British Gas refuse to move appalling meter

greensalad

moneysavingexpertaccount12 said:

If you don't have anything actually helpful to say please just skip this forum and move onto the next one thanks.

Do you define "actually helpful" as "what I want to hear"?

On what grounds are you entitled to having it moved for free? Can you post that part from the BG terms and conditions. What criteria entitle you to have it moved. Is "ugliness" one of them?

goodwithsaving

Ah, one of the entitled brigade. No, you aren't entitled and if you want it moved, as BG have explained, you have to pay for it. That is home ownership, welcome to it. 
Don't ask for advice and get arsey when the responses aren't as you wish to hear. That is increasingly prevalent on this forum these days!

TELLIT01

I don't understand the problem.  The OP contacted BG who explained that moving meters is not part of their remit.  That work is done by Cadent and the OP needs to discuss things with Cadent.  Is that really so difficult to understand?

Section62

moneysavingexpertaccount12 said:

...hundreds of pounds to move something that was stupidly put in the first place and nobody here thinks thats poor business practice?

I think there's a good chance the meter was put there because that was what the houseowner wanted.  In that position it very likely involved the least disturbance and disruption to their home - lift one floorboard to connect to the pipes under the suspended floor, drill one hole through the outside wall.

In days past many older people (in particular) were more concerned about disruption and dust than they would have been about the aesthetics of a gas meter. Stick a table with a nice lace tablecloth and potted plant in front of it and they could forget it was even there.

BooJewels

What an odd thread.  I'm not a property developer and know that Cadent do that sort of work for BG.  So BGs response seems about spot on.

I can fully understand if you'd gone out to work and left them to fit the meter in your absence and came home to find it the wrong side of the wall from instructed, you would have grounds to expect them to sort it at their expense.

But really, it's an ancient meter that has been there a very long time, so any workmanship liability is long expired - it might even have been at a previous owners request - maybe even against the installers advice.

I see 2 options - build a window seat under the bay with a flip top or door, or maybe request a smart meter installation and see if a new location could be brokered into the arrangements. 

And I am a home owner - all mortgage free and all mine.

theoretica

I thought that when suppliers say they can move the meter up to 1m on the same wall they only meant on the same side of the wall, so it is BG saying that they 'can not' move that meter, not saying they 'will not'. 

Might be worth trying negotiating on cost to combine it with a smart meter installation.

User_181022

theoretica said:

Might be worth trying negotiating on cost to combine it with a smart meter installation.

Thats the most helpful thing anyone has said on this thread so far so thank you for your advice

Section62

moneysavingexpertaccount12 said:

theoretica said:

Might be worth trying negotiating on cost to combine it with a smart meter installation.

Thats the most helpful thing anyone has said on this thread so far so thank you for your advice

Unfortunately it will probably turn out to be the least useful -

Cadent are responsible for meter moves, your supplier (BG) is responsible for smart meter installation.

Cadent's costs won't be reduced by fitting a smart meter vs relocating the existing meter to a new position, and BG are very unlikely to chip in for the cost when they can tick the smart meter box for your property by installing one in the current position.

GrumpyDil

OP. 

My first house was a 2 up 2 down terraced house with a gas meter in pretty much the same position as yours. 

I built a window seat to cover it up and forgot about it.

Lorian

I've had cadent move a meter a similar distance recently. You can actually answer a few questions on their site and get a provisional quote. Mine cost from memory £850 and was 4 weeks from confirming the quote to being completed. That included a visit from their surveyor/estimator to confirm the quote, fitting a new external wall mount box, and some internal 22mm copper, and some external digging and making good. Had 5 people involved on the day. I too wasn't best pleased at having to pay, but at least cadent were very professional to work with.