Smart meter now means big expense having to move gas meter!

Maahoosive

Hi all,

1st post here. I recently had a smart meter installed to save money. The engineer called out SGN and now I'm told have to move my internal gas meter outside and will cost me upwards of £800 which I don't have. Wish I had never asked to change to a smart meter!

Where do I stand legally? Do I have to have it done & if so how can I if I don't have the money to pay their bill? Been living with it as it is since 2002???? Really gutted and stressed!

Thanks

Bark01

Smart meters are currently non-compulsory so you don't have to have one installed.

mr_mf

Problem is I suspect the meter engineer has attended and decided that the current installation is unsafe for some reason - for example it might be difficult to reach to turn off in an emergency. He has referred the issue to SGN for advice, who may have then discovered other issues with the installation such as insufficient ventilation (explosion risk) or the gas supply pipe being in a concrete internal floor (which would make detecting a leak almost impossible to detect).

What did the SGN engineer say ? If it's considered dangerous then you will have to fix it. £800-£1500 is about right for moving a meter from inside to outside, including moving the supply pipe etc. Unfortunately yes the customer pays as I assume you own the property ??

Quentin

Maahoosive wrote: »

Hi all,

1st post here. I recently had a smart meter installed to save money. The engineer called out SGN and now I'm told have to move my internal gas meter outside and will cost me upwards of £800 which I don't have. Wish I had never asked to change to a smart meter!

Where do I stand legally? Do I have to have it done & if so how can I if I don't have the money to pay their bill? Been living with it as it is since 2002???? Really gutted and stressed!

Thanks

Take care, as if you refuse you might end up having your supply cut off, (for your own safety!), assuming the issue is one of danger rather than anything to do with your smart meter.

MeterMan

Whats the actual issue with the existing gas meter.

You can't blame it on smart meters, if the first meter man you have had attend for years is to fit a smart meter and he happens to find your installation isn't safe.

If your installation was deemed as dangerous, it would already be turned off.

Peteyboy

Had a similar issues a couple of years ago had letter from British Gas saying my meter was due for replacement due to age or something and when the guy came he said that he could not change it for safety reasons and it would need to be moved outside and new pipe work fitted inside all at our cost, we wrote to them asking for full details and they said that there was a problem in the pipe work up to the meter but everything after that was ok and again said that we would have to pay. When we pointed out to them that is was British Gas that had installed the pipework up to the meter so it was there workmanship that was the issue so it was there responsibility to fix it and there was no way we were paying for there bad workmanship and I would take it to the Sunday papers within a few days the job was done free of charge

House_Martin

New regulations have been in for a few years now where the gas meter has to be a certain distance from the electric meter..
More health and safety guff .
The meters have been fine for 20 years next to each other but the jobsworths suddenly have a brainwave on how to make money out of the occupier in the name of H and S.
Electricians do exactly the same thing all the time

Marvel1

House_Martin wrote: »

New regulations have been in for a few years now where the gas meter has to be a certain distance from the electric meter..
More health and safety guff .
The meters have been fine for 20 years next to each other but the jobsworths suddenly have a brainwave on how to make money out of the occupier in the name of H and S.
Electricians do exactly the same thing all the time

I was considering a smart meter myself, don't think I will bother now, both my meters are next to each other.

House_Martin

cjdavies wrote: »

I was considering a smart meter myself, don't think I will bother now, both my meters are next to each other.

It won t matter if the new meter is smart or dumb, when its time for a new meter a fitter will turn up, take one look at it and tut tut at it as if its a massive fire hazard ! then walk out and leave you alone most probably rambling on and on about new regulations.
Alternatively if there`s a bit of room in the pantry, under the stairs, or wherever they are situated he will simply be able to move the new meter along a foot or so with no charge

oldwiring

Sorry for interrupting! What is the distance lectric meter has to be from the gas one?

House_Martin

oldwiring wrote: »

Sorry for interrupting! What is the distance lectric meter has to be from the gas one?

My comments on the distances between gas meters and electric meters and consumer units are anecdotal comments from hundreds of occupiers I have met (as long time meter reader ) who have had visits from meter fitters over the years, but from a brief look on the internet a figure of 150 cms was given.
I think that the new regs are not retrospective but would only apply to new installations. If a new meter stops the old regulations being in force it is an opportunity for the utilities to start charging the going rate for moving gas meters in the name of H and S of course.
Its odd that gas boilers are quite happy to have gas and electricity right up close to each other which operate safely.