How to Get a Meter Moved, Exchanged or Removed

Moving a gas or electricity meter is not a job for a builder or a DIY weekend. The meter usually belongs to your energy supplier, and it is illegal for anyone else to move it¹. The first call goes to your supplier, who can either do the job themselves or pass it to the gas transporter or electricity network operator for your area¹. If the supplier cannot move it, the network company takes over, and that is where the bigger bills appear: suppliers typically charge at least £400, and network alteration quotes run from hundreds of pounds into the thousands¹.

The wait is measured in weeks, not days. Cadent, the gas transporter for much of the Midlands, north London and the east, aims to complete a meter move within six to eight weeks of accepting its quote³. The physical work itself usually takes no more than a few hours once the team arrives². This page sets out who does what, what each of the main networks charges, what happens to your supply and appliances on the day, and how to have a supply removed from the network entirely.

Who carries out the job: supplier, transporter and network operator

The division of responsibility is fixed and worth understanding before you pick up the phone. Your gas supplier, the company you pay your bills to, owns the meter and is responsible for its installation and maintenance⁵. The same rule is stated by SGN: your gas supplier, not the network, is responsible for the maintenance of your gas meter and for billing you for the gas you use⁷. For electricity, the equivalent advice comes from NESO, the body that oversees the electricity system: it is illegal to move the meter yourself, so contact your supplier in the first instance and they should be able to help⁸.

Whether the supplier can actually do the move depends on several things: where the meter is now, how far you want it moved, the type of connector if it is a gas meter, and why you want it moved¹. If the supplier cannot do it, the job passes to the network side. You might still need a registered electrician or gas engineer for the surrounding work, for example preparatory digging, fitting a meter box or reconnecting the supply inside your home¹.

You must not build over gas pipes or attempt to move or alter the pipes or meter without seeking advice from the gas network first⁹. Cadent is blunt about the DIY route: "you shouldn't be attempting to move your meter yourself as moving this is actually illegal and very dangerous"³.

Before any of this, you need to find the meter. In a house it could be in the garage, at the back of the house, under the stairs, in the kitchen, or outside the front or side¹⁰. An outside meter sits in a box that opens with a key: insert and turn the key to open the door¹⁰. Knowing where it is matters beyond paperwork, because this is where you turn off the gas supply if advised to do so, or in a gas emergency¹¹. If you smell gas at any point in the process, that is an emergency, not a meter admin question: see reporting a gas emergency and how to turn off the gas, water and electricity.

For gas meter issues generally, call your gas supplier, whose number is at the top of your energy bill¹¹. If you are unsure who covers what, our page on who to call for an energy problem lists the numbers.

A gas service alteration: how Cadent relocates meters and pipes

In Cadent's network, a meter relocation is handled as a "service alteration". Cadent states the eligibility plainly: service alterations are required if you need to relocate your gas meter, if you need to increase your gas supply, or you are moving pipework to accommodate renovations or alterations to your home¹². The meter and the pipes can be moved together, and Cadent does that work itself³. Moving an indoor meter and pipes outside may be easier to arrange when you are already carrying out remodelling or extension work³.

The application needs specific information. Cadent asks for the full property address, your full name and telephone number, the distance of external pipework needed, and the distance of internal pipework needed to reconnect the gas boiler if Cadent is to reconnect the meter³. For alterations generally, the full address of the property where the work is needed is the starting point¹². You can apply online and get a quote, or call the Connections Team on 0800 074 5788, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, except public holidays¹². There is a separate alterations line on 0800 234 6595, Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm, if you want to talk about a recent visit⁹.

Once the quote arrives, you have up to 90 days to send in your signed acceptance and pay for the works¹². On average it then takes six to eight weeks from payment to carry out the works¹². Cadent will call you the week before the works are due to start to make sure everything is ready¹².

Two caveats can stretch the timeline. Local authority restrictions can slow a job down, and it takes longer if the meter is moving from a difficult-to-access indoor location to outside³. Equally, if local traffic management or highway restrictions apply in your area, Cadent will let you know, as this may increase the lead time before work starts¹².

Reinstatement of your garden is included on the network side: Cadent will re-turf and re-seed grassed areas and replant flower beds it has disturbed, but you will need to undertake any internal decorative works yourself¹².

Network initiated meter relocation during its own projects

Not every meter move is customer-requested. Gas networks run ongoing mains replacement programmes, replacing old pipes with longer lasting plastic pipes, and Cadent warns that as part of this work, "We may also have to move your gas meter, usually to an outside wall"¹³. The same can happen after an emergency: during a repair, Cadent may need to move your meter, and if so it could be moved to an external wall on your property¹⁴.

The mains replacement programme has a defined shape. The gas is usually turned off first thing in the morning, around 8am, with advance notice, and you will need to ensure an adult over 18 is there all day to enable the work¹³. In some cases the gas may need to be turned off twice¹³. Engineers work up to 8pm to get everyone back on gas, even if you cannot see them¹³.

