Charge for an Isolation Switch?

jmcdyre

Hi peeps

I'm getting a new consumer unit fitted and the sparky told me to call my electricity supplier to get an isolation switch fitted to the meter. Having just phoned Cooperative Energy they want to charge me £57 for this - is this right!? I about spat my tea over my phone.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Most modern housing have isolator switch to allow a sparky to work on the CU without pulling the DNO [s/he's not allowed to do this anyway] fuse. A stand alone will be £30 to £60 depending on whether you want a 2 way, 6 way, 24 way @ 30A or a 100A. So if £57 is the fitted price I'd consider that very cheap and keep the tea in the cup my friend. If £57 is the supply only price for an 8 way 100amper I'd consider that 'retail' reasonable and keep the tea in the cup my friend.

Andy_WSM

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

Most modern housing have isolator switch to allow a sparky to work on the CU without pulling the DNO [s/he's not allowed to do this anyway] fuse. A stand alone will be £30 to £60 depending on whether you want a 2 way, 6 way, 24 way @ 30A or a 100A. So if £57 is the fitted price I'd consider that very cheap and keep the tea in the cup my friend. If £57 is the supply only price for an 8 way 100amper I'd consider that 'retail' reasonable and keep the tea in the cup my friend.

I think you got it all wrong - I read it as the £57 is a charge for the DNO to come out and fit an isolation switch...

Which I still don't think is unreasonable tbh.

AndyPK

The isolator is the easy and safe way to change the CU.

MoneyGeoff

Switch to a provider that fits them free of charge. Ovo said they would charge £100 for an Isolation switch when I had my CU replaced so I switched to nPower and they fitted one for free.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Andy_WSM wrote: »

I think you got it all wrong - I read it as the £57 is a charge for the DNO to come out and fit an isolation switch...

Which I still don't think is unreasonable tbh.

- a second consideration suggest you are correct, and yes the price is reasonable
- the only way to do anything this side of the tails is to break the seals an pull, not supposed to but happens every day
- maybe the O/P's sparky is moving the CU's a long way and needs belt & braces on the distance

jmcdyre

Thanks for replies everyone.
I'd had 3 electricians round to quote, and all said the same about not breaking the seal.
They all said the energy provider should do the switch for free (the £57 is what coop will charge for the switch and fitting).
Anyway, everyone seems to think its reasonable so will go for it - I'm going to switch to npower soon but would like the job doing asap so will just pay it.
Thanks again

Myser

What you have been quoted is very reasonable especially if it includes the cost of the switch too.

If you are having a new consumer unit fitted and it is the only consumer unit on your incoming mains supply, it will have an isolation switch fitted anyway.

You can arrange for the DNO to remove the main fuse seals on an agreed date and your electrician can then safely install the new consumer unit. The DNO will then replace the fuse seals after the work is complete.

chanz4

The electricians are correct, but I don't agree the fee is high and really shouldn't be free as its not required for the supply you require it to have the supply altered