Health and safety guidance - Northern Ireland

[aaroncappa]

Hi folks. I'm not an electrician but I thought this would be a good place to get some guidance and get some understanding on health and safety when it comes to electric engineers.

I am from Northern Ireland. I just had a prepayment meter removed and a new meter installed for a direct debit tariff this morning.
NIE are the main guys here. I asked the engineer for a health and safety certificate after he installed the meter and he was surprised when I asked him. He asked why.

I told him about a fire that happened in a friends house where he got the blame for it after a meter was installed.

He then showed me what he had installed and said the seal on the meter links to him and if something happens he would be responsible. However he said that if there was a fire it would have been the white switch box or the black cables on the right side coming into the property that would have caused the fire.

Isn't there something these engineers are supposed to produce? What is the deal with health and safety certificates for installing meters? Surely there is laws regarding this.

I also have another friend got his own meter installed by an independent qualified engineer and they cut his electric off in the street claiming it was because of health and safety and he was provided with a certificate, which they claimed wasn't valid as only they could do the health and safety checks and validate a certificate. So as you can see there is some confusion as to what is true here. If these engineers don't provide them then what qualifies the safety?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Deleted account]

No they don’t need to produce anything. The supply industry is a law unto itself. It’s regulations are totally different to ours.

Once the supply gets past the meter it becomes our regs under b.s7671. we would have to produce a certificate if we did anything.

we can’t touch there stuff and they can’t touch ours.

 

[aaroncappa]

No they don’t need to produce anything. The supply industry is a law unto itself. It’s regulations are totally different to ours.

Once the supply gets past the meter it becomes our regs under b.s7671. we would have to produce a certificate if we did anything.

we can’t touch there stuff and they can’t touch ours.

So How do i go about getting my own installed?

It sounds like jurisdictions are at play here. Essentially paying for the meter they install.

 

[Deleted account]

Sorry I thought you said you have had your new meter installed.

 

[aaroncappa]

Sorry I thought you said you have had your new meter installed.

It wasn't one I purchased. It was through energy billing company (Budget Energy) on a direct debit tariff. NIE are the guys who install the meters and I assume own them, They do the distribution and transmission. I am pushing towards getting my own as I am aware there is no law that states we have to pay for electricity. My aim was to get off pre-paid so I can control how much I am paying them until im in a position to get my own installed.

So are you saying I can get my own installed but I am aware I will have a legal battle to stop them trying to coerce me back into paying them again.

 

[nicebutdim]

NIE Networks are responsible for the installation and reading of all meters in NI, regardless of who supplies power to your premises.

NIE Networks own your meter and the incoming cable. If you pay another provider for power and want them to fit a different meter, that work would be carried out by NIE Networks who would provide the new meter and they would also own it.

Perhaps there is no law that states we have to pay for electricity, I don't know, but before going down that path I'd recommend finding out if any law obliges power companies to provide a supply to customers who choose not to pay for the service.

 

[Deleted account]

It wasn't one I purchased. It was through energy billing company (Budget Energy) on a direct debit tariff. NIE are the guys who install the meters and I assume own them, They do the distribution and transmission. I am pushing towards getting my own as I am aware there is no law that states we have to pay for electricity. My aim was to get off pre-paid so I can control how much I am paying them until im in a position to get my own installed.

So are you saying I can get my own installed but I am aware I will have a legal battle to stop them trying to coerce me back into paying them again.

Sorry, you have lost me there.

As to what you think I’m saying, no I’m not saying that.

I’m not aware of any law that states you don’t have to pay for electricity.

Maybe NI is different to mainland, but I can’t see how.

 

[freddo]

I'm not sure I understand why you want to fit your own meter?

 

[nicebutdim]

For anyone curious about the slightly different distribution arrangement in NI, it's very well explained by the Utility Regulator.

Consumer information

www.uregni.gov.uk

 

[BenCos18]

It wasn't one I purchased. It was through energy billing company (Budget Energy) on a direct debit tariff. NIE are the guys who install the meters and I assume own them, They do the distribution and transmission. I am pushing towards getting my own as I am aware there is no law that states we have to pay for electricity. My aim was to get off pre-paid so I can control how much I am paying them until im in a position to get my own installed.

So are you saying I can get my own installed but I am aware I will have a legal battle to stop them trying to coerce me back into paying them again.

no
you can add your own meter after you really wanted but it would be pointless
in reality what you pay for for the most part is the electricity you use
you can have your supply disconnected if you don't pay for it so no to the last question