There’s a good chance you’ve read your home’s energy meter – without regular meter readings, your supplier will estimate your gas and electricity usage. And this could leave you paying too much or too little.
When it comes to business energy, the principle is very similar. There are some exceptions, such as if you have a smart meter or half hourly meter, but otherwise you’ll need to take and submit your meter reading each month.
Let us give you the detailed rundown on how to take a gas or electricity meter reading and successfully submit it to your energy supplier.
What is a business energy meter?
Energy meters are designed to gauge your business’s energy consumption. There are several different types of meters available to businesses.
Monitoring your energy consumption is essential. It ensures your business energy bills are 100% accurate – so, you only pay for the actual energy consumed rather than an estimated amount.
You can also use them to get a clear understanding of how much energy your business is using. And crucially, the insights allow you to plan and reduce your gas and electricity usage more effectively.
What are the different types of meters?
There are a variety of meter options to choose from. The meter you have will depend on the specific requirements of your business. However, some of the most common meters include:
Single-rate meter
The most common type of energy meter used by businesses – you’ll pay a single kilowatt-hour (kWh) rate, regardless of the time of day. Standard single-rate meters have a 21-digit ‘S’ number (MPAN) starting with ‘03’.
Two-rate meters
Two-rate meters are set to two different rates depending on the time of day. Naturally, they’re better suited to certain types of businesses. You’ll pay a higher rate per kWh during peak periods, with a discounted rate during off-peak periods.
There are three types of two-rate meter:
• Economy 7 – designed to offer cheaper off-peak rates during a seven-hour window.
• Economy 10 – designed to offer cheaper off-peak rates during a 10-hour window.
• Evening and Weekend – designed to offer cheaper rates during evenings and weekends. The definition of evenings varies from supplier to supplier.
Want to learn more about time of use tariffs? Read our guide exploring whether electricity is cheaper at night.
Three-rate meters
Three-rate meters are like two-rate meters, however rather than charging two rates, they charge three rates. Peak rates are charged during the daytime, with a lower rate during weekends and evenings, and off-peak rates during the night.
Half-hourly meters
Does your business use 100kWh or more of electricity in a 30-minute period? If so, you’ll have a half-hourly meter. It transmits readings directly to your energy supplier to ensure you’re paying the right amount for your supply.
If your business uses 70kWh or more in a 30-minute period, you’ll also be eligible to apply for a half-hourly meter. Having one can better ensure the accuracy of your bills.
Find out everything you need to know in our guide ‘Half-Hourly Meters, Explained’.
Automated meter reading meters
Also known as AMR meters, you’ll likely have one if you operate a large business that doesn’t quite meet the eligibility requirements for a half-hourly meter. There is a cost involved = it’s usually put directly on your energy bill.
However, they can make it easier to keep a track of how much energy you’re consuming.
Multi-site meters
Do you operate from multiple sites or properties? It’s likely you’ll have a multi-site meter. It’s not a single meter – rather a method used to consolidate multiple meters into a single tariff.
Discover more in ‘Our Guide to Multi-site Energy Meters’.
Smart meters
Smart meters provide live insights into your energy usage, including when and how you use most of your gas and electricity. They’re fantastic for identifying anything unusual – such as a leak or sudden spike in consumption.
They communicate readings directly with energy suppliers, so there’s no need to take and submit regular energy readings. And they ensure you’re accurately billed for the energy you use.
How to Read Your Electricity Meter
Reading a single-rate meter
1. You should see five black and white numbers, as well as one or more red and white numbers.
2. Take down the black and white numbers, from left to right. There should be five in total. Ignore the red and white numbers.
3. In the example above, the reading would be 97215.
Reading a two-rate meter
1. You’ll see two separate readings on a two-rate meter – the top row, showing how much off-peak rate electricity you’ve used, and the bottom row, showing how much peak rate electricity you’ve used.
2. Note down both sets of black and white numbers, reading from left to right. Ignore the numbers in red and white.
3. In the example above, the off-peak rate reading would be 42276 and the peak rate reading would be 13321.
Reading a two-rate single display meter
1. On a digital dual rate meter, you may find you only have a single display. In this case you’ll need to cycle through the two different displays to take your reading.
2. Most electricity meters of this kind feature labels so you can easily identify which readings are for the peak / off-peak rates – high, normal or N for peak, and low or night for off-peak.
3. Take down both sets of readings, from left to right. If there are any additional numbers beyond the high and low rates, ignore them.
4. In the example above, the off-peak rate would be 85075 and the peak rate would be 66886.
How to read your gas meter
Digital metric meter
1. On a digital metric gas meter, you’ll see five numbers followed by a decimal point, followed by more numbers.
2. You’ll need to note down the first five numbers, reading from left to right. Ignore any numbers beyond the decimal point.
3. In the example above, the gas meter reading would be 03513.
Digital imperial meter
1. On a digital imperial gas meter, you’ll see four black and white numbers followed by two red and white numbers.
2. You’ll need to take down the first four black and white numbers, reading from left to right. Ignore the numbers in red and white.
3. In the example above, the gas meter reading would be 3323.
How to read traditional dial electricity and gas meters
Electricity dial meters
1. On an electricity dial meter, you’ll see five or more dials. Each one features a dial with a point directed at numbers from zero to nine.
The dials turn in opposite directions to one another. So, the first dial might turn anti-clockwise, the second clockwise, the third anti-clockwise and so on. Be sure to check the direction before taking your reading.
2. You’ll need to take the reading from the first five dials, reading from left to right. Ignore any red dials.
3. You may see the point is between to numbers on the dial. If you encounter this, write down the lower number.
4. If your pointer is directly pointing a number on the dial, underline it when you note it down.
5. Take any underlined numbers and check the dial to the right of them. If the pointer sits between nine and zero, reduce the underlined number by one.
Gas dial meters
1. On a gas dial meter, you’ll see at least four dials. Each one has a dial with a point directed at numbers from zero to nine – just like an electricity dial meter.
2. You’ll need to take the reading from the first four dials, reading from left to right. Ignore any red dials.
3. When the pointer sits between two numbers on a dial, use the lower number in your reading.
Submitting your business energy meter reading
Your business energy supplier should provide you with a customer service phone contact number, or you may have access to an online account or app.
Once you’ve taken your reading, you’ll be able to submit your gas or electricity reading via one of these methods.
Looking to lower how much your business pays after you’ve taken a meter reading? Get a quote with Utility Bidder today – it only takes a few minutes, and we could help you save up to 65% on your utility bills!
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