On 30 May 2007 13:36:35 -0700, Martha wrote:

I requested a meter move from my supplier from inside the front door
to outside the front door.

I presume you mean into an external meter cabinet, and that your existing
supply is underground not overhead.

Following the survey we were told we would
need a new mains supply, which would require yet another survey and a
cost of £690- excludes the meter move (not yet quoted for !!) and the
electricians required.

Been there, done that had the arguments and got a refund, but I did work in
the industry for many years and knew exactly how the work *would* be done,
which wasn't what they insisted I paid for.

I have tried to no avail to get the supplier to explain why we need a
new mains supply (and indeed why we are responsible for paying for
this) as the house has an existing supply and we are not adding meters
(ie splitting into flats).

Ask them for a breakdown of their estimate.

Does anyone know of any situations as to
why we would potentially require a new mains supply in this
instance...?

The stock answer is health and safety. 'We'll have to dig down outside the
property, find the old service cable and joint a new piece of cable into
the new meter position.'

Except what really happens is that the guys who turn up will firstly try to
remove the old main fuse, tape up the end of the cable to make it safe and
try to withdraw the existing cable and feed it into the new meter position.

If your service cable is old (40+ years), it'll be armoured lead-sheathed
cable, and they won't be able to withdraw it and feed it into the new
cabinet. The cable isn't dangerous or worn out per se, just that it can't
be made safe and pulled around like that. If it's a modern pvc sheathed
cable then it quite possibly can, although that's no guarantee they will be
able to do it 'the easy way'.

Having said all of that, when you have the breakdown, you'll have to pay
the full price, but you watch the guys doing it and see if they are doing
the work according to the breakdown of costs. Don't challenge them,
however, take it with the office after they've done their work. The workers
might just stop doing the quick way and do it as per the estimate, IYSWIM.

--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net