Bord Gais Meter Readings

Markove

Registered User
Messages
153
Hello. Are there Bord Gais Energy (Electricity) customers here who happen to live in apartment blocks? I have just received an email inviting me to submit my own meter reading in order to avoid my next bill being calculated on estimated usage. I have lived at the same address and been a B G account holder for two years now and have never received this request previously. I was under the impression a meter reader with access to the building comes in to take the readings. Also, the meter for all the apartments are located in locked metal cabinets in the ground floor car park. So, how is the customer supposed to supply the reading if it can't be checked in the first place? Should I just ignore the message? Trying to contact customer service is difficult at the best of times
 
When was the last time your meter was read \ your bill was based on actual usage?

In your shoes I'd drop an email to Management Company enquiring about who has access to read the meter and perhaps you can either get a key or check your meter in the presence of the agent.
 
I would be inclined to e-mail B.G. also and ask for their view on how you are to gain access as it might well be another e-mail scam.
 
You should have access to the meter as a bill payer. Are you sure it's actually locked or just made to look closed ? Request a key from the management company if you are an owner or from the landlord if you are renting. Also check your bill to see it has an 'a' for actual beside the readings rather than an 'e' for estimate. You may have been estimated all along because of the locked cabinet.
 
Just for the record, Bord Gais or any of the other providers do not read your meter, Gas Networks Ireland carry out this function for all gas customers and pass the reading on to the suppliers. They don't read meters every cycle and the providers request that you submit a reading yourself or they will estimate your usage.

You can submit a reading directly to GNI here.
 
Why don't they (GNI) read the meters every cycle if they are being contracted to provide a service?
 
Why don't they (GNI) read the meters every cycle if they are being contracted to provide a service?

They say here that they read the meters four times a year and other bills will be estimated.

During Covid the electricity meters were not read as often because in quite a lot of cases meters were in porches which was seen as going into people's homes.
 
Why don't they (GNI) read the meters every cycle if they are being contracted to provide a service?
Well, they aren't contracted by anyone to do it, they own the grid! No utility reads the meter every cycle, it would be an unnecessary additional expense that would just be passed on to consumers. ESB Networks only look to read meters twice a year.
 
There is normally a room with a bank of meters for each apt

Management company should be able to point you to it and get you access

Place I lived in it was in the car park
 
They seem to have just started to do this, possibly because of recent price rises.

Ask your management company where your meter is and they should be able to give you access. Gas networks Ireland usually read the meter about 50% of the time and estimate the bills the remainder, which to be honest often results in wilding innacurate bills so you are better off reading yourself.