Getting connected to gas

geojay

I'm investigating how I go about getting a gas connection and am slightly confused about the process and which companies have responsibility for which part. I live in a block of eight flats, six of the flats have a gas supply but mine doesn't. The gas enters the block in the basement where the meters are. One pipe comes from the street and has five T joints, each with a meter attached (see image below, right-most meter not shown). These T joints end with a 'bung' (I'm not sure of the right term!) which would seem to be an obvious place to take another feed off. You can also see that a second pipe enters (bottom of picture) and has a single meter but there's no obvious place to connect another meter.

So, given that there seems to be an obvious place to take a feed for a meter from, does the distribution company (is this the right term? It's Wales & West Utilities in my area) need to be involved or can the gas supplier (I believe that's whoever I choose to actually be my supplier?) simply fit a meter to the pipework that is there?

Is there someone here who is in the know as to who is responsible for what, how much it might cost and whether it's going to be an easy job?

Thanks!

As a new user I can't post a link to the image but I'm sure you can work out how to make http:// share4pic.com/en/4687465/Img_5579a/ into a working URL.