Electricity meter casement

cyrano55

I'd just like to thank everyone for their contributions.
HNY all.

GlynD

chanz4 wrote: »

If I find them with locks, I have grounds to force entry.

Yes you definitely do, by law. May I ask though, if you were able to see through any kind of window what the meter readings are and could ascertain without doubt if the equipment hadn't been tampered with, would you force the lock?

Do you carry one of those triangular keys which fit most modern exterior boxes at domestic properties?

wr1ght

GlynD wrote: »

Yes you definitely do, by law. May I ask though, if you were able to see through any kind of window what the meter readings are and could ascertain without doubt if the equipment hadn't been tampered with, would you force the lock?

Do you carry one of those triangular keys which fit most modern exterior boxes at domestic properties?

no would still force only way to check the seals is to pull them make sure they havnt been cut and put back on. window is ok for meter readings but not inspections

GlynD

wr1ght wrote: »

no would still force only way to check the seals is to pull them make sure they havnt been cut and put back on. window is ok for meter readings but not inspections

I see. I can also see the logic in what you're saying.

What advice would you give for those in areas where there has been interfering of the meter boxes by vandals for instance? To my way of thinking that would be a similar situation to a meter box which can only be accessed by going into the house and being admitted by the householder.

Would you for example, make an appointment with the householder?

I've had something along these lines myself recently. When we installed a new kitchen the sparks put in a new consumer unit in addition to the one which was already there. It's about half the size of the existing one. I didn't know, and they didn't advise me, that they needed to break a seal or seals on the meter to carry this work out. It was drawn to my attention by the meter reader who I admitted to the property.

I was a little taken aback as initially I thought something illegal had been done to my meter but the meter reader assured me it was perfectly ok but she would arrange for one of their own engineers to come out and replace the seals.

In circumstances such as mine with an outside but visible meter what would you do?

I'm just interested by this btw. I have no criticisms of what you need to do in the course of your work.

[Deleted User]

usually the Rev Protection people will only get into locked boxes if its reported as suspicious, then they will do a consumption check just as they do for suspiciously low payments and refused accesses to meter readers for indoor meters. I know of locked boxes where someone has switched the gas off deliberately. so far our lovely feral kids dont seem to have hit on that idea yet for their amusement, at least in my area.
Electricians are supposed to replace any security seals they cut, but a lot dont bother, and the suppliers don t do anything about it when I report it in any case. They dont usually have to go through the lower seal security seal though with access to the meter cables

GlynD

sacsquacco wrote: »

usually the Rev Protection people will only get into locked boxes if its reported as suspicious, then they will do a consumption check just as they do for suspiciously low payments and refused accesses to meter readers for indoor meters. I know of locked boxes where someone has switched the gas off deliberately. so far our lovely feral kids dont seem to have hit on that idea yet for their amusement, at least in my area.
Electricians are supposed to replace any security seals they cut, but a lot dont bother, and the suppliers don t do anything about it when I report it in any case. They dont usually have to go through the lower seal security seal though with access to the meter cables

I should have pointed out that I'm in Northern Ireland. In this smaller consumer area the supplier, NIE, may take a different view on the seals.