Tenant meter reading collection — via a link, no registration

Tenant meter reading collection is the recurring monthly step where the tenant reports the electricity, water, gas or heating meter values so you can calculate utility costs correctly. With Rivio you send the tenant a single signed link, they enter the readings in a few minutes with no registration, and the data appears immediately in the meter history and later turns into an invoice line. No Messenger, no retyping from SMS.

Why collecting meter readings "by hand" breaks down as the number of flats grows

One flat is fine with an SMS. But when you have five or ten flats, every month you have to chase tenants one by one, retype the numbers from messages into Excel, check that you have not mixed up electricity with water, and remember who has not submitted yet. One mistake while retyping — and the month's invoice is wrong, which is a direct path to a dispute.

Rivio removes the manual retyping step entirely. The tenant enters the number against the correct meter themselves, so the chance of an error between "what was said" and "what was recorded" disappears. You are no longer the middleman copying data.

A link with no account: what the tenant's side looks like

The tenant does not need to install anything or create an account. They receive an email with a button to submit readings, click it, and land in a simple step-by-step screen:

• Each meter is shown separately — electricity, water, gas or heating — with its name.
• The tenant goes through the meters one at a time, so they do not confuse which number goes where.
• At the end, a single click — and the readings are submitted.

The link is cryptographically signed and tied to a specific request, so only the person you sent it to can use it. This is safer than a public field on the internet and more convenient than requiring the tenant to register. The whole thing takes a couple of minutes — no passwords and no apps.

Deadlines and reminders without the chaos

When creating a request you set a deadline by which the tenant must submit the readings. In the list you immediately see which flat has already submitted and which is still pending, so you do not have to keep it in your head or in a separate file.

If the tenant is in no hurry, you send a reminder — with the same link, so the tenant continues where they left off. Once the deadline passes the request stops being valid, so old links do not stay open indefinitely. If the tenant could not find the link, it can be reissued and sent again.

How it works in Rivio

Tenant meter reading collection in Rivio is built on the reading-requests module, linked to the flat's meters and an account-free tenant portal:

1. You create a request. You pick the flat and set a deadline. Rivio generates a unique signed link tied to that exact request.
2. The tenant gets an invitation. An email with the link goes out to the tenant. No registration — just a button to submit readings.
3. The tenant submits the readings. A step-by-step screen guides them through the flat's meters. Once submitted, the request is marked as fulfilled.
4. The readings enter the meter history. Every number entered is recorded in the meter's reading history with a date, so you later see the full sequence of readings.
5. The readings turn into an invoice. The collected readings flow into the monthly invoice, so there is no need to retype them by hand.

The whole chain — from the number the tenant enters to the invoice — happens in one place, so there is nothing to copy by hand anywhere.

What this changes in practice

Instead of hunting for old messages at the end of the month and retyping numbers, you click "Send", and a few days later you see the submitted readings ready to turn into an invoice. Your work changes from "collect and retype" to "review and confirm".

Want to understand how the same process looks from the tenant's and the legal side — read the guide to declaring meter readings in a rented flat. Once the readings are collected, utility cost allocation splits the shared bills between flats according to your rules. And you can get started by registering for free.

Frequently asked questions

Does the tenant need to create an account to submit readings?

No. The tenant receives a signed link by email and enters the readings directly through it — with no registration, passwords or app installation. The link is tied to a specific request, so only the person it is meant for can use it.

Which meters can be included in a request?

You can include the flat's meters in a request — electricity, water, gas, heating or others. They are shown to the tenant one at a time with their name, so they do not confuse which number goes where.

What happens if the tenant does not submit the readings on time?

In the list you immediately see which flat is still pending, so there is no need to search for who is late. You can send a reminder with the same link, and once the set deadline passes the request stops being valid.

How do the submitted readings get into the invoice?

Every number entered is recorded in the meter's reading history, and the collected readings flow into the monthly invoice. You do not need to retype anything.

Can I resend the link if the tenant could not find it?

Yes. The request link can be reissued and sent again to the same flat. The tenant continues the process by clicking the new link.