Gas meter moving - anyway around this price?

Somerset

C_Mababejive wrote: »

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

also, MPs dont run private companies.

I don't think you can send a photo with the online form to Nat Grid? Or can you?

Wish I did have a mate who owed me a favour who was an M.P. - you never know, companies can suddenly develop 'goodwill' but alas I'm just a poor pleb.

Gman0365

The cost of altering this service pipe seems quite excessive. Scotland Gas Networks charges £490 + VAT to alter an existing service pipe by up to 2m. There are additional services that can be added to this prices such as actually moving the meter to the new position as that price only moves the service pipe - not the meter!

Have a look here for more details on another transporters prices:

javascript:void window.open('/ScotiaGas/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=3504','showcontent','toolbar=0,location=0,directories=0,status=0,menubar=0,scrollbars=1,resizable=1,width=700,height=600')

Somerset

Gman0365 wrote: »

The cost of altering this service pipe seems quite excessive. Scotland Gas Networks charges £490 + VAT to alter an existing service pipe by up to 2m. There are additional services that can be added to this prices such as actually moving the meter to the new position as that price only moves the service pipe - not the meter!

Have a look here for more details on another transporters prices:

javascript:void window.open('/ScotiaGas/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=3504','showcontent','toolbar=0,location=0,directories=0,status=0,menubar=0,scrollbars=1,resizable=1,width=700,height=600')

Thanks Gman, I agree it's excessive but I can't use your link because it's non-applicable. Now I may have got this wrong, but from research this is the way it works ...... when everything was sold off the infrastructure was split regionally. So Nat Grid own my meter and infrastructure. When I try to get anything changed I have the option of getting Nat Grid to do it or they provide a weblink for 'authorised contractors' to do an alternative quote. As I understand it ( I've submitted this alternative quote link ) these other contractors only really deal with big scale 'Wimpey' or Tesco type commercial stuff, not a lowly domestic one-off change. So in effect they are useless. And the only contractor entitled to do the work is either Nat Grid or the useless 'authorised contractor' who won't - so effectively a monopoly as I can't shop around or get a quote from, for example ScotiaGas, as ScotiaGas are not an 'authorised contractor' for Nat Grid in my area.

Incidentially I've had my first reply from the 'authorised contractor' list.

Multiutility <multiutility@murphygroup.co.uk
''I am contacting you with reference to your enquiry for a service
alteration at the address below. National Grid have very competitive
rates for service alterations which we are unable to compete with at
present. Therefore in this instance we are not in a position to submit a
competitive quotation. I am sorry that we cannot assist. ''

What a surprise !

Somerset

Not that it makes any difference.

They are doing some work up the road (Nat Grid) and we persuaded one of the Nat Grid blokes to have a look and see if there was an easier/better way of doing it. There isn't ............. but he reckons it's under an hour's work !

GeniusJ

It sounds to me like the quote may be to charge you for an individual service to the basement rather than tapping onto one of your neighbours supplys - Are they all fed from a single service?
Unfortunately flats always make these things more complicated, The engineers must ensure they do not cut off your neighbors and if there are no Taylor valves present this could be a problem which in turn would mean additional charge.

I have just completed an online quote for a 2m move with reconnect for £728 so what is it exactly they are charging you for? have they replied?

Some additional advice - Firstly, be very wary about what the NG engineer you spoke to advised you. Unless he has had specific customer ordered connections experience the chances are he doesn't know what he is talking about.
Secondly - You mention your service pipe feeds 7 of your neighbours? If this is true you have a gas main running through your flat. It may be worth contacting someone in National Grid (IE Plant protection) and see if there are any other options available. IE whats to stop you getting it disconnected and upsetting your neighbours - they have rules and regulations surrounding dual and multiple supplies.

There is no other way of reducing the prices, save to excavate a trench yourself (and it would appear there isnt one). Beware as these prices have risen year on year.

jamesperrett

Somerset wrote: »

Wish I did have a mate who owed me a favour who was an M.P. - you never know, companies can suddenly develop 'goodwill' but alas I'm just a poor pleb.

