Gas Meter Bracket - Help! Arguing with First Utility

[fixitflav]

You cant change the bracket without removing inlet and outlet from meter can you?

If you post a pic of the new installation we might be able to comment.

 

[king of pipes]

Legally you are responsible for the
Maintaining the meter box it should not have got to that condition in the first place if I come across one like that I get it sorted out you would like to think that at the time of a meter upgrade it would have been replaced but in reality they only have a limited time to carry out this work , I often remove the gas meter to work on the gas supply , you have to prove yourself competent in doing this in your gas training i have replaced the whole meter box occasionally anything on the incoming supply and regulator I get cadenet out to replaced or repaired . Kop

 

[AWheating]

The box belongs to the property owner, the bracket is part of the box. What should have happened is the new meter should not have been fitted untill the box has been changed.

 

[Pickwickpick]

Or the owner should have been charged the cost of the bracket rather than have to take the meter off twice.

 

[AWheating]

Its an energy company, they wont get involved in small issues like a one off charge for a metal bracket. Any gas safe engineer would sort it.

 

[Last Plumber]

At the end of the day and regardless of 'whose bracket' this is,
if the company replacing the Meter have an issue with ownership, cost and responsibility, then on first inspection of that and prior to commencing work they should, in my opinion, make the responsible person aware that the Meter requires an adequate support and either the responsible person needs to have it seen to prior to the Meter being changed or they can do it for an extra charge during the Meter change.

I think that would demonstrate common sense and fairness.

 

[Stigster]

I agree, Last Plumber. Seems like the installer just decided to get in and out as quick as possible. I find it amazing that they actually re-used that bracket, whoever it actually belongs to.

 

[billski]

I think you'll find if the pipe work to the meter is securely fixed and is of rigid pipe work ( copper etc ) it doesn't even need a fixing bracket. That's copper on one side.

 

[Pickwickpick]

I think you'll find if the pipe work to the meter is securely fixed and is of rigid pipe work ( copper etc ) it doesn't even need a fixing bracket. That's copper on one side.

But on the regulator side there's going to be a semi rigid anaconda, if you knock the meter without it being secured to a bracket wouldn't that place strain on the copper pipework possibly leading to a leak?

 

[billski]

I'm not saying it's a good thing, that's just the regs if it's and old installation. So the energy company can always get out of doing it. I did one recently where the meter and bracket were replaced but the bracket screws came away from the wall. I removed the meter and refitted the bracket correctly. The energy supplier paid the client who then paid me.