Gas meter conundrum

Somniac

Here's a problem. Any suggestions welcome.
We have lived in our council flat for 13 years. In that time we have only ever had electricity supplied.
There is a live gas supply but we have never had a meter.
The council want to install gas central heating. Hooray! We say.
Just get a meter installed and away we go.
Problem: Meter cupboard is lined with asbestos. Council get asbestos removal company to come and remove asbestos. Plastic bubbles,masks,extractor fans,decontamination unit, the whole asbestos monty.
Company say can't remove asbestos as there is a live gas supply. Painted cupboard instead.
Gas company say can't install meter as must drill inside of cupboard to attach bracket for meter.
No More Nails, gaffer tape,blutak not options.
To cut off live gas supply for removal means cutting off gas to whole block.
Stumped. Wish I'd put a hammer through it in the first place.:(

chanz4

councils issue to deal with if it effects the block, it will be due to a shared riser in the blocks cavity normaly

Wail

Can the Gas Meter not be put outside of the cupboard?

Somniac

That was suggested by the British Gas engineer. It could be put in the airing cupboard which backs on to the meter cupboard.
Council won't wear it though. Think it's a matter of cost as they have already wasted the allocated budget on NOT removing the asbestos.

Fire_Fox

Could the meter go outside the flat? Write to the council and get confirmation of what they are/ are not going to do and will/ will not permit. Then speak to your ward councillors or MP.

lemontart

for meter to go outside flat it will require a service pipe move which is chargeable job and at some point as on riser pipe to several flats the gas will be turned off to all flats and access will be require to do what is call a purge and relight to all flats too. Not the most straight forward of solutions. But all solutions seem to require gas to be turned off and subsequent purge and relights to effected properties.

Somniac

Well now the council are saying that they have suggested a "stand off bracket" that does not have to touch the AIB at all but i don't see this as it must be attached to something surely.
They are waiting to hear from "National Grid"
Why would they be in touch with them?

lemontart

they will be in touch with national grid as it is their pipe that carries the gas and they will have to do the work to move pipes and their engineers are the ones that will have to go into each flat too. If asbestos is involve NG engineers are not qualified or permitted to touch it, will not work near it, it will have to be removed

chanz4

These are a pain when I catch people direct to main, your working on a live bomb

Somniac

British gas say it is Southern Gas Networks that will have to move the pipework.

lemontart

Somniac wrote: »

British gas say it is Southern Gas Networks that will have to move the pipework.

where do you live as that will dictate what company owns the pipes as National Grid do not operate in Southern Gas Network area and vice versa