Hydro warning

[Lerwick antiques]

Mother got a letter and a call about getting her meter changed from a card meter to a key meter. The time was arranged today from 2pm - 4pm.

 

She got a call around 2pm from this man asking where Lochside is at, as he didn't know.

 

Anyway he arrived, she went down to the door with her small dog in her arms on a lead and harness, he said "do you want to keep your dog" she told him that he is on is lead and harness and he asked again "do you want to keep your dog"

 

What does "do you want to keep your dog" mean, was he issuing a threat towards the animal? or what?

 

I totally understand that some folk are afraid of dogs, but he didn't appear to be.

 

She asked him for identity and he showed her a clip card on his trousers.

 

He claimed he has lived in Shetland for 8 years, but he was very poor english and didn't know where Lochside is.

 

So if you are getting a meter changed and you have a dog, beware.

 

She says she is going to make a complaint to the Hydro about this.

[Ghostrider]

If you make a complaint try and make it to management locally rather than to their official central complants people, as from experience all you'll get from the official lot is a patronising reply denying everything and claiming that their staff 'would never do that'.

 

Thats all I got out of them anyway, when about 5 years ago their then meter reader had climbed over the top of me twice where I was sleeping, to get to the meter and out again.

 

Whoever (s)he was never knew how much luck was on his/her side that day, as had (s)he done anything that woke me up, and the first thing I saw was a stranger in such close proximity, it would have been a case of put them in hospital first and ask questions later.

[Hobbiniho]

she should have been asked when setting up the appointment whether or not there were any dogs in the house as well as whether there are any parking restrictions, is the meter accessible etc i presume that she told them that she did have a dog so it seems strange to me that she would answer the door with it in her arms. iv recently had a meter changed and i was told that dogs should be locked in another room and had no problems with the meter man despite his english not being perfect 

[Lerwick antiques]

The point is that the dog was on a lead/harness and in her arms (it's just a small dog) so the dog was not going anywhere. Why should a dog be locked in another room? long as the dog can't get to the meter or the man. What does "do you want to keep your dog" mean. Sounds like a threat.

 

The hydro should maybe think about employing folk that doesn't have a bad attitude towards dogs. After all the dog lives in the house, the meter man is a visitor and should show some respect.

Edited November 15, 2018 by Lerwick antiques

[Hobbiniho]

just seems strange to me especially as she should have been told to keep the dog away, perhaps he was asking her to keep her dog away, so the guy should lose his job because he doesnt like dogs? 

[mikeyboy]

If you make a complaint try and make it to management locally rather than to their official central complants people, as from experience all you'll get from the official lot is a patronising reply denying everything and claiming that their staff 'would never do that'.

 

Thats all I got out of them anyway, when about 5 years ago their then meter reader had climbed over the top of me twice where I was sleeping, to get to the meter and out again.

 

Whoever (s)he was never knew how much luck was on his/her side that day, as had (s)he done anything that woke me up, and the first thing I saw was a stranger in such close proximity, it would have been a case of put them in hospital first and ask questions later.

 

 

I was ready to poo poo this story, apologies.

When I remembered a few years after buying this house I answered the door to the meter guy. He just said " I have been trying to get in here for 18 months" and sort of pushed by me as I was a bit confused as there is someone in most days. He started to go up the stairs and I said " wait the wife is getting dressed" he just kept going with a " It is OK I know where it is ". I went after him at this point to lay hands on him and told him " I have told you my wife is getting dressed" just then the Mrs came out of the bedroom where the meter is looking a bit flustered and obviously heard the shouting. He quietly read the meter and went. I think he realised how close he came.

By the way not the present meter reader who is Nigerian and really nice.

[Lerwick antiques]

Wonder what training these Hydro workers get from their boss? Clearly manners and people skills are not included in their training.

Edited November 18, 2018 by Lerwick antiques

[Ian_H]

You say that the meter reader had poor English, so did he also have an accent, and so was a bit difficult to hear and follow? Might he have also have said “here” as he questioned about the dog – “Do you want to keep your dog here?” Answering by saying he is on a lead is the same as saying that the dog will be kept in the same area as the meter man is to work.

So was the man threatening the dog? Don’t know, but I think it was more likely that the man was planning to leave if the dog was not going to be moved somewhere else.

Training? When a meter change is being arranged, a householder is always asked about any dogs in the house. I guess that a meter man’s training is to walk away if a dog isn’t being kept at least a closed door away from where the work is being done. So I think that this is more likely to be a case of English as a second language, speaker with an accent and misunderstanding.

[Lerwick antiques]

He said "do you want to keep your dog" twice. If he was meaning something else or not, who knows, my mother is not a mind reader, but that was his exact words.

 

The small dog about the size of a cat was on a lead, harness and in her arms so wasn't going anywhere near him or the meter.

 

She was asked on the phone about dogs and she said she had one, the woman on the phone said long as the dog is restrained. Which the dog was.

 

So he should not have made any remarks about the dog and showed some respect, after all he is in someones home.

[Ian_H]

Your mother was there and heard what was said, I wasn’t; so its not for me to say anything more on that. Respect should certainly be shown by anyone visiting someone else’s home. Tone and attitude are as important as the actual words used, and only your mother can make a judgement on that (even if allowance is made in his choice of words, that English is not his first language).

[George.]

As requested by Scottish & Southern Electricity online:

• Please pop any pets in a separate room so our engineer can work safely. We love pets, but sometimes they don't love us.

Installing a smart meter

Edited November 19, 2018 by George.