Boiler/Meter Gas charge questions

purplepixi · 6 May 2009 at 9:38AM

Bit of a gas meter question.

I was being good this morning and tidying out the cuboard under the stairs and noticed that the gas meter was going round. Not a huge amount but it was most definately moving. The last digit was moving (The ones in the red box that you don't read when doing a proper reading), I was a bit concerned so I gave it about 15 mins and went back and it had moved by 3 points.

So I phoned Modern housing (we're in a military house) and they said it wasn't anything to do with the old back boiler that we have it's a meter problem, so we should phone our supplier.

So I rung southern electric, who said even after you have turned your gas off those last 3 digits go round to measure the last bit of gas going through the pipes. And if it hadn't stopped after 2 hours then there might be a problem.

Now, we only have the gas on to heat the water for 2 hours in the morning at the moment, we have an electric oven and have stopped using the central heating.

The thing that really worried me, was that she said if they came out and there was a fault with the meter then it was free but if there isn't a fault then it's going to be a £74 charge, which I think is a bit excessive. There's no smell of gas but our friend a few doors down had the same problem and she had gas venting up the chimny so they gave her a new condenser boiler.

I'm going to keep checking the meter every hour for today,

But I'm in bit of a quandry, I can't afford £74 call out. And if they come and its a fault with the boiler then the MOD will have to replace it anyway, so what would I have to do about that charge? Bite the bullet and pay for it or forward it to Modern Housing (MOD/DHE) for them to pay? Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks Laura

lemontart · 6 May 2009 at 9:59AM

is the meter making a noise - ? does your back boiler have a pilot light? if no to both of these it could me a mtr fault if so it is the gas suppliers responsibility to check the mtr is working correctly,