If a fault is found, Cadent will not reconnect you until a Gas Safe engineer has carried out checks, and the network is not authorised to repair appliances, though it will explain what you need to do next¹³. Holes dug on your property are filled in and the surface replaced with turf, seed, tarmac or paving within five working days; a concrete imprint drive takes a little longer because specialist contractors restore the patch¹³. Cadent publishes regional contact numbers for this programme: 0800 151 2404 for the East of England, 0800 090 3071 for the East Midlands, 0800 085 4478 for North London and 0800 008 6590 for the West Midlands¹³.

Two situations can put the cost on someone else. If you are on the Priority Services Register and your prepayment meter needs moving, your energy supplier should move your meter for free⁴. And SGN's engineers hold contracts to replace old gas meters in certain parts of the UK when scheduled as part of the policy meter exchange programme⁷, which is an exchange rather than a relocation, but it is the network's own programme, not yours.

Prices, estimates and waiting times

In most cases where you request the move, you pay the cost, and that applies to both gas and electricity meters². Citizens Advice puts the supplier route at usually at least £400, possibly over £1,000, depending on how much work is needed¹. Ofgem's consumer guidance is consistent: you may have to pay a fee to have your meter moved, and it is illegal to move it yourself¹⁵.

When the job goes to the network, prices are published and vary by company and region. The following figures were reported in August 2026²:

Two figures exist for Wales & West Utilities and they differ: an August 2026 report put its starting price at £1,200², while the company's own page states that moving a domestic gas meter starts from £1,000 plus VAT¹⁷. Treat both as starting points for a quote, not fixed prices. Uswitch's overall guidance is that a meter move will cost hundreds of pounds, or even thousands if extensive building work such as excavating cables or pipes is required².

Northern Gas Networks applies Standard Charges to domestic properties only, along with other key criteria, covering alterations of up to 20 metres¹⁸. On the electricity side, Electricity North West notes that the cost may increase due to the specifics of your request and set up, and that excavation on your land and meter boxes are additional costs not included in the basic charge¹⁹. It also points out that your supplier can often move your meter for a small fee if you need to move it less than 1 metre¹⁹.

Lead times cluster around the same mark. Cadent aims to complete work within six to eight weeks of accepting the quote³, and averages six to eight weeks from payment¹². Wales & West Utilities typically takes six to eight weeks from payment to completion¹⁷. Electricity North West completes the meter move 20 days after payment or once the site is ready¹⁹. The physical move itself should not take more than a few hours².

Common reasons for moving a meter include building work, moving it from inside the property to outside, and moving it so it can be accessed more easily²⁰. If you rent, in most cases you need your landlord's permission to move a meter, and you will almost certainly be expected to pay the cost unless the landlord wants the move as part of a renovation or improvement². If you cannot reach your prepayment meter easily to top it up, ask your supplier to move it; you may have to pay a fee¹⁵, and our page on topping up a prepayment meter covers the interim options.

Ending your supply altogether: cutting off the connection

Taking a meter off the wall is not the same as taking a property off the network. To remove a meter entirely, you need to contact your energy supplier first²¹. The sequence is fixed: the gas distribution network operator will not disconnect pipes and equipment until the gas meter has been safely removed by your energy supplier²². Northern Gas Networks says the same to its customers: you will need to arrange for your gas supplier, the company you pay your bills to, to remove your gas meter before the network can disconnect the supply²³.

Once the meter is gone, the pipe work follows its own rules. If the pipe is disconnected, it will be disconnected as close to the gas main as possible, and more than 12 months after the meter is removed by the energy supplier²². Removal of the gas pipe leading to a property is handled by the gas distribution network operator, and there may be a charge²². Wales & West Utilities adds that metal pipes are usually removed, and that pipe removal is chargeable and can only go ahead once the energy supplier has removed the meter²⁴. Gas meter removal itself is arranged through the energy supplier, not directly through Wales & West Utilities²⁴.

SGN can disconnect a gas supply if the household no longer needs it²⁵. On the electricity side, NIE Networks asks customers to complete a disconnection application form to get a supply disconnected permanently²⁶. Electricity North West offers three application routes: an online estimate, an online application form and a downloadable PDF form returned to disconnections@enwl.co.uk²⁷. Its online estimate service only covers disconnections with a single phase supply to underground services; for a three phase supply or an overhead cable connection, the number to call is 0800 988 1730²⁷.

Electricity North West plans disconnections with six to ten weeks' notice, to give your supplier time to remove the electricity meter²⁷. Payment is by cheque or BACS²⁷. Once the work is complete, the company returns within five working days to backfill and reinstate the existing surface²⁷. Its quotations are based on the disconnection being carried out within one metre of its network, as per the standard Codes of Practice²⁷.

Electricity meter locations in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has its own network operator, NIE Networks, and its own rules on where a meter can sit. For a single house connection, meters must be located on the outside wall of the property on the front of the house, or within 2 metres of the front²⁸. To move or alter any piece of NIE Networks equipment, including a meter box, or to arrange a temporary disconnection, customers complete an alteration application form²⁶.

