Spam & Scams0 min ago
Meter Reading Job. A Con?
164 Answers
I've just filled out an application form for employment with a gas/electric meter reading company (Meter-U). I have just read their employment information and the company are expecting successful applicants to hand over �520, which would then be re-imbursed weekly over the first three months of employment. I would have to 'beg, borrow or steal' this amount of money! Does anyone else on AB have any experience or advice about this company? Many thanks in advance.
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Another thing I forgot to add is I had my ID photo taken for my ID badge in November and Meter U cannot find it they sent it out somewhere and nobody seems to know where it is,and have been told by my co-ordinator that I cannot work until I have ID.Know again I'm worriedthat I will not get paid for the days I'm off due to no fault of my own.
Whitedarkie,close shave for you my friend you would be better looking for other employment than trudgingthe streets for these guys for next to nothing good luck with the job hunting!
Just had a call from colleague in Cumbria that he has to travel to Inverness nxt week mles outside his 30 mile zone and if he doesnt, disaplinary!!!!!!!!
Whitedarkie,close shave for you my friend you would be better looking for other employment than trudgingthe streets for these guys for next to nothing good luck with the job hunting!
Just had a call from colleague in Cumbria that he has to travel to Inverness nxt week mles outside his 30 mile zone and if he doesnt, disaplinary!!!!!!!!
just an update on this shambles of a firm phoned got phone call to attend course for a week in lancaster but declined to go as it would cost me more in petrol than i would get for the week got phone call of them on thursday askin where i was when i had told them i couldnt afforde to go lancaster every day to which he said they had a room booked for me now none felt the need to tell me this on tuesday when i was called last minute to go on course it was plain to me i was a last min stand in for some one anyway should be last u hear off me as i have washed my hands whit these jokers and there was me thinkin this was a massive company to work for spread the word i would love to see this firm brought to its knees
Did my training in Dudley, 75 miles away. Supposed to be covering S Manchester but was sent to places like Uttoxeter, Stoke, Stafford - all a fair journey away from where I live. I've decided I'm knocking it on the head, but today did absolutely nothing. No work, no phone calls to my co-ordinator or anything. I am hoping that they will let me go because if they do, I can claim benefits straight away. If not, I'm quitting. I'm not working for slaves wages, and will be pursuing this with HMRC. They employ you for the first four months, so they should pay you MINIMUM WAGE at least. I got £1.10 an hour. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
I have been offered a job by meter-u on 22/12/2009 after completing my 2 days induction and test and 2 days meter reading training by an experienced meter reader
They offered me 1000 reads in my local area. I have completed 600 within 4 days working less then 5 hours per day. And now they have offered me further more reads within 10 miles I will try to reach the 75% target and expecting my first payment on
January 2010
I will not make any further comment until I see my first payment.
Cheers
They offered me 1000 reads in my local area. I have completed 600 within 4 days working less then 5 hours per day. And now they have offered me further more reads within 10 miles I will try to reach the 75% target and expecting my first payment on
January 2010
I will not make any further comment until I see my first payment.
Cheers
hi i was a meter reader for years with manweb now retired the saw this ad thought i would get some partime work when i read the ad straight away i thought this is a con i used to train people to read meters people think its an easy job forget it its not its bloody hard and not many would stick at it most left after a week one woman lasted 2 hours what will happe is people will pay the fee then leave, this is what meter-u want the FEE couldt believe they were asking for a fee to read meters THIS IS A SCAM
@ frub. You state you were looking for part time work in your first post. Meter-U don't offer part-time work, it's a full-time job. That means five days a week, eight hours per day.
I'm going out on a limb, but it sounds as though the job wasn't right for you in the first place (as the hours are not part-time) and now you're bitter about it. You said you were already aware that it was hard work so that can't have been the problem?
Meter-U offers franchises, which like any other Franchise setup means you have to pay for them. The money covers the cost of clothing, training, hire of training facilities. This money is easily recouped over time in the money you will save in tax by being a small PLC.
The job isn't a con at all, in fact that comment is defamatory. The franchise fee does not need to be paid in a lump sum, it can be paid by deducting a small amount per read (1p for example, I can't remember the exact figures), which is what I did and it was barely noticeable on my salary.
I've been doing the job for three and a half years now and have always found office/managerial staff excellent. I'm only posting to try and give a balanced view of the company I work for. Unfortunatley due to the nature of the internet it's possible for individuals to taint the image of a company with one or two posts, when in reality there are hundreds of people who had no illusions about the job before they started and are making a good living from it.
I'm going out on a limb, but it sounds as though the job wasn't right for you in the first place (as the hours are not part-time) and now you're bitter about it. You said you were already aware that it was hard work so that can't have been the problem?
Meter-U offers franchises, which like any other Franchise setup means you have to pay for them. The money covers the cost of clothing, training, hire of training facilities. This money is easily recouped over time in the money you will save in tax by being a small PLC.
