Southern Electric Meter Readers

[Jenufa]

I had a smart electricity meter installed two years ago and I thought that would put paid to having meter readers having to visit the house. The new meter is situated very awkwardly in an understairs cupboard which has to be accessed via the living room. Do other members find they still have to have their meter read as this seems to discount the usefulness of going digital.

[Buenchico]

Once everyone has got smart meters, meter reading staff will be totally redundant. Smart meters are now available across much of the UK, with the national rollout due to be completed within three years. Check here to see if you can get one:
https://sse.co.uk/smart-meters/getting-a-smart-meter

Most houses built since the 1970s though have external meters, so their occupiers are never troubled by meter readers having to access the property anyway. (I can't even remember the last time I saw a meter reader around here though. I usually just get an email asking me to submit my own readings).

[Buenchico]

I've just re-read your post. Are you sure that you've actually got a smart meter (and not just one with a digital display)?

A true smart meter sends your meter reading to your energy supplier without anyone needing to phyically read it, so the location of the actual 'base' part of the device is irrelevant. Further it should come with an 'in-home' display, like one of these, which you can put wherever you want:
https://uswitch-cms.imgix.net/jekyll-cms-website/gas-electricity/guides/assets/images/gas-electricity/guides/smart-meter-in-home-display.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&auto=format&;fit=max

So neither you nor anyone else should ever need to access the 'base' part of the meter at all.

[waterboatman]

I can't have smart meters, the gas and electric meters are too far apart, so can't 'talk' to each other.

[Jenufa]

Hi.
I definitely have a smart meter and I do have an in-home display device. My home is under 20 years of age and for some reason Bovis chose to site the electric meter inside while the gas meter is outside. I have in fact now written to SSE so I await their response regarding the role of the meter reader.

[Buenchico]

I repeat my point that you will never see a meter reader, nor will you have to to submit a reading yourself. A smart meter sends the information directly to your energy supplier all by itself.

[Old_Geezer]

My gas meter is outside, and the gas meter guy often doesn't realise, and rings the doorbell. My electric meter is inside and the electric company often just sends an "estimate", which it doesn't justify or even say how many units or what reading they assumed, so there's no clue as to whether it's high or low. Lunatics have taken over.

No desire for so called smart meters, with the ability for the company to control my supply, and data passing that will be vulnerable to malicious individuals, or just plain old tech issues.

Meter readers will hopefully always be needed. Control should remain with the customer/consumer.

[Jenufa]

Just to let all that replied to my post know that I have since been in contact with SSE and have had a confirmation email that I no longer have to have my meter read manually. They suggest that because my gas meter is outside, the man just decides to read the smart meter anyway. Obviously, the company have not issued any directive to their staff about this so in future he will not be gaining admittance.

[fiction-factory]

OG- I'm not sure what's wrong in principle with someone being able to measure your usage without having to visit you to read a meter. My phone bill and credit card bills for example are done without anyone looking at my phones or checking my card.
Yes, estimated energy readings can be unreliable- although you can submit your own readings which they will usually accept, and once they get a good picture of usage the estimates are uncannily accurate