Will SGN move my gas meter?

The cost is the part most householders want first. Basic alteration costs start from around £605 to £1,210, depending on whether SGN performs excavation work and which part of the country you live in⁴. That is a range across the whole job, not a fixed price, and it is quoted per property. Moving a meter is not a DIY task and not a job for an unapproved contractor: it is illegal to move the meter yourself, and in most cases where you request the move, you pay the cost⁵.

What SGN does not do is supply or maintain the meter. SGN owns and operates the pipes; your gas supplier owns and maintains the meter and bills you for the gas⁶. That split shapes the whole process, from who you apply to, to what happens if the move breaks a smart meter's wireless link.

What the SGN meter move service covers

SGN's household connections service handles new gas connections, meter or pipe moves, disconnections and network extensions⁹. For a move, the work is an alteration to your existing gas connection rather than a new supply, and SGN frames it as moving your gas meter and pipes to a more suitable location³. Common reasons householders ask include building work, moving the meter from inside the property to outside, and moving it so it can be accessed more easily³.

The same service exists at other gas distribution networks, which matters if you are not in SGN's area. Cadent states that your gas meters and pipes can be moved together and that it can do that for you¹⁰. Cadent also sets out when a service alteration is needed: if you need to relocate your gas meter, increase your gas supply, or move pipework to accommodate renovations or alterations to your home¹¹. Wales & West Utilities can alter the gas supply pipe and move a meter, but warns this may result in loss of wireless connectivity, which the supplier may need to re-establish, possibly at a cost to the customer¹².

For a household, the move is a network job, not a supply job. It changes where the gas enters and is measured, and it keeps you connected to the same pipes and the same supplier. It does not reduce your dependence on the gas network, the supplier that owns the meter, or the wholesale market behind the commodity. What it does is put the meter where you can reach it, which matters for topping up a prepayment meter, for building work, and for access.

What a meter move costs: from around £605 to £1,210

SGN's basic alteration costs start from around £605 to £1,210, depending on whether SGN performs excavation work and which part of the country you live in⁴. The two variables are digging and geography: a move that needs ground opened up costs more than one that does not, and the same job is priced differently across the network area.

Other networks publish their own starting figures, which give a sense of the spread. Wales & West Utilities states that moving a domestic gas meter starts from £1,000 plus VAT¹³. Citizens Advice reports that network operators usually charge at least £400 for the work, but it could be over £1,000 depending on how much work needs to be done, when the supplier cannot move the meter itself⁵. For electricity, SSEN's supply and meter moves range from £308 to £607 excluding additional work such as digging or traffic management, with a detailed quote during the application⁴.

Prices are installer-quoted and vary with the property. SGN's basic alteration costs start from around £605 to £1,210, depending on whether SGN performs excavation work and which part of the country the customer lives in, and the VAT position on that range is not stated¹. Where a network publishes a starting price, it is a floor rather than a total: SSEN's £308 to £607 excludes additional work such as digging or traffic management, and Wales & West Utilities puts a domestic gas meter move at £1,000 plus VAT².

How to apply and what happens after you order

The first step is to complete an application for an alteration to your gas connection³. You will need some basic information about your property and the work you want to do³. For most jobs, SGN says it will send a quote straight away⁷. Where it does not, SGN will be in touch within 7 working days to arrange the connection¹⁴.

Once a quote is accepted, the alteration work normally takes between 6 and 12 weeks, though SGN notes this could vary depending on the work required, with dates discussed with an account manager³. If you are happy to go ahead, you can pay online³. No BACS option is published, so a householder wanting to pay by bank transfer would need to ask SGN directly.

1. Complete the alteration application with your property details and the work wanted³.
2. Receive a quote, straight away for most jobs⁷.
3. Accept the quote and pay online³.
4. Agree dates with the account manager; work normally runs 6 to 12 weeks after acceptance³.

For a meter box repair rather than a move, SGN's route is different: download the form and send it in¹⁵. If you need to move your meter, SGN directs customers to its alter your gas connection page for more information¹⁵.

Smart meter connectivity: the risk of losing the wireless link

A meter move can break the link that makes a smart meter smart. SGN states that it can alter your gas supply pipe and move your meter, but this may result in the wireless connectivity of the meter being lost⁸. If that happens, your supplier may need to visit to re-establish the connectivity, and this might cost you money⁸. Wales & West Utilities gives the same warning for its own area¹².

