Placing Electricity meter under stairs

[EFLImpudence]

Yes, the one bottom right.

What is it you actually want to achieve?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I've attached a picture of everything. I assume it's one of the black things that's only power UK can move?

Those are the meter on the left and the cut out to the right, both the property and responsibility of the DNO. What exactly do you want moving and to where? The DNO might be agreeable to move the meter to another part of that board, they will be much less willing to move the cut out and the armoured cable supplying it.

 

[JohnW2]

Those are the meter on the left and the cut out to the right, both the property and responsibility of the DNO.

Not quite. The meter is the property and responsibility of the supplier (the company one pays for electricity), and only they (or 'meter operatives' to whom they subcontract the work) can move it. The cutout is, indeed, the property of the DNO, and, as you say, only they can move it. However, in context, the important thing is that the OP (or his electrician) cannot interfere with (e.g. move) either.

Kind Regards, John

 

[foxhole]

Use to read electric meters , up to 2000 a week and majority in Westminster were in confined spaces or boxed in.

 

[bernardgreen]

Use to read electric meters

War and Peace was a good read.

 

[SUNRAY]

I've attached a picture of everything. I assume it's one of the black things that's only power UK can move?

 

[ericmark]

I seem to remember there were some fire regulations about having consumer units, meters etc under an flammable staircase, also seem to remember it was dependent on other means of escape, and the materials used for the CU and other items.

But as to details, and who made the rules don't know. BS7671 does not cover supply network, and is advisory only anyway, well so it says, but some laws do seem to refer to it. But some regulations are retrospective others are not, and even with retrospective they can be over ruled, I remember a dentist wanted to fit a stair lift to comply with regulations in Chester, but the people who look after what can be done to old buildings said no, and it seems they had the last word, so dentist opened up another premises for the disabled.

It does matter where you live, and why you want it moving.

I was rather surprised to see the electrics remain under the stairs with my late parents house, and technically the gas meter was outside, in the porch, there was a temporary structure around the gas meter, but it was basic same as having a box on the wall, but where should there be a fire it would stop use of stair case. Last house and this house and parents one could exit the upper floor without using the stairs, not easy but possible, not sure if that is taken into account.

I seem to remember ½ hour fire resistant being talked about. But these rules some times only apply where there is multi occupancy.

 

[securespark]

Doesn't ESQCR 2002 cover this?

 

[JohnW2]

Doesn't ESQCR 2002 cover this?

If any legislation/regulations restricted the location of service heads/cutouts (or meters, which is also mentioned), one would certainly expect it to be ESQCR.

However, ESQCR (here) is surprisingly brief, and the entirety of what it has to say about "Equipment on a consumer's premises" is:

The only conceivably relevant bit there is 1(b) ("installed and, so far as is reasonably practicable, maintained so as to prevent danger") - but that is so vague as to be capable of almost any interpretation - so, essentially down to DNOs to decide.

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

TBF, the BBB can be just as vague.

 

[JohnW2]

TBF, the BBB can be just as vague.

No argument about that

However, to interpret "installed and, so far as is reasonably practicable, maintained so as to prevent danger" as meaning "must not be installed under combustible stairs" (let alone "must not be installed in a 'confined space' ", which is apparently what the DNO told the OP), surely cannot be more than a (very!) 'personal opinion', can it ?

Kind Regards, John