I didn't realize so many gas companies rely on guessing what a persons usage was to bill them. The last house that I had sent us a note that asked us for our meter reading. We filled it out and they billed us on our usage. If we didn't fill it out, they woud guess for us and charge us acordingly. The only time they did that, it was way high. Lesson learned.
I applied for a job in California to be a meter technician. I passed all there tests, but decided to move to Texas instead. The job would have required pulling gas meters that had questionable readings. From what I understood in that area, it was normal to just pull a meter and test it. The idea of gaining access to a persons house just doesn't sound right.
Last year in the fall I had a guy come out who said he was with the County Tax Office. He tresspassed onto my land, but had a sign on the door of his car that said tax office, and he had a clipboard. He said who he was, but didn't have a business card or any ID. He told me he needed access to the inside of the house to properly value the home for tax purposes. The house is much nicer on the inside then the outside, but he didn't seem right to me. Older, pudgy guy who wasn't a physical threat, but he didn't see legit to me either. I told him I didn't want him in my home and if he needed to asses the house, then he could do it from the outside. He declined and told me that my tax rate would go way up because he couldn't get a real estimate and would have to go high to be sure the county got it's money. This annoyed me, so I asked him to leave.
When my tax bill arrived, it was the same as the year before. I paid it and nothing has changed. The lady in charge of the tax office was on the local radio show and was asked about procedures for taxing new homes. She said that they never enter property that is posted "No Tresspassing" and base there appraisal on the square footage and exterior finish of the home. They have no need to enter a house because the exterior of the home will reflect teh overall home. Nice fancy brick on expensive homes, old wooden siding on poor homes.
Either my home didn't add any value to my land and increase my taxes, or he wasn't legit and trying to see what the inside of the house looked like for something unlawful. It makes me wonder.
Don't let them in unless they have some right to enter and you are sure they are legit. If they are legit, it won't matter if they come in today, or next week when you've checked them out.
Eddie
The power company has a lock on the gate for access. About a year ago we got a letter saying they would replace or meter with a digital meter that allows them to read the meter a good distance from the house. I don't even think they get to the gate anymore. 