British Gas Jobsworth

John · 2008-01-19T12:41:30+00:00

Not DIY I know but could somebody give me an opinion please. I have a property that I rent out, I am the landlord. Apparantly the meter needs changing due to it's age (1992). The BG engineer came round yesterday to change it and said "I can't do that mate, lead piping on YOUR side" He pointed to the pipe from the meter to the house pipework. The lead pipe is screwed on both ends so no sweating was used to attatch it. Apparantly not to current regs. This pipe has been in as long as I have had the house (4 years) and presumably since the meter was put in 15+ yearsago. The BG man said it should be noticed on my next Gas Safety Check. The conversation went as such. Me: "OK, can you do it when you change the meter and bill me for the pipe and labour"? BG: "No, it isn't our responsibility, you need to get a CORGI registered engineer to do it" Me: "Are you not CORGI registered then"? BG: "Yes but I cannot do it, it is your responsibility" Me: "I am ASKING you to do it for me then please, I WILL pay you" BG: " I cannot do 'foreigners' Sir, it is more than my job's worth"! Me: "I am not asking for a 'guvvy job', can you do it please on behalf of BG and give me a bill"? BG: "No, it isn't our responsibility, you need to get a CORGI registered engineer to do it" At which point I started losing the will to live and asked him to leave. The pipe is approx 18" long and has large screw fitting , not unlike a compression fitting but bigger. Does anybody know a rough cost I should expect for doing this work as I cannot face calling BG to ask them!! Cheers John

Jan 19, 2008 67 Replies

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geoff 18 years ago

In message , jkn writes

Foreigners were always for someone else, homers for you

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jkn 18 years ago

On Jan 22, 7:20 pm, geoff wrote: [...]

in *your* experience; not in mine.

J^n

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geoff 18 years ago

Well, yes, that's why I said it

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oldship 18 years ago

I'm sure I heard the term "doing a rabbit" by workers in that big shed that used to be in Wooston. No idea how that came about.

G.Harman

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nobby 18 years ago

lead is fine on existing installations but not for new...flexible connections are not normally used on both in and out going because the meter can apparently be slowed down by tilting the meter, the normal way is 22mm copper on the out going... before anyone asks im corgi registered...

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PCPaul 18 years ago

Which way do you have to tilt it?

Just for interest, like ;-)

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John 18 years ago

That's spooky! I am the OP, when the Gas Man went to change the meter (and didn't) he also said the meter was slightly tilted and could have been recording incorrectly and that my tenant may be due a refund. BTW my Corgi man is going in this week to sort it out, so the BG / Transco / National Grid or whoever can then change the meter.

Cheers

John

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John 18 years ago

I have had a bill from my CORGI man taday, £60 all in, he has piped MY side in fixed copper so there shouldn't be an issue from now on as far as BG etc are concerned!

Thanks for all the replies but I still think the world has gone mad!

Cheers

John

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