Transmit gas meter readings: from receipts to modern online methods

Surely every adult had at least once, directly or indirectly, to participate in proceedings regarding improperly or not paid utility bills. The reasons may vary. The content of this article provides information that will allow you to correctly and timely transfer meter readings for gas and avoid problems associated with reconciliations, surcharges and accumulation of debts.

The consumer must regularly record the meter readings on the first day of the month and transmit this information to the gas company on time

How to shoot correctly gas meter readings

Paid utility bills are, to a certain extent, peace and stability in the house. Quite often, debts are not the result of a lack of money, but accumulate due to disorganization or lack of knowledge of simple and quick methods of transferring evidence and paying for it.

Apartments are equipped with conventional, structurally uncomplicated gas meters, from which it is easy to take readings

Before transmitting gas readings, they must be correctly taken. All meters are placed at approximately the same height - at least 150 cm from the floor level. Hence, they are approximately at eye level. In order not to be mistaken when removing, it is necessary to stand opposite, since the lateral position visually distorts the numbers, especially those with visual similarity: 1 and 7, 3 and 5, 6 and 8.

Considering that metering devices are placed in secluded places and even closed with boxes and cabinets, it is worth taking care of good lighting while taking readings. This is especially true for electronic meters, where the liquid crystal display is traditionally dimly lit. It is better to apply local lighting in such cases.

Household gas meters, depending on the modification and features of the counting mechanism, can have 5,7,8 digital values. The consumer takes into account the first five, located from left to right. The rest are tenths, hundredths, or even thousandths of one cube. The first five digits are necessarily separated by a comma, the subsequent ones are marked with a bright background, usually red.

All the first digits to the point are taken into account when taking readings of gas household meters

When it is necessary to transfer the readings of the gas meter

The transmission of readings is not only a manifestation of consumer responsibility. This is his duty, which is spelled out in the contract concluded with the organization servicing the gas networks. Meter readings should be reported monthly. Typically, gas services set the date until the 5th day after the expired full month.

Useful advice! Depending on the method of transferring the readings, they can "pass" within 1-2 days. In order to avoid misunderstandings, it is better to inform about the amount of gas consumed before the 3rd.

Gas readings are not the same for all regions and cities. Some services specify a period up to the 25th of the current month. There are organizations that consider the gas consumed by consumers to be accountable for the last three days of the month. If the last day falls on a weekend, the deadline is postponed to the next day (after non-working days). This provision applies to those departments of the company accepting the testimony where the round-the-clock data reception is not organized.

The time of payment is determined depending on the timing of the testimony. It can be set before the 10th, 25th of the next (after the reporting) month. You can find out the deadlines for submitting meter readings and payment for the used gas in the contract. It is recommended to review the information on the website of the organization providing gas supply once every three months. It can change much more often than contracts are renegotiated.

After taking the gas meter readings, you need to transfer this data to the gas service

Calculation of payment in the absence of meter readings for gas

Each company related to the provision of public utilities has developed a serious package of penalties for those who inform in bad faith and do not timely pay for the resources used.

According to clause 31 of the RF Government Decree “On the procedure for supplying gas to meet the household needs of citizens”, in cases where the subscriber does not transmit meter readings, another gas metering mechanism is activated. That is, for an uninformed period, the consumer will pay at standard rates - the readings of the device are not taken into account. In such a situation, the following points are relevant:

• number of gas appliances;
• dimensions of the heated area;
• purpose of premises: residential or non-residential;
• seasonality;
• region.

There are penalties for those who inform and pay for the resources used in bad faith

The average gas consumption without a meter in the presence of heating devices is 10-12 m³ per person.

In situations where readings were not transmitted for any valid reasons, it is necessary to contact the gas organization serving the network. You should write a statement and provide official documents confirming the importance of the circumstances. In this case, the charges will be revised. It is allowed, within three months, in the absence of information about the readings, to calculate the average monthly amount of cubes calculated for a specific consumer.

Available to everyone: transfer gas readings via SMS

Late transmission of gas meter readings in many cases is caused by a catastrophic lack of time and forgetfulness of the consumer. A gadget, a mobile phone, mastered by almost all representatives of the adult population, can become an excellent assistant in such situations.

The first thing to do is install a reminder. On a certain day of each month, the phone will signal the owner about the need to transfer readings.

Transferring gas readings via SMS will not be difficult for anyone

Useful advice! If you cannot install the application yourself, you should contact the nearest service center. There it will be done in most cases free of charge, just out of respect for the client.

If there is a stable mobile connection, the first SMS notification may take 1-2 minutes, the subsequent ones - much less.

