Meter Reading Log

What this sheet is for

Build a running record of readings and the usage between them, so a bill is something you can check rather than something you have to accept.

Who it is for

Homeowners, tenants and landlords — anyone who has ever had an estimated bill and had nothing to argue with.

How to use it

1. Write the meter serial numbers in once, at the top.
2. Read on the same date each month so the usage column is comparable.
3. Work out the usage as the difference from the previous reading.
4. Note anything unusual in the last column — a long absence, a new appliance, a very cold month.

What is on the sheet

The layout is fixed at a size that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the A4 and Letter files are visually identical and print at full size on either. Rows are set at a height that an adult can actually write a date and a few words into with a pen — most printable tables are built in a word processor and never tested with one.

Questions

Where do I find the meter serial number?

It is printed on the meter itself, usually on the face beside or beneath the display. It is the number a supplier uses to identify the meter if a reading is queried, and it is worth writing down once.

Will these numbers match my bill?

Not always directly. Suppliers convert meter units into billed units in their own way, and that calculation differs by country, fuel and meter type. The value of this sheet is the trend and the readings themselves, not the arithmetic on the bill.