Combining gas meters in small coop

More worries only appear if everything changes, it is better to leave everything as it is

Guest User | 5 years and 3 months ago

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Guest User | 5 years and 3 months ago

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Hi All!

I have a unit in a small self-managed coop (5 units). Each unit is owner occupied.

I am wondering whether anyone has experience with combining gas meters from 5 units into a single meter. Does National Grid do this? What are the costs involved? Any pitfalls?

For those interested, here is some background:
I use very little gas (0-3 therms each month). A therm costs less than 50 cents – nonetheless my gas bills are always around $20 because National Grid charges delivery fees with a minimum charge of about $18.50 (as of Feb. 2020). I assume the other owners have a similar situation – even those who use more gas are unlikely to have more than a few dollars in actual usage fees.

The clever thing to do would be to combine gas meters and have a single meter for the coop with a single delivery fee. Even if that means that low-use owners would “subsidize” the heavier users, because each now pays only 20% of the $18+ monthly delivery fee, savings would probably come out to more than $175 per year per unit, or nearly $900 for the whole building.

Any insights are appreciated!

resident2 | 5 years and 3 months ago

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The chances are you will need to re-plumb all the lines. To get a new meter that will now be for a multiple occupancy & the rate will be a higher rate, like a Landlords rate.
Plus you will need to do the legal paperwork to disclose the changes in the Co-Op paperwork for disclose to all future buyers etc.
Costs, permits etc will probably more trouble than it is worth, especially in the current climate/ times of Gas line works!

MDR | 5 years and 3 months ago

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If you are using that little I assume it is only for a gas range. You could switch to an electric range and have national grid lock your meter and close your account. But then you would have to buy an electric range and have a 220 volt circuit installed so I doubt it would be worth it. The minimum $20 charge is annoying but in the big picture is probably not worth worrying about. And it is better for each unit to have their own meter and be responsible for their own use.

JohnHancock | 5 years and 3 months ago

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But if you have your meter locked and at some point want to use it again I think you have to have a pressure test on your line.

hkapstein | 5 years and 3 months ago

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This would not be as clever as you think.

lkrshacmzcy | 5 years and 3 months ago

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The ROI on this would take an extremely long time to ever make positive.
That does not even factor in all the issues this has the potential to bring up with the DOB.

Guest User | 5 years and 3 months ago

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Absolutely stupid idea

Guest User | 5 years and 3 months ago

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Thanks for all the replies, folks. I figured there might be a chance that this is an easy no-brainer, but it seems it isn’t. Thanks!

BKALLDAY | 5 years and 3 months ago

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I say leave it as is and walk away.