Moving gas & electric meter or new digital meters?

Ubik_Fresh

Hi all,

I’ve just moved into my first home and am renovating. The gas meter and electricity meter are located just below the window in the front room and are the old style bulky meters with dials. They’re an eyesore and very much in the way. The location (not quite in a corner) makes them hard to box off without losing space.

So, I have two options: I could bite the bullet and significant cost to move them outside (expensive I gather), or get them replaced with digital meters if my provider will do this. This would offer a far smaller footprint and they wouldn’t be as in the way.

For moving them I understand it’s the Elec (Northern Power Grid) & Gas Provodier (Norther Gas Networks) and not your Energy Supplier. Anyone have experience with a company like Crown Energy, who seem to offer to do the whole thing for you? I assume they simply co-ordinate the whole thing with the relevant suppliers and get the work done.

Any advice? Anyone come up against a similar situation?

[Deleted User]

Suppliers wont just switch your meters if you dont like them. If you have an electric dial meter its a very reliable meter.Learn how to read it especially when the pointers are on or near a border. You have to go through your supplier to get info and prices on moving them outside. dont try and contact Northern Power and National Grid yourself , go through your supplier. Get ready for a shock, they re not cheap.Once smart meters are in and smart switching going ok its a case of fit and forget about the meters.

Ubik_Fresh

Fair play. I realised that all the bulk of the connections will still be there regardless of the type of meter being used. So that approach wouldn't work for me.

I guess I really have to bite the bullet and move them both to an external wall. I could move them outside on exactly the same spot (laterally speaking) as they're on the inside of the front of the house. They could just be housed in one of those slightly dug out on street level enclosures. Otherwise, I have a side passage 2-3 meteres to the right.

Anyone used Crown Energy for such a move?

[Deleted User]

The meters are really the property of your local DNO, thats Northern Power Grid for the electric meter and National Grid for the gas meter so you can t find your own contractor to move the meters without their permission. They have a monopoly and they will prove that by their high prices. I have met people so disgusted at the prices that they have moved the gas meter themselves. It could easily go beyond £1500 to move the two meters with these two bodies ruling the roost.These companies should have records where their meters are positioned if you are going it alone.

MeterMan

Sacsquacco is correct.

You're looking at £1500 for each service to be moved.

You could make one hell of a fancy cabinet for 3 grand to cover your meters up.

Another thing, there isn't a little digital gas meter.