Cost of getting normal meter installed

richardc1983

I am going to ask my landlord tmrw if he would mind me getting my own electricity meter installed... one where I have an account with the electricity board.

I feel this way would be best for me.

THe current set up is he has a bill come from the electricity board for the meter in the boiler room, off of that meter are 4 submeters one for each flat that we put coins into. he uses that to pay the main bill.

I want the electricity board to put me my own supply in. The house is a victorian house converted into flats.

Anyone have any idea how much this would cost me to do?

poppysarah

He can only charge you what he's paying anyway - if he's not then that needs sorting out first

tbs624

Do you know when the meters were last updated? (most prepayment meters are now key/card/token)

Does the LL live in one of the flats?

Do you have support from the other flats' occupants?

Obviously no conversion can take place without your LLs consent - the problem is that some LLs prefer a prepayment set up so that no tenant leaves a huge unpaid utility bill behind when they leave.

If you did manage to persuade him to change the set up, the gas/elec companies would want to fully credit check you first and you may be asked to make a security deposit to them too.

It may be worth talking to your LL about totally switching supplies over via Ebico or the Utility Warehouse (agents not energy suppliers) who apparently seek to charge the same rates whatever the method of payment (Google EquiGas/EquiPower)

If you can get support from the other tenants and show them that a change would be beneficial, you can then jointly seek a transfer to a cheaper provider.

(Haven't checked what MSE Martin has to say about prepayment meters on the main part of this site- have you?)

mlz1413

I'm surprised that each flat doesn't get its own bill, surely each sub-meter could be billed by the electric company so that each flat gets its own bill?

But when you say the LL collects the money from the meter boxes I have a really bad feeling that the sub-meters may not have been installed by the electric company as normally the only people who can open these meters are the electric company.

Is the rent really cheap? is the cost of the electric normal? Is your LL a reasonable person? I think you need to talk to LL first and then decide if its worth staying if you don't get your own meter.

richardc1983

The rent to be honest is cheap for what we have got which im sure he makes up for on electric charges. THe electric he has just put up he says its in line with the 20% increases but i think we have always paid more.

He had these sub meters put in and he empties them.

Rabiddog_2

Do these sub meters have a long springy handle at one side? and the dial shows oranges and cherry's in a row of three? AFAIK You don't have any right to have a separate meter...I have been quoted between £60 and £90 to have normal meters (re)installed.

paintpot

Hi

I manage a HMO that has a similar set up. The coin meters have nothing to do with the utility provider they were installed by the landlord to collect money to pay the electricity bill for the one meter that supplies all the flats.

I am currently arranging to have the electrical supply split so that each flat will have their own meter and there will be a meter for the landlord for lighting the communal areas.

The cost of doