What to check before a meter is exchanged 

Delays, persistent rescheduling, and a lack of understanding around what works are required and why are just some of the things which can cause frustration to customers when they're getting their meter exchanged.

With some jobs requiring four parties to be on-site at the same time, it can be tricky to coordinate and avoid the occasional re-schedule. However, there are some common things that prevent our metering service provider from completing a meter exchange at the scheduled time, which can be proactively managed to avoid delays.

Asbestos in, or around, the meter panel

For single-tenancy and multi-tenancy premises, where a customer has engaged an Electrical Contractor to complete certain works on-site, depending on the works being performed, the asbestos panel is the responsibility of the Electrical Contractor or in some cases, the panel will be replaced at the time of the meter exchange. There can sometimes be some complexities when completing a meter install and a lot of factors can hinder an installation going ahead. Some examples are; customer equipment on the meter panel, electricity isolation issues, multiple retailers at the one site, and customer meter panel sizes.

Asbestos lining

If asbestos lining is present, it's important that the electrical contractor arrange for the enclosure lining to be replaced, before the new meter is scheduled for installation.

Customer equipment on the meter panel

It’s important to check for customer equipment on the meter panel. All customer equipment must be removed before the meter exchange can take place.

Point of attachment

It's important to check that the point of attachment is easily accessible and meets current safety standards – this means that the fuse can be accessed via a pole from underneath. If the point of attachment is not accessible, there may be extra costs incurred to the customer to isolate the supply to enable the work to be completed. In some cases, the positioning of the point of attachment may no longer be compliant.

Customer costs

What customer costs are associated with a meter exchange?

Find out here