08457023461

My wife keeps getting calls from someone on 0845 7023461 asking for someone we've never heard of. The caller claims they're from Npower, a company with whom I haven't had an account for 2 years, and says they want the meter readings. We got similar calls after I sacked Npower 2 years ago, although then they asked for me by name. I am away from home at the moment, but if I were the one taking the calls, I would tell them there's no-one here with any relationship with Npower, or with that name, and tell them to remove my number from their database and ensure they do not call it again, and then put the phone down. Loads of people say they are being harassed by Lowri Beck saying they're acting for Npower. Tell them where to get off.

Whenever I choose to escalate against harassers, a quick fax or email saying stop this right now or else I'll contact named journalists usually works. You need to talk to someone who can stop what's going on, and who understands what you're saying when you say it's in their interests to do so.

At Lowri Beck the MD and chairman is Bob Vernon. He publicly operates a Twitter account @BobbVernon

Their sales and marketing director is John Heath, who allows IGEM (the Institute of Gas Engineers and Managers) to publish his contact details online, namely john.heath@lowribeck.co.uk, 01942 772063, 07825 247392, fax 01942 772088

As I understand it, Bob Vernon controls the company.

Lowri Beck read and install meters on behalf of a number of energy suppliers, from small to 'big 6'. Our field team make 12 million visits each year to obtain information that your energy supplier has requested of you. Sometimes the telephone numbers that are given to us aren't right, so if that happens please let us know and we will seek to rectify this.

Also, if you don't want us to call you any more then just tell us.

If you need more information you can contact us at lbsn@lowribeck.co.uk

Tracy

Had a call and voicemail today from this number. It may be genuine, but I submit weekly readings to Npower. If this company also need the readings, then may I respectfully suggest they contact Npower instead, who should have this data readily available.

Just had this number call my landline and ask for some woman I've never heard of. After I'd said 'who?' and they'd repeated the name (I thought it was worth getting the name clear in case she comes back to haunt me!) they then offered a postcode as confirmation they'd got the number wrong. It was a neighbouring postcode. We left it at that. She may have given out a false number to get supposed scammers off her back. I've since read the first and last pages of these comments and see it's Lowri Beck/myreading.net. Or at worst it could be someone pretending to be LB. I don't see what value my meter readings are to any scammers, unless they sell them to other suppliers who would then pester you with 'better' offers, but then there's nothing stopping those suppliers doing that in the first place. If they call again I'll be telling them to remove my number. We submit our readings online direct to our supplier anyway (and have paperless billing). We are with Npower though, which adds up with the contracts Lowri Beck have/had (reading older messages on here, inc one by an LB rep). Moved house at the end of last year and that involved a change of landline and this is the first 'dodgy' call I've had to field after many with the old one and so the first time back here too as TRM. Hopefully this is a one off...

I have had calls on two different no's from someone calling herself lawri beck asking for meter readings
I send my meter readings online direct to my energy company.
the no's she uses are 08457 023461 and 01942 614100 .I now don't answer and have no intention of giving any info over the phone to people I don't know .

You don't do customers any favours at all. You get them to do the work. People are right to be irritated by some company they have never heard of calling them to ask them to go and take meter readings. First of all the supplier should tell the customer that another company will be doing the readings and should tell the customer very clearly who that company will be. They don't do that basic thing so no wonder customers are suspicious. Then the company doing the readings should actually send people round to read the meters,not take the lazy and possibly more inaccurate option of getting the customer to do the readings for them.So companies like Lowri Beck are a pain with their phone calls and their recorded messages - just do the job properly and send someone out to take the reading. That's what used to happen like clockwork in the pre privatisation days - and the only reason it doesn't happen now is because they cut the service to make more money. The energy suppliers just hike the prices for huge profit yet the service they provide just gets worse, PEople should continue to protest at this and should refuse to give telephone readings, insist on readings being taken properly and remove their phone numbers altogether from Lowri Beck's database.

I'm a customer of NPower.

Caller is genuine and looking for meter readings (personally I tell them politely to push off and then just enter the readings myself online, just in case they get paid by NPower per reading they manage to get over the phone, as I don;t see why this third party to should get a payment for ME providing the reading!).

Just received a call from them claiming to be acting on behalf of NPower. They want a meter reading.

The only problem is NPower ain't my supplier and never have been ;-)

Had a call from these guys and it seemed plausable but when I stated that I would update the meter reading via the internet later as they close shop at 2000hrs apparently - was given the message that a call back on that number would be required as they need to update their system. That means, if and why not, they are a geniune company - I'll just update my GAS only reading with NPOWER on-line tonight and not bother calling - as I'm not a shareholder with their company :)

Just gets funnier and funnier - Urgandian dollars?

Confirmed as Lowri Beck, meter readers to a variety of Utility providers.      Phoning you to ask for a meter reading because it is a lot cheaper than doing it the old-fashioned way, that being apparently what they are paid to do.     Nice money if you can get it.

