Access to gas meter

fportela

Hi everyone,

Not sure if this is the right place for this question:

We have just purchased a flat and the gas/water meters are located in cupboards in the communal areas. The management company informed us these must be locked at all times but does not provide keys to access them.

We had a gas safety engineer around who informed us that, by law, the gas meter must be accessible at all times. Information by OFGEM (ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/42356/4970-mamcopfinal.pdf) seems to confirm this.

The management company insists the key to access the gas meter is a standard safety key (available to all gas safety engineers) but the gas safety engineer has disputed this and threatened to break down the door (luckily a neighbour had a key and opened it for us).

My questions is: are we entitled or not to have access to our meters?

Cheers,
Felipe

Tom99

My gas meter is on the front of the house with the standard triangular key, so absolutely anyone could access it. This is quite a common arrangement so I think the man co are going OTT if the key needed to open the cabinet is not one of these:
£1.70 for two from Amazon:.

Carrot007

The meter. No (though reasonable access to read it must be provided).



The emergency cut of valve that is probably right next to it. Yes.

anselld

It is probably a "fire brigade" key. FB1, FB2, etc. Find out which one by looking at the neighbours key and then buy one for a couple of quid.

davidmcn

anselld wrote: »

It is probably a "fire brigade" key. FB1, FB2, etc. Find out which one by looking at the neighbours key and then buy one for a couple of quid.

Or if not, just borrow the key and get a copy cut.

HampshireH

Management companies often say this because the fire doors should be locked ( usually have a sign on) and residents leave them unlocked.

That said if you had a card meter what would you do.

Its highly unlikely it isnt a universal FB key. These are cheap and easy to buy online.

pinkteapot

Do you have your own gas and electricity accounts? If so, you need to provide meter readings to your supplier, so how does the management company propose you do that?

HampshireH

By!pinkteapot29th Nov 18, 9:33

Do you have your own gas and electricity accounts? If so, you need to provide meter readings to your supplier, so how does the management company propose you do that?

Good question for OP. My post above related to blocks which operate a concierge service. Residents are expected to request meter readings and/or access via the concierge service. Its often the concietge who routinely has to close up cupboard doors as part of their duties/daily tasks/inspections

fportela

Tom99 wrote: »

My gas meter is on the front of the house with the standard triangular key, so absolutely anyone could access it. This is quite a common arrangement so I think the man co are going OTT if the key needed to open the cabinet is not one of these:
£1.70 for two from Amazon:.

anselld wrote: »

It is probably a "fire brigade" key. FB1, FB2, etc. Find out which one by looking at the neighbours key and then buy one for a couple of quid.

davidmcn wrote: »

Or if not, just borrow the key and get a copy cut.

This is precisely what they have told us, which would be fine, except the access door has a regular key slot which the gas safety engineer confirmed as not being a standard FB key (and then threatened to break through the door).

I also think it's rather unfair I go around knocking on neighbours doors to see who has a key and source a copy myself IF the management company has a legal obligation to provide access to my meter. Right?

fportela

pinkteapot wrote: »

Do you have your own gas and electricity accounts? If so, you need to provide meter readings to your supplier, so how does the management company propose you do that?

My issue precisely! They insist the key to the door is a standard FB key, which is clearly not the case (seems like they are just giving us a default reply).

davidmcn

fportela wrote: »

I also think it's rather unfair I go around knocking on neighbours doors to see who has a key and source a copy myself IF the management company has a legal obligation to provide access to my meter. Right?

It might be "unfair" but it's probably the quickest and easiest solution, especially if you already know who has a key. Besides, who do you think will end up paying to get an extra key cut if you ask the management company to do it?