Gas Initial Meter Read - Not Sure if Someone Actually Came and Did One

whiterice on 23/10/2021 - 17:03

Hi, just a quick question guys.

I moved into an apartment (used to live in a house though, still new to the whole strata and building management thing) with a basic meter - signed up for a new gas plan recently, and the retailer told me that an 'actual meter reading' was performed on the 21 October. I know for a fact that my gas meter is inside the apartment (with the same meter number as the one on the gas plan), but no-one came to check it, I was home all day.

Are there such things as… I don't know, meters that can be read from outside the apartment (say, in a common meter room), that are connected to the same 'line' as the one in the apartment? And if so, wouldn't it have a different meter number (since the one matching in the contract is the one inside the apartment). Not sure if relevant, there is a locked meter room in the common area, but I thought that was just for the electricity readings, could be mistaken.

So, not sure if an actual meter reading was performed, despite what I've been told by the retailer. Interested in any thoughts.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • iNeed2Pee on 23/10/2021 - 17:29
    +1

    Some meter readers are too lazy to knock on your door if your meter is inside your property.
    They might have just done a "estimated" usage, in which you might notice the bill is off. Just check the estimate on your first bill and match with your read. If it is off, tell them to reissue the bill and you can send a photo of the gas meter. (I have done this with GloBird).

    Our estimator was too lazy to knock on the door which resulted in a high bill, from now on GloBird allow me to take a photo of my own read.

    • whiterice on 23/10/2021 - 17:35

      Hmm interesting point. I took a photo yesterday so will keep that in my records.

      I always thought the initial and final meter reading had to be 'actual' readings, with estimated readings in between being okay because they do a real reading at the end anyway to balance it out - so it seems strange that the first reading is an estimate. I'm not sure how they will distinguish between usage of the previous account holder and myself.

      • iNeed2Pee on 23/10/2021 - 17:41

        Yeah look, they most def should have given you an initial meter read. Did you speak to the provider?

        • whiterice on 23/10/2021 - 17:47

          Yup, they said that the distributor made a note that they did an 'actual reading' on 21/10.

          • AndyC1 on 23/10/2021 - 17:51

            @whiterice: Does it match the meter value on the meter? If not then ask them to do a real actual meter read.

            • whiterice on 23/10/2021 - 17:53

              @AndyC1: I probably should have asked them to provide the numerical value. I'll ask them on Monday.

              Just looked at Jemena's (gas distributor) COVID-19 policy on their website (https://jemena.com.au/help-and-advice/covid-19)
              "With social distancing restrictions in place, our meter readers are not entering inside a customer’s property to take a read as we cannot guarantee their safety."

              Hmm.

  • avoidfullprice on 23/10/2021 - 18:08
    +1

    Interesting. Although how likely there is a secondary meter? Accessing each apartment unit each quarter seems, excessive.

    Also, do you have Centralised Gas Hot Water System for your unit? Then there would be two readings.

    • whiterice on 23/10/2021 - 18:31
      +1

      Yeah it does sound like a lot of work from a meter reading point of view.

      Don't think there is centralised hot water, just an instantaneous gas unit for this unit alone.

  • yoonibear on 23/10/2021 - 21:31
    +1

    If it was an apartment, it might be your hot water meter - was this located under your sink? Some apartments (especially in NSW) have a meter underneath the sink and another one in a common area. Jemena Gas also allows "gain" and final reads to be estimates (in the case for the retailer I work for, not sure about others) - have a look at the actual read they provided, is it progressive or inline with what your meter says? If you're still concerned, you could arrange another reading to take place or you could submit your own read (https://jemena.com.au/gas/home-and-business/meter-reading-an…) or you could use Jemena's Gas Mate app and submit your own readings.

    Source: Work for a retailer

    • whiterice on 24/10/2021 - 21:26

      Hmm yeah, mine's underneath the sink, but it seems to count usage from a gas stove top too, so my guess is it's probably a general gas meter. Really interesting that final readings can be estimates though. Will give them a call tomorrow..

  • albyone on 23/10/2021 - 22:09
    +1

    Once ran a business that got a 10K gas bill…

    Gas Guy checked the water meter, not the gas…. Genius!!

  • vikvance on 27/10/2021 - 07:51

    Modern gas and electricity meters can be read remotely by the Company. There is no need for them to send someone to come and read it manually.

    • whiterice on 27/10/2021 - 15:11

      Yeah smart meters are the future - I think my building has a basic meter though.

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