In different organizations, with a similar method of energy and gas calculation, they impose their own requirements for the content of SMS. It may be mandatory to use a code word, the presence of spaces, certain characters (this should be specified in the service or on the organization's website). The basis of any notification is a personal account and testimony.

SMS are sent to a specific number, which can also be viewed on the website. It is intended for messages only, calls to this number are not accepted. After sending SMS with readings, the user must definitely receive a response message that they have been accepted.

SMS with readings are sent to a specific number, which can be viewed on the website

If the subscriber has several devices, then the accounting code is entered in the SMS, which is contained in the text part of the receipt. The readings from each device are sent by separate SMS.

Payment for gas via the Internet: fast, reliable, transparent

The use of Internet resources for reporting gas meter readings, as well as indicators of consumption of other energy resources is a relatively new service. To be able to use it, you must have an Internet connection and be a confident PC user.

If all the necessary technical conditions exist, several methods appear. The transmission of gas readings can be done as follows:

1. Via email. To do this, you need to go to your mailbox and send a letter with readings to the address of the gas organization.
2. Visit the online platform of the gas company. To this end, you should follow the link that is indicated on the organization's website. Then you need to enter your personal account, meter readings, click on the "process" button.
3. By creating a personal account. Today, most companies provide clients with the ability to create an account. To enter, you must register and have a password.

Gas readings can be sent via e-mail

The latter method of transmission is currently the most popular, since it makes it possible not only to enter readings, but also to see the state of the account, to pay for services using any bank card.

Useful advice! Before creating a personal account, you should make sure that the browser installed on your personal computer will allow you to enter the desired section of the site.

How to transfer gas meter readings by phone

And again, mobile communication acts as an assistant to both gas services and consumers. Sending SMS is sometimes difficult for those with poor eyesight, because the keyboards of phones are small. And you cannot make a mistake - the information will not be accepted.

If you have doubts about the possibilities to cope with SMS, you can use a regular call. Each gas service provides several phone numbers, so it's easy to get through even on peak days. Naturally, at the other end, the operator answers almost like a robot, because he receives dozens of calls a day. In order not to be embarrassed, not to get confused, having heard the duty answer, you should prepare. The meter reading must be recorded. And the personal account, even if it seems that it is memorized, also needs to be fixed on paper and simply read. Such a simple preparation will help to avoid mistakes and reduce the time for a call to a minimum.

Each gas service provides several phone numbers, calling which you can leave the used gas readings

You should not rush to disconnect either.The employee must open your personal account (and this depends on the speed of the computer), enter the readings by pressing certain keys. Only after the words "accepted" is there confidence that the readings of the gas meter are fixed, which means that the telephone connection can be broken.

The traditional way: transfer gas readings through a receipt

The possibilities of the Internet, the availability of mobile communications, the installation of "smart" gas meters have overshadowed the old and proven method for years - to transfer readings through a receipt. We are talking about the method of payment exactly until the 5th day (or another period determined by the gas service with which the contract was concluded) of the month following the reporting period.

The expression "kill two birds with one stone" is very appropriate in this case. This method is disciplined, does not allow for the accumulation of debts and promotes timely testimony.

This type of payment also has some negative aspects:

• you need time to visit a bank, savings bank or post office;
• filling out a receipt requires certain skills and physical capabilities;
• payment is received after some time.

Payment for used gas can be made by visiting a bank, savings bank or post office

When filling out the receipt, it is advisable not to make mistakes, to correctly enter the current and previous readings. Even if in the end the corresponding amount is paid, there is a possibility of getting confused in the accounting. The advantage of this method of transmitting information about the amount of gas consumed is also that the exact date and time of the payment transaction is on the receipt (or on the check). If necessary, the receipt can be used as an official document.

Useful advice! If for the previous accounting month the readings were transmitted by phone (or in any other way), but were not paid, and for the last one - using a receipt, you should not combine information for both periods in one payment order.

Send meter readings for gas through the subscriber department

Many consumers are faced with a situation where, as if with a systematic transfer of readings and regular payments, a notification of debt suddenly comes. At first it is insignificant, then, for some unknown reason, it becomes larger. A logical action is to contact the subscriber department. You don't have to wait for problem situations, but periodically provide information to service workers during a personal visit.

Related article:

Gas meter in an apartment: modern models and installation rules

The sequence of actions during installation and transfer of the device. Popular types and manufacturers. "Smart" counter.

During the visit, the specialist will certainly carry out a reconciliation and even, at the request of the user, issue an appropriate act. Discrepancies in payment amounts may arise when the indication of preferential cubes is inaccurate, small overruns unnoticed by the consumer, or are simply the result of mechanical errors.

