Gas meter moving - anyway around this price?

Somerset

I know they charge.... a lot..... but this took my breath away.

Ok it concerns a ground floor flat. All the other flats have their meters in a cabinet in the communal basement area. The meter wasn't a problem until the flat was done up. The living room door and frame was very narrow, too narrow - when the stud wall was extended to allow a normal door opening, we discovered the main gas service pipe coming to the meter. So it's in the middle of the doorway now. The gas safe fitter tells me it's also the pipe that supplies seven houses down the road (don't know how he found that out !). So he suggested I get the meter moved to the basement like the other flats, then he could 'turn' the gas off at the new meter and get rid of the redundant bit of the service pipe which is now 'our' responsibility and do the new pipe-work. So I've applied online to National Grid and been quoted £1200 !!!

So I'm trying to make sense of this (to me !! ). The gas already goes from the street to the basement (3 flats seperate meters plus my pipe) so no road digging or anything. They don't have to add any extra pipework to go to the basement meter cupboard ? I'm guessing there but my entry pipe must be there or thereabouts. They just have to put in a meter ..... so where does the charge of £1200 come from?

Has anyone any suggestions on how I can get a reduced charge? Anything? The meter is ancient is that's any help. It doesn't sound right to me that 'my' service pipe supplies 7 other houses (must be at road level?). I expected a nasty bill, but not this ! I could understand if they were digging up or drilling walls or adding lots of pipe work, but it's the opposite, we're essentially saying ''put the meter where it comes off the road'' so apart from fitting a meter they are doing nothing else

Btw I'm with British Gas who directed me to Fulcom Consulting who directed me to Onstream who directed me to Transco aka National Grid. And National Grid are the ONLY people who are entitled to do this.

lemontart

http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Connections/uip2/comp+connection.htm

to get quotes from other companies

also it is not transco aka national grid - as Transco no longer exists i

Somerset

lemontart wrote: »

http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Connections/uip2/comp+connection.htm

to get quotes from other companies

also it is not transco aka national grid - as Transco no longer exists i

Thanks lemontart

It was British Gas who told me ''Transco do this'' and gave me the number for Nat Grid so I assumed they were one and the same !!

Just thinking about this - I don't actually need the meter moved, it just seemed the easiest, most obvious solution. Essentially I need the pipework altering ie the incoming main pipe moved maybe a foot. Any idea's on whether this would be a cheaper way to go? They'd still have to cut off the gas supply to me and the other 7 houses in order to do this.

I've used that link to ask for an alternative quote specifying a pipework alteration.

Can I also use it for a quote re a meter move? The only options seem to be a)new multiple connection b)service disconnection c)service alteration ....... so would a meter move fall into the 'service alteration' catagory ?

lemontart

Bg are always call us Transco we keep telling them and I have lost count of the number of people who think the gasboard still exists and that is got to be at least 20 yrs gone so it is likely be some years before the message gets round, but it does cause a lot of confusion for folk. especially when they try to get contact details for company that does not exist.


I do not know about meter moves as not my area I work for the gas emergency service but do have business knowledge - best to ask the companies involved - just know we have to ensure that we give the info re pipe work stuff on the website

and just to show how boring it can be and what has happened

http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/About/history/

Somerset

lemontart wrote: »

I do not know about meter moves as not my area I work for the gas emergency service but do have business knowledge - best to ask the companies involved

I have asked - they all say National Grid is the only company that can change the meter. Nat Grid have come back with a price of £1200. There's nothing on the quote to show how they've arrived at £1200 ie no £ for X, £ for Y - it's like they've plucked a number (large) out of thin air. And they've got you by the short and curlies because you can't go anywhere else, it has to be Nat Grid.

jamesperrett

We had problems with a neighbour's prepayment gas meter mounted on the wall of our house. The neighbour had to come into our back garden each time they wanted to add credit to the meter. We contacted Transco (it was a few years ago) who wanted quite a bit of money to move it.

However, shortly afterwards we had to talk to our MP about something and mentioned this problem. He made contact with Transco on our behalf and they came round and decided that, as the meter was fairly old, they would renew it and move it over to the neighbours wall. In our case it possibly helped that there was a gas pipe adjacent to the new location so it wasn't a big job but it was interesting to see how the involvement of someone like our MP immediately got a different reaction from Transco.

Cheers

James.

Somerset

I'm going to call Nat Grid tomorrow. What I'd like to know is how they've calculated this £1200 figure. To save me wasting money being transferred on their 0870 number - does anyone know the the number of the dept that might be able to explain it. I'd just like to see their 'list' of charges.

The_Pedant

To save me wasting money being transferred on their 0870 number

I would look the number up on SayNoTo)870 & give that a call instead.
http://www.saynoto0870.com/

lemontart

Useful info

http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Connections/online/guides/guidance/QuotationCharges.htm

How to reduce cost
http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Connections/online/FAQs/QuotationFAQs/Own_Works.htm

C_Mababejive

A good photograph of the set up would help no end.

also, MPs dont run private companies.

Somerset

lemontart wrote: »

Useful info

http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Connections/online/guides/guidance/QuotationCharges.htm

How to reduce cost
http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Connections/online/FAQs/QuotationFAQs/Own_Works.htm

The first link I'd seen. It was the price I couldn't get e.g. Band A (domestic) was £277 squared I think but squared by what or why. I'll ring them.

The second link is about digging/trenching - I've got none.

But the more info or feedback I get the better. Everything is helping and much appreciated.

Edit : The first link doesn't apply lemontart. It's for non-standard alterations and is costing a visit from Nat Grid in order to quote. So non-standard and inspection charge.

I've spoken to Nat Grid and 1K is their minimum meter move charge regardless of big or small move. I thought I must have put the wrong dimensions in but basically that is their base ie lowest price.