Access to gas/electricity meter?

Leqv on 28/07/2014 - 15:59

Hi,

I was wondering whether anyone would know where I can find information regarding resident's rights to access the gas/electricity meter for an apartment building. I tried searching on Google, but couldn't really find any applicable info..

Basically, I live in an apartment block, and the gas/electricity meter is apparently not located inside my unit, but rather, behind a locked door in the common property area.

I signed up for a monthly bill process with my gas/electricity retailer, and I initially intended to provide my own reading to them so that I will pay for my actual usage rather than "estimated" every month. However, when I asked the building manager of my apartment block abt where I can get this info, they said that this reading is sent electronically every 3 months to the energy company, so they said I won't be able to take my own reading.

Is this the standard practice of all apartment blocks? I thought that since the gas/electricity account is under my own name I should be able to access the meter to at least verify that the meter reading sent over roughly matches what is written on the bill. Anyone had experience with similar matter?

Home & Garden

Comments

  • pjetson on 28/07/2014 - 18:44

    Are you an owner, or a tenant?

    • eqv on 28/07/2014 - 21:49

      Tenant, but does it make a difference?

  • pjetson on 28/07/2014 - 22:00
    +1

    As an owner, you'd have some input to the body corporate, who probably made the "no access" rule.

    As a tenant, probably all you can do is ask your agent to ask the owner for access.

  • pjetson on 28/07/2014 - 22:28

    You could also try an enquiry to your state tenant association - there may be a right of access for tenants, but I can't seem to find one in a quick search.

    http://www.tenants.org.au

    • eqv on 29/07/2014 - 00:43

      Hmm tried looking over that site, couldn't really find what I was looking for. Thanks for directing me to it though, seems like a good place for me to ask around as well.

  • retiredfeline on 28/07/2014 - 22:37

    As I understand it, it's not the utility company that reads the meter, since there are so many suppliers, but a meter reading company that does all the meters in one go every quarter. As pjetson said, you may have to negotiate with the body corporate for access, and the meter is probably in a common room.

    After one cycle your utility should be able to come up with a better monthly estimate from the quarterly reading.

  • Shadow54 on 30/07/2014 - 15:44

    I suspect the building manager is just too lazy to allow you access to the meter. Try having an informal chat to the Electricity Ombudsman in your state regarding your right to access the meter. Logic would suggest that as the accountholder you should be able to verify your meter when you like.

    • eqv on 31/07/2014 - 18:05

      How do I go about having 'informal chat'? Invite him for a beer? ;p
      Do you think this would be under the Energy Ombudsman's jurisdiction? Is there such Ombudsman for apartment strata or tenancy?

      • Shadow54 on 01/08/2014 - 10:59

        You are talking about an electricity matter so your problem should be covered by the Electricity Ombudsman. What I meant by an "informal chat" is to ring the Ombudsamn and ask for some advice and guidance without making a formal complaint. Buying beer is optional…..

  • pyramid on 31/07/2014 - 18:15

    Is is a smart meter? If yes, then i don't think they send anyone to read it. Smart meters are read automatically.

  • kriddy on 31/07/2014 - 18:21

    Your building manager should provide access because when you have lost your power, the first thing your electricity distributor will ask is if you have access to, and checked the meter box. Most locked meter boxes are done so with a power industry lock (PIL) and there's a master or 'skeleton' key that opens all of them. If your box has a PIL you could just buy the key from Bunnings or a locksmith and check it sneakily if the owner isn't allowing access?

  • eqv on 01/08/2014 - 14:57

    I'm really unhappy with AGL now. I was expecting that by now they would have billed me based on an actual reading on my gas, since it's been at least 4 months since the last one. I called in 2 weeks ago to ask them why my bill is still based on estimated 4 months in a row, and they needed to escalate the enquiry to the gas distributor. I called in again today to follow up since no one has updated me, but the guy that I spoke to was just plain unhelpful. Instead of trying to listen and understand what my issue is, he's trying to turn all the responsibility to me and make it seem that it's my fault. After a long conversation, and I finally said "you are not listening to me", he snapped back and said, "no, YOU are not listening to me", and a short while after he just hung up on me. I don't understand how this kind of people can be hired as a representative to talk to customer.

    Long story short, I called them back not long after, and finally agreed to switch my billing cycle to quarterly, given the understanding that the quarterly billing will definitely be based only on actual read.

    I really think there is something wrong with AGL's monthly billing system, as everytime i called in and mentioned it, the almost immediate response is, do you want to switch back to the quarterly billing.

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