As far as I’m aware, there’s an industry requirement for reading visits every year or two. 

Brilliant, thank you for replying so quickly 

My new smart meter was installed just two weeks ago. I have now had a card through my door to say Morrison Data Services need to read it. Is this correct? 

Hi @hughie501 ,

Yup! That’s normal - it’s part of the bi-annual visit that OVO has to do, for which they use Morrison Data Services. Please respond to it using the instructions on the card when you get a chance. It’s still required even with Smart Meters.

Normal? No-one has ever to my knowledge been just to read my smart meter. An engineer came to install a smart meter in 2017, then another one to upgrade it to SMETS2 in 2023. Who says that OVO have to read it (manually) bi-annually? The only requirement I know of is that suppliers have to take “reasonable steps to obtain a meter reading (including any meter reading transmitted electronically …) … at least once every year” (SLC 21B.4). I take this to mean that if the smart meter is transmitting readings as intended, there’s no need for a visit by a meter reader.

That is for electricity meters, though. Is it different for gas meters?

I certainly get the bi-annual thing but reading it two weeks after it has been installed just seemed a bit strange. I submitted a reading anyway. 

Hi @hughie501,

It seems our forum volunteer has already given some good advice here.

Even if you’ve got a smart meter installed, we are required to carry out certain checks on your meter every 1 - 2 years. We use ‘Morrisons Data Services’ to carry out these checks so you if you’re concerned you can ask the visiting meter reader for some ID to confirm this. These checks are done at random so it may be a coincidence that it happened a couple weeks after your smart meter was fitted.

Smart meter installed Aug 24, since then I've had 2 visits from a meter reader from Morrisons data services? 

Part of the reason I was keen to upgrade to a smart meter was that I don't live full time in the property and regular manual meter readings were difficult and visits by meter readers never coincided with my time at the house. 

Both visits from the meter reader in the last year were missed appointments, I thought now I had a smart meter this nonsense would go away? 

I'm also an Octopus customer at another property with a smart meter, prior to Octopus it was Scottish Power, for this property we've never had a visit from a meter reader in the last 10 years or so. 

Is it OVO policy that even if you have a smart meter you'll get 2 visits each year from a meter reader - seems ridiculous to me?

This is to be expected per industry rules - OVO isn’t the only supplier that does it.

Even with Smart Meters, you’ll get a visit from a meter reader every so often to check everything is working as intended as well as grab a verification reading.

Morning ​@Infiltrator, I hope you’re well.

​@Blastoise186 is correct here - MDS are contracted by us to read all customers’ meters on an adhoc basis, which helps us ensure that we’re billing our customers correctly to actual usage. Apologies if it’s caused any annoyance or alarm, but it’s something that the business currently has no plans of stopping.

If the first was missed and you didn’t contact them then that would explain why they came back again.

I assume that MDS will keep trying until they can actually get access to the meter, or at least until you do contact them.

Their number is on the card that they leave.

See also:

What to expect when we visit to read your meter

Thanks for the replies, I’ll try to contact them to see if we can arrange a reading when I’m next at the house.

Tried to contact them, only option is to submit a reading, I’m guessing we’ll just carry on and submit a manual reading each time we miss their visit. 

My 84 year mother had an unplanned visit from an OVO engineer on Friday. He said her outside meters haven't been working! However I know readings go in every month!  Im not happy that my vulnerable mother had this visit without it being known to us. Do you think this is a legitimate visit or not pls! Safeguarding is an issue for me if it is. 

This does sound a little strange. It is unusual for an engineer to call at a domestic premises without an appointment. You should always check I.D. of all callers especially if they have just turned up. Calling the utility to check should be done before allowing anyone in or access to your meter or other equipment.

OVO engineers are clearly identifiable by their livery and that of their vans, quite apart from any ID they may show on request.
  

If your mother isn’t on OVO’s Priority Services Register (PSR), perhaps she should be! One of the features of the scheme is that she can choose a safe word to be recorded in her account. Anyone claiming to be visiting from or on behalf of OVO should know the safe word and be able to give it when challenged.  

Hey ​@DPea,

From time to time, we send engineers to check the meters and make sure everything is running smoothly. ​@Firedog has shared some great advice about the Priority Services Register that I think you’ll find useful! Also, in addition to our OVO engineers, we work with a fantastic company called Morrison Data Services. If you're curious, you can learn more about them in our article, "What to Expect When We Visit to Read Your Meter."

I hope you find this information helpful!
 

I I don’t think this was a legitimate engineer from OVO. It would make me suspicious & anxious if I had someone knock on my door.
I would check with OVO if this was an actual OVO Representative if you don’t feel comfortable. There are Scammers out there impersonating officials putting on a high vis-vest & a lanyard with who knows what identification to fool you, and then robbing from the house.
Your right to feel uncomfortable & questioning this, as this is, as you’ve said safeguarding issue. 
Maybe inform Confirm if they did or didn’t send an OVO Engineer to the property & request that it put on her account no un-arranged visits. 
Also sign her up as a Priority Customer, as previously mentioned you can select a coded security word, along with other help available in the event of a power cut in your area. 
I hope this hasn’t unsettled your mum, getting older (I’m one) events like this can make you feel really vulnerable and cause alot of anxiety 

I hope your mum feels safe with you there to check it out. 

Why is a person on my door wanting to read my meter all of a sudden when I have had a smart Meter for years with no problem 

Hi ​@Mariabg ,

It’s a bi-annual check that OVO is required to do. Only takes a couple of minutes and then they’re gone!

Always check for ID before allowing entry.

Never had this before. Had a smart meter for years. And no ID shown . I don't need to let them in . My smart meter does all the readings or what's the point of them 

It is important to allow these checks - OVO is required to do them Smart Meter or not as part of verification checks.

Please allow the meter reader access in future if they call again.

Hi ​@Mariabg and a warm welcome to the OVO Forum.

Apologies for any alarm caused by the engineer - they were most likely from Morrisons Data Services.

​@Blastoise186 is correct in what he’s saying - we have meter readers contracted to carry out this work whether customers have smart meters or not. You can find out more here: