Gas meter change - updated 13/4: Ooops - they won't do it after all!

Yolina

Had a letter last week from National Grid Metering saying that my gas meter was nearing the end of its useful life and that they would come today to change it (and obviously not even a rough indication of when during the day they might turn up!). I know they are supposed to inform my provider of the swap but given that I'm going from ft3 to m3, I just want to make sure things don't get messed up.
I took a reading (and a picture) of my meter this morning and entered it on my account online. Will also take a reading and picture of the new meter as soon as it's installed. What's the best thing to do after that? I was planning on leaving things for a few weeks to allow the new details to be passed on and updated, then call my provider to check that all has been done correctly.

KimYeovil

Yes, you are correct to keep some documentary evidence. Send an email or letter stating your readings and then just wait to check they update things correctly. They usually do. Make sure you do not lose your copy of the reads since it could take months (!!) for you to receive the first indication of how they have done.

Yolina

Thanks. No chance of me losing the readings I guess all I can do for now is hope that 1) they do turn up today (and hopefully soon!) and 2) that things get passed on and updated correctly. I just don't like having no control over it!

KimYeovil

Yes, you are probably jumping the gun optimistically assuming they will turn up for the first appointment!

Yolina

lol I hope they do... otherwise I'm not going to be happy. I was also surprised that they only gave 1 week notice, what happens if you're on holiday for a couple of weeks and therefore can't even inform them that the date won't suit?

Yolina

Well you were kind of right Kim - I just called them to ask if was possible to give me an idea of what time they would come, only to be told that apparently someone did turn up earlier but there was no answer - which is a bit weird given that I haven't moved from my sofa all morning. There are several flats in the block so maybe they pressed the wrong button! Oh well, at least I can enjoy the nice weather for the rest of the day. They're supposed to come back on Wednesday morning, and I have given them my mobile number so that we don't get the same problems again.

Yolina

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Ok, so today the guy from National Grid Metering turns up and manages to ring to correct bell for my flat... however, and bearing in mind that the flats were built 20 years ago to the standards of that time and that I've got the original boiler (serviced regularly and working perfectly well thank you) ... apparently because of the location of the flue outside in relation to one of the vents (the boiler is in a cupboard and there's 2 vents) he can't change the gas meter as the distance between the flue and vent is deemed "unsafe" by current standards. He said that if he changed the gas meter he wouldn't be allowed to turn the boiler back on! Erm, no chance mate...

so what are my options now? I know the meter will have to be swapped at some point soon but I don't particularly want to have to pay someone to have the flue extended now... obviously the flue would need to be done when I eventually change the boiler, but then that could be years away still! All the guy said was that he would report that he wasn't able to change the meter due to that issue.

Suggestions anyone?

HappyMJ

Leave it as it is. There is no real need to change the meter. Is it overreading yet? They'll come around in the next 10 years or so and change it with a smart meter so you can worry about it then or at any time between now and then. Whenever you next change the boiler that will be fine even if it is years away.

Yolina

lol no it's not overreading, it's just 20 years old that's all (though I'm perfectly happy with my "old" meter) - I actually use 7700 kwh of gas a year! There's another guy from National Grid now just has turned up to have a look, apparently the previous guy has called it in as an unsafe installation... this one reckons so far that it should be absolutely fine to change the meter and just issue an advisory about the distance between the boiler flue and vent (I normally get a "recommendation" about this when I get it serviced).

Grrrr so now apparently I will have to reschedule yet another appointment for the meter swap. Really fed up with them.

Yolina

Oh well, it now seems that they simply don't want to come back to swap the meter until I've had the "issue" fixed... fine with me