If you’ve moved into a new home without working gas central heating, it can seem like a nightmare.

It may be the case that you have to get your home connected to mains gas supply, in which case you’ll need to find a gas supplier, determine whether it’s possible to get a meter fitted, and… wait a second, who installs the meter anyway?

Many of my past customers have found this whole situation to be a bit confusing, especially on top of the stresses of recently moving home – but try not to worry.

Below, I’m going to clear up whose responsibility it is to help get you connected, and the role of a heating engineer when it comes to sorting out your gas central heating.

Who connects the meter?

Ultimately, it comes down to your gas supplier to get your meter connected, so Scottish Gas, Scottish Power or whichever company you prefer.

After your meter is properly fitted, your chosen heating engineer becomes responsible for fitting the gas supply pipe from the meter to your gas appliances (such as your boiler or gas fire).

But wait, we’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves.

Your first step is to actually check you can have access to mains gas, which I’m going to talk about below.

Check with a heating engineer first

If you’re looking to get a new gas meter installed, it might be a good idea to check with your heating engineer first, as they will be able to tell you if there is an existing supply pipe in your home or if there is gas to your building or apartment block.

If so, this is good news! You are one step closer to having gas central heating.

Getting your meter connected

When it comes to actually connecting your meter, your first point of contact should be SGN. For new meter installations, simply take a look at the SGN connections page on their website.

Once you have contacted them, they will send a surveyor out to your property to check the pipe you have in the stair (or inside your property) is live and suitable to be connected to a new meter.

If it’s found when the surveyor visits you do not have a mains gas pipe to your property or apartment block. The surveyor will be able to get a quote to you for the installation of a new supply and then follow the steps to getting your gas meter installed.

Once this is confirmed, you will have to contact the gas supplier of your choice to get the meter installed (it may be worth shopping around to get the best deal).

TIP: I have also found that if you already have an existing account with an electricity supplier, it makes it easier to use this as a reference when asking them to supply your gas.

How long does it take?

I’ve found out from past clients that this can often be a slow, and sometimes complex process, as you are often dealing with large companies. It may be easier to contact a company online to get the ball rolling, rather than having to spend hours on the phone being transferred to different departments.

Usually, it takes around 3-4 weeks for your meter to be installed – but I would say allow four weeks to be on the safe side).

If time is really of the essence and you have just moved in or want to renovate, there is a way to make the most of the time at-hand. I have had a few clients who have actually arranged for their boilers and radiators to be installed and the pipework pressure tested while they wait.

This allows for them to decorate, polish floors and continue with their renovation, so that it’s just a matter of connecting the gas supply to the meter and commissioning the boiler or fire once the meter has been installed.

Conclusion

If you are stuck without gas central heating and need a new meter connected, it can be a stressful time – especially if you’ve also just moved home. Ultimately, it’s your gas supplier’s responsibility to connect the meter, and your heating engineer’s job to connect the gas supply pipe from the meter to your gas appliances.

But first, you need to contact your chosen heating engineer (if you’re not sure whether there is gas to the property) and SGN to get the ball rolling. SGN will send a surveyor to check the property and ensure it is possible to get a meter fitted or whether further work will have to be carried out. If the pipe is live and suitable for connection, you can then contact your chosen supplier.

If it’s found when the surveyor visits you do not have a mains gas pipe to your property or apartment block. The surveyor will be able to get a quote to you for the installation of a new supply and then follow the steps to getting your gas meter installed.

It can take up to four weeks to get your gas meter connected, but if you are short for time, you could arrange to have your boiler and radiators installed while you wait, so that all your heating engineer has to do is connect the gas supply and commission the boiler once your meter is fitted.