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Original poster

Can a gas metre be moved?

20 replies

MinimalistMommi · 10/05/2013 14:21

It currently lives in between my front door and my sash window inside my house. It's in the way of furniture placement and wondered if it can be moved or not? If so, is it very expensive to get done?

OP posts:
Lily15 · 10/05/2013 14:24

Yes we have had this done ( metre moved from inside to outside ) It's pretty disgusting what we for charged...nearly £600!!!!!!!

Original poster
MinimalistMommi · 10/05/2013 14:26

Did you have to have permission to have it moved outside? I don't think any of the metres are outside in my street. £600 seems OK to me, but I think that is because we're currently doing everything up and it's all going to cost a fortune anyway!

OP posts:
Bozzle · 10/05/2013 14:35

YOu can , as we are having it done in our house renovation. Its expensive because engineers have to dig the street up to turn off the gas in the road as they are not allowed to work on live gas pipes. Also 2 companies are involved- the gas supplier and the transco the pipes people. There are engineers who will do it on the side...

Original poster
MinimalistMommi · 10/05/2013 14:45

Does it look OK on the outside? Is it just housed in a metal box?

OP posts:
flow4 · 10/05/2013 19:19

You PAID to have your gas meter moved? Shock British Gas basically told me about 5-6 years ago that I HAD to have an outside meter, and moved it when they were carrying out other mains repairs. It's in a white plastic box on the wall outside, with access round the back of the house... The meter-reader still invariably knocks on the door or posts a card, tho...

Original poster
MinimalistMommi · 11/05/2013 07:45

flow was that on an old house or a new house?

OP posts:
flow4 · 11/05/2013 08:30

It's an old one mini... Why?

Original poster
MinimalistMommi · 11/05/2013 11:26

Because I'm confused Confused
I thought there might be some legal thing that I didn't know about saying that new builds had to have them on outside and if old houses already have them inside owners pay to have them shifted..........doesn't make sense know I've typed it out so ignore me. Blush

Why are some people paying then? I'm very confused now!

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 11/05/2013 12:13

if you have to pay, it will be quite expensive, but gas suppliers like to have meters outside. This also makes it easier for them to cut you off if you don't pay the bill.

So start by writing to them and saying "I am often out when the meter reader calls. I wonder if it would be more convenient for you to have the meter outside? Would you like to move it?"

flummoxedlummox · 11/05/2013 12:19

I looked into this last year, the quote for moving it to another wall was apprx £800 but they will move it up to a metre on the same wall for free.

buzzielizzie · 11/05/2013 12:26

We are about to get our boiler replaced through British Gas and will be moving onto a smart meter as part of the switching process. Given that they have to install a new meter anyway, the BG salesman helpfully said he would ask them to move it for free. (He also mentioned that all energy companies will have to install smart meters anyway over the new few years, although I saw on the news that this has been delayed).

Roshbegosh · 11/05/2013 12:33

We got our moved and they charged about £1000. Worth it, we were told BG would take ages and charge the same so we got our builders to do it to stop it delaying all the other work

Original poster
MinimalistMommi · 11/05/2013 12:55

flumm that's good to know, we need to move it on exact same wall, but so it's outside not inside.

OP posts:
flow4 · 11/05/2013 14:20

I can see it's reasonable for suppliers to charge if you want your meter moved to make space for an extension, or for 'cosmetic' reasons so to speak. But if there are access issues, then I think the supplier should pay, and it never occurred to me that I might be charged. Mini, I reckon you should do what pigletjohn suggests, and emphasise access problems rather than placement of furniture!

Original poster
MinimalistMommi · 11/05/2013 15:19

Yes, totally agree flow! Grin I will get on with it and see what they say!

OP posts:
unlucky83 · 12/05/2013 15:43

A word of warning ...just cos they move the meter doesn't mean they will move the pipework...you have to make sure they do!
Just bought a house were the meter had been moved from an under stair cupboard to a box outside (no idea of cost etc -but previous occupants were in their 90s so suspect nothing)
Gave me a real headache - wanted to open up cupboard for better storage but they had left the old feed pipe sticking up in the middle of the floor ...my (corgi reg) plumber wouldn't touch it and it was illegal for me to (even after gas network came and did a live and dead test (free) - involved turning it on seeing if gas came out Hmm )
After lots of hassle (plumber would move it if Gas network put it writing that he could) etc etc ... as a 'favour' gas network agreed to move it -for free (I had said I was going to saw it off myself!) - if I got electrical earth tag removed, improved the under floor access and dug out the bottom of the pipe to the joint...did all that - took 10 mins and a bit pointless cos when the guys came -took them two minutes to unscrew it from above floor and put their hand under floor to cap it ... Took me longer to get someone to agree to do it than to actually do it...

Original poster
MinimalistMommi · 12/05/2013 17:48

unlucky that sounds complicated!

OP posts:
unlucky83 · 12/05/2013 19:05

It was an absolute pain...
If you do get it moved (I think playing on access problems is the way to go ) make sure they don't leave a grey pipe sticking out ....if they do it is just cos they are being lazy!!!
(and according to my plumber, I'm not the only person who has had this problem...)

flow4 · 13/05/2013 06:31

Yup, they left an uncapped pipe sticking out of the wall when they moved mine too... Tho' it was in a cellar and not a problem...

Original poster
MinimalistMommi · 13/05/2013 13:04

Thank you for flagging that up for me!

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