I think that's a step too far for me 😆 

Posted by: @transparent

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I'm puzzled by that.

I have access to the EMU, which is NGED's network mapping tool.

There are thousands of redundant cables all over the place.
They are marked NC (Not Connected), and still show up whenever a contractor seeks permission to excavate in the area.

@transparent

Don’t want to muddy the discussion on gas disconnection (although I guess I’ve already done that, though I was only intending to add the information in support).

I created a query about this issue on the forum a while back. I was somewhat surprised myself, but I can only report what I was told was required by the NGED engineer that came out to survey and provide the quote. I was expecting that they would simply want to remove the fuse and somehow seal off the cut-out to prevent danger and potential theft, leaving the cable as was. I would have thought that this was best as, if required, the supply could be reinstated in the future without any hassle. However, they insisted that the cable had to be removed. Due to the previous owners building work, the cable was not easily accessible after it entered the internal wall, in addition, the main cable is located in the shared  access road (private) outside of the garden. So they wanted the cable cut back and the exposed end hidden in the wall (why I have no idea) and outside a section of cable at least 1m long removed as close to the boundary as possible and the ends (both) capped. I can only think that this is a safety and potential theft issue.

Octopus would remove the meter for free, our electrician said he would deal with the meter tails. I understand that the connection/cable has its own end point number and that having the meter removed by Octopus would potentially not actually end the standing charge, which would only end after NGED got involved.

They would also have liked to move the other meter to an outside box, the cost and disruption of which was even greater.

Back in 2019, the standing charge was around £70 per meter, it’s now nearer £250, hence the hand wringing.

@rusty In our case, Octopus Energy capped the no longer required gas supply, removed the gas meter after taking readings and noting the IPAN number etc. The standing charge stopped from the following day and there was no charge for this service at all. It took SGN some 8-9 months to catch up with the paperwork and come and take a looksee themselves; being satisfied that the remaining pipework had been capped to their satisfaction and they noted the integrity of the newly installed earth bond from their pipe to the domestic feed which connects to no appliance at all and is just sleeping under the floorboards, toddled off whistling tunelessly. (I invented the last bit😉). Regards, Toodles.

I can only add to the people who have been satisfied Octopus customers. They removed my gas meter for free. I let the DNO (NWEL) know at the time and they 'offered' to remove my gas supply completely from the property for a fee (c.£2500 I recall). I said "not if I don't have to by law" and they said no, it's optional. Just less than one year later they got in touch to cap my supply off at the main for free. I still have one gas feed pipe inside my garage but it's now just an empty tube and I've paid out a grand total of zero.

Posted by: @rusty

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I can only report what I was told was required by the NGED engineer that came out to survey and provide the quote. I was expecting that they would simply want to remove the fuse and somehow seal off the cut-out to prevent danger and potential theft, leaving the cable as was. I would have thought that this was best as, if required, the supply could be reinstated in the future without any hassle. However, they insisted that the cable had to be removed.

I don't know enough about the supply at your location to know why this action was taken.

All work on electricity supplies in UK is covered by Standard Techniques documents.

The Disconnection process is not very different from that which applies when making a New Connection.
Both procedures involve cable identification and safety checks, and a system of notifications to/fro the Asset Management staff and the Mapping Team.

There are certain categories of supply where a Disconnection is not permitted without Additional Works being required (at cost).
This would apply, for example, when the cessation of a supply would cause phase imbalances, or leave other apparatus live but redundant.

It's possible I might be able to provide you with a better answer if I knew your location.

If you wish, you can send me a Private Message with your postcode and the name/number of your local sub-station.
That's the transformer which supplies 440v/240v to you and your neighbours.

I do have direct contact with the senior engineer who writes/authorises the Standard Techniques implemented by NGED engineers and other licensed Independent Contractors.

But I limit my communications with him because he has other important work to be getting on with!

I pay close attention to what consumers write here on the Forum, and I would correspond with him in situations where there seemed to be practices which were unsafe or where I needed clarification of a Standard..

Earlier today, for example, we exchanged emails regarding the risks of legionella bacteria infection being increased as a result of a strategy called Demand Side Response which the Dept of Energy (DESNZ) is considering. That was important because Heat Pump manufacturers are informing DESNZ of operational parameters which do not correspond with those which are being reported here by members of the general public.

