The backboard is indeed the property owner’s responsibility, and OVO as supplier have no part to play in changing it. Some DNOs are helpful, especially in view of the fact that dealing with asbestos requires specialist training and equipment. Others are not …

You may find that the local ratcatcher (Environmental Health Officer, to give him a proper title) could help, because dangerous building materials come into his purview. 

I don’t really know how Housing Associations work, but if they manage communal areas in and around the property, then this is their headache. Your responsibility starts downstream of the meter: 

The DNO would have to attend if their cut-out is fixed to the same distribution board (DB in the graphic), so it could well be a collaborative nightmare to get at least three different operatives to remove the old board, fit a new one, remove and replace the cut-out and change the meter all at once. This could come down to two if the DNO is a helpful one.

Start with the EHO and go from there, but keep the Housing Association in the picture if it’s their responsibility. OVO is only involved in providing and fitting the meter once the new safe backboard is in place.

Thanks for that will let you know outcome.

That would be good. This question comes up occasionally, and it’s really helpful if we can point to someone who’s been through the exercise, assuming you’re successful, that is 

For anyone else reading this, it’s always helpful to have a good clear photo of the current arrangement - it answers a lot of questions without us having to ask them, like ‘is the cut-out on the same backboard?’ You mentioned that you’d been in touch with the DNO - again, it would have been helpful to know which one it is. Some of those who come to answer questions here have contacts within some of the DNOs, and they may be able to find a fast track to a good solution.

Good luck!

The DNO I contacted was Scottish and Southern I complete the online application for a board change which made no reference to responsibility.

Again thanks

Something else that’s probably worth mentioning actually.

While that meter is NOT affected by the RTS Shutdown, it looks like it might have reached the natural End of Service Life. You may want to arrange for it to also be replaced soon.

That’s what prompted the board replacement:

 
A multi-rate smart meter would replace both the old meter and the clockwork time switch.

I wonder how far out of kilter the meter is after 30 years of service. I bet it’s about as good as new …

@James0701 Are you on a day/night tariff? How much electricity are you using overnight?

Many customers have discovered that they’re paying over the odds on a plan like that, because their offpeak usage is not as high as it used to be. Unless you have an electric vehicle, just about the only reason for having a multi-rate plan is if you normally use night storage heaters to keep the place warm. Even if you do have an EV, there are cheaper ways of charging it at home.  

We did have night storage heaters, from last reading use very little low rate.

The email originally OVO sent me said if the meter wasn’t changed it would be locked on the higher rate from 31st March when whatever makes it change shuts down.

Will follow up on getting a single tariff 

That sounds unlikely. The ‘shut-down on 31 March’ is presumably referring to the Radio Teleswitch (RTS) service, which uses long-wave radio to control the time for peak/offpeak usage. It sounds as if there’s something like an RTS flag on your account, which you should ask Support to have removed.

What you have is an electro-mechanical time switch* which turns the night storage heaters on and off, and also changes which of the two registers in the meter is active. When the heaters are on, the meter will record on the Low register, and the rest of the time on the Normal register. If you’re on an Economy 7 plan, you will have been paying the high rate for most of your electricity, so you should waste no time asking to be moved to the single-rate tariff.
  
  

* I just wasted an entertaining half hour watching this video all about that time switch: Time Switch : How to wire a Horstmann Vmk 7 SRS Rate Changer. (youtube.com)

Thanks once again, I did post a copy of the letter OVO sent me yesterday but for some reason it’s disappeared !

I noticed. The mods may have removed it thinking that there was a bit too much PII, so I obfuscated it all 
Here it is:
  

Its clearly a mistake. Once you get the backboard sorted out, you should be clear to get a shiny new SMETS2 meter, with any luck all in one go.

Once again many thanks will let you know outcome it must also effect the other 39 people who live here!