The single house connection application is detailed. NIE Networks asks for load information including the rating of each appliance, how often it will be started in one hour, the starting method, the starting current, the phase required, the meter type and whether an Earth terminal is required²⁸. If you know your load in kW, you convert it to kVA by multiplying by 1.05²⁸. High-load equipment must be declared, and the list is long: power showers, heat pumps, water heaters, underfloor heating, motors, refrigeration, welders, air conditioning, EV chargers, swimming pools, cranes and lifts²⁸. For Air Source or Ground Source Heat Pumps and EV chargers, the Make and Model must be provided in the 'Type of appliance' field so certification for use in Northern Ireland can be checked²⁸.

If the connection includes generation, all generation details must be provided before the new supply can be energised, including the size of the generation system, the type of equipment and information about your installer²⁸. Connection work can take up to 9 months to complete due to the legal processes involved²⁸.

Applications are assessed without an initial site visit in most cases: photographs are used instead, and a visit is arranged only if the assessment requires it²⁸. Drawings should show the site boundary in red, with the location within surrounding roads, junctions or buildings, and NIE Networks prefers .dwg format showing building outlines, elevations, ground levels, access roads and the preferred meter position²⁸. Uploaded documents are limited to 20Mb each, in PDF, JPG or PNG, with some questions restricted to DWG files²⁸. Selecting a date in the near future will not speed up the application process²⁸, and once the design and quotation are issued, the details cannot be changed: changing the Maximum Import Capacity requires cancelling and re-applying²⁸. Where Wayleave agreements are needed, applicants can contact neighbouring landowners early to smooth the process²⁸.

One support worth knowing: under the Utility Regulator's Code of Practice, your electricity or gas supplier or NIE Networks may be able to change the position of your meter, or provide special controls and adaptors, free of charge for consumers who have difficulty accessing their meter²⁹.

What happens to the supply, appliances and ground on the day

A meter move is not a single tidy handover. Northern Gas Networks describes several distinct levels of service, and which one you get determines who finishes the job.

• Partial reconnection: the network moves the meter to the new position but does not connect it to your appliances. You arrange your own Gas Safe engineer to complete the outlet, copper, pipework reconnection from the meter to the gas appliances²³.
• Full reconnection: the network moves the meter and reconnects it to your gas appliances, but this is only available when there is no more than 2 metres of outlet pipework required to connect the meter to the appliances²³.
• Purge and relight: used when the supply pipe is being altered but the meter is staying in the same position. The network purges the meter and relights your gas appliances²³.
• Semi-concealed meter box change: if you are changing your meter due to a change to or from a semi-concealed meter box, you must contact your gas supplier to arrange the reconnection works³⁰.

The appliance boundary matters. During mains replacement work, if a fault is found, the property is not reconnected until a Gas Safe engineer has carried out checks, and the network is not authorised to repair appliances, though it will explain what you need to do next¹³. Our page on checking an engineer is Gas Safe registered explains how to verify one.

Reinstatement of the ground is the network's job on standard surfaces. Cadent fills holes and replaces the removed patch with turf, seed, tarmac or paving within five working days, with concrete imprint drives taking a little longer¹³. Electricity North West likewise returns within five working days after disconnection work to backfill and reinstate the existing surface²⁷. Internal decorative works after a meter move remain yours to arrange¹².

If your gas is turned off and not reconnected after work, the first call is your gas supplier, whose number is at the top of your energy bill¹¹. And if a new gas meter is not fitted within 12 months of the old one being removed, the gas distribution network operator will contact the property owner²².

How relocating a meter supports household energy self sufficiency

A meter is the point where your home meets a network you do not control, and where it sits shapes what you can do with the supply. Moving a meter outside, to a position you can reach, is often the practical first step for a household that wants to manage its own energy: it makes readings, topping up and shutting off the supply straightforward. If you are finding it difficult to read or access your meter, or you are doing building work, you might be able to have it moved¹. For prepayment customers especially, a meter you cannot reach is a supply you cannot control, and suppliers should try to move it to somewhere you can get to⁴.

Smart meters add a positional constraint. 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 it³¹. A relocation that separates the two meters by too great a distance can therefore affect the automatic readings that smart mode provides, where the meter sends readings to the supplier by itself³². One Energy Ombudsman case study describes a gas meter situated outside the property in a semi-concealed meter box³³, the kind of position many moves aim for. When a home is sold or let, the in-home display is left in the property for the next occupants³².

Where meters are found varies: in a house, in the basement, loft, garage or outside in a mounted box³⁴; in a flat, in a shared space like a utility room, labelled³⁴; in multiple occupancy buildings, in various places around the home or in communal areas, but usually inside¹⁰.

Disconnection is the strongest form of independence from a fuel, and it is final. A household that removes its gas supply ends its dependence on the gas network, the transporter and a gas supplier in one step, but it should do so knowing that a future supply needs a new connection and fee²⁷, and that the electricity meter remains a link to a supplier and the grid. Support exists for the transition: Electricity North West operates a free Extra Care service for households looking for a little extra help and support during connection work³⁵. For the wider picture of reducing what your home depends on, see energy independence step by step, and for the identifiers that follow your supply rather than your meter, see finding your MPAN and MPRN.