responsibility for moving the electricity meter

ashdale · 22 Oct 2014

My girlfriend lives in a 70's semi where the fusebox and meter are in the garage (part of the house, not detached). When the house was built, the builder put the fusebox high up on the garage wall next to the roof and the meter is just below it. To reach the fusebox you need a ladder and whilst the meter can be read by a tall person like me, my average-sized girlfriend needs a ladder to read it, as do any meter readers who come by.

Personally, I'd say the fusebox location breaches health and safety regulations (imagine stumbling around in the dark garage during a power interruption, say) and I can't understand why the original owners of the house back in the 70's didn't complain to the builders or Seeboard (they had presumably been responsible for the meter back then in those nationalised days) and get the items moved to accessible locations!

There is little or no slack on the leads going from the house ring circuits into the fusebox so relocating it is not a trivial task.

Anyway, my question is about getting the meter (and hopefully the fusebox) moved.

I accept that the fusebox location, dangerous though I think it is, is not the responsibility of the electricity supply company, though the meter tails (the leads to it) probably are. The meter location IS the responsibility of the supply company, I would have thought. However, EON (to whom my girlfriend pays the bills) refuse to move the meter. They say they'll ensure any meter reader who comes has his own ladder, but that's it.

Are we in a strong position to push EON (or is it UK Power Networks?) to get the meter moved or do we really have to live with the situation as it is? If we asked for a "Smart Meter" to be installed, that might give EON an incentive to do the work but would they just replace the meter at the same location?

ban-all-sheds · 22 Oct 2014

As it's in the garage, relocating the CU would not be difficult - an enclosure containing whatever is used to join the cables could be put where the CU is, and then cables run down the wall.

As for the meter - you and your girlfriend don't need to read it, so the height should not be a problem, and if the metering company are happy to give their people ladders then so be it. Not sure why you care.

bernardgreen · 22 Oct 2014

There is a reason for having the cut out and CU at a high level in a garage.

Petrol fumes could be ignited by a fuse blowing or by the spark when an MCB / RCD operates.

I cannot recall if it was common sense or a building regulation that required all electrics in the garage to be at least 1.5 metres above floor level. That was 30 years ago, it would still be common sense.

Taylortwocities · 22 Oct 2014

You need to talk to the DNO for your area about moving the supply cables that feed the meter .

For Surrey this is UK POWER NETWORKS,

It will probably be Eon that moves the meter, itself, but the DNO does the cables first.

Hope you've got a well-stuffed wallet!

OwainDIYer · 22 Oct 2014

ashdale said:
Personally, I'd say the fusebox location breaches health and safety regulations (imagine stumbling around in the dark garage during a power interruption, say)

I don't see that having the fusebox lower really makes much difference, but you could fit an emergency lighting unit. A lower fusebox would be at more risk of getting bashed by something.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/EMTLC3NM.html

AndyPRK · 22 Oct 2014

Why don't you get the CU moved now, and the next time the meter is changed, sweet talk the person to move the meter.

westie101 · 22 Oct 2014

The reason meters and cutouts and hence CUs were put at high level in garages is nothing more than the then Electricity Boards getting fed up of repairing damage to them after cars or parts of them collided with live electrical equipment.
No more no less.

Yes, in the present day we would not put any at that level, there are millions like that around the country in garages, cellers, above doorways, in hallways, in kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and any other room you can think of!
Meter readers and those that work on the DNO/supplier equipment are provided suitable training and gear to deal with them so there is no desire or need to lower them within the industry.

So if a customer wants to lower the Cu for their own reasons it is deemed their responsibility

Regarding the tails those between the meter & the CU they are the property of the customer as the point of supply is the outgoing terminals of the meter.

pjcomp · 22 Oct 2014

ban-all-sheds said:
As for the meter - you and your girlfriend don't need to read it, so the height should not be a problem, and if the metering company are happy to give their people ladders then so be it. Not sure why you care.

Most of the supply companies ask for readings to be updated online monthly by the householder. Meter readers come round once a year if you're lucky - and I've never yet seen one with a ladder. Keeping up to date with readings stops the problem of estimated bills which get out of hand and pass more money to the supplier in the short term. Also, checking the meter is one way the householder can monitor usage and decide how and when to economise. That's several reasons why someone might care, B-A-S.

Incidentally, none of the reasons for high-placed fuseboxes in garages answers why they can be 15 feet from the floor indoors in high-ceilinged properties.