Back to gas: we too had the meter removed for free by Octopus. It took very few minutes less than 15, so not a huge subsidy from them. We had a new gas supply pipe 14 years ago (other leak on the supply side present and precautionary) and digging up solid concrete drive was non-trivial and messy. So we have a new surface on top to cover the mess and are therefore in no hurry to have the pipe to the road removed.

I like the induction hob too

@rusty has reminded me that we already corresponded about the old electricity supply to his house.

I've re-read his previous PM and re-checked the map.
There are several below-ground branches from the substation transformer feed, which serve neighbouring properties.

It looks to me as if NGED wanted to remove a good 1m of the cable supplying the disused meter point, because there is otherwise a method by which it could later be reconnected and unmetered electricity stolen from the grid.

There have been several instances where this has occurred at other locations in UK.

The best-known one was in Wiltshire, where an old MOD facility was reconnected illegally.
The gang used the buildings to propagate substantial numbers of hemp plants...
... and there were doubts raised as to whether this was intended for rope-making.

We had our gas meter removed too by Octopus, for free.  It took the guy 20 minutes to do - he turned off the incoming gas lever in our cabinet, removed the meter, blanked off the pipe, turned the gas lever back on& checked for leaks with fairy liquid  (ok some pro equivalent).  When all that was ok, turned it off again and took the lever away 🙂

Cadent came round a year later to check it was safe - if they decided it wasn’t they’d have billed us £1500+ to make safe.  They were happy - probably because we left the meter box there to protect the unused gas pipe.

@robl Our meter box was falling apart and long stopped being a locked flap front closing protective enclosure. By the time SGN came to see the work, the front part of the enclosure had gone to the tip - there was just a tattered back plate left. (They do go surprisingly brittle when exposed to the elements don’t they?) We still have the lever in place - it is a wonder SGN did not take that with them I suppse. Our road is due to be re-piped by SGN’s contractors soon (they have done all the surrounding roads making much disruption for best part of a year now) and I hope they will agree to disconnecting our pipework at source so to speak, then I can get rid of the eyesore. Regards, Toodles.

Posted by: @toodles

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By the time SGN came to see the work, the front part of the enclosure had gone to the tip - there was just a tattered back plate left.

Others please note:

Meter enclosure doors are available separately, and are inexpensive...
... a lot cheaper than your GDN doing it for you.

@transparent We had one chappie from SGN call at the door (just checking his paperwork and that we weren’t half inching any gas I think), his opening remarks were that he had a meter box with him and was happy to fit it for us… with our blessing he went ahead only to discover it was the wrong size. He promised to return with another one that should fit, well, 6+ months later - we are still waiting. Regards, Toodles.

We are in a similar situation with ASHP installed a couple of months ago (by 21 degrees) and now trying to get our supplier (Octopus) to disconnect. Have to say they have been not good so far. They have a very encouraging blog here: https://octopus.energy/blog/disconnecting-your-gas-supply/    However, so far I have had two months of them saying they will get back to me. Tried escalating today and they are now saying that I should have got in touch with distributor first, and that they will need to "cap" the supply. 

Looking at Northern Gas network site, https://www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk/gas-connections/disconnect/what-to-expect/ I am looking at £770+ VAT or more. This is for actually removing the pipe to the street. 

A bit more digging and found this - Ofgem recognising it is a mess, and consulting on future options. https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/call-for-input/exercising-consumer-choice-review-gas-disconnections-framework  

The consultation clarifies that what most customers do is get their meter removed by their supplier, and then the distributor has a responsibility (under Health & Safety) to remove the connecting pipe (for free). Also shows that it's typically £2k to get rid of the pipe if you get it done directly and don't go down this H&S route. 

All feels a bit of a nightmare. If it wasn't for the standing charge, I'd just leave it, but niggles to have to pay £100 a year subsidising gas that I don't use, especially having done the right environmental thing of stopping using it! Will keep trying... 

EDIT UPDATE: Octopus have now again confirmed that they will cap the supply and remove the meter, just can't say when.