Smart Meter Installation Rejected Because of Asbestos? What Happens Next in the Inner West

What happens when a smart meter installation is rejected because of asbestos? The metering technician has found, or suspects, asbestos in your meter panel, so they can't safely drill or disturb it to fit the new meter. The job is recorded as a site defect, and the property owner usually needs a licensed electrician to replace the panel, with the asbestos removed safely, before the retailer rebooks the smart meter. It's common in older Inner West homes and usually fixed in a day.

1. Why this is happening more often

NSW is replacing old accumulation meters with smart meters under retailer Legacy Meter Replacement Plans that run from 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2030. That means metering technicians are now visiting thousands of older Inner West homes, many with meter panels installed decades ago. Panels made before the late 1980s were often manufactured from materials containing bonded asbestos, and a technician can't drill, cut or remove them without creating a hazard. Instead of proceeding, they record a site defect and the installation is put on hold.

2. How to tell if your meter panel contains asbestos

Common signs include a grey, black or brown fibrous-looking board behind the meters, a panel that appears to be made of compressed fibre sheet rather than modern plastic or metal, and a property built or last rewired before the late 1980s. Only testing can confirm it, but most metering providers treat older panels of this type as containing asbestos. Please don't drill, sand or break the panel to check. Homes with original wiring are the most likely to be affected, as covered in our guide to original wiring in Federation and Californian bungalow homes.

3. Who is responsible for fixing it?

The meter itself belongs to the metering provider, but the meter panel, switchboard and wiring are generally part of the customer's installation. That's why the property owner usually needs to arrange and pay for the replacement. If you rent, the owner or agent is responsible, not the tenant. In strata buildings, the main meter panel is usually common property and an owners corporation matter; see our guide to planning a strata main switchboard replacement.

4. What replacing the panel involves

1. Assessment: we inspect the meter panel and switchboard, and confirm whether the panel alone or the whole board should be replaced.
2. Planned outage: supply is isolated, which may involve the network if the service fuses need to be removed.
3. Safe removal: the asbestos panel is removed, wrapped and disposed of in line with NSW work health and safety requirements.
4. New panel: a compliant non-asbestos meter panel is installed, ready for the smart meter.
5. Certification: the work is tested and a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work is lodged.
6. Rebooking: you let your retailer know the defect is cleared so the smart meter can be installed.

5. Replace just the panel, or the whole switchboard?

If your switchboard still has ceramic rewireable fuses, no safety switches or scorched connections, replacing the whole board at the same time usually costs less than two separate jobs and brings the installation up to modern safety standards. If the board is otherwise in good order, replacing only the meter panel may be enough. Our guides to switchboard upgrades for older Inner West terraces and switchboard upgrade costs can help you weigh it up. If the board has no safety switches, our safety switch installation service covers adding them.

6. What not to do

• Don't try to remove or cover the panel yourself.
• Don't let anyone drill into it to fit anything, including solar or EV equipment.
• Don't ignore repeated rejection letters; the meter will still need replacing eventually.

How Does High Demand Electrical Help With Asbestos Meter Boards?

We're a licensed Level 2 ASP team (Licence 397193C) that replaces asbestos meter panels across the Inner West, from Balmain and Leichhardt to Marrickville and Ashfield. We assess the board, arrange safe asbestos removal, install a compliant new panel or switchboard, handle any network isolation and give you the paperwork your retailer needs to rebook the smart meter. Buying an older home? A pre-purchase electrical inspection can flag an asbestos meter board before you settle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get Your Meter Panel Replaced

Had a smart meter rejected? Get a meter panel and smart meter upgrade quote, or call 0402 808 808. Send us a photo of the rejection notice and your meter board and we'll tell you what's needed.