Gas meter faulty gas turned off

emmalh · 22 February 2018 at 1:50AM

I am a tennent and have been renting a house for the past 6 months. When I woke up this morning I could smell gas so I called the number advised by the government for emergency. They came out and checked for leaks and said they need to cap gas supply to the house as the gas meter and valve does not meet current standards. He said the gas meter was the oldest he had ever seen 1983 and the meter is inside the property and the valve regulator is outside with out a box which is dangerous and the pipes have not been done properly. He left me with 2 heaters and a hob to cook on. I contacted my letting agent who very promptly rang the landlady. When the agent got back to me she said the landlady is refusing to use their contractors (who would have come out to me today) she is going to find her own and that she is possibly not going to be using the agents anymore! I told the agent that she needs to look at the form I was given by gas man as they need to be contacted regarding the gas suppy so far I have not heard anything back I have no heating or hot water what should I do next?

p00hsticks · 22 February 2018 at 3:03AM

Did the gas engineer say where exactly the leak was ?

I've been a similar position myself recently, but we were told that because the leak was between the main network and the meter, then they would fix it free of charge. Rather than try to locate the leak in the exsting pipe, which was underground, they laid new pipework and relocated the existing meter - it was all finished (other than filling in the hole in the pavement that they had to dig) by the end of the following day - I was very impressed with the service.

anselld · 22 February 2018 at 8:04AM

The meter belongs to the gas supplier. If it is faulty they should replace it.

Davesnave · 22 February 2018 at 8:26AM

If the gas suppliers have deemed the system unsafe and you have the form stating this, no Gas Safe registered engineer will touch it until the primary problems are sorted. The landlady will just hold the process up and possibly be charged for attendance at a job that cannot be done.

I'd get the agents to tell the landlady this and give her the gas supplier's number to ring. There won't be a charge for replacing the meter, but it's not clear what else might need doing.

Autumnella · 22 February 2018 at 8:43AM

If your name is on the bills you need to ring the gas supplier yourself. They will send someone out on an emergency callout to change the meter themselves.

csgohan4 · 22 February 2018 at 8:46AM

consider finding somewhere else when your term ends too, seems the LL is not really that great when things go wrong

Davesnave · 22 February 2018 at 9:32AM

Autumnella wrote: »

If your name is on the bills you need to ring the gas supplier yourself. They will send someone out on an emergency callout to change the meter themselves.

Possibly a guaranteed method for getting a S21, by the sound of it, but that might be coming anyway, or the OP may not care now. Diplomacy, or ignoring it is in their hands!

emmalh · 22 February 2018 at 11:40PM

Thanks for your replies. It is not my energy suppliers responsibility unfortunately. Update the letting agents contacted me this morning and said the landladies plumber would come out at 12 which he did to have a look he was very nice and looked at the problem and the paperwork that was left by the gas man and said he cannot do anything as the company that came out yesterday need to come out and move the meter outside with the regulator and put box up then he will do the pipes. After he left he reported this to the landlady and late afternoon she contacted the letting agent saying that the gas company cannot come out for 8 weeks! She said she is trying to find out if legally anyone else can come out and do it. The letting agents are not happy about this at all and said I should not be left without heating. I then decided to ring the gas company that attended yesterday and explained the situation to the lady on the phone she is going to investigate and find out if it is a chargeable job and whether there is an 8 week wait she seemed to think this is highly unlikely as they would not leave a family without heating for 8 weeks.

00ec25 · 23 February 2018 at 8:39AM

emmalh wrote: »

I am a tennent and have been renting a house for the past 6 months. When I woke up this morning I could smell gas so I called the number advised by the government for emergency. They came out and checked for leaks and said they need to cap gas supply to the house as the gas meter and valve does not meet current standards. He said the gas meter was the oldest he had ever seen 1983 and the meter is inside the property and the valve regulator is outside with out a box which is dangerous and the pipes have not been done properly. He left me with 2 heaters and a hob to cook on. I contacted my letting agent who very promptly rang the landlady. When the agent got back to me she said the landlady is refusing to use their contractors (who would have come out to me today) she is going to find her own and that she is possibly not going to be using the agents anymore! I told the agent that she needs to look at the form I was given by gas man as they need to be contacted regarding the gas suppy so far I have not heard anything back I have no heating or hot water what should I do next?

you have heating and a means to heat water, just not as much as you would like

as others above predicted, the problem lies with the gas supplier as only they can legally work on a meter and any pipework before it

the contract with the gas supplier seems to be between you and them, so the person driving the problem should be you, which you seem to be doing anyway.

Therefore, like an owner occupier, you will have to wait for the gas company to decide when it can do the work. The letting agent and LL are not decision makers in this context, but should be kept informed by you out of courtesy. Any anger your direct at the LA or LL is misplaced and wasted.

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Gas meter faulty gas turned off

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