Even if a smart gas meter is installed in a house or apartment, the price of blue fuel requires control in terms of payment. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to visit the subscriber department about once every six months, ask employees the available questions and make sure that the payments made are correct.

Gas meter readings through the subscriber department are quite simple to carry out

Due to the emergence of a large number of methods for transmitting gas meter readings, there is practically no queue of visitors to this department, the visit will not take much time.

Is there a law on the installation of "smart" meters

Smart systems are rapidly breaking into our lives, helping to save time and ensure the safety of life. In theory, "smart" gas meters should provide accurate gas metering for users and suppliers, eliminating theft.

This issue is being discussed in government circles, specialists have even been instructed to develop a relevant bill. First, it is necessary to solve a lot of issues, where one of the main ones is financing. It is not yet clear who will pay for the installation, experts do not undertake to predict the course of events. There are unofficial opinions that the device will be installed for low-income families for budgetary funds, the rest will pay out of their own pockets.

The total amount of financial costs has been calculated, which is not included in the state budget. Therefore, the payment for the installation of meters is likely to fall on the shoulders of consumers.

The installation of meters with the function of remote transmission of readings in residential buildings is proposed to be made mandatory next year

Considering how much a "smart" gas meter costs, which is 5,000-10,000 rubles, the conclusion suggests itself the following: not every family can afford such expenses. The profitability of the wholesale installation of such meters is also questionable. It will take many years for the consumer to recoup, and this will not save gas services from losses due to leaks.

So there is no reason to say that everyone will be forced to install such meters. In any case, official sources do not confirm this.

"Smart" meters are still available for sale today, and everyone can purchase and install them. True, only if the gas supplying organization has the technical resources to receive readings.

Useful advice! In order to have truthful data, it is necessary to read the information about the mandatory installation of "smart" meters on the government portal and on the websites of the relevant ministries.

The profitability of smart meters is highly questionable

"Smart home": meter readings gas online

Smart Home is an automated system that controls home engineering installations. It allows you to provide comfortable conditions in the premises, monitors violations and signals the presence of failures in the operation of various devices, monitors the supply and keeps records of the consumption of resources supplied by utilities. All electronic systems of various home appliances can be controlled from one touch panel.

The smart meter is part of the system. This is a device from which there is no need to write off numbers and then transfer them to the gas service. The counter operates online in the system. The readings are read without user intervention and transmitted to the server of the gas organization. To know the indicators of the gas used, you can go to your personal account and see the necessary information.

It will be superfluous to list once again the advantages of such a calculating device, but it is worth noting objectivity for the sake of disadvantages:

• high price;
• obligatory presence of the Internet;
• using a powerful modem;
• uncertainty about the security of the transmitted information.

Smart Home is an automated system that can control home installations

Whether negative characteristics are significant or not is up to the user to decide.

“Smart” gas meters with a remote control are actively advertised on the Internet. The term "smart" in this case is used in a slightly different meaning. The remote control is designed to stop the device, that is, it makes it possible to use gas without metering. There are no reviews on the use of this device in everyday life. The mechanism of the system is also not disclosed by the authors, so even theoretically it is difficult to believe in the effectiveness of the remote control.

Taking readings for gas by gas controllers

Whatever mobile method the user uses to transfer data from a gas meter, the most important indicators are the gas service controllers. Each organization has a fixed frequency of visits to subscribers, but they follow it extremely rarely. The reason is most often the lack of staff and time.

In addition to the readings, the inspector also checks the integrity of the seal. If it is violated, the testimony is invalidated. This is followed by a complex procedure for checking the internal mechanisms of the device.

Each user is obliged to ensure that the service worker has access to the device. The presence of mobile communication has greatly simplified the inspection process. The controller calls in advance and agrees with the subscriber on the date and approximate time of the visit. The service employee enters the readings taken in a special journal. The consumer is obliged to leave a signature, which means that he agrees with the recorded data.

The inspector must check the integrity of the seal of the gas appliance

Then the controller submits the gas readings to the subscriber department of the service, where they are recorded along with the information provided by the user. When calculating payment, it is the information of the gas service employees about the amount of gas used that is taken into account.

Helpful advice! Before leaving a signature in the journal, be sure to check the numbers on the meter and the data recorded by the controller. Unintentional distortion (if any) will necessarily manifest itself later, and it will be difficult to prove the fact of an error.

Transmitting gas meter readings is a simple and time-consuming process. It is only important to choose a method that is acceptable, convenient and affordable. A person who is accustomed to having material, substantive confirmation in everything should not change his life principles and master the transmission of information via the Internet. At the same time, it is unwise to impose receipts on people who are fluent in modern digital technologies. The main thing is to be sure that the information is reliable and that it got to the gas service on time.