'Non Gas Estate'

Grant Stevens

Hello all. I'm not sure if this is the correct thread but here goes....

I have recently to upgrade our home from oil-fuelled heating to gas. I would like to have gas installed (please don't go down the road of "keep your oil system instead, etc etc") but have encountered a problem. All housing estates around us (and I mean completely surrounding us by 360 degrees!) are connected to the gas supply. Even my next door neighbour (though separated by a dividing wall that separates my estate from his) has a gas supply and his house is about 5m from mine.

I have contacted Gas Network Ireland to see what the story is regarding getting connected. They said my estate (which consists of 100 houses) is referred to a "non-gas estate" and we will require at least a 20% participation rate from other residents before they will consider extending the network. They have quoted me €4493 per property to extend the gas network into our estate. That's 20 houses x €4493 = €89,860 that they require upfront to even consider the works (and this price is subject to change!)

Now, given financial restraints of late etc, I can understand that viability is paramount for such projects to commence but I can hardly imagine that this is what every non-new estate in the country has gone through in the past to get the gas network extended into their estates?

I have also questioned them regarding properties who jump on after the estate gets connected asking how much it would then cost. I was told it cost each subsequent household the same i.e. €4493 to join their property up with the connection. So basically, a few years down the road when there's potentially a gas line running passed my property, I would have to pay this extortionate amount to connect?? This is before any of the internal work, boiler cost, labour etc. Seems absurd to me.

It seems to me that we could be in a black hole meaning our estate may never get connected. Also, I imagine it would be nigh on impossible to convince 20% of my neighbours to go gas at that price! Water charges are bad enough!

When I queried bringing it through from the neighbouring estate next door they told me that it must come in the main entrance. I wonder if this is a legal, logistical, logical or money-making requirement. I'm a bit stumped to say the least. As I said, I understand budgets are tight (for both households & business) but I find it frustrating that I cannot connect to the gas network with ease in 2015. It's not as if we are rural and miles from nowhere. Would gas be considered along the same lines as water & electricity in terms of domestic entitlement or is gas considered a "luxury" upgrade?

Has anyone been through this before and come out the other end triumphant?! Would there be any point in lobbying local authorities/ council/ government etc. or am I pis*ing against the wind?

I would welcome any thoughts on this and thanks in advance

Grant Stevens

*** Please note: Poll should read " would you move from oil to gas"....apologies

BeQuiet

hi Grant ... its nearly a year since you posted this question, and seems you didnt get any advice here on the problem.

I have same problem with my house, so am wondering how it went for you - any luck with getting a gas line, or did you stay with oil heating?

Thanks

ted1

Try calor gas, they will install a tank