Who's responsible?! Gas Meter Box

Tumtitums

the problem isnt about buying a new latch although i dont know how i am supposed to know which one will fit the box. Not everyone is physically or mentally able to buy and replace these things so if a british gas meter reader damages it then i would have thought they would be the ones legally responsible for replacing it

molerat

How do you know they damaged it. It often happens that it falls apart when the meter reader opens it but does not mean that they broke it. Unless you can prove beyond reasonable doubt they are responsible then I am afraid you are just going to have to get on and replace it yourself. If you are unable to do it yourself, just as with anything else, you will have to get someone in who can do it.

Tumtitums

They repaired it yesterday

brewerdave

Tumtitums wrote: »

They repaired it yesterday

As a matter of interest ,WHO repaired it? Presumably a routine meter reader visit?

Tumtitums

the meter reading company but not as part of a routine visit

shortcrust

Tumtitums wrote: »

the problem isnt about buying a new latch although i dont know how i am supposed to know which one will fit the box. Not everyone is physically or mentally able to buy and replace these things so if a british gas meter reader damages it then i would have thought they would be the ones legally responsible for replacing it

Not if they were simply using/operating it as intended. If it breaks when all they’ve done is turn a key then it was effectively already broken. The action of turning the key merely revealed the fault.

If my doorbell fell off when the postman simply pressed it I wouldn’t think he’d broken it and I wouldn’t expect him to repair it. Same thing really.

brewerdave

Tumtitums wrote: »

the meter reading company but not as part of a routine visit

VERY surprised - will have cost them ££s to send out someone just to carry out a minor repair. I thought that the best you might achieve was a small payment to cover the cost of a new latch. Good luck to you anyway:T

shortcrust

brewerdave wrote: »

VERY surprised - will have cost them ££s to send out someone just to carry out a minor repair. I thought that the best you might achieve was a small payment to cover the cost of a new latch. Good luck to you anyway:T

I suppose there comes a point when dealing with a stream of phone calls and letters costs more than sending someone out to do the repair. You can imagine an exasperated “next time you’re in the area just fix it for them!” conversation.