The technical reason is distance. The communications hub is typically situated within or near the electricity meter, and if the gas meter is too far away it may not be able to communicate with it¹⁶. Moving a gas meter further from the electricity meter, or to the other side of a wall, can put it out of range. The Energy Ombudsman notes a related risk when a supplier changes: your meter may not work in smart mode when you move to the new supplier, and you may need to take meter readings manually and submit them instead¹⁷.

For a household, this is the main hidden cost of a move. The meter still measures gas and still bills correctly, but automatic readings can stop, and the fix sits with the supplier rather than the network. It is worth asking about connectivity before the work is scheduled, because the network that moves the meter is not the party that restores the link.

Who does what: SGN, your supplier and National Gas Metering

The division of responsibility is the thing most householders get wrong. SGN owns and operates the pipes; your gas supplier is responsible for the maintenance of your gas meter and for sending you bills for the gas you use⁶. Northern Gas Networks states the same split: the supplier is responsible for the installation and maintenance of your gas meter and owns the gas transported through the network¹⁸. Your gas supplier is also responsible for your meter and any faults¹⁹.

SGN does carry out meter exchanges, but as a service partner rather than as the network: it is the service partner for National Gas Metering in Scotland and the south of England and carries out meter exchanges on their behalf⁶. If your meter is owned by National Gas, SGN points you to National Gas Metering for more information⁶. SGN also supports the roll-out of smart gas meters across Scotland and the south of England, but states it cannot arrange for you to have one⁸.

The electricity side follows the same logic. SSEN moves the service cable and main fuse, while the electricity supplier moves the meter²⁰. For a new gas connection, SGN does not supply the gas meter: you must contact a gas supplier to arrange for a meter to be fitted, and SGN provides a meter point reference number¹⁴. Northern Gas Networks will not supply or install a gas meter either, and provides an MPRN after quotation acceptance¹⁸.

To find out who supplies your gas, you can use Find My Supplier and the Meter Number Helpline to discover your supplier, your MPRN number and your gas transporter²¹. SGN is not your gas supplier, and no network operator is.

When a third party can do the work, and what SGN must approve

A third party can carry out some of the work, but not without SGN's agreement. SGN states that it will need to approve any third party's work in advance to make sure they meet all its safety requirements²². If they go ahead without that approval, SGN may have to cut off your gas and bill you for any resulting repair work²². Industry guidance is firmer: a gas service found to have been installed or altered by an unauthorised third party may be disconnected by the Gas Distribution Network²².

The work that genuinely sits with others is the preparation and the internal reconnect. You might still need a registered electrician or gas engineer for other work, for example preparatory digging, fitting a meter box or reconnecting your supply inside your home⁵. Wales & West Utilities puts it plainly for its own area: gas meters can only be moved or removed by your energy supplier or Wales & West Utilities, never independently, for safety and regulatory reasons²³.

There is also a sequencing rule at disconnection. The gas distribution network operator will not disconnect pipes and equipment until the gas meter has been safely removed by your energy supplier²⁴. Northern Gas Networks tells customers to arrange for their supplier to remove the gas meter before it can disconnect the supply from the network²⁵. If you are moving a meter rather than removing one, the same principle applies: the network handles the pipe, the supplier handles the meter.

Where a meter move fits a household's independence

A meter move is a network alteration, and it leaves the household's underlying position unchanged. You remain connected to the gas distribution network, you remain dependent on a supplier for the meter and the commodity, and you remain exposed to wholesale gas prices and to imports. What the move buys is access and control over the point of measurement: a meter you can reach, read and top up, and pipework that fits the building rather than obstructing it.

The dependence that remains is worth naming. The meter is not yours; it belongs to your supplier, which maintains it and bills you⁶. The wireless link that makes it smart can be lost in the move and restored only by the supplier, possibly at a cost⁸. And the network that performs the work is a monopoly in your area, so the price is quoted rather than shopped for. SGN's own customer promises include attending uncontrolled gas escapes within one hour and controlled escapes within two hours, and a free Priority Services Register for households that need it²³. If you smell gas, the National Gas Emergency Service number is 0800 111 999²⁶.

For a household weighing up a move, the practical questions are the quote, the excavation, and the smart meter link. The network answers the first two; the supplier answers the third.