Gas leak - gasman recommends electric replacement Help and information on all topics relating to your central heating, air conditioning and ventilation issues.

[ciara]

Hello,
My sister lives in a victorian conversion. It's a 3-floor building and she is on the top floor. She had a gas leak and had her boiler switched off a few weeks ago. She's had a couple of gasmen to have a look, and they both say the leak is under the pathways out the front of the building. She's been advised that she would be best to replace her system with electric. The other option would require scaffolding to be erected so a new gas pipe is run up the outside of the front of the building and then through her flat to the kitchen (at the back of the building)...which she has been told will be a very costly exercise.
I was always under the impression that electric heating is very expensive to run and can put people off buying (she is relocating and needs to sell the flat in the new year!). Are there any easier ways to resolve this which the gasmen have not thought of? This is causing her a great deal of stress and I would appreciate any advice / opinions.

[htg engineer]

If the gas leak is outside - before the gas meter then it's not your sister's responsibility. Your sister is responsible for appliances and pipework, from the meter into the house.

The mains gas supply belongs to the gas provider and legally it's their responsibility to repair these pipes and keep them in good condition.

[Perry525]

May I request you to check the details?
If there is a leak under the path outside the building, the key question is, is it before your sisters gas meter - in which case not her responsibility get her gas supplier to repair. If its after the meter the repair will be a simple matter.
There would be no reason to switch to electricity.

[The Heating Doctor]

Electric heating is by FAR the most expensive form of heating a building. Despite all the fancy tarrifs available it is more expensive than oil or LPG. What I'm not understanding is, if the leak is external & before the gas meter this should be Transco's problem and not your sisters, as she is responsible for the gas supply after the meter not before it, or am I missing something?