How to read your meter A guide to ensuring an accurate bill
Electricity Meters Electricity meters can be analogue or digital; this section will show you how to establish which type you have and how to read it. This is an analogue five-dial meter. The display may differ slightly depending on the model you have but all are read from left to right. You do not need to include the red dials when reading the meter. If you have this type of dial electricity meter, simply read all digits on the display. If the last digit is between numbers, then always record the lower of the two digits. This meter is reading 64331.
Other homes may contain a two rate analogue meter, these are commonly found used in conjunction with Economy 10 or Economy 7 tariffs. As overleaf you simply read the digits as displayed, although you will need to take the two readings separately as your energy provider requires both readings. One reading records your peak rate energy, the other off peak. This is a digital single rate electricity meter. It s the simplest type of electricity meter and easiest to read as the digital display shows the information you need.
A digital two rate meter looks the same as the single rate meter but the digital display changes to show both off peak and peak energy. R1 or R2 will show before the reading and your energy provider will be able to tell you which rate is recording the off peak. These meters have a flashing red light to indicate that electricity is passing through the meter. If the meter fails to display a reading, contact your energy provider, as the battery display may have failed.
Gas Meters There are two different types of Gas meter. Five-dial meters, which record the gas consumed in cubic meters, and four-dial meters, which measure the gas used in cubic feet. You should always inform your supplier what type you have when you provide them with a reading. Unlike an electricity meter, gas meters do not record each unit as a kwh, so a calculation has to be made to convert each unit into a billable kwh. This is an analogue four-dial gas meter; the displays may differ slightly depending on the make. Like the analogue electricity meters, these meters are read from left to right - this meter is reading 4878. This is an analogue five-dial meter. The current reading is 15979. You should ignore anything past the decimal (normally framed in red), as your energy provider does not need to know this information.
Electricity and Gas Key/Card Meters As key meter tariffs are often more expensive per kwh, it is best to try and avoid them if at all possible. You will not receive any bills with a key meter, as you pay for your energy in advance and insert a key or card into the meter. Key meters Key meters have multiple displays that you can scroll through by pressing the blue button. Each display is represented by a letter: A Credit available B Display test E Total credit accepted F Total fixed charge (weekly standing charge + debt recovery rate) G Total kwh used H Total day rate kwh I Day rate pence per unit J Total night rate kwh (only visible if you are on a 2 rate meter) K Night rate pence per unit S Total debt set on meter (only visible when the key is inserted) T Total debt recovery rate (only visible when the key is inserted)
Card meters This is a gas prepayment card meter; it works the same way as the electricity key meter. Withdraw the card from the meter to top up the card at a paypoint. Once the card has been topped up, insert it back into the meter. These meters have many useful displays that can be scrolled through by pressing button A. Below is a list of the most commonly needed displays: 00 How much credit you last put on the meter 01 Last amount of credit taken for arrears 02 Last amount of credit taken to repay emergency credit 03 Last amount of credit given for gas 17 Daily standing charge 21 Amount of credit you must have before emergency credit will be offered 26 Weekly debt recovery rate 27 Current arrears
Contact Us For further information on how you can save money in your home or to speak directly to an Energy Advisor, please call Radian Direct on 0300 123 1 567. You can also e-mail: radiandirect@radian.co.uk or text on 07764 309062.