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Neighbours tampering with gas/electricity meter!
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[Deleted User]
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I have been feeling very suspicious with my new neighbours since moving in next door. They have been constantly tampering with their meters since moving in for the last couple of weeks. I have grown more suspicious when I woke up one morning to see a second meter box outside their house above the normal gas meter box. I have never ever seen a family spend so much time around their meters like the males of that family do. They are known around the neighbourhood of being heavy weed users so I wonder if that has anything to do with it.
I thought about reporting them to the UKRPA but my mum doesn't want me to because she's worried it'll be known that it's us who reported them. I never really cared that much until I read of the risk of fire/explosion when tampering with the meters.
It would be much appreciated of you could advise me on what to do.
Thanks
I thought about reporting them to the UKRPA but my mum doesn't want me to because she's worried it'll be known that it's us who reported them. I never really cared that much until I read of the risk of fire/explosion when tampering with the meters.
It would be much appreciated of you could advise me on what to do.
Thanks
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Comments
Exactly the opposite I would have thought.
You can 'acquire' spare meters to fit in place of the original so that when it comes to meter reading time you swap them back over. Of course the original (and genuine) meter has not registered all the gas that has been used in the meantime so therefore you end up paying for a fraction of the energy that you've used.
Another way it used to be done was to take the original meter off and reverse the fittings so that it ran backwards in order to get the same result. Though this can't be done now with the updated meters.
Report them without a doubt for two reasons, one is your safety, and two is that they are stealing.
OP. mind your own business - it's amazing how little you notice about other people when you do that.
You can buy elecy meters on ebay quite legally along with lead seals to make it look pretty much kosher and while it wouldn't pass a close inspection it'll pass most meter readers quick look to get the numbers and then onto the next house
over reaction maybe?
dont you got tv? why you spying on neighbours anyway
Once years ago there was a lad you'd often see hanging around - sometimes he would be talking to mates - sometimes he'd have a hessian bag with him and they'd be looking in the bag - because of the times, the area and the way the person looked I immediately thought 'drugs' -only to later discover not 'drugs' but pet 'ferrets'!
Sometimes - things aren't the way they seem.
I have used Key meters before and you usually need one person to do it which takes a minute to do, not 10+ minutes.
Like I said I could care less but I'm just worried about our safety.
I've just re-read your first post - if it's gas that's another matter - is there no way you could get someone to check without your neighbours realising it's you -Also do you live in flats - if so is there no doorman you could ask?
The only way is contacting the UKRPA which they say everything would be confidential but I still have that doubt in me.
No we live in a semi detached house
http://www.ukrpa.co.uk/
Get a job or a hobby, perhaps. Or go next door and have a smoke - might sort you out.
The meter might not explode but they'll of been pulling the main fuse and if it goes wrong you can have loads of metal flying at you at seriously high temperature...if you watch when they pull fuses properly they have on all sorts of protective gear (or they should have)
Just call National Grid out 0800 111 999 and tell them you can smell gas. It may have miraculously disappeared when they come around but at least they can check "likely sources". (You could even suggest where the smell was strongest).
Don't be put of by some on here telling you to mind you're own business*. If the meter is being tampered with, you may well be in danger and in any case they are stealing (and we all pay for what thieves steal).
*People who say this tend to be of dubious character themselves.
Also wouldn't a new meter be fitted by gas engineers rather than house owners?
Well it wouldn't be the home owner - but it would be a gas engineer either, gas meters are replaced by a third party company with essentially non-qualified staff (certainly not gas engineers).
This entire thread sounds absolutely ludicrous though - don't be nosey, let your neighbours get on with their life.
Fitting a second meter box is presumably in preparation for having the meters moved into that, and then filling the old hole up. It's FAR, FAR cheaper to fit your own meter box than get the gas board to do it, you simply fit the box, then get the gas board to come and move the meter to the new box - which is still pretty pricey!.