Building regulations and gas pipes

We have partnered with the Planning Portal, the home of planning and building regulations, in a bid to boost important gas safety awareness linked to building works.

The Planning Portal website hosts the latest planning and building legislation, as well as user-friendly, interactive guidance to advise homeowners and industry professionals on all things planning and building.

• When planning any building work, it’s important that you find out the location of the gas pipes and meter before starting a project.
• If you are planning works that could be near gas pipes, you need to contact your Gas Transporter or approved Utility Infrastructure Provider.
• If you are unsure who looks after the gas pipes in your area, you can visit the Energy Networks Association website and enter your postcode into its useful tool.
• The Planning Portal utility guidance has a section on its website which provides useful guidance.

When you plan any building work it’s important that you find out the location of the gas pipes and meter before you start.

If you are planning works that could be near gas pipes, you need to contact us to discuss whether there is a need to move your gas meter or make any alterations to the location of a gas pipe. Alteration of your gas pipe comes at a cost however if our works are undertaken as part of the building works this will save time, disruption and additional costs. To do this, you’ll need to contact our Connections team dedicated  on 0800 074 5788.

No, you must not build over or attempt to move/alter the gas pipes or meter without seeking advice from us. You’ll need to contact us if you live in the North West, West Midlands, East Midlands, South Yorkshire, East of England or North London as we look after the gas pipes in your area. If you are unsure who looks after the gas pipes in your area, you can enter your postcode and find out here Energy Networks Association

Building over or compromising a gas pipe has the potential to pose a serious risk.

• Gas pipework could leak as a consequence of building works
• Leaking gas could enter the fabric of the building including cavities and voids which is very dangerous and could lead to ignition or explosion
• Any leak in confined spaces or voids may be undetected by smell
• Any building works over your gas pipework not only puts you at risk but also your neighbours and any adjoining or adjacent properties

If building works have already taken place and the location of the gas pipe or meter may have been compromised, we will need to come out and check to ensure there are no safety issues. Please call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999*.

If building works are taking place and you have questions about the gas pipes or the meter, please speak to your landlord or building owner. If you have any immediate safety concerns please call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999*.

From the gas main, service pipes deliver gas to each individual property and meter. The meter location and service pipework must not be adversely affected during or after your work. We may need to move your meter prior to, during or after your work. As part of the planning process for your home improvements, and to help you to understand where and your gas service pipe is located, you need to contact us to help.

For homes built before the 1970s it was common for the meter to be installed within the home. New standards prefer the meter to be placed outside. There are also some circumstances where the gas service pipe enters a property and the meter is located inside. This can often be identified by a grey pipe running vertically and then through an external wall. Since the 1970s these service pipes have been made of plastic for both new buildings and where the gas meter has been replaced.

Building over these gas pipes can cause problems especially if the meter position has been compromised. You can find out more by reading our alterations page .

Once we have identified an issue with your gas pipe and/or meter, we will need to carry out a survey and our Connections team will need to assess the situation and discuss next steps with you. Photographs of the pipework will be taken to ensure we can complete our survey and agree the best action to take to improve the safety of the pipes. If you would like to talk to someone about a recent visit please call our team on 0800 234 6595 Mon-Fri 8am - 4.30pm