SGN Quote / Gas Meter Move

nlj198705

Hi everyone, SGN has quoted £13k to do the following: 

1) Cap inlet pipe outside our main door
2) Dig pavement and connect new pipe under garden wall (approx 1 meter)
3) Position 3 gas meters on garden wall (3 flats in building)

We would then need to separately pay a gas engineer to connect from gas meters to house.

SGN said it would be 2 engineers for 2 days (4 man days) and a licence is needed.

If labour is £500/worker/day and I know licence is £676, costs would be £2,676. So I can understand £3k job cost, but how can it be £13k?! I have requested a breakdown.

SGN is the only company that can do the work so it’s a monopoly. Any advice? Should I go to Citizens Advice, Energy Ombudsman or local MP? Contact media? It’s an abuse of power due to no competition.

We want to move gas meters as they are at head level by main door and not boxed in, so not really safe or compliant.

Please advise.

Thanks,

Nick  

CSI_Yorkshire

nlj198705 said:

Should I go to Citizens Advice, Energy Ombudsman or local MP? Contact media? 

No, no, and no.  And no.

What do you think any of those would do?

Ask for a breakdown of the costs into contestable and non-contestable works.  You can get your own quotes to do the first, so if you think you can find someone cheaper, do it.  The cost of the second is reviewed and approved by the regulator, so complaining is unlikely to help.

nlj198705 said:

It’s an abuse of power due to no competition. 

It's specifically regulated where there is no competition, and competitive where it is possible.

[Deleted User]

There is competition if people do their research. You are free to approach an Independent Gas Transporter:

GTC Pipelines

Independent Pipelines Limited

Indigo Pipelines Limited

ES Pipelines Limited

Last Mile Gas Limited

Energy Assets Pipelines Limited

Fulcrum Pipelines Limited

Mua Gas Limited

Leep Gas Networks Limited

Harlaxton Gas Networks

Quadrant Pipelines Limited

ESP Connections Limited

ESP Networks Limited

ESP Pipelines Limited

Squire Energy Limited.

That said, most of them work with developers on new builds because they are cheaper.