Consumer stuff on the suppliers board

[ban-all-sheds]

That's the dog-eared bit of chipboard under the stairs, I mean, not the blokes with the huge pension funds and gazillions of stock options....

I know the theory, but what's the practice?

If they come to change the meter and find an isolation switch on the same board as the meter and cutout, are they actually going to do anything, provided it's not in their way?

 

[Spark123]

The isolator switch that has always been there?

 

[FingRinal]

If the 'practice' conflicts with the legal 'theory', there is only one answer.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The isolator switch that has always been there?

No - the isolator switch which wasn't there the last time they changed the meter.

 

[DESL]

Do you think the DNO/ supply company will have a record?

I can't see a problem, no different than a Henly block mounted on DNO board

 

[FingRinal]

Either you're worried about this or you aren't. It seems as though you are worried so the answer has nothing to do with what 'other' people do. If it's wrong, it's wrong. If you want to put something there, just do it. If not, don't do it.

 

[JohnD]

perhaps you could save up and buy your own piece?

 

[securespark]

Most DNO's I know are cool about it. Some installs where the CU's are in the meter cabinets, there isn't much choice, like this one:

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Either you're worried about this or you aren't. It seems as though you are worried so the answer has nothing to do with what 'other' people do. If it's wrong, it's wrong. If you want to put something there, just do it. If not, don't do it.

That's fairly generic advice, which cancels itself out to result in zero.

Either you're worried about this or you aren't.

I'm concerned enough to ask what the reality is. It's a bit like cutting fuse seals - in theory it is an offence under the Electricity Act via the ESQCR (and probably under whatever Act makes deliberate damage to someone else's property a criminal offence), but I know that the reality is that sod all happens.

It seems as though you are worried so the answer has nothing to do with what 'other' people do.

It has everything to do with it. My "worry", if you want to call it that, is entirely about what "other people", i.e. the supplier/meter owner do. I'm not "worrying" about whether it's "wrong", just about whether the "reality" is whether I'll get grief from the supplier/meter owner.

If it's wrong, it's wrong. If you want to put something there, just do it. If not, don't do it.

Interesting answer.

Would you give the same sort of advice to someone asking if it was OK to do 180mph on the M1 if there wasn't much traffic around?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

perhaps you could save up and buy your own piece?

Pass me that Dremel....

 

[FingRinal]

Either you're worried about this or you aren't. It seems as though you are worried so the answer has nothing to do with what 'other' people do. If it's wrong, it's wrong. If you want to put something there, just do it. If not, don't do it.

That's fairly generic advice, which cancels itself out to result in zero.

Either you're worried about this or you aren't.

I'm concerned enough to ask what the reality is. It's a bit like cutting fuse seals - in theory it is an offence under the Electricity Act via the ESQCR (and probably under whatever Act makes deliberate damage to someone else's property a criminal offence), but I know that the reality is that sod all happens.

It seems as though you are worried so the answer has nothing to do with what 'other' people do.

It has everything to do with it. My "worry", if you want to call it that, is entirely about what "other people", i.e. the supplier/meter owner do. I'm not "worrying" about whether it's "wrong", just about whether the "reality" is whether I'll get grief from the supplier/meter owner.

If it's wrong, it's wrong. If you want to put something there, just do it. If not, don't do it.

Interesting answer.

Would you give the same sort of advice to someone asking if it was OK to do 180mph on the M1 if there wasn't much traffic around?

You ask a question which you know has a legal implication. Yet you seem to seeking the support of others in justifying the ignoring of any legal implications. Your question, therefore, is as pointless as asking, 'I know that xyz is illegal but what does everyone else do about it in practice?' Well, in practice, some people break the law and commit the crime. That is no basis on which to base your own actions - unless of course you are that way inclined.

Simply attempting to nit-pick your way out of it is rather pointless, though quite amusing to read. So thank you for that.

By the way, I don't give advice which may in any way lead to breaking the law that may affect an innocent bystander. Nor do I condone or offer advice on any action which may affect an innocent bystander.

 

[FingRinal]

Also, I had no idea that willful destruction of another's property is an offence under only the ESQCR. It may also be an offence under the Cimminal Damage Act 1971.

 

[crystal ball]

The only time I was refused a connection was when I replaced a CU which was mounted on the meter board, I mounted the new one over the hole with the cables in, nice neat job, but the jobsworth inspector refused connection, even though every house on the estate had the same set up

As for meter changes, I would imagine you would get away with it, but if the board is rotten or worm riddled they might want to change it, and that is where problems may arise

 

[ban-all-sheds]

FR - since you appear to be sufficiently interested in my position to try and determine it by analysing what I've written it seems only fair that I should explain it to you so that you can find out what it really is.

I do not regard fixing something of mine to a piece of chipboard in my house that is owned by someone else as a heinous crime.

The knowledge that it could be construed as an offence does not trouble me in itself.

I am not "seeking the support of others in justifying the ignoring of any legal implications", I'm quite able to justify it myself to my own satisfaction.

I am simply seeking information about the reality of any consequences that would arise from doing it. Whatever the reality is it would not affect whether I felt justified in ignoring whatever the prohibition is, only my decision on whether it's a sensible thing to do.

I'm sorry if I've spoiled any amusement that you may have created for yourself by deciding that I was "nit-picking", but nothing I have said has been in any way back-tracking or trying to get out of anything I've said - the question I originally asked was entirely consistent with the position I stated above - I simply wanted to know what happens in practice, because that is all that interests me.

If you regard my attitude as morally reprehensible that's up to you, but if you seek to find fault in people who sometimes base their actions on what is likely to happen to them if they do something which harms nobody in any way then you're going to find the world a very faulty place to live.

 

[FingRinal]

If you don't care about the consequences, why do you care about the likelihood of being caught? What does it matter what other people say, you have already made up your mind to break the law (if that is what you will do by your actions).

Who cares? You don't. Just leave it at that.

I am surpised by your logic though. The meter is someone else's property which is located within your property. But if you tamper with it, I strongly suspect legal action will be taken against you.

Legal or illegal. The distinction is invariably decided by due legal process and not an indivual's understanding. An action might result in a lesser penalty but it doesn't really make it any more OK to do it now does it?

Perhaps you think it's OK to tamper with one item of someone else's property but not not OK to tamper with another item?