Communal Meters & Seals

[Friedapple]

I am in a residential block of 5 flats and have been told that to have various bits of work carried out, the seals of each of the 5 meters needs to be removed. That means that each account holder of each flat has to arrange for an engineer to attend on the same day to remove the relevant seal. Does this sound correct? It sounds crazy that 5 engineers would have to visit. Is there another way for the electrician to obtain permission to do this themselves? What if for example the building had 100 flats? The electrician couldn't expect all 100 flats to coordinate seals to be removed on the same day.
Thanks!

 

[Spoon]

various bits of work carried out,

Welcome to the forum mate.
What bits of work are they carrying out?

 

[James]

I think a bit more detail is required, if you have the contract for one of the meters (the landlord supply maybe)?
Then just ask for that seal to be removed for work to be carried out and suggest to the person on the phone that the following meter numbers will have to be dealt with at the same time.

 

[davesparks]

I assume this is something like the replacement of a multi-way cutout? And probably by a contractor as the DNO would usually be able to connect to and re-seal the meters (unless its UKPN who like to cause as much hassle as possible for everybody).

 

[7029 dave]

Hi you might have a situation where the network is owned by the BNO (building network operator), which is a network past the DNO demarcation point.
Meters owned by the energy suppliers can be imbedded within that network so technically are the ones only authorised to cut seals.
Normally in such set up you would have a red link /meter/ isolator before it terminates to the customer equipment.
The easiest option if say it was for the whole block would be to letter each tenant and get the DNO to shut down the whole supply.

But as you mention only 5 flats that might not be an option.

 

[Friedapple]

Thanks for the feedback so far, much appreciated. It sounds like a bit more detail would be helpful, so I've attached a couple of images and the detail from the electrician:

Each flat has its own meter, provided by your supplier. I need to remove the old cables that are currently supplying that meter to replace them, that can’t be done without their seals being removed.

The fuse seals are the property of the DNO, power comes from them into your meter. As with the meter seals, I cannot work on those cables without the seal being removed.

Over the years, at the hands of multiple electricians, the installation ( from the suppliers cut out to the armoured cables going to each flat) has been left in a condition that is not satisfactory. We intend to fix it.

To do so, we around need to run new 25mm tails to each isolator, replace the isolators and replace the trunking in which all of this is contained. This work cannot be done whilst live and would need the fuse pulled from the DNO cut out. These fuses, however, have a seal on to prevent them being removed, this would need to be done by the supplier.

 

[newfutile]

Sse used to have a scheme to let electricians full single phase fuses and reseal them, i have not heard of any others doing this.

 

[marconi]

 

[timhoward]

To be honest I think you are fairly lucky to have found someone willing to take on that lot as it's a non trivial and high pressure job and involves liaising with lots of people.

As an aside this I don't think I've seen MICC terminated like this in mid-air before, and it leaves me wondering (mainly) about the earthing arrangements.

 

[davesparks]

To be honest I think you are fairly lucky to have found someone willing to take on that lot as it's a non trivial and high pressure job and involves liaising with lots of people.

As an aside this I don't think I've seen MICC terminated like this in mid-air before, and it leaves me wondering (mainly) about the earthing arrangements.
View attachment 100331

It's earthed in the normal way via the gland onto the metal trunking. They've just put the pot on it closer to where it connects to save stripping it back all the way to the gland and having long tails.

 

[timhoward]

It's earthed in the normal way via the gland onto the metal trunking. They've just put the pot on it closer to where it connects to save stripping it back all the way to the gland and having long tails.

Cheers - quite obvious now you point it out!

 

[Deleted account]

Seriously good luck. Hate to say it I had som3thing very similar.

only 3 flats this time one landlord for all 3.

DNO would not touch meter seals. 3 flats 3 different suppliers.

needed to arrange all 4 companies on one day In order to get them up and running in that one day.

DNO first to pull fuses then the 3 suppliers to cut and re seal after Fixing tails to meter and outgoing tails to double pole isolator to let me then do my work of tidying.

my clients never managed it. I helped as much as I could by making phone calls on his behalf, but I kept hitting brick walls.

i left it with my client who chose not to bother.

crazy.

 

[freddo]

We are struggling like mad just getting the DNO and 1 meter company to come and split 1 supply into 3 metered supplies. Been trying to arrange it for over 8 months now. The last time we did the same thing for the same customer in another office building turned into a fiasco as well. Idiot meter fitters turning up with single phase meters to fit to 3 phase supplies, and when they finally got everything done 6 months later the customer realised they fitted the meters in the wrong order, mixing up the 1st floor office and landlord meters.

 

[Friedapple]

Oh dear, doesn't sound good, @PaingtonPete's situation sounds very similar. I was hoping there would be a workaround but it seems like a massive coordination effort with all of the suppliers and account holders is the only way forward.

Seeing as it is going to be such a pain in the backside to organise, do you think the work is essential? From a safety perspective presumably yes, but is it legally essential to have the work done?

 

[Deleted account]

Oh dear, doesn't sound good, @PaingtonPete's situation sounds very similar. I was hoping there would be a workaround but it seems like a massive coordination effort with all of the suppliers and account holders is the only way forward.

Seeing as it is going to be such a pain in the backside to organise, do you think the work is essential? From a safety perspective presumably yes, but is it legally essential to have the work done?

in my opinion in these circumstances the DNO should do the seals on the fuses and the meters.

if wishes where fishes we’d stink.

 

[davesparks]

in my opinion in these circumstances the DNO should do the seals on the fuses and the meters.

If you get the right person from the DNO then this can be arranged in exchange for a few beer tokens.

 

[Dartlec]

Sse used to have a scheme to let electricians full single phase fuses and reseal them, i have not heard of any others doing this.

Sadly I'm not aware of any that does it - though I keep badgering the UKPN rep at the trade show - he normally tells me I'm the 50th that day to mention it, but nothing ever gets done. If the seal fairy ever went on strike we'd be in trouble!

 

[Deleted account]

Seal fairy strike.

ok everyone out!

 

[7029 dave]

The DNO are authorised to cut seals they have MOCOPA.
Many a time when I was in metering doing a shift of meter because customer wanted the service moving. WPD moved the service and meter etc, when I rocked up it was all done sealed the lot, never did claim these type of jobs because not worth it, just closed them of with a note and moved on to the next job.