Moving Electricity Meters

[PatrickM]

I am looking for some advice about moving meters.

I am looking to move the electricity meters in my garage about 3 metres along the same wall to the outside of the garage as I am going to convert the garage.

I live in a block of flats and the meters are not just for my flat but they are for two other flats in the building.

I am wondering what the process of moving the meters is. Would it be possible for an electrician to do it? Or would UK Power Networks have to do the work?

Would the cables have to be dug up or could the meters just be simply moved along the wall?

I am trying to minimise costs as much as I can.

A picture of the set up is below, thanks for your help.

 

[Darkwood]

Hi PatrickM, welcome to the forum.

Depends who owns the meters to who has the responsibilty to move it, any private meters (e.g. landlord owned) can be moved by an Electrician but any DNO meters (owned by your energy provider) can only be moved by themselves.

Its hard to tell from the pic exactly who owns what but it might be worth a callout to get an Electrician to confirm the set-up.

If you wish the cutout relocating too (Supply into the black cutout, bottom right) then this could be a very expensive excercise and would need a estimate from the DNO.

Do you want to relocate the cutout and all the switchgear too?

 

[PatrickM]

Hi darkwood, thanks for your reply.

I think that the meters are probably owned by the energy provider rather than the freeholder.

Something else that I'm not clear on is because the meters are for different flats they would all be under different suppliers. E.g. Eon, British Gas etc. Would that make a move much more complicated, or is it something UK Power Networks would do?

Should I ask UK Power Networks for a quote or are they not the best option?

Ideally I would like to relocate the cutout and all the switchgear. Are we talking many thousands to remove this too?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Darkwood]

Hi darkwood, thanks for your reply.

I think that the meters are probably owned by the energy provider rather than the freeholder.

Something else that I'm not clear on is because the meters are for different flats they would all be under different suppliers. E.g. Eon, British Gas etc. Would that make a move much more complicated, or is it something UK Power Networks would do?

Should I ask UK Power Networks for a quote or are they not the best option?

Ideally I would like to relocate the cutout and all the switchgear. Are we talking many thousands to remove this too?

Thanks for your help.

As you want to move the cable and cutout too then I would expect you are correct in your thinking about dealing direct with UK Power Networks and as for cost... its anyones guess it is all dependent on the existing layout and where you wish the new location, everything past the meters are private and will require an Electrician to relocate and this would be done as a joint effort between the DNO and the Electrician ... I would expect the bill to be at least a few thousand as a lower end guess but could be substantially more as I said - situation dependent.

 

[7029 dave]

Hello, that is a job for Distribution the DNO

 

[Octopus]

Hello, that is a job for Distribution the DNO

And a sparky too for the residence side of the set up. Are you the free holder or a lease holder?

 

[snowhead]

You will also need the permission of the other flat owners.
Although the meters are in your garage, they will have a right of access to them within their deeds.

That would also include any other services that pass through your garage.
You need legal advice because it may be that the other flat owners will still have a right of access into your conversion unless it's taken out of their deeds.

I can't see them disagreeing as ultimately they will have unrestricted access to their meters, but I'm sure that you will have to pay all the costs.

 

[PEG]

Hi dude,you may have an expensive,long-winded task on your hands...could they be "turned" and accessed from the exterior?

Have you access to any agreements/covenants regarding the siting and accessibility of these meters?

I have been involved in similar issues,but the end-result development,dwarfed the 5 figure sum required for both the actual work,and the paperwork/legal side.

 

[PatrickM]

Thanks for your replies.

I am a leaseholder but have the permission from the freeholder to move the meters, although I would also have to pay to amend the leases for the other flats as they all are allowed access to the garage to read the meters as long as they ask me within a reasonable notice period.

The gas meters were originally in the garage but the gas company moved them for free. Its a shame it doesn't work like that with the electricity supply too.

But, the cost of doing it should be worth it because of the potential value of converting the garage.

 

[PEG]

...Just a bit of entertainment,re;meter moving ...i have had a call today,regarding a similar issue,which was "solved",by some helpful ground workers,some twenty years ago...

My client,is in a property,in a select part of south Manchester,which was built on a parcel of land,the existing bungalow having been demolished...

The meter/incomer,was in the original property,and the ground workers excavated the PILS,to the boundary,and moved it over to the side,a meter over,into the next doors garden,who was happy to assist,and in a little brick hut,like a posh dog kennel...

The supply,was then taken from there,in SWA,to the new property...happy days.

Subsequently,the two properties have been sold,and now,the issue of land ownership of the meter square,under the meter box,AND,the fact the supply has been moved,has popped up...

My client has proposed a meeting,on site,between himself,the neighbour,the DNO,and both sets of solicitors....he asked me if i would be good enough to attend...

I have told him,if he arranges the above^,as described,i will not only turn up,i will bring dinner for everybody :winkiss:


...I think my cold-cuts,are safe...

 

[YoungScud]

I'm a technical trainer with a DNO, with a background in metering. I tend to agree that this project will more than likely be fairly expensive. As far as I can see, you have three separate main issues. Firstly, as someone has said, responsibility for moving the service, that is the cut outs, lies strictly with the local DNO. Secondly, judging by the variety of meters, I think your neighbours are highly likely to use several different suppliers. You'll usually find a 'Property of...' label on most meters, so that might at least give you an idea of the scale of things. I'd guess that moving each meter will have to be arranged through the supplier rather than the DNO. Last of all, there's the obvious problem of employing an electrician(s) to move the switchfuses etc.

Of course, there's an upside in that a lot of the elderly equipment will not be moved, but replaced. In all likelihood, the DNO may decide a new service is required, but that's all denedent on what type of service cable exists now, how it's run and from where, and so on. They won't use the old cut outs, of that I'm certain, but it's just possible that there may be a way of cutting back the service cable if the direction you want to move the services in coincides with the direction they come from.

It looks like 5 services altogether, is that right? I take it the consumer unit on the board is the garage supply too, correct? From what I can see, the wiring is a tad untidy, but nothing truly dangerous. If I had one concern, I'd say the sub-mains to the flats look a little unsubstantial, so that could be an issue. I'm not sure any of this will be all that useful to you, but I hope it helps somewhat.

 

[PatrickM]

Hi YoungScud

Thanks for your insight. There are 5 services altogether, but some of the meters for the other flats are actually located in another part of the building. Only 2 meters are read from my garage, I'm not actually sure why there are 5 there. It's quite confusing. The consumer unit is for the garage yes.

I am going to get UK Power Networks out to quote and an electrician too. I think that's the only way I will get a clear picture of what needs to be done and how difficult it will be.

 

[Octopus]

Hi YoungScud

Thanks for your insight. There are 5 services altogether, but some of the meters for the other flats are actually located in another part of the building. Only 2 meters are read from my garage, I'm not actually sure why there are 5 there. It's quite confusing. The consumer unit is for the garage yes.

I am going to get UK Power Networks out to quote and an electrician too. I think that's the only way I will get a clear picture of what needs to be done and how difficult it will be.

Thats where you should start!

What makes you think that only 2 of the 5 are read in "your" garage?

Where are the other meters?