Hi
I'm looking for a bit of advice as to what can be done about my gas meter.
A year or two ago Southern Gas dug up the road to replace the pipes along our street and to each house. I was at work but they told my wife that they had to move our gas meter because it was too far inside the house (it was at the back of the garage) and moved it to the front of the garage near the canopy door.
At the time the garage was just used for storage, so I had shelves up against the door. Now I've removed the shelving, I've found the door won't open because it hits the gas meter!
Southern Gas refuse to talk to me because I have to go through my gas supplier, Scottish Power who didn't do the original work so would charge me to fix it. They told me gas meter moves start at £500 which I really can't afford, so I'm hoping there is something else that can be done.
The supply comes straight up from the floor in screwed steel pipe to an isolation valve then a flexible metal hose to a bulbous metal thing (regulator?). The door just clears the regulator and the metal meter bracket but it hits the body of the meter. If I were to get a new 'Smart Meter' fitted, are they any thinner (do they protrude from the wall any further than the metal bracket and regulator thing?)
Reading these forums, I gather a Gas Safe plumber can move the meter within the reach of the flexible pipe. That may be enough, but probably not. Can he/she extend or replace the flexible pipe with a longer one or can that only be done by my gas supplier?
Is there something else that can be done to avoid paying the £500+ to move the meter by what will probably amount to a couple of feet..?
Thanks in advance.
I'm looking for a bit of advice as to what can be done about my gas meter.
A year or two ago Southern Gas dug up the road to replace the pipes along our street and to each house. I was at work but they told my wife that they had to move our gas meter because it was too far inside the house (it was at the back of the garage) and moved it to the front of the garage near the canopy door.
At the time the garage was just used for storage, so I had shelves up against the door. Now I've removed the shelving, I've found the door won't open because it hits the gas meter!
Southern Gas refuse to talk to me because I have to go through my gas supplier, Scottish Power who didn't do the original work so would charge me to fix it. They told me gas meter moves start at £500 which I really can't afford, so I'm hoping there is something else that can be done.
The supply comes straight up from the floor in screwed steel pipe to an isolation valve then a flexible metal hose to a bulbous metal thing (regulator?). The door just clears the regulator and the metal meter bracket but it hits the body of the meter. If I were to get a new 'Smart Meter' fitted, are they any thinner (do they protrude from the wall any further than the metal bracket and regulator thing?)
Reading these forums, I gather a Gas Safe plumber can move the meter within the reach of the flexible pipe. That may be enough, but probably not. Can he/she extend or replace the flexible pipe with a longer one or can that only be done by my gas supplier?
Is there something else that can be done to avoid paying the £500+ to move the meter by what will probably amount to a couple of feet..?
Thanks in advance.