Re-locating gas and electricity meter - Can OVO help?

Hi. Need to move an existing smart meter due to proposed extension works. It’s already external and needs to move c4 metres to the front of the property (on the existing). What’s the approximate cost for this and who do I need to speak to, to get this move done?

Hi @mgilbert82. I’d be interested to hear OVO’s view on this too!

I’ve twice had (non-Smart) electricity meters moved, and this was undertaken by a local electrician. It involves snipping the security seals, including that on the Service Fuse owned by your Distributed Network Operator. The electrician then summons an engineer from the DNO to attend on-site as the work is completed. The seals are restored once the system is approved.

This is a quick and painless process.

I can’t see why it should be any different with a Smart Meter. In the unlikely event that the new location failed to provide a clear enough GSM signal or was too far from your gas meter, you could still provide manual readings whilst a remedy was found.

Local electricians generally enjoy a good working relationship with the area team of engineers from the DNO. Why not contact one and ask their opinion too?

Welcome to the foum, @mgilbert82 

Please check out the above answer and the topic at the top of this thread, it should hold all the info you need. 

Thanks! 

Our gas meter is in the back of a kitchen corner cupboard so is a bit of a pain to get to and reduces the cupboard space considerably. We’d ideally like to move it to the outside of the same wall. Would OVO be involved in a move like this as our supplier?

Many thanks

Anthony

Hey, @anthonyonions, you’ll find all the info you need in this thread! 

I thought I’d update this thread, as I now have a quote, to save others the bother.

I asked on the forum how to move our external gas meter by 150mm, away from the house wall, so that we could have external wall insulation behind it, and I was told £106 on this thread, and to contact OVO customer services.  If you look back in this thread I posted a photo.

I did contact OVO customer services by ‘phone, then emailed a picture, then they phoned me, then finally emailed to say OVO could not move the meter “as it is outside”.  They told me to contact Cadence, who would do the job instead.  I did this, and have been quoted £1170.  I tried to explain to everybody that it was in earth, and so could just be pulled into the new position, but it has all been in vain.  I hope this helps others.

Hi @RobL,

I’m not sure about the specifics as I don’t have access to the photos you’ve sent in, but as long as it stays on the same wall and within 1m of the ECV, we can move it. If the ECV needs moving, then the gas transporter would need to be involved as that’s their remit. 

Feel free to post your pics on here so I can double check for you.

Cheers

Hi Nancy

I sent in the photo 2 months ago under my username RobL when I started this quest, to help I’ve attached it again.  I gave Ovo customer services the information than I’ve already put on this forum, and they initially said “you don’t need to insulate behind the meter”, before coming to the conclusion they couldn’t do it because it was outside.   While it’s true that I don’t “need” to insulate behind the meter, it will be a significant heat loss if I don’t.  I’m sure the meter could physically be moved easily, as the feeder pipe is just in earth. 

Thanks for the positive vibes, but as I said, I phoned, I emailed, they ‘phoned then they emailed “no due to outside”.  I think every contact was with a different person, so I’m not confident that the person calling had seen the photo etc, maybe that was what went wrong?

Rob