Meter tampering FAQ

Gas meter tampering is a criminal offence. Anyone who tampers with their own or other people’s meters are guilty of an offence and so liable for prosecution. If convicted of an offence under certain sections of the Energy Act legislation, they may be liable - at the discretion of the court - to pay a fine of up to €5,000 and/or imprisonment for up to six months.

The method of interfering with the meter varies but in all cases such activity is illegal and dangerous. By law, only Gas Networks Ireland representatives and Registered Gas Installers are authorised to work on natural gas meters and gas pipework.

All sites suspected of meter tampering are visited by a Gas Networks Ireland Fitter and the meter is inspected. If the Fitter suspects interference, the meter is exchanged. The customer can still consume gas at this point. The removed meter is returned to our stores, re-inspected and tampering is reconfirmed. The removed meter is stored securely. We will then issue a letter to the occupant of the premises advising them of the interference found at the site and the necessary steps to resolve the matter.

When meter tampering has been confirmed at a residential site, we require the end-user to make payment for the damaged meter (€248.08) and submit a Registered Gas Installer (RGI) Certificate of Conformance (Cert 3). The end-user’s gas supplier may also be in contact. This will be in relation to the unrecorded consumption as a result of the meter tampering. If tampering is found at an industrial or commercial site, the costs associated are considerably higher than those applied at a residential property.

RGI stands for Registered Gas Installer. By law, only an RGI can carry out gas works in your home. We recommend that gas users have their gas appliances serviced and their installation inspected for safety every 12 months. This work can only be carried out by an RGI. You can find an RGI in your area on the RGI website.

It is important to ensure that the current resident or occupant at the premises is informed of what we have found after inspecting the meter. From a safety perspective Gas Networks Ireland must inform the current occupier.

There is the possibility of disconnection if we deem that there is a safety concern on the site or if the matter is not resolved. We provide the end-user with a new gas meter. A payment of €248.08 and the RGI cert must be received within 28 days of receipt of the letter from us. Failure to meet this deadline will result in the disconnection of the supply at the site.

If the supply is disconnected, the residential end-user can still re-connect by paying €603.68 and providing a RGI Certificate of Conformance (Cert 3). Note: the costs for I/C customers will be considerably higher.