Faulty Gas Meter - box flooded - HELP!

Sally_Bloggs

Cutting a long saga short: It was established by Southern Electric that my gas meter was faulty and had not been working since 2007. Legally, as they can only claim backdated payments for the last 12 months, I paid them £90 owing and the matter of monies owed was resolved. I am continuing to pay my direct debit to Southrn Electric (SE) £27 per month.

However, SE's supplier came to repair the meter and informed me that as the meter box had a crack it was letting water in and repairing the meter was pointless as the same thing would happen unless the meter box was replaced. (The meter box is a brown hard plastic casing and is located on ground level at the front of my property).

SE then informed me that I would have to pay the cost of the new meter box. I disputed this and they sent another 'engineer' to my property to take photos of the box, so they could establish the damage.

I have since been informed that the whole meter has to be moved 2 meters as if the meter becomes submerged in water, it could cause low pressure to my home and consequently be very dangerous. Because the meter has to be moved and it is SE's supplier who will carry out this work, I am liable for the cost of this work at £775!!!!! Not included the damage it will do to my garden, as the box is sat on a decorative gravelled area and this will have to be dug up and then repaired.

I am disputing this. Surely if the meter is dangerous, my supply should be cut and this work carried out as an emergency. The water level in the box is very high and doesn't seem to dry up, despite the recent spells of hot weather.

So, my questions are:

Am I liable?
Am I sitting on a time bomb?
If this is not rainwater that is seeping into the box and the cracked lid is concidental and it is in fact a water leaks coming from underneath the meter box - am I liable for costs?

I am a single girl, living alone and I am naive to such situations and not sure where to turn. I've tried CAB and my insurance provider seems to think that I can make a claim for the work, but I really object to having to even pay my £150 insurance excess plus lose my no claims and then a higher premium, if this work should be carried out by Southern Electric.

Incidentally, every house on my road, has the same meter box, located in the same position!

lemontart

the meter is a sealed unit and normally would not let in water - as you say it has been established there is a fault with the meter and that is the responsibility of your supplier.

The Box is your responsibility or that of the owner of the property as is the responsibility to ensure it is properly maintained so that one I am afraid is down to you.

Under the Gas Act 1996 the meter box is part of the fabric of the property and as such it is the responsibility of the property owner/occupier to ensure it is adequately maintained. All repair / replacement work is chargeable.

jalexa

Sally_Bloggs wrote: »

I have since been informed that the whole meter has to be moved 2 meters

Have you made any relevant changes to your grounds since installation? If not I think that Southern Electric might have shot themselves in the foot (not studied the post in detail).

Take your own very detailed photographs before the evidence is destroyed. Is the meter box crack obvious? If so can think think how that could have occurred?

BTW, one thing I find difficult to understand is the "not working since 2007 comment". Did your gas supplier think you were not using gas? There is something else which needs explaining, the connection between enough water to damage and supplier meter reader visits (or lack of). Something doesn't add up.

Sally_Bloggs

Hi and thanks to Lemontart and Jalexa for your responses.

Jelexa - I was informed by Southern Gas that the meter reading has been the same since 2007! Since 2007 bills have been estimated and some have been read.

I have enquired as to why the person reading the meter did not report the cracked box lid, which is obvious to the naked eye and on opening the box, they would have seen it was flooded.

No work has been actioned near the box. I can only assume it has been stood on, perhaps by local children playing near to my house, but this is just an asumption.

[Deleted User]

Hi Sally Bloggs, I ve seen quite a few gas meters totally submerged in semi concealed meter boxes ( thats the term for them ) I was under the impression that the meters were waterproof. One small new street had several of these semi -concealed meter boxes all flooded or almost submerged so even though your box had a crack in it, I dont think it would stop the water coming as the water can enter from below. I have been able (mostly ) to read the meters with a bit of baling out and the removal of a toad which was in the same meter for 2 quarters once. B.G., I know would nt be taking any notice at all at the meter not progressing, I have seen them happily bill a customer for full gas central heating, and zero for an electric bill as the meter had been stopped for years. I always reported the meters flooded, but as usual B.G. dont do too much about it. Some meter readers would just drop the box lid and walk on by and record a "no access". I think you personally should have at least rang customer services to report the meter.
They usually move the meter up a foot or so directly above the semi concealed box, which I expect to be a free service

jalexa

sacsquacco wrote: »

I ve seen quite a few gas meters totally submerged in semi concealed meter boxes ( thats the term for them ) I was under the impression that the meters were waterproof.

Hi sasquaacco

semi-technical question for you as I have no experience of the semi-buried box (though I am not unfamiliar with groundwater penetration of basements and (harder) electrical waterproofing). Is the box as "waterproof as a boat" i.e. any penetrations or drain holes? Are the mounting holes at or about finished ground level and are there any "non-waterproof" gas components below finished ground level when correctly installed?

What goes in the "sump" at the base of the boat, sorry box?

[Deleted User]

Hi Jalexa, cant say I ve had a thorough enough look at them underneath the meters to see if they are " a boat " or not. theres many with broken lids etc so if they were like that they would fill up pretty quicky if there were no where for water to drain off. I must have a look at the next one I see tomorrow to properly answer your questions as my eyes focus on the readings only. Theres many outside meters around which have lost their surrounding box and seem to be unaffected by whatever the weather throws at them. the true test comes tho when, as the OPs meter is they are.totally under water

chanz4

meters are not 100% water proof, the dials are not sealed and also neither are the fronts

antenna

This sounds like north sea gas,and only fills the meter with water during high tides.

Terrylw1

sacsquacco wrote: »

I have been able (mostly ) to read the meters with a bit of baling out and the removal of a toad which was in the same meter for 2 quarters once. B.G.

Perhaps its a new attempt to reach the mandatory safety check?

Bgas will probably be flogging it on an advert now about how their new smart toad meters keep those pesky slugs out!

It would have been brilliant if the customer rang up to report their meter making a funny "rebbit" noise...:rotfl:

jalexa

chanz4 wrote: »

meters are not 100% water proof, the dials are not sealed and also neither are the fronts

I believe "semi buried" meters are supposed to have top dials which would result in the dial being above finished ground level.