumption during this year the outstanding
amount is added to next years estimated consumption without interest
charge.
By the same token one can also be in a position of having paid too
much too soon.
Right now before the onset of winter, the budget plan having been re-
estimated in July 2008 we are currently about one month ahead. By end
of winter we will probably be about half a month behind. And will
catch up again by June 2009.
Works extremely well and in our experience with great accuracy. Here,
if the meter readers access to the outside mounted meter is not
available due to a lot of snow etc, they do estimate. But with the
budget plan it does not affect the customer's monthly payment anyway!