Moving Gas Meter

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  • GideonS
    GideonS Posts: 9
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    I've spent past few weeks being sent from pillar to post trying to find out who can move my gas meter less than 1m on the same wall.

    And the result seems to be that National Grid appear to have an monopoly on this and are exploiting it by putting up the minimum price 50% this year to £990!

    First I was directed by my plumber to Transo - now National Grid. My wife spoke to them and they helped her download a ridiculously complicated form and stated the price was £990.

    The form didn't seem suitable for the work required so I spent a long time on Nat Grid's website and found there a notice saying my Gas Supplier was responsible.

    So I rang Scottish Power. They said a special team would contact me to arrange a site audit. 2 weeks later heard nothing - so I called Scottish Power who now told me they would never say that and that I should contact Fulcrum Connections. So I did - and they sent me another ridiculous form that seemed inappropriate.

    So I called EnergyWatch and they told me National Grid were the people to speak to but lodged a complaint that I'd been given confusing info by my supplier.

    My supplier rang up to say they'd try and help. A week later someone called and told me this time that Nat Grid were the only people to do it for my postcode (Answer No.3 from my Supplier) and that yes, they were expensive - in fact they had put their prices up 50% this year.

    I couldn't believe that in this day and age a Gas Company still had a monopoly and were so clearly exploiting it. So I called Nat Grid and demanded to know if they had any competition. They said yes - and that Energy Watch should have told me.

    So, back to Energy Watch. Ah yes, they say you need to go here: www.lloydsregister.co.uk > Utilities Register > Gas Register . And look up GIRS - all companies authorised to do this kind of work. But why didn't they tell me this in the first place or carry the info on their website?

    So, I looked up suppliers for the South East and found dozens - only most didn't supply the South East and indeed most do not handle domestic supply. Contacted the only one who appeared to do so - Scotia - but they told me I had to go to National Grid for my postcode.

    So here I am - facing an extra £1000 for my home renovation job at the hands of an effective monopoly that appears to be ruthlessly exploiting it.

    What's more no one really seems to know what's going on. Nice job on deregulation!
    .
  • Jemma-T
    Jemma-T Posts: 1,546 Forumite
    GideonS wrote: »
    deregulation!

    I pronounce that P-R-I-V-A-T-I-S-A-T-I-O-N. And if you look it up it'll say Tory Noun: Licence to print money.
  • We have just been quoted £940 to move the meter outside. We said we only wanted it moved 2 metres (from the floor to the ceiling) as after we renovate its current position will mean it is in a doorway. The Transco man who came round refused to allow this (no good reason given). Instead, it has to go outside apparently, a good 8 meters away.

    Surely the result of such inflated prices will be people paying cowboys to do it illegally?

    We have found a way around it though - apparently if you switch gas suppliers they will do it as part of the deal. Equigas have offered to do it for £30 if we switch to them and it will take 28 days. 2 fingers up to Transco!
  • Premier_2
    Premier_2 Posts: 15,141
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    jojo81 wrote: »
    We have just been quoted £940 to move the meter outside. We said we only wanted it moved 2 metres (from the floor to the ceiling) as after we renovate its current position will mean it is in a doorway. The Transco man who came round refused to allow this (no good reason given). Instead, it has to go outside apparently, a good 8 meters away.

    Surely the result of such inflated prices will be people paying cowboys to do it illegally?

    We have found a way around it though - apparently if you switch gas suppliers they will do it as part of the deal. Equigas have offered to do it for £30 if we switch to them and it will take 28 days. 2 fingers up to Transco!
    As far as I know, if you are looking to move the meter 2m, the only people who can do that is National Grid (formally Transco), assuming you don't have an IGT. Movements of the meter within the confines of the flexible pipe are permitted by any appropriately registered Corgi engineer as I understand it, but that pipe is usually only about 1m long max.

    If Equigas have agreed they'll do it for just £30, it'll still be the National Grid guys that do the work - perhaps Equigas are prepared to fund the difference, I don't know.

    If NationalGrid said it wasn't allowed to have the meter located where you requested, I'm sure he'll say the same when Equigas is paying his bill.

    With regards to cowboys doing the work, apart from the obvious safety hazard involved, the meter has to be legally inspected every 2 years and if the work appears to have been done in an unsafe manner or is missing the required security tags, expect lots of questions and/or an immediate shutdown of the supply until things are made legal and safe again. If, in the meantime, the house blows up, don't expect your insurance to cover you. A house experiencing a gas explosion doesn't normally just damage the one house either.

    My understanding is that NationalGrid charge the same minimum price for all modification work requested by consumers (see post above by GideonS) - so the fact he wanted to move it 8m rather than the 2m you want would not have affected the price, just his cost incurred in doing the work.
    "Now to trolling as a concept. .... Personally, I've always found it a little sad that people choose to spend such a large proportion of their lives in this way but they do, and we have to deal with it." - MSE Forum Manager 6th July 2010
  • HexusOdy
    HexusOdy Posts: 66 Forumite
    Blue_Lou wrote: »
    I requested the pack from National Grid. The prices for moving the meter are as follows:

    Band Alteration Length
    1 0-2metres £460.60
    2 >2-6 metres £581.63
    3 >6-10metres £736.73
    4 > 10-15 metres £905.93
    5 > 15-20metres £1084.53


    Disgusting isn't it?

    Whats disgusting is that Band 1 is now £860. In 3 years its doubled in price.

    I wanted them to move a meter from inside to outside with no additional pipework. Just exact same place outside. Gas fitter said if he was allowed it would cost £30 and be 20 mins work tops. National Grid say minimum £860 + VAT.
  • C_Mababejive
    C_Mababejive Posts: 11,646
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    HexusOdy wrote: »
    Whats disgusting is that Band 1 is now £860. In 3 years its doubled in price.

    I wanted them to move a meter from inside to outside with no additional pipework. Just exact same place outside. Gas fitter said if he was allowed it would cost £30 and be 20 mins work tops. National Grid say minimum £860 + VAT.
    £30 sounds too cheap.

    I know a man who can move meters...
    Feudal Britain needs land reform. 70% of the land is "owned" by 1 % of the population and at least 50% is unregistered (inherited by landed gentry). Thats why your slave box costs so much..
  • Premier_2
    Premier_2 Posts: 15,141
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    £30 sounds too cheap.

    ...

    Just catching up on 10 month old threads??? :huh:
    (actually 4 years old, but the last post was made 10 months ago)
    "Now to trolling as a concept. .... Personally, I've always found it a little sad that people choose to spend such a large proportion of their lives in this way but they do, and we have to deal with it." - MSE Forum Manager 6th July 2010
  • C_Mababejive
    C_Mababejive Posts: 11,646
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    Yep..............
    Feudal Britain needs land reform. 70% of the land is "owned" by 1 % of the population and at least 50% is unregistered (inherited by landed gentry). Thats why your slave box costs so much..
  • Interesting reading all.

    As a fledgling heating engineer; I will be endeavouring to facilitate such a move this coming November '10.

    Yawl have given me a good start.

    Will let you know how it bottoms out.

    P.S. message to C_Mababejive: What do you mean when you say you 'know a man who can move meters' ?
  • techmob
    techmob Posts: 407 Forumite
    I want to have my meter moved but don't want to pay £800

    can i legally get someone to move it cheaper, aslong as it is done correctly?

    thanks
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