incoming electrical supply safety concern

A friend is concerned that the cable coming up through the floor in to their fuse box might not be safe, or at least needs attention so asked me,

It's a little out of my league, so I thought I'd ask here for advice

Pictures here :-

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the incoming cable, with layers of white paint and where the cable clips have removed it. The connection box and an underneath view (although you can't see much).

I think it's a little unsafe especially being near the front door where it's easy to accidentally move or catch when carrying a pushbike up the stairs. They have a mortgage (leasehold) on the flat and this box just supplies their flat, but the incoming cable seems to come from downstairs flat.

So the questions are.

1/ Is it safe enough or should it be 'sorted'

2/ Who is responsible for this bit of 'the electrics' the electricity supplier, or them, as far as paying for it.

3/ Who should they contact to get it sorted Their electricity supplier, a private qualified person

4/ Any idea how much it's likely to cost (a very rough guestimate will do) Location, London E17.

Any advice gratefully received and passed on.

cheers Dave

Agreed, the incomer need to be securely fixed to the wall. Though the door does open to cover it when coming in and out that is not the point. You don't want to grab it in a fall and rip the end out of the box. Shorting out an unprotected incomer is not to be recomended, any metal they happen to be shorted with will explosively vapourise...

Who detached the incomer? Looking at the pictures has the meter/fuse box moved recently from low down to higher up (though where the extra cable came from is a bit of a puzzle.

It's "safe" in that there is no apparent exposed conductors. But it's fare from ideal.

The work will have to be done by the REC (Regional Electricity Company) or their contractors which may or may not be the people they pay money to for electricity.

Who pays? Tricky, the actual termination and condition of the box doesn't look to good, the earthing looks a bit suspect as well with that unisulated stranded wire. I'd report the poor condition and concerns to the REC and get them to look at it and fix it. There may be no charge as everything up to and including the meter is their responsibility. How ever if the REC think that work has been done on their equipment by unauthorised people they may well charge for correcting it.