As I do every day, plugging away at my computer, I saw a red car pull up across the street. I noticed that the car was displaying a Center Point Energy magnet on the side of the car as the man attempted to park. He appeared to be looking up at my house and then he pulled away.
About three or four hours later I noticed the same car was parked across the street from my house. This time the man came up to my door wearing a vest, the kind construction workers wear, with a badge pinned to his shirt. He told me he needed to come in and check my meter.
More out of annoyance than anything, I told him that it wasn't a good time and he would have to come back some other time. This obviously irritated him because his response reminded me of a 2-year-old having a temper tantrum as he protested, "It would only take him a minute."
Again, I told him, "No, you're not coming in."
I didn't understand why he was there. According to my recollection of my last uninvited meter guy, it had been less than a year prior.
He protested, "Your neighbors haven't had their meters checked since 2007. It's Center Point Energy's equipment. By federal law we have to check it."
"You can check it... just not today. Come back next week."
Again, he freaked out.
Now was his reaction legitimate? Perhaps, but I'm sick of Center Point Energy charging the hell out of me and then not giving me notice that they're sending their people around. In this economy there's just too many con artists out there trying to make a quick buck. I'm annoyed that we're expected to simply let them in without notice. So I checked my bill to see if maybe, just maybe, they'd slipped something in with my bill, some notification that I'd missed. The only inserts concerned "cutting this months bill" (going on the budget plan), an attempt to sell me a RUUD efficient furnace, on-line bill payment, and information on deadly carbon monoxide gas. Oh... and my high ass bill!
Nothing about strange men coming knocking at my door. So my message to Center Point Energy is notify your customers or they might be making second trips for nothing.