The job isn't a con at all, in fact that comment is defamatory. The franchise fee does not need to be paid in a lump sum, it can be paid by deducting a small amount per read (1p for example, I can't remember the exact figures), which is what I did and it was barely noticeable on my salary.
I've been doing the job for three and a half years now and have always found office/managerial staff excellent. I'm only posting to try and give a balanced view of the company I work for. Unfortunatley due to the nature of the internet it's possible for individuals to taint the image of a company with one or two posts, when in reality there are hundreds of people who had no illusions about the job before they started and are making a good living from it.
This can be an excellent opportunity for people who want to be their own boss. If you are self motivated you can earn good money. The company is in a transitional period at the moment, while the BG contract is still under EON the problems are out of their hands but it should be resolved around March. The work load is out of their control until then, but should improve considerably. The coordinators can't control what work their readers get , it's decided by MRS who are feathering their own nest while they still have the contract, which is understandable. They need to be seen to be diligent.Meter -u cant take people on when they don't know how many people they will have to take on under the third party rule where anyone working the contract must be offered continued employment., that's why some of you have been left out to dry after your interviews i guess. The work fluctuates from BG. One minute it's all hands to the pumps then you night get 3/4's of your allocation. It's like being a self employed builder, you only get paid well when there's a lot of work, the difference being you wait for the work to be sent to you. Been doing this for a while now and love it. If I knuckle down I can have a long weekend every week or ask for more work(the latter doesn't happen very often!!) It isn't for everyone, but you have to dip your toe sometimes!!!
It's not a scam. The guys that live in built up areas have it made I've heard of people earning over forty grand!! You are buying a business that will guarrantee you work, don't sound bad to me. By the way I'm a reader not management. This is the best job I've had in a long time and believe me, I've had some good jobs. No one hassles you unless you're underperforming and usually they are pretty understanding. You work from home, no office politics, backstabbing etc. Customers can try your patience but they are few and far between and they weather.... well we won't talk about that!!
40 grand a year yes i heard that , off the guy who interviewed me and he said they were a couple from down south . who work crazy hours .... and im sorry but any firm that can give you a start date and a contract only to phone u up the day b4 to tell u ther is no job . is not a well run company and yes u can say i was cheesed off and holding a grudge wouldnt u if u had been let down for work 2 week b4 xmas i was told lie after lie
its an ok company and franchised via ya salary over a few months, at the end of the day you get out of it what you put in,im not the hardest worker but have had 2 wages now and taken home just under a grand each time after me tax and after me franchise fees,i gonna stay cos you are ya own boss with the support of a decent company should the Sugar hit the fan
good to see the last couple of posts talk since cant belive some of the storys about meter u! iv bin with them 4 12 months now and never had any issues at all! as long as u put in the effort the rewards can be gr8! tips i can giv are plan your work when u recive it and just think the consumer is goin 2 b in at sum time so go at different times! dont get me wrong it aint all plane sailing winter months can b hard that what i say plan your work properly aint it makes life that bit easier!! all the best
To anyone considering working for Meter U, i would say keep clear of them. They are a disorganised , ineffective bunch. Some of the guys posting on here are living in a dream world.They seem to think they are some sort of business men; get real, you are only a Meter Reader, a job that doesn't need much brain power. Those who say they are earning big money are obviously in areas where the majority of meters are in outside boxes. Also. i bet they don't have to drive around a hundred miles a day in rural areas and have to achieve a 81% access rate. Don't forget, you don't get paid a mileage allowance; it comes out of your earnings.
Be aware that Meter U are losing contracts regularly as companies find it cheaper to take contracts back in house. They recently lost the SSE in the Midlands and just dumped their workforce without offering any assistance. The MD stood up and said all DC's would be employed by SSE under TUPE regs. That was not the case as SSE were under no obligation to offer employment under those conditions. They took £750.00 franchise fees of us and said it was for setting up the franchise. Bit of a chhek as all the work is done by the individual. Meter U do nothing.I am looking at how i can get this abck and am taking legal guidance. If it is worth following up, Meter U could be faced with hundreds of similar claims. Could they afford that.
I spent 4 plus years with them and treated is as a way of earning pocket mooney and as a way of keeping fit. The coordinators who you never see aren't the sharpest cards in the pack, and seldom respond to questions if the answer involves anything harder than a yes or a no. The information held on the HHU is well out of date and no matter how often you try and get it changed nothings gets done. The info also contravenes the Data Protection Act on many occasions.
All in all they are a very amateurish company and one that i would keep clear of.
Be aware that Meter U are losing contracts regularly as companies find it cheaper to take contracts back in house. They recently lost the SSE in the Midlands and just dumped their workforce without offering any assistance. The MD stood up and said all DC's would be employed by SSE under TUPE regs. That was not the case as SSE were under no obligation to offer employment under those conditions. They took £750.00 franchise fees of us and said it was for setting up the franchise. Bit of a chhek as all the work is done by the individual. Meter U do nothing.I am looking at how i can get this abck and am taking legal guidance. If it is worth following up, Meter U could be faced with hundreds of similar claims. Could they afford that.