In our case it was the first time we had ever met our MP (who was also a local councillor). He just seemed to know the right people to talk to and I guess, as there was an MP involved, they tried a little harder to sort things out. The actual person at Transco who sorted out the repositioning was the same person I had spoken to months earlier who told me I would have to pay a large amount of money for the job.

Most MP's seem to have local surgeries where they deal with all sorts of issues like this - it might be worth going along to have a chat, especially as there is an election looming!

Cheers

James.

C_Mababejive

Somerset wrote: »

I don't think you can send a photo with the online form to Nat Grid? Or can you?

Wish I did have a mate who owed me a favour who was an M.P. - you never know, companies can suddenly develop 'goodwill' but alas I'm just a poor pleb.

No no..i meant a photo for here not to send with the application..

lemontart

Plant protection ? not sure how they can help as that is not their area of expertise, also it may have been ok for 7 flats to be fed off one service in past but it is possibly not the case now with changes in legislation regarding supply pipes.

Liz

Somerset

GeniusJ wrote: »

It sounds to me like the quote may be to charge you for an individual service to the basement rather than tapping onto one of your neighbours supplys - Are they all fed from a single service?
No, per the NG chap I spoke to this morning on the phone (very nice chap) the £1200 , which includes Vat, is their minimum charge for them moving the incoming gas pipe in the flat. It needs to move one foot, and I've been quoted the bottom price. If I take out the 'meter move' bit, this quote will drop by £56. So essentially the charge all relates to moving the incoming gas pipe 12 inches.
Unfortunately flats always make these things more complicated, The engineers must ensure they do not cut off your neighbors and if there are no Taylor valves present this could be a problem which in turn would mean additional charge.
The 'neighbours' would be cut off - but the 'neighbours' aren't the other flats in the house, they are 7 unknown houses in the same street.

I have just completed an online quote for a 2m move with reconnect for £728 so what is it exactly they are charging you for? have they replied?
It's their minimum charge for ''altering existing pipework''.

Some additional advice - Firstly, be very wary about what the NG engineer you spoke to advised you. Unless he has had specific customer ordered connections experience the chances are he doesn't know what he is talking about.
He was in the ''quotes'' department ie I said this is my reference, he looked at the quote and explained that they have a 1K minimum charge for altering existing pipework.
Secondly - You mention your service pipe feeds 7 of your neighbours? If this is true you have a gas main running through your flat. It may be worth contacting someone in National Grid (IE Plant protection) and see if there are any other options available. IE whats to stop you getting it disconnected and upsetting your neighbours - they have rules and regulations surrounding dual and multiple supplies.
I can't have !! Can I ?
The way I figure it works is ........ they have a main pipe running along the street - they have me connected off it - my meter is inside the flat so it can be turned off at the meter. The other 7 houses also receive their gas from that pipe and presumerably also have their meters inside, where they can be turned off. So if Nat Grid want to do anything between the street (pipe) and my meter, they have to cut off the other 7 houses ? Does that make sense? It's the only logical way I can think the 'other 7 houses scenario ' works? The three other flats in my house all have their own individual meters in the basement. I don't know if they feed off the same pipe or not. This section is me guessing how the 'system' works.

There is no other way of reducing the prices, save to excavate a trench yourself (and it would appear there isnt one). Beware as these prices have risen year on year.

As I said in OP I knew it would cost, I was just gobsmacked at how much they want to charge.

Somerset

lemontart wrote: »

Plant protection ? not sure how they can help as that is not their area of expertise, also it may have been ok for 7 flats to be fed off one service in past but it is possibly not the case now with changes in legislation regarding supply pipes.

Liz

Plant protection ?

I've no idea of the legislation lemontart. All I know is it appears to be a very perculiar antiquated system. All I wanted was for my meter to be put in the basement alongside the other 3 flats meters, so that we could sort out the incoming gas pipe ourselves.
- If Nat Grid move the meter to the basement is costs £1200
- If Nat Grid leave the meter where it is and move the incoming gas pipe twelve inches it costs £1200 less £56.
- If there's a problem in any of the other 7 houses and the gas it cut off, we are cut off.

I just never saw this coming ! All because we wanted a 'normal' size doorway !