Moving incoming cable/meter - ouch!

Solari_2

I noticed online that many people mention that they've had a meter moved a small distance for free or very little. I'm really confused as I called up the electric company yesterday asking if I could have my main incoming armoured cable (and meter if necessary) moved over a couple of inches to clear space to do some work on the wall, and they quoted me 3K!!!

Apparently I have old cables and they want to rip it out and reprovide a new one. I'm absolutely stunned that they think I would pay that much to help them replace their dodgy old cables! :eek:

Is there any other avenue I can take to get this moved (the meter can probably stay in the same place, I just need the main incoming cable shoved over a bit.

Cheers!

spiro

In a word NO. There is only one party that can do it and if they have said £3k, then £3k it is.

Solari_2

Oh well, cheaper to move the door so I'll do that.

I wonder if they try to charge you if the cabling develops a fault....?

Anyways... Annoying as the gas board moved my meter, had to do loads of excavation and did it for £800 which I thought was quite reasonable.

molerat

Unless you know someone who works for the supplier. My SIL had an extension built on the site of an old smaller extension which housed the meter. A van (the correct one) turned up one evening and two nice men moved the meter and cable out to a temporary housing. A few month later they came back and fitted it into the new extension, all for a couple slabs of beer

Solari_2

Good to hear that and glad you got it sorted cheaply! I'd want more than a few slabs of beer to do such risky work if it were me, though!

I know a friend of a friend who works for the supplier - but the problem lies in the question of what the heck do they do if it goes wrong? I'll ask him what he thinks.

Thanks for the replies, all

spiro

molerat wrote: »

Unless you know someone who works for the supplier.

Supplers are not allowed to move the main cable they only people who can do that are the relevant distribution company. If they get caught doing 'out of hours' job not only will they join the dole queue but the DNO may also require to do the work officially and make you pay the full price so you've paid twice.

JasX

Solari wrote: »

I'll ask him what he drinks.

Thanks for the replies, all

*fixed

Solari_2

JasX wrote: »

*fixed

Haha... seriously, the cable is quite old and I'd bet brittle by now - I reckon they wouldn't touch it. Still, I can ask for his opinion on it. If it's a 'mare, I'll just work around it by changing my plans slightly.