I spent 4 plus years with them and treated is as a way of earning pocket mooney and as a way of keeping fit. The coordinators who you never see aren't the sharpest cards in the pack, and seldom respond to questions if the answer involves anything harder than a yes or a no. The information held on the HHU is well out of date and no matter how often you try and get it changed nothings gets done. The info also contravenes the Data Protection Act on many occasions.
All in all they are a very amateurish company and one that i would keep clear of.
To anyone considering working for Meter U, i would say keep clear of them. They are a disorganised , ineffective bunch. Some of the guys posting on here are living in a dream world.They seem to think they are some sort of business men; get real, you are only a Meter Reader, a job that doesn't need much brain power. Those who say they are earning big money are obviously in areas where the majority of meters are in outside boxes. Also. i bet they don't have to drive around a hundred miles a day in rural areas and have to achieve a 81% access rate. Don't forget, you don't get paid a mileage allowance; it comes out of your earnings.
Be aware that Meter U are losing contracts regularly as companies find it cheaper to take contracts back in house. They recently lost the SSE in the Midlands and just dumped their workforce without offering any assistance. The MD stood up and said all DC's would be employed by SSE under TUPE regs. That was not the case as SSE were under no obligation to offer employment under those conditions. They took £750.00 franchise fees of us and said it was for setting up the franchise. Bit of a chhek as all the work is done by the individual. Meter U do nothing.I am looking at how i can get this abck and am taking legal guidance. If it is worth following up, Meter U could be faced with hundreds of similar claims. Could they afford that.
I spent 4 plus years with them and treated is as a way of earning pocket mooney and as a way of keeping fit. The coordinators who you never see aren't the sharpest cards in the pack, and seldom respond to questions if the answer involves anything harder than a yes or a no. The information held on the HHU is well out of date and no matter how often you try and get it changed nothings gets done. The info also contravenes the Data Protection Act on many occasions.
All in all they are a very amateurish company and one that i would keep clear of.
Be aware that Meter U are losing contracts regularly as companies find it cheaper to take contracts back in house. They recently lost the SSE in the Midlands and just dumped their workforce without offering any assistance. The MD stood up and said all DC's would be employed by SSE under TUPE regs. That was not the case as SSE were under no obligation to offer employment under those conditions. They took £750.00 franchise fees of us and said it was for setting up the franchise. Bit of a chhek as all the work is done by the individual. Meter U do nothing.I am looking at how i can get this abck and am taking legal guidance. If it is worth following up, Meter U could be faced with hundreds of similar claims. Could they afford that.
I spent 4 plus years with them and treated is as a way of earning pocket mooney and as a way of keeping fit. The coordinators who you never see aren't the sharpest cards in the pack, and seldom respond to questions if the answer involves anything harder than a yes or a no. The information held on the HHU is well out of date and no matter how often you try and get it changed nothings gets done. The info also contravenes the Data Protection Act on many occasions.
All in all they are a very amateurish company and one that i would keep clear of.
@optio577. No-one's saying that copying four and five digit numbers all day makes them the next Alan Sugar. I think we're all aware it "doesn't take much brain power".
People can obviously only post their own experiences. My experience of Meter-U has not been a bad one. You say you were driving one hundred miles per day. So if you worked twenty days that would be two-thousand miles a month, just to earn "pocket monet"........for four years! Are you sure? I say more fool you!
Also, the information on HHUs is provided by the utility company, nothing to do with Meter-U. The computers do have a facility to update information, but whether or not the utility provider uses itstraight away, or waits for it to be confirmed by other data collectors is up to them, not Meter-U.
People can obviously only post their own experiences. My experience of Meter-U has not been a bad one. You say you were driving one hundred miles per day. So if you worked twenty days that would be two-thousand miles a month, just to earn "pocket monet"........for four years! Are you sure? I say more fool you!
Also, the information on HHUs is provided by the utility company, nothing to do with Meter-U. The computers do have a facility to update information, but whether or not the utility provider uses itstraight away, or waits for it to be confirmed by other data collectors is up to them, not Meter-U.
recently had interview with meter u 5/1/10 this was succesfull recived both ID badges about a week and half later no contract recived no contact from any one made numerous calls to HR dept told someone would get back to me guess what still waiting resorted to emailing recruitment manager as of yet no reply i personaly think a layer of management is missing it borders on organised chaos will post any results from emails should i be graced with a reply
dont bother they did same with me a week b4 xmas i got a contract only to be told they didnt have any work for me a day b4 i meant to start and guess wat i couldnt get any reply to phone calls or email and lets face it how long will meter reader be wanted when they are coming out with so many ways to do it yourself now
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