Above ground gas supply pipe & copper thieves

[ferdinand2000]

I'm just to buy a house, and the gas supply runs around the outside of the house for about 4m about 6 inches above ground level in (I think) a copper pipe.

While it has been on the market (2 years) someone came along and stole the length of pipe to sell on. It was well repaired, but I'm wondering if I can protect it in some way.

Can anyone advise:

a - Is the pipe my responsibility or the Gas Supplier? The meter is inside the house.
b - What can I do to either put it underground or hide it - one means would be a kerb with gravel infill against the wall, but I'd need to check dpc bridging etc.
c - If I wanted to bury it (will be doing some groundworks nearby), who does that and is it cripplingly expensive?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

I'm delighted if a ne'er do well wants to blow themselves up but I don't want my gas supply to be the means.

Ferdinand

 

[expertgasman]

a - Is the pipe my responsibility or the Gas Supplier? The meter is inside the house.

Yours. assuming the pipe is AFTER the meter

b - What can I do to either put it underground or hide it - one means would be a kerb with gravel infill against the wall, but I'd need to check dpc bridging etc.

Yep. Bury it.

c - If I wanted to bury it (will be doing some groundworks nearby), who does that and is it cripplingly expensive?

No it isn't terribly expensive. Get an RGI to quote