Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I have just had a meter reader call at my house in Underhill Road. I let him in out of the rain, he was carrying some handheld device. Then noticing he did not have one single item with any sort of work logo on or any ID, I asked to see his ID, he said he had none and left. He seemed a nice enough man and left immediately but it seems totally strange, I can't imagine that anyone actually working would not have ID. Beware, perhaps ask for ID sooner than I did, I am a bit shocked that I was so stupid!
Link to comment
https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/176764-meter-reader-with-no-id/
Share on other sites

I feel a bit sick reading this post as I had a meter reader come to my house on the same day, sounds very much like the same guy and I just let him in. Normally I?m at work but I?ve been unwell so happened to be at home. I showed him down to the cellar where the meter is and then he asked if he could use the toilet - which again I allowed him. Reading this now I?m kicking myself that I didn?t ask for any ID at all, especially being a woman at home on my own.

SebC - check the company webpage and see who they use for reading meters (just google it), ring the company and check and if it's not them report even if nothings missing.


A lot of people I thought dodgy are genuine mind. I had a call from "my bank" the other day and was sure they were fake - they even got the location wrong (in my opinion anyway - maybe not in theirs) - but on ringing back on a different phone - they were good and were offering me something I'd find useful :)

I?m always astounded at the people who arrive on my doorstep and demand to be let in without even so much as an introduction of their name.


Manners have gone out the window for most these days.


A man from the council got the royal hump when I told him in no uncertain terms he was denied access to my shared flat entrance as I?d had no letter and he was carrying a bucket of drills!!

I posted on 22/11 to warn that a meter reader had just broken into my property to read meter. Since then have been in contact with police, my energy supplier and the firm that employs the readers. In short, they have no sensible answer to why read meter when you submit readings, and why the all black ?uniform? makes them look like pantomime burglars. I got a promise that they would review how they train their staff

I had a meter reader turn up this morning.


He had a company name on his jacket, and knew my name and which power company I am with, so I let him in. I didn't ask for ID.


However, I have a duel fuel contract, and he was only there to read the electricity meter, which I found a bit odd, so I may check with them just in case.


He didn't appear to be looking about for stuff to come back and steal (just as well as there isn't any :)) )

when 'meter readers', are not genuine i think its more about scoping your property out for future burglary more than that they will rob people on the spot. We had 3 meter readers in 2 weeks once and it felt really dodgy. Now i just go read the meter, write it down and tell them what it is while they stay at the front door.

I do do it online.


But so far (not having Smart technology) my laptop is not able to miraculously read my meters and transmit the information to my energy provider.


I regularly send them readings online - but they have to occasionally check them.


.

Innit.


And yes of course the dodgy ones are not going to ransack your home whilst you are standing there. They are seeing if it's worth them, or whoever they pass the info about your possessions/standard of living to, coming back.


At this time of year, probably after Christmas. Or just before. When there is likely to be new stuff around.

I regularly send them readings online - but they have to occasionally check them.


Indeed there is a legal obligation - where there are not smart meters installed - for there to be a 'real' meter reading at least annually. Smart meters are anyway not that smart, and the ones rolled out so far are not universally compatible, so if you change supplier your smart meter may no longer be any use. I would be loathe to put someone else's communicating IT into my home. Particularly where you have no control over it (in terms of what it communicates etc.) The 'control' which is offered is your ability to turn off lights if you think you are spending too much. Actual control of the communicating computer in your home sits with the supplier and anyone able to hack your supplier.

yeknomyeknom Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If you do it online, the meter reader is

> irrelevant. You don?t need both.


Yes of course you do.


Otherwise somebody could input false readings online indefinitely and then do a runner or else be in massive debt to the energy provider.


There has to be an occasional external check.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • OP has perhaps inadvertently provided free advertising for Gails, drawing attention to Dulwich Gails being open on Christmas Day.
    • Staff get taxis in and out and get paid extra (which I think is x2). Some people like to work on Bank Holidays and others don’t. Some people actively avoid Christmas for personal reasons. Long live freedom of choice! 
    • Here is another article from the excellent Special Needs Jungle (SNJ) with tips for responses to the SEND conversation survey. Including shoe horning in EHCPs which they "forget" to ask a question about in the conversation. And living as we do in Southwark with the huge misfortune of 100% academy secondary schools, some thoughts on this and how unlikely inclusion in mainstream is within the current education landscape. Closing date 14 Jan 2026. And please consider a donation to the excellent entirely run by volunteers SNJ. In my view the government could save money by creating some smaller mainstream secondary schools for kids who can cope in primary school but not  with the scale of secondary, and need a calmer less busy setting. The funding would have to be different - it is currently on a per pupil basis which favours larger schools. But it would undoubtedly be cheaper than specialist provision, and the huge cost to individual children and families (emotional and financial) and to society. https://www.specialneedsjungle.com/tips-help-complete-governments-send-conversation-survey-law/ If anyone wants to take a radical step to help their struggling child, my tip is to move far away: these are the best two schools I have ever visited and in a beautiful part of the country. I only wish we'd moved there before it was too late for my son who had to suffer multiple failings at Charter North and then at the hands of Southwark SEND, out of education from February to October in year 10-11, having already suffered the enduring trauma of a very difficult early life, which in combination with ADHD made his time at schools which just don't care so very unbearable for all of us. https://www.cartmelprioryschool.co.uk/ https://settlebeck.org/ As an add on, I would say to anybody considering adoption, please take into account the education battles that you are very much more likely to face than the average parent. First you have schools to deal with, already terrible; then being passed from pillar to post within Southwark Education, SEND, Education Inclusion Team, round and round as they all do their best to explain why they are not responsible and you need someone different, let's hold another multi-agency meeting, never for one minute considering that if they put the child at the centre and used common sense they would achieve a lot more in much less time without loads of Southwark employees sitting in endless meetings with long suffering parents. It is hard to fully imagine this at the start of your adoption journey, full of hope as you are, but truly education is not for the faint hearted, and should be factored into your decision. You'll never hear from people who are really struggling and continue to do so, only from those who've had challenges but overcome them and it's all lovely. And education, the very people who should be there to help, are the ones who make your lives the most hellish out of everything your child and you face.
    • It’s a big problem all over London. I’ve seen it happen in Kennington and Bloomsbury in the last year. I think there has been some progress recently with some key arrests, but you do need to be very careful when walking around with your phone out, especially, as you say, if wearing noise cancelling headphones. Sorry you experienced this 
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...