Issues with Shared Gas Service Pipe and Relocation of Meter

[Mr Venom]

Hey folks, long-time browser of Buildhub and thought it would be worthwhile to get some input from the folks here on an issue I have.

 

• I'm renovating a house in Edinburgh, it is the full ground floor of a fully detached property. I have no heating or hot water currently but do have a gas connection inside the house.
• I would like to relocate my current (unused) internal gas meter and pipe to a position outside the house some 2m away so that I can knock down the current load-bearing wall the pipe and meter sit on.
• I have however been informed that as my gas service pipe looks to be split in the shared driveway at a T-junction that services the upstairs flat too and it is therefore not possible to relocate my pipe and meter in isolation, nor is it possible to just cut off my supply (and allow me to install an ASHP instead).
• As the metal service pipe is old (iron?), it would have to be fully replaced and SGN have stated this can only be done for both properties at the same time. The internal gas meters currently in both properties would be moved outside.
• For me, this is no problem as my house is currently a building site and I have no heating. My upstairs neighbour has a pristine flat however and it would require some internal works to lift the floors, replace the pipework to his boiler (on the other side of the house) and then redecorate back to what it was - this could be costly.
• This also doesn't account for the fact that there may be a period where the upstairs neighbour has no heating (between the point where the new gas service pipe goes in and when it is reconnected to his boiler).

 

So, my question is, are SGN correct in that my meter cannot be adjusted nor can I be disconnected to the shared gas service pipe unless the whole thing is replaced?

 

 

[PeterW]

No .. or not under the gas supply regs as far as I am aware. You may have to pay to have the pipe excavated and capped at the tee but it is a standard works (look up removal of gas meter) and they have an obligation to comply. You could ask a private contractor to do this such as Crown Utilities - not sure if they do work north of the border though.

[Mr Venom]

@PeterW- thanks! Will query this with SGN.