As the energy price cap comes into force on April 1, people are being urged to submit their energy meter readings before the costs spike.
Today has been dubbed 'Meter Reading Day' as bill payers scramble to get their energy usage submitted before the 54 per cent rise.
However with the amount of traffic that energy companies have had online has led to Octopus Energy, EDF, E.ON and SSE crash, leaving customers unable to submit their meter readings. British Gas customers have had this issue since February.
READ MORE - British Gas, Scottish Power, SSE and more issue warning amid electricity meter credit scam
Financial expert Martin Lewis has explained why it is so important to submit your gas and electric meter readings today, even if you have a smart meter.
He says it "draws a line in the sand" and all energy you have used up till now should be charged at the current rate, rather than the increased price that will hit on April 1.
If you don't send one, they will estimate how much you've used and you could be charged too much or too less.
Make sure you take a photo of the readings with the date on the photo to provide proof if you need to challenge the energy company.
What to do if you can't take a meter reading
Martin Lewis took to Twitter to explain: "If you can't get to do a meter reading today, do it tomorrow, or Sunday, or Monday. The nearer to today you do it the less chance of mis-estimates, so don't panic about missing it (either through your own or the firm's issue) just get it in as soon as you can."
Which? also encourage people to take a photo of it with the date on the image to provide proof if you can't submit it today.
How to take an meter reading
If you have gas central heating then you will have two meter readings to take - an electric and gas one.
If you have a smart meter, be sure to read the meter, not the In Home Display - that shows how much energy you have used.
Most smart meters are attached to wall or in a cupboard or the kitchen.
You can submit your readings by phoning your energy providers, inputting them on the app or website.
Citizen's Advice also urge people to take a photo, as do Which? since websites have been crashing since this morning.
Have you had any problems submitting energy meter readings? Let us know in the comments.
Citizen’s Advice have a handy guide showing the different types of meters and how to read and submit them.
How to take an electric meter reading
Single rate digital meter
Citizen’s Advice explains: “A digital meter has an electronic or digital display. It will show five numbers in black or white, and might be followed by one or more red numbers.”
“To read the meter:
- Write down the first five numbers shown from left to right.
- Ignore any other numbers.
“If you get cheaper electricity at certain times, you might have a two rate (or ‘dual-rate’) meter. This means it will have two rows of numbers.
“The top row (labelled ‘low’ or ‘night’) shows how many units of cheaper electricity you’ve used.
“The bottom row (labelled ‘normal’ or ‘day’) shows how many units of standard-price electricity you’ve used.”
Two rate digital meter
“To read the meter:
- Read both the top and bottom rows.
- Write down the numbers shown left to right.
- Ignore any numbers shown in red.”
Two rate single display meter
“Some two rate (or ‘dual rate’) meters only have 1 digital display. They will either flash up the different rate readings in a cycle or have a button that you need to press to make the display cycle through the readings for the different rates.
To read the meter write down the numbers shown left to right, for each reading.
To read this meter:
- Write down the numbers shown left to right.
- Make sure you get both readings.”
Dial meter
“An electricity dial meter has 5 or more dials. They each turn to point to a number between zero and nine.
“Each dial on your meter will turn in the opposite direction to the ones next to it. Some dial meters start with a clockwise dial and some start with an anticlockwise dial – check the direction of your dials before you read them.
“To read the meter:
- Read the first five dials from left to right – ignore any red dials or dials marked one to 10.
- If the pointer is between two numbers, write down the lower number – if it’s between nine and zero, write down nine.
- If the pointer is directly over a number, write down that number and underline it.
“If you’ve underlined a number, check the next dial to the right. If the pointer on that dial is between nine and zero, reduce the number you’ve underlined by one. For example, if you originally wrote down five, change it to four.”
How to read a gas meter
Digital metric meter
Citizen Advice also has advice on how to read your gas meter.
They say: “A digital metric meter will have an electronic or digital display, showing five numbers then a decimal point, followed by some more numbers.
To read the meter:
- Write down the first five numbers shown from left to right.
- Ignore the numbers after the decimal point, sometimes shown in red.”
Digital imperial meter
“A digital imperial meter has an electronic or digital display, showing four black or white numbers, followed by two numbers shown in red.
“To read the meter:
- Write down the first four numbers from left to right.
- Ignore the rest of the numbers, shown in red.”
Dial meter
“A gas dial meter has four or more dials. Each one turns to point to a number between zero and nine.
“Each dial on your meter will turn in the opposite direction to the ones next to it. Some dial meters start with a clockwise dial and some start with an anticlockwise dial – check the direction of your dials before you read them.
“To read the meter:
- Read the first four dials from left to right – ignore the large dials or red dials.
- If the pointer is between two numbers, write down the lower number – if it’s between nine and 0, write down nine.
- If the pointer is directly over a number, write down that number.”
Have you had any problems submitting energy meter readings? Let us know in the comments.
