Scottish Power provision of earth connection

Yim_Yam

I recently found out my flat was not properly earthed to current standards when I had central heating put in. My electrician would not finish his work - earthing the boiler - until I got this sorted.

I contacted my supplier, Scottish Power, and just had their quote in - £503.13, which seems way excessive to me. The guy who came round to do the quote said it was a couple of hours work just to put a 'modern' cable into the meter from outside but warned me that SP would add a percentage onto the cost.

My heating engineer said he would not bother having it done but I am worried about safety...yet can't afford the quote.

Can anyone give me any advice? Is it illegal to not be earthed to current standards? How can SP charge so much?

dunloadin

The guy who came round to do the quote said it was a couple of hours work just to put a 'modern' cable into the meter from outside but warned me that SP would add a percentage onto the cost.

I hope the guy who came round to do the quote was from the DNO, and not a mate of your electrician, as they are the only ones who can work on your incoming supply. Sounds like there going to give you a new cutout with PME earthing, £500 sounds about the going rate. If you don't live in Scott Powers network area it will be the local DNO who do the job, will be surprised if SP add anything on as they will have no involvment in this work (if SP is your DNO then you'll be paying them anyway) Have a word with your electrician and get him to check the regs, as I'm pretty sure that if the properties earth was installed by the DNO then it is their responsibility to maintain it, so you should get the work done for free. (may be different in Scotland)

I recently found out my flat was not properly earthed to current standards when I had central heating put in. My electrician would not finish his work - earthing the boiler - until I got this sorted.

Lots of older properties have earthing and wiring that isn't up to newer standards, that in itself is not a problem untill you start adding extra circuits and bits to the existing wiring. Having said that some flats electrics are shocking (excuse the pun). Are you sure its earthing thats the problem, or is it bonding. I ask as if your earthing was that bad the sparky would not let you have any power on at all until it got sorted.

scroggy

Any one know anything about this ?
I've just discovered my old property has no earth at all.
The power comes in on poles with only 2 wires.
The guy was here yesterday from Scottish Power & confirmed this.
He's gonna do a quote for the work but thinks it's going to be in the low thousands. Shouldn't they be reponsible for everything up to & including the meter as it's an existing supply ?