Unless you have an Automated Meter Reading (AMR) device your bills will be estimated unless a meter read is provided by you or your supplier
Your energy supplier may well contract this service to a third party instead of supplying it themselves. This person is known as the meter operator and they will own your meters and read them when necessary. In some instances under a term in your contract, you may be the meter operator in which case you will be responsible for their upkeep although this is not always a good thing
Whoever is responsible there are a few things which you should make sure of:
- Firstly, you should know where your meters are! Even if you don't have to read them yourself you should be aware of their location in case of any problems etc
- Ensure that the meters on your premises are actually the ones you are receiving bills for. Mistakes can and do happen, don't just assume that your bills are correct
- Even though you may not be responsible for reading your meters it is good practice to do this anyway. Your supplier does not have to issue you with accurate bills unless it is written into the terms and conditions of your contract. Sometimes, although a meter reading is collected there is no onus on the supplier to use it for billing purposes. You should compare all estimated bills against the read on your meter to make sure they are roughly the same. If your bills suggest that your meter readings are higher than you think they are you can request another reading. Also, if your readings seem to be significantly higher than what is appearing on your bills, don't just leave it and celebrate the fact that you're paying less - it will catch up eventually and you could end up with one sizable bill. It's better to get any discrepancies sorted at the earliest opportunity regardless of whether they are in your favour or not
- When you move in to new business premises make sure you read the meter and make a note of the reading. Let your chosen energy supplier have your reading as soon as possible to avoid paying for the previous owners energy. Keep a hold of the reading in case it is needed in the future
- The same applies when you move out of any premises. Make sure you tell your supplier the exact date you are vacating and keep the final reading safe in case there are any discrepancies regarding your usage
If you are responsible for your own meters (see above) make sure you get them serviced regularly to ensure they are kept in good working order. A little bit of good housekeeping could save you hefty repair bills in the future
Obtaining a meter reading
It is essential that you take a meter reading when moving into, or out of, business premises. This will help make any transition between suppliers as smooth as possible. If you are unable to read your meter/s on the exact day of moving you should take one as close to the date as possible. You should keep the reading safe and let your current supplier know what it is as it will form the basis of your final bill. If you do not get a reading and have to rely on an estimate you could end up paying for energy you have not used or, if the property remains vacant, service charges could still apply
When moving into new premises, or changing energy supplier at your current premises, your new supplier should obtain an actual meter reading. This should be done by previous arrangement with their appointed meter reading agent. However, you can take a reading yourself and pass this on to your new supplier. Alternatively, a sales agent for your new supplier can also take a reading and let them know
If your premises has particular issues regarding access to any meters you should provide as much information as possible to your energy supplier to enable them to gain access and read your meter/s regularly
For example:
- If a meter is located in a locked area the meter reader will require a key. You should let your energy supplier know how to obtain this key
- If there is a password attached to your meter you should inform your energy supplier or ensure that someone is available to enter the password for them
- If it is not obvious where your meters are, you should provide details to your energy supplier so that they can access them
- If you do not wish to provide the above information to your energy supplier e.g. for security reasons etc. then you should try to ensure that someone is available to assist the person who comes to read them
By doing these things you will make it easier for your supplier to get actual readings instead of relying on estimates of your energy consumption. This will make it easier to keep track of how much energy you are using and will enable you to plan for your future business needs and make savings wherever possible
If your business is a high energy user you may have a half hourly electricity meter. If so, your readings will be automatically provided to your current supplier and you do not need to have your meters read. However you should still check your bills against your meter readings to ensure that they are correct
The Association of Meter Operators has a website designed to help customers read and understand their meters. Although it is predominantly aimed at domestic customers it also covers small businesses. Their website can be found at http://www.meteroperators.org.uk/