Some advice please about being forced to move meters

Coffee_walnut_cake

We moved to a semi around 7 years ago. The house was extended by the previous owner to one side. When extended the electric meter was left under stairs in such a way that the cutouts or fuses were left on the inside of the extension while the meter was left on the other side of wall in  the house under stairs. I recently applied to octopus to have the meters replaced by smart meters.They sent a contractor who took a look at the meter and placement of the cutout and declared that it wasn't  safe and that they would raise a ticket with Western Power, a distribution company for it to be moved . They said it won’t cost me a thing. I didn’t hear anything about it for a few months. I applied again  for a smart meter conversion. This time the contractor who came replaced both gas and electric meters and left. After that I was contacted by National Grid to say the first contractor had raised a ticket and that I would have to move the meter to the outside as access to the cutout was restricted and it was located too low by current standards. I would happily move it but they are quoting me either 6k or 10k depending on where the meter will be placed . Additionally i would have to arrange for an electrician to complete connecting the internal wiring to the new position of the meter.  I asked if they could leave the meter in the house if I choose to put a big door on the extension side but cutting out a portion of the wall there as it would cost me less. But they don't think so. I don’t have 10k right now but will I be forced to move the meters outside ? 

QrizB

Western Power Distribution is now part of National Grid, so they're the same company.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Power_Distribution

Coffee_walnut_cake said:

I don’t have 10k right now but will I be forced to move the meters outside ? 

If NG want to pursue this, yes they can make you move it (the other option being they cut you off).

Is there any scope for negotiation or have you already exhausted that?

Coffee_walnut_cake

QrizB said:

Western Power Distribution is now part of National Grid, so they're the same company.

Coffee_walnut_cake said:

I don’t have 10k right now but will I be forced to move the meters outside ? 

If NG want to pursue this, yes they can make you move it (the other option being they cut you off).

Is there any scope for negotiation or have you already exhausted that?

Thank you for your comment. I am trying to get them to place it somewhere in the front of the property as it might reduce the cost involved for their work, but i suspect it will just increase the work from within the house for our electrician to connect up to it so the total cost might end up being the same. 

HillStreetBlues

Coffee_walnut_cake said:

We moved to a semi around 7 years ago. The house was extended by the previous owner to one side. When extended the electric meter was left under stairs in such a way that the cutouts or fuses were left on the inside of the extension while the meter was left on the other side of wall in  the house under stairs. I recently applied to octopus to have the meters replaced by smart meters.They sent a contractor who took a look at the meter and placement of the cutout and declared that it wasn't  safe and that they would raise a ticket with Western Power, a distribution company for it to be moved . They said it won’t cost me a thing. I didn’t hear anything about it for a few months. I applied again  for a smart meter conversion. This time the contractor who came replaced both gas and electric meters and left. After that I was contacted by National Grid to say the first contractor had raised a ticket and that I would have to move the meter to the outside as access to the cutout was restricted and it was located too low by current standards. I would happily move it but they are quoting me either 6k or 10k depending on where the meter will be placed . Additionally i would have to arrange for an electrician to complete connecting the internal wiring to the new position of the meter.  I asked if they could leave the meter in the house if I choose to put a big door on the extension side but cutting out a portion of the wall there as it would cost me less. But they don't think so. I don’t have 10k right now but will I be forced to move the meters outside ? 

Have a question about this.
Can it be forced to bring it up to current standards if they met the standards in the past?

FreeBear

Current regulations are not retrospective. So if the installation complied with the regulations at the time of installing, you can not be forced to do anything. The only situation where you might be compelled to make changes is if there is a serious and immediate danger. But I would expect NG to be picking up the tab for any work if it were dangerous.

My consumer unit, meter, and service head (including main fuse) are all under the stairs. The main fuse is less than 300mm from the floor. Never had any complaints when the meters have been changed on several occasions.

HillStreetBlues

FreeBear said:

Current regulations are not retrospective

That is what I thought, as I expect there will many that don't comply with current regs.

Sovereign_Hunter_999

Western Power Distribution is now part of National Grid, so they're the same company.

Lorian

Can you post a photo of the cutout and meters?

MWT

HillStreetBlues said:

FreeBear said:

Current regulations are not retrospective

That is what I thought, as I expect there will many that don't comply with current regs.

The usual caveat though is that if there is work required on equipment for other reasons then they have to complete the work to the current standards.

Qyburn

The first post reads as if access to, and the location of, the cutout are not satisfactory. How would those be addressed by moving the meter?

If it's literally just the meter to be moved I can't see how that can cost anywhere near £6k, is this all described as "non contestible"? If you're allowed to arrange any of the work yourself then you could look at getting a plan agreed between your electrician and NG. Something along the lines of mounting a fused isolator near the cutout next to where NG want the meter, cable routed but not connected, but ready to connect to isolator and consumer unit after the meter's been moved. Essentially all that NG would have to do is disconnect and remove the meter from its current location, mount it in the new location, and connect it to cutout and isolator.

HillStreetBlues

MWT said:

HillStreetBlues said:

FreeBear said:

Current regulations are not retrospective

That is what I thought, as I expect there will many that don't comply with current regs.

The usual caveat though is that if there is work required on equipment for other reasons then they have to complete the work to the current standards.

What looks like has happened then is 1st engineer stated work could not be done, for work to be completed meter needs to be moved as current standards apply, 2nd engineer had no such issues and completed the work.

As now no work is needed can they force a meter move even if 2nd engineer was wrong in changing the meters.