Knowing where your gas meter is located matters for reading it regularly, for turning off the gas in an emergency, and for when an engineer visits for maintenance or repair work. The most common locations in UK properties are well-defined, but older properties can have meters in less obvious places.

External Meter Box

The most common location for a gas meter in UK homes built or converted from the 1980s onward is in a purpose-built meter box on the external wall of the property. These are typically rectangular recessed boxes with a lockable hinged door, painted to blend with the external wall, positioned at or near the point where the supply pipe enters the building. The external location allows the meter to be read by the gas supplier without requiring access to the property. Meter boxes are most often found on the front or side elevation near ground level.

Internal Locations in Older Properties

In older UK properties, gas meters were often installed internally. Common locations include under the stairs in a purpose-made cupboard, in a dedicated meter cupboard in the hallway, in the kitchen, in the garage, or in the cellar or basement. Properties where the gas supply is provided through a courtyard or alley at the rear may have meters in outbuildings or in meter boxes at the rear of the property.

Communal Meter Rooms in Blocks of Flats

In blocks of flats and purpose-built apartment buildings, gas meters are typically grouped in a communal meter room, usually in the basement or at ground floor level, with individual meters labelled by flat number. Residents access this room to read their meter or take gas readings; the meter room is typically accessible to all residents with the building's communal key or access code.

The Emergency Control Valve

Alongside or near the gas meter is the emergency control valve, which is the main gas isolation valve for the property. In an emergency or gas leak, this valve can be turned to cut off the gas supply to the whole property. The valve is a lever handle; with the lever parallel to the pipe the gas is on, and at ninety degrees to the pipe the gas is off. Knowing where both the meter and the emergency control valve are before an emergency occurs is important for everyone in the household.

Summary

Gas meters in UK homes are most commonly found in an external meter box on the front or side wall. Older properties may have internal meters under the stairs, in a hall cupboard, or in the kitchen. Flat blocks group meters in communal meter rooms. The emergency control valve is located next to the meter and can be used to isolate the gas supply in an emergency. Contact your gas supplier if the meter location is unknown.