Changing Electric Meter !

[waitees]

Hi all

We carried out a job a couple of months ago on an old Victorian house, now converted into five flats, it was badly in need of a Ryefield board and switches.

The cupboard was a bit of a squeeze, for a fire panel and small landlord board.

We found the meters a bit of a squeeze (Big old style) and the customer has asked for these to be upgraded to digital.

Four of them were changed and all the new numbers were given to the suppliers, my god what a mistake.

They are now saying as we are not an approved meter installer, they are trying to charge £450 for one of the meters which is British Gas.

Now we had this before in the past and the meter was dangerous, so we installed one provided by the wholesaler, give the numbers job done, no problem.

But i am quickly finding out this is the biggest mistake, in changing them over.

I am looking to see if anyone has been in this situation before, NICEIC say its a grey area !!

any help would be extremely grateful !

 

[Plonker 3]

So you removed DNO equipment without their authorisation? What did you expect.

 

[Stu1312]

So you removed a settlement meter that is the property of the meter operator/supplier without permission and changed it for another meter?

They are well within their right to charge you for that. Only the appointed meter operator is allowed to replace that meter, if there was a dangerous situation you needed to contact them.

It might of been a headache getting it sorted but unfortunately I think you will be stuck with a bill now.

 

[Plonker 3]

If it is DNO eauipment, the the response from NICEIC goes to show just how much they dont know.

 

[trev]

As Dillb said, the meters are not your toy to play with, nor your clients. You should have, at the very least, tried to obtain permission to do what you did.

 

[sparks123]

i dont think so he its electrician..i cant imagine qualified electricians dont know the meter its '' do not touch them at all ''..

 

[Geordie Spark]

So you removed a settlement meter that is the property of the meter operator/supplier without permission and changed it for another meter?

They are well within their right to charge you for that. Only the appointed meter operator is allowed to replace that meter, if there was a dangerous situation you needed to contact them.

It might of been a headache getting it sorted but unfortunately I think you will be stuck with a bill now.

Should have smacked the thing with yer biggest hammer and told them it was already like that when you arrived on the job.

 

[Knobhead]

As Dillb said, the meters are not your toy to play with, nor your clients. You should have, at the very least, tried to obtain permission to do what you did.

Does that mean I've got to put my meter back?

 

[trev]

Does that mean I've got to put my meter back?

You're not really getting this fiddling the meter lark are you? You're not supposed to put it forward, that costs you.

 

[Geordie Spark]

You're not really getting this fiddling the meter lark are you? You're not supposed to put it forward, that costs you.

OOPSSS!!! .............. That reminds me ..... :uhoh2:

 

[Knobhead]

Walked in to that

 

[Geordie Spark]

Walked in to that

Ambushed and mugged ..... by the Geordies - again!!

 

[Prat P]

So you removed a settlement meter that is the property of the meter operator/supplier without permission and changed it for another meter?

They are well within their right to charge you for that. Only the appointed meter operator is allowed to replace that meter, if there was a dangerous situation you needed to contact them.

It might of been a headache getting it sorted but unfortunately I think you will be stuck with a bill now.

From the outgoing tails on the meter onwards is where we are authorised to touch,a fine might seem over the top but at the end of the day you blatantly disregarded the rules.

 

[davesparks]

A customer is legally allowed to supply their own meter as long as it meets the right standards.
But you can't remove the one belonging to the meter operator if there is a meter already fitted.

 

[Engineer54]

I just can't believe that an electrician would remove DNO property meters and replace with their own. I'm surprised they aren't bringing charges against you to be honest. For all they know, you could have been stealing electricity for X amount of time before informing them.... There is no ''grey area'' here, You are in the Wrong End Of!! Think twice and then once again before doing it again!!!

The DNO via the meter company would i imagine be only too pleased to change out the old meters for new digital models, they are all being changed out nationwide anyway. They are supposedly more accurate and have data communication facilities and hence will bring in more money. Will the meters you provided have data communication facilities, ...i don't know, but not being to DNO spec models, i suspect not!!

 

[Knobhead]

I am looking to see if anyone has been in this situation before

We’ve got some numpties on here. But I think non are so stupid as to think they can just change the supply meter without repercussions.

any help would be extremely grateful !

Any help? You’re on your own pal!

Get ready for a bill for each of the meters. If you’re lucky they may settle for £450 each but I wouldn’t bank on it.

Keep us informed of how you go on :waving:

 

[amckay]

The meter has got naff all to do with the DNO, all the dno own is the cables from transformers to properties.
They can't have you in court for it either.
The owner of the meter is usually labeled on the meter itself and when customer changes suppliers etc the meters are "rented" by the suppliers.
Tell them to stick the bill where the sun doesn't shine your a qualified spark with more knowledge, experience and qualifications that their "approved meter installers"
Along as the meter installed meets current standards then there shouldn't be an issue

 

[Rockingit]

The meter has got naff all to do with the DNO, all the dno own is the cables from transformers to properties.
They can't have you in court for it either.
The owner of the meter is usually labeled on the meter itself and when customer changes suppliers etc the meters are "rented" by the suppliers.
Tell them to stick the bill where the sun doesn't shine your a qualified spark with more knowledge, experience and qualifications that their "approved meter installers"
Along as the meter installed meets current standards then there shouldn't be an issue

You been on the loopy juice mate? The meter is very definitely 'owned' (in the virtual sense) by the energy supplier, end of story. The DNO own the incoming supply and bullet, the energy supplier owns the tails from the bullet to meter and the meter, tails from the right side of meter (normally themselves trapped by the meter security seal) belong to customer. This is basics!!!

 

[Pete999]

Hi all

We carried out a job a couple of months ago on an old Victorian house, now converted into five flats, it was badly in need of a Ryefield board and switches.

The cupboard was a bit of a squeeze, for a fire panel and small landlord board.

We found the meters a bit of a squeeze (Big old style) and the customer has asked for these to be upgraded to digital.

Four of them were changed and all the new numbers were given to the suppliers, my god what a mistake.

They are now saying as we are not an approved meter installer, they are trying to charge £450 for one of the meters which is British Gas.

Now we had this before in the past and the meter was dangerous, so we installed one provided by the wholesaler, give the numbers job done, no problem.

But i am quickly finding out this is the biggest mistake, in changing them over.

I am looking to see if anyone has been in this situation before, NICEIC say its a grey area !!

any help would be extremely grateful !

No mate the NICEIC is a grey area

 

[Engineer54]

My mistake about who owns the meter, it's bloody confusing to me since they privatised the old Regional Electricity Boards etc.... But the fact remains, the meters are not to be tampered with in any shape or form by numbty electricians!! lol!!