In desperate need of advice

Dizzyd89

Recently moved into a property we have mortgage for however we have not been able to move in so we have had to cancel our termination of renting property and paying for two properties - this is due to when we moved in we found the gas meter was installed backwards and need a mirror to read this, it’s away from wall and in the kitchen but being held up on bricks and wood.
After two weeks of calling gas supplier they are declining to come into property as they say it’s not safe and are trying to get us to get a smart meter but said they won’t fix the pipes. The Gas network has last week come and done a quote and said we have to wait another week before we even a quote for meter to be secured and moved and even then could be 12weeks as we have pipes which feed other properties to. We’re pulling our hair out trying to get the gas meter fixed as this is having a big impact having two properties to pay for.

please any advice of anything else we can do?

I have uploaded pictures of meter, we have had builders who also been in to support install a new kitchen as the kitchen was in need of repair but this can’t go ahead until the meter is fixed so we’re also paying for these and work is on hold. 

Dizzyd89

Our gas meter 

DE_612183

who put the meter where it is?

Flugelhorn

looks like someone did a botch job at some point 

BarelySentientAI

Why is the gas meter stopping you moving in?

Netexporter

When I read the first post I thought the previous owners might have been fiddling the gas. But the photos show it to be the right way round, so I don't understand what the problem is. Move and get a free smart meter as soon as you can.

FreeBear

Get a Gas Safe engineer in to rework the layout of the pipes feeding the boiler/stove/what-ever so that a new meter can be mounted on the wall. Get your energy supplier to fit a smart meter, and take advantage of one of the smart(er) tariffs. The GS engineer may be willing to fix a bracket to the wall and hang the old meter properly, or he may decline and say he is not permitted to touch the meter.

Just don't let the builder touch either the meter or any of the gas pipes unless he can prove he is Gas Safe registered.

Scot_39

If you can photograph the readings like you have - then cannot see why that is stopping you moving in - unless they have told you it's unsafe and isolated supply - but see no such tags on meter.

Yes the incomplete kitchen a pain - but it is a deal breaker ?  Especially if that means forking out few £1000 in rent as wait potentially for months.

But thats a very personal decision - x months in rent or a little bit of inconvenience / delay on perfect kitchen if really must have the meter replaced.

If it had a long enough life I'd be tempted to keep - smart gas in a remote location from smart electric seems a real problem for a couple of my friends - and others posting here.

There's probable little or nothing you can do to pressure DNO or meter so gas supplier - to respond any faster anyway.

Not sure what it's like for gas - but some here report waiting months in some areas for electric meter upgrades - and some report repeated visit cancellations etc - whilst others get fitment in few weeks in other locations.

PS

Thats an old I am guessing xxxxyy (yy in red) so 1 on x =100 cu ft meter - so make sure your supplier is billing you at correct factor - or you might get a nasty catch up bill down the line.

And when upgrade to smart - make sure they take the c2.83 scaling difference out - as it will be m3 (a few posters at BG appear to have reverted to ft3 billing on recent account changes - maybe old meter database info - not reflecting updated - so have been overpaying).

Dizzyd89

We can’t move because we’ve been told it’s unsafe the meter is on bricks and wood as found when we got the key 

the builders won’t also go in the gas is facing the wall so need a mirror to read it but at the moment the gas source and gas provider won’t come and secure this as they are arguing who’s responsible for this 

tim_p

surely this is something for your solicitor to sort out with the vendor’s solicitor?

FreeBear

Dizzyd89 said:  but at the moment the gas source and gas provider won’t come and secure this as they are arguing who’s responsible for this 

Regardless of who is or isn't responsible for the gas meter, neither party will do anything about the pipework "your" side of the meter. Hence my suggestion to get a Gas Safe engineer in this week to make the necessary changes. You may even find he/she is prepared to secure the meter to the wall and make safe.