Do I need an electrician or the electricity provider?

dodgy_damo

Hi all
I'm still in the process of getting an electrician in for quotes on a rewire!
The first sparky had a look and is due to get back to me with a quote. He did look at my meters near the front door (Im already aware that I need a new consumer unit/fuse box). The actual wood that holds the electricity meter and fuse box to the wall is rotten (wood worm) and needs replacing. The electrician told me that I would have to get the electrcity provider in to do this. I assumed that he would replace the wood, when the new consumer unit went in, but he didnt want to know. I'm getting another couple of qoutes over the weekend, but wanted a 2nd opinion.
The meter was last replaced (I think) in 1976, by eastern electrcity. Would I therefore have to ring them? My new provider is Britich Gas, do I call them. Or is it something that an electrician can deal with, but this chap was being lazy?

ritesh

Hi

I think your electrician is right. Depending on where you live the electrcity supplier, in my case it was EDF, will need to fit the new meter. If i am not mistaken you will need to buy a plastic meter box as it is part of the regulation. These are available from Jewson and alike for around £50 (not cheap for a bit of flimsey plastic!!). This new casing can be easily fixed to the wall (10 min job).

pruney

I had this when I was trying to get my meters changed from prepayment to credit in my new house (what a nightmare that was!).
You need to phone British Gas and ask for the number for your local electricity distributor because this is actually their responsibility, not BG's. BG might say they should come out but their CS don't know their a**e from their elbow. You might be able to get the number from your phone book but BG should have it. I'm not sure whether BG have to refer you, they may have to as I had a few probs getting the distributor to come out but they came in the end. Be prepared for a long wait though, the distributor told me it was a non-urgent job and we had to wait 4 weeks after they had finally agreed to come out and replace. If BG insist on sending their person out as well that will add to the wait time.
Another thing to think about before you phone BG is whether your electrics have a cutoff fitted or not. Mine hasn't and my BIL is a sparky and can't redo my box until I've had it fitted by my supplier (Npower); after the problems I had with BG getting my meters changed, I've shyed from getting it done but this is something you might need to.

Hope that helps,
Ayesha

pruney

ritesh wrote: »

Hi

I think your electrician is right. Depending on where you live the electrcity supplier, in my case it was EDF, will need to fit the new meter. If i am not mistaken you will need to buy a plastic meter box as it is part of the regulation. These are available from Jewson and alike for around £50 (not cheap for a bit of flimsey plastic!!). This new casing can be easily fixed to the wall (10 min job).

If you do need your actual meter changing and you're with BG, they don't charge (or they didn't) to change it as they changed mine twice, once off their own back when they connected me when I moved in (they said it was too old) and once when I changed from prepayment to credit. I didn't get charged either time.

baldelectrician

It depends where your meter is.
In days of old the electricity board asked the builder to fit a seperate wooden board- for their and only their metering stuff. This became their property. If this is the case tehn ask thyem to do it all.

If the consumer unit is on the same piece of wood as the meter then it's partly your problem and partly theirs,

A good way of getting prompt action is to call and tell them the meter is not secure. If you have heard buzzing / crackling coming from the vicinity then this may assure prompt action.

have a spare bit of wood 'just sitting about'

dodgy_damo

I actually need to get a new consumer unit fitted. It is the old type of meter, and fuse box.
I think I will ring BG, and get someone out either way. I'll make sure i get a piece of wood conviently left downstairs near the meter box.
So it is a case of getting BG or my supplier to do this? The electricain wont I take it?

HugoSP

As Baldelectrician says - contact them and say your meter is not secure, as the backing board is rotten.

They will sort this out for you. If you can get hold of a separate main isolation switch to be wired between you fusebox and the meter then you may be able to pursuade them to fit this for you as a favour.

Boil the kettle for them all before you electricity goes off.

Explain that you want to change the fusebox soon and you don't want to have to call them out again to pull the fuse, so the switch will help you here.

dodgy_damo

Thanks for all the advice people!
Just one more Question.
Should I just get a switch like this? http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=76924&ts=54423
And then ask them to fit it? I'm already on the look out for a decent board to use.:T

HugoSP

Yes

But you also need an enclosure for it.

Something like this, but you may be better going to an electrical wholesaler