My supplier says my meter is installed illegally, how do I rectify this?

[benawhile]

While in communication with my electricity provider, Octopus, about fitting a smartmeter, and providing photographs, I have been told that my electric meter has been illegally boxed in. The kitchen was professionally fitted 4 years ago with the resulting boxing in of the meter.

Please could you advise the minimum I need to do to make it legal again as I wish to have a smart meter installed, as I am concerned that the current meter may be expired and unsafe.

The shelf that obstructs access is currently easily removable, it rests on a few removable pegs.

How far do I need to cut back the backboard?

Do I need to improve access to the first connection from the mains input as well?

We had the house upgraded and the builders insisted on dot and dab all over the kitchen, after the rewiring and new distribution board, with a very ugly result as you can see, so the kitchen fitter was left with little option.

 

[littlespark]

One of the big things these days is ease of access to equipment for maintenance and emergency purposes.
Even just for inspections, the cables between the equipment need to be visible.

You may need to take the back off both the base and wall units… enough to expose the incoming cable, main fuse, meter and the consumer unit in the top cupboard, to allow engineers to change the meter.

You can of course put in a removable panel back afterwards…. But it has to be easily and obviously removable.


As for the consumer unit itself… I wouldn’t obstruct it with a shelf, even if it is just sitting on support pegs.
You should be able to open the cover and turn off a breaker without taking a pile of cans out first.

 

[Simon47]

That's a good one from the WTF department.
As littlespark says, you'll need to remove whatever is needed to make everything accessible.
I'd be calling back the fitters and telling them to fix their complete and utter f-up.

 

[James]

I am not convinced that the meter fitters or the DNO are going to accept working inside a cupboard like that, even if it had no back panel.
I think the service head and meter might need to be moved outside into its own box.

 

[James]

this may be of some help

 

[westward10]

That looks a quality job.

 

[Jock from the north]

While in communication with my electricity provider, Octopus, about fitting a smartmeter, and providing photographs, I have been told that my electric meter has been illegally boxed in. The kitchen was professionally fitted 4 years ago with the resulting boxing in of the meter.

Please could you advise the minimum I need to do to make it legal again as I wish to have a smart meter installed, as I am concerned that the current meter may be expired and unsafe.

The shelf that obstructs access is currently easily removable, it rests on a few removable pegs.

How far do I need to cut back the backboard?

Do I need to improve access to the first connection from the mains input as well?

We had the house upgraded and the builders insisted on dot and dab all over the kitchen, after the rewiring and new distribution board, with a very ugly result as you can see, so the kitchen fitter was left with little option.

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Hi why do you believe the current meter is unsafe .