Your Utility provider is in breach of the Data Protection Act by supplying your number to a Third Party.

Lowri Beck can only call out to a small percentage of customers, the majority of the customers will have their meters read at least once a year (in some cases more). Phone Readings from customers are required so that the supplier has some recent figures to bill you from, as opposed to using historic readings or consumption calculations based upon postcode/ area data and or typical/average usage. Phone readings may also be required for the company to carry quality and compliance checks on its staff to make sure they are reading accurately. Sometimes it could be a case that they will call out to properties that are remote, isolated or away from dense areas of work (rural) - this could be more efficient then sending a meter reader many miles/hours for a reading. Lowri Beck are a data collection company and have the applicable ISO standards for data protection and security, in other words they protect any data retrieved or provided from customers and suppliers. The company will not have personal account information or customer billing details - the suppliers have this (think... LB get the sums, suppliers to the maths). I can understand why people can get agitated by frequent calling from unknown / random numbers, mentioning a company that most people won't have heard of (they don't advertise to public on tv or radio and suppliers may have different contracts with other meter reading companies in certain supply areas). If anyone has a query with the companies authenticity or intentions then you're best off contacting the companies enquiry email address or phone number (some contact details can be found on previous posts above or on their website). If you really don't want your telephone number on their system then you can ask them to remove it and politely ask them not to call you for readings anymore, they should oblige. Before you do this, please bear in mind that between 2014 - 2020 there will be upto 40million households due for Smart meters, LB are an approved Meter operator and may likely be involved in the national rollout of smart meters - surely you'd want them to have your phone numbers then so they can call you to make an appointment to replace your meters?? If they don't have a phone number then its just the option of cold calling or posted letter, which some people equally dislike. Finally, I've read several posts about people giving their supplier the readings online every week/month, etc - this is often a requirement of that deal/tariff and doesn't replace the need for the meter to be read or the reading/usage confirmed over the phone; they are two seperate matters, if you stop giving reads online then you may eventually get removed from that online tariff, if you don't give your readings to companies like LB then you might eventually get harassed by the supplier for readings/access and in some cases this involves baliffs and court warrants! To finalise my long winded reply... Lowri Beck are genuine but they is a distinct lack of understanding and information about the industry and its processes and requirements - knowledge is power so please learn!

Are you from Lowri Beck? How much do nPower pay Lowri Beck for reading my energy meters?
Why should I stir myself from my armchair and climb a stepladder (with the aid of a walking stick) just because Lowri Beck decide to do things the cheap way?
"Oh, just phone Mr. Wood for his readings. We'll still charge nPower when we pass them on."
Lowri Beck will not bother me again as their number is now blacklisted on my call blocker.
Your "knowledge" of the industry is not helpful to a disabled customer.

I took the time to read your notes.    Unfortunately they had no relevance to my original report.       Knowledge may be power, but a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.       Badly used knowledge or power is worse than none at all.

Received two unsolicited calls from 08457023461 regarding my gas and electricity readings. Was told that I should submit these readings as soon as possible via www.myreading.net, quoting a reference number they provided. Although I have no wish to use this system but, out of curiosity, I did look at my details on the site. I found that they related to the previous owner of my property, who has not lived at the address for over two years!! Wonder if they would like to pay my bill?  

They claim to be NPower. Asked me for my personal details which I didn't give them apart from netter reading

I am deducing that Npower have sub contracted the messy business of physically dealing with meters out to Lowri Beck . Npower just want the easy job of taking your money and shuffling paper, advertising, buying & selling power and making a nice buck in the process.
I am at a loss to understand just what small print must be in that contract. As stated by others the physical checking of a meter at least once a year is surely the reason Lowri Beck get paid. Asking in complete duplication to my energy supplier for a meter reading is insulting Npower Customers who may well have already supplied the readings to Npower directly.  I object to paying spongers for duplicating my labours. It’s the customer who is paying for all this bureaucracy. As it is,  getting Customers to read the meter is doing the suppliers  job for them.

I have actually been visited by a Lowri Beck meter reader and I have no problem with this. As to the ‘phone calls asking me to go and read my meters  - I can only presume that they are trying to ensure that their estimates are as good as possible so customers are not saddled with big corrective bills.

Be aware that the  site:  https://myreading.net/  is Lowri Beck as is Tel No: 08457 023461

Had a phone call supposedly from Co-operative Energy asking for meter readings. Before giving any information to the woman I checked with the Co-op itself and they NEVER ring up for readings. Obviously a scam of some sort.

I got a call and couldn't catch the name of the company. They said they hadn't been able to do a meter reading asked for details which I was not about to give out. It is not possible that the meter could not be read as my partner has been at home.

Had call from this number asking for meter reading which I gave I am now worried as the caller asked when I am more likely to be in and I told them, and I gave my address! Feeling bit silly