[retrotecchie]

@Jimbob

Well, I suggest you have that conversation with Customer Services.

[meldrewreborn]

Its an interesting conundrum that I'd not heard of before. Only licenced trades can deal with asbestos and they will not usually be meter installers. So in reality you will need to book two groups of people at the same time. The meter backboard will need replacing with whatever material they fit nowadays - mine is 1" wood - but the house is 90 years old (Happy Birthday!) . That exchange will be at your expense.

The meter replacement can then go ahead. Its very unlikely that you'll be a able to have a traditional meter installed, as meters are not refurbished any longer- just scrapped - so a smart meter will inevitably be installed. However you are able to insist that the smart technology is disabled so it will work for you as a traditional meter, but any future occupier will be able to have the smart stuff reinstated.

And of course it would be as well to get a second opinion that the current backboard is actually asbestos.

@retrotechie is very knowledgeable and his advice is sound. Each installer is likely to be a self employed contractor, with different skills and attitudes to these matters. Yours will not be the first time this issue has cropped up (for them) and they will most likely have a protocol for it. Customer services is your first stop.

[retrotecchie]

@meldrewreborn

There is a high likelihood that the backboard may also support the DNO's disconnect and fuse so they too may need to be brought into the conversation. The few installations I have encountered old enough to have asbestos would also likely have other issues that need rectifying before a meter can be swapped. The most common being an outdated and obsolete fused neutral. In the majority of cases, meter engineers will not even countenance any works until the DNO has rectified any problems first.

Advice on asbestos backboards and a number to call can be found here, @Jimbob

https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/electricity/replace-meter-board

You can also arrange a free visit online to come out and inspect the backboard and then determine exactly what work needs to be carried out.

If your area is not served by UKPowerNetworks, then other DNOs have equivalent services.

[theunknowntech]

Just a heads up. The ability to install and operate Smart Meters in "Dumb Mode" no longer exists. SMETS2 never supported it and the ability to switch to "Dumb Mode" has been removed from SMETS1 as part of the DCC Migration. It caused too much trouble when folks moved out and it was impossible to re-enable Smart functionality for the new customer who wanted it turned back on as it was impossible.

The only way it'll run without Smart features is if there's no signal, which is very unlikely.

If you want Economy 7 features to work, then I'm afraid you will need a Smart Meter that has working comms.

[theunknowntech]

Also, I must strongly recommend against any attempt to interfere with the meter and it's Smart functionality whatsoever no matter how tempted you may be. I know of maybe a thousand different ways it could be done, but all of them are extremely dangerous and could give you a nasty electric shock that could kill you. Do not risk it.

For what I hope are extremely obvious reasons, I will not discuss what those methods are.

[DebF_EONNext]

Hey @Jimbob welcome to the Community, can I ask is there a specific reason why you don't want to have smart installed?