PJ

flameport · 22 Oct 2014

ashdale said:
Are we in a strong position to push EON (or is it UK Power Networks?) to get the meter moved or do we really have to live with the situation as it is? If we asked for a "Smart Meter" to be installed, that might give EON an incentive to do the work but would they just replace the meter at the same location?

If you were hoping they would move it for free, never going to happen.
Any new or replacement meter will be fitted in the same place as the old one.
If you want it moving, you will have to pay for it. There is absolutely no incentive for your supplier to move it anywhere or do anything else with it.

ban-all-sheds · 22 Oct 2014

pjcomp said:
Most of the supply companies ask for readings to be updated online monthly by the householder. Meter readers come round once a year if you're lucky - and I've never yet seen one with a ladder. Keeping up to date with readings stops the problem of estimated bills which get out of hand and pass more money to the supplier in the short term.

Simple answer:

In writing ask them to lower the meter because it is too high for you to see it properly, and because of that you are concerned that when you give them readings they might be wrong.

If they don't, give them low readings when they ask, and if there is any fuss when they find out say "sorry - I did tell you that I couldn't see it properly". Obviously don't give them figures so low that they might penalise you in some way, or that you end up with a large adjustment to pay in one go.

Also, checking the meter is one way the householder can monitor usage and decide how and when to economise.

I've never understood the idea that unless you monitor your usage you won't think to turn things off when they aren't needed.

ban-all-sheds · 22 Oct 2014

flameport said:
There is absolutely no incentive for your supplier to move it anywhere or do anything else with it.

What if it keeps accidentally getting damaged because the occupant isn't strong enough to properly control the ladder that she has to use because, as they are fully aware, the meter is too high for her to read without using a ladder?

sparkwright · 22 Oct 2014

ashdale said:
My girlfriend lives in a 70's semi where the fusebox and meter are in the garage (part of the house, not detached). When the house was built, the builder put the fusebox high up on the garage wall next to the roof and the meter is just below it. To reach the fusebox you need a ladder and whilst the meter can be read by a tall person like me, my average-sized girlfriend needs a ladder to read it, as do any meter readers who come by.

Personally, I'd say the fusebox location breaches health and safety regulations (imagine stumbling around in the dark garage during a power interruption, say) and I can't understand why the original owners of the house back in the 70's didn't complain to the builders or Seeboard (they had presumably been responsible for the meter back then in those nationalised days) and get the items moved to accessible locations!

There is little or no slack on the leads going from the house ring circuits into the fusebox so relocating it is not a trivial task.

Anyway, my question is about getting the meter (and hopefully the fusebox) moved.

I accept that the fusebox location, dangerous though I think it is, is not the responsibility of the electricity supply company, though the meter tails (the leads to it) probably are. The meter location IS the responsibility of the supply company, I would have thought. However, EON (to whom my girlfriend pays the bills) refuse to move the meter. They say they'll ensure any meter reader who comes has his own ladder, but that's it.

Are we in a strong position to push EON (or is it UK Power Networks?) to get the meter moved or do we really have to live with the situation as it is? If we asked for a "Smart Meter" to be installed, that might give EON an incentive to do the work but would they just replace the meter at the same location?

It all seems a fuss about nothing.

In the 70s there weren't such strong rules about electrical fittings being accessible to all.

You don't really want electrics low in the garage where it could get driven into or easily knocked.

One could reasonably expect to find a step ladder in a garage anyway - an ideal place to keep it really.

Assuming your girlfriend is capable of climbing a short step ladder, for what it would cost to move the meter and consumer unit, it's hardly worth doing.

Maybe a periscope to read the meter would help.

westie101 · 22 Oct 2014

It would be cheaper to fit a non-maintained emergency light in the area

ashdale · 24 Oct 2014

Thanks for all your useful replies, guys.

By the way, I forgot to say that the garage hasn't used for car storage for years, so there are no petrol fumes any more!

We've decided that when the girlfriend has a new kitchen built, maybe next yet, she'll get the electricians to move the fuse box as they no doubt will want to put in a separate CU for the kitchen circuits. As for the meter, we'll wait and see if there's going to be a roll-out of smart meters in the area, then reappraise the situation.

ban-all-sheds · 24 Oct 2014

No point having a fusebox moved and a new CU added - just have a larger CU put in.

Is the existing one a fusebox, or is it a consumer unit with circuit breakers?

If it's a CU it could possibly be left where it is and repurposed to house DIN rail connector blocks to extend the cables.

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responsibility for moving the electricity meter

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