Can National Grid Transco force me to move my meter?

Hodge4ever

Hi all,

Hopefully just a quick one, NGT are busy digging up the road and replacing pipe (only 3 months behind schedule! ) however it looks like they are replacing and moving gas meters to the front (i.e. in a box outside) of peoples houses. Personally I think they look unsightly, so basically can we be forced to have it there or insist it stays in the house?

I don't know whether it bares any relevance but our meter was replaced about 12 months ago so is pretty new.

Thanks in advance

Yellowcard

National Grid own the meters so i think they perhaps could, not 100% though.

lemontart

it is part and parcel of mains replacement to relocate meters outside where possible for lots of reasons including safety and current regulations as to regards to the location of meters - you just have to look at new build properties if recent years to see they all have meters outside.If you are really against it being moved you could of course call National Grid Enquiries and ask for an enquiry to be raised and passed to the actuall company doing the mains replacement work in your area or ask if they have a direct dial number for them so you can speak to them during office hours, 0845 605 6677 - I have sent you a pm regarding this so you ask for me tomorrow

C_Mababejive

Its hard to say without further info but it may be the case that the position of your existing service pipe is no longer considered to be within the regulations i.e for example if an old service is buried in the concrete raft of the ground floor and emerges in the middle of the house,this would no longer be acceptable and would be resited to outside.

spiro

Yellowcard wrote: »

National Grid own the meters so i think they perhaps could, not 100% though.

That is not necessarily correct. As an example BG use 3 gas metering companies nationally and when they fit a meter it is one of theirs.

The service pipe up to the ECV is owned and maintained by the gas transporter so if he replaces the pipes and puts the new ECV outside then you meter has to be near it (cant be the other side of the wall). If thats were they put it you only option would be to request and pay for a meter reposition which would require more work on the incoming pipe as I dont believe they join these to extend them.

Yellowcard

spiro wrote: »

That is not necessarily correct. As an example BG use 3 gas metering companies nationally and when they fit a meter it is one of theirs.

Good point

mattcanary

Gas meters are always outside on new properties (although not always at the front of the building). Electric meters are still sometimes fitted inside.

Gman0365

The gas mains replacement programme will continue in your street regardless of whether you want the meter moved outside or not, so resist it and you'll loose your gas supply as the old main will eventually be cut-off.

You should ask the company doing the work if it is possible to have a semi-concealed meter box fitted (a brown one that sits in the ground). The only problem with this is your gas meter will need to be exchanged as your old one wont fit in this type of box. This exchange is not something that National Grid, or its mains replacement contractor, are responsible for. You would have to contact your gas supplier directly to have this meter exchange completed and you could be charged for it as there is no benefit to your gas supplier in having this customer requested work done.

Something worth considering though as I see many people going down this route during mains replacement activites, however the onus really is on the gas user to have this type of work organised.

Hodge4ever

Thanks for the replies (especially your kind offer lemontart), to be honest, I hadn't thought about the impact of new regulations being an overiding factor in the reasoning for moving the meter. I may look into the cost of the semi-concealed box you suggested Gman but at the end of the day if it has too be moved for legimate reasons then I will not resist having the work done.

lemontart

Hodge4ever wrote: »

Thanks for the replies (especially your kind offer lemontart), to be honest, I hadn't thought about the impact of new regulations being an overiding factor in the reasoning for moving the meter. I may look into the cost of the semi-concealed box you suggested Gman but at the end of the day if it has too be moved for legimate reasons then I will not resist having the work done.

Another bonus you will not have to worry about opening door to meter readers in your pj's (if anything like ones in area they call when I have just got to bed after a night shift.......)