Meter Readers--one of those little differences

There are always little differences between cultures that you don't know to expect and which hit people at various times.  Having just had the water meter reader here---that difference in the way that is handled between the US and Germany is on my mind.

I remember as a child (probably in the mid 80s) public safety announcements and discussions at school about not letting people saying they are meter readers into the house--as it was likely they were criminals either casing the house or hoping to take advantage of the person answering the door..  Modern homes had electric, gas and water meters on the outside of the building and no one needed access to the house for the information.  I have not lived in a home in the USA with an interior meter since I was old enough to remember (even our home in Detroit which was built in the sixties).

Meanwhile, here in Germany, we have meter readers come by once a year, every year, for each utility.  They usually show up unannounced (though, if they try a few times when we are not home will leave a card with a number to call to make an appointment, or sometimes with a place for us to fill in the current reading ourselves).  Our rental home is only 12 years old and all meters are inside, in the basement area.

It still feels a little funny, after all that talk of danger when I was a child, to just let in random people who show up with laminated IDs of the simplest design when they say they need to read the meter.  But it is refreshing in way, to not have those kinds of worries be on the radar where I live.

--Hadley

Editing to add that a local friend tells me there have been reports of scammers using -"meter reader" to get into local homes lately in our newspaper.  So it IS on the radar (and yet newer homes still have meters inside---what a conundrum. I am wondering how to be safe and verify now).  She also has meters which can be accessed without coming into the home and STILL gets postcards letting her know when people will be there.  Funny how different it is one town over!  I had called a German friend, and asked the neighbors the first year, as this DID worry me then--they told me it was totally normal and seemed surprised I would worry.  I guess there is a big difference from place to place here.
I still find it odd that a building put in so recently has meters only accessible from the inside if this is a concern and clearly on the radar of many.
Seven years here and I am still learning my way around!