Moving a Gas Meter in London: Who Does It and What It Costs
Relocating a gas meter in a London property is a task that many homeowners and landlords consider when undertaking a kitchen renovation, extension, or loft conversion. The process involves working with both your gas distribution network operator and a Gas Safe registered engineer, and the costs can vary significantly depending on the complexity of the move.
Who Is Responsible for Moving a Gas Meter in London?
A gas meter in a London property sits at the boundary between two distinct areas of responsibility. The meter itself and the service pipe that brings gas from the street main to the meter belong to the gas distribution network operator, which for virtually all of London is Cadent Gas. The internal gas pipework beyond the meter, including the gas supply pipe to the boiler and all other appliances, belongs to the householder or landlord. As a result, a meter relocation requires input from both parties: Cadent Gas must sanction and carry out the work to the service pipe and meter connection, and a Gas Safe registered engineer carries out any modifications to the internal pipework beyond the meter.
The process for moving a meter in London begins with a meter move application to your gas supplier, who will pass the request to Cadent Gas as the network operator. Cadent Gas will send an engineer to survey the proposed new meter location and confirm whether the relocation is technically feasible. They will then provide a quote for the network operator element of the work, which covers moving the meter and service pipe as necessary. This quotation is typically provided within a few weeks of the survey.
What Cadent Gas Charges for a London Meter Move
The cost of a gas meter relocation in London charged by Cadent Gas depends on the complexity of the move. A simple meter move within the same room or to a position close to the existing meter position, where the service pipe does not need to be extended significantly, is classified as a straightforward relocation and typically costs between 500 and 1,500 pounds. A more complex move, where the service pipe needs to be rerouted through walls, under floors, or over a greater distance, can cost between 1,500 and 5,000 pounds or more.
In some cases, Cadent Gas may determine that the proposed new meter location requires an upgrade to the service pipe or meter installation infrastructure, which adds to the cost. If the meter is currently an older imperial meter, the relocation may be combined with an upgrade to a metric smart meter, which may reduce or eliminate the supplier charge for the meter replacement element of the work.
Internal Pipework Costs for a London Meter Relocation
Once the meter has been moved to its new position by Cadent Gas, a Gas Safe registered engineer must modify the internal gas supply pipework to connect to the meter in its new location and run new pipework to all gas appliances. The cost of this internal pipework work depends on the number of appliances to be reconnected, the route of the new pipework, and whether any pipework needs to be chased into walls or run under floors. In a typical London Victorian terraced house where the meter is being moved from a front ground floor position to a side return or kitchen location, the internal pipework cost is likely to be between 500 and 2,000 pounds.
Prestige Engineers provide full meter relocation support for London properties, including pre-application surveys, internal pipework quotations, coordination with Cadent Gas on the network work, and completion of the internal pipework and appliance reconnection after the meter move. We can advise on the most cost-effective approach to the relocation based on the specific layout of your property and the planned works that are driving the need for the meter move.
Planning and Building Regulations for Meter Moves
A gas meter relocation does not in itself require planning permission, but where the meter move forms part of a wider extension or conversion project, the overall project may be subject to planning permission or Building Regulations approval. The Building Regulations require that gas installations comply with the relevant technical standards, and the completion certificate for the building works should reference the gas installation work carried out by the Gas Safe registered engineer. Where the meter move involves any work to the external fabric of the building, such as a new external meter box, permitted development rules or planning consent may apply depending on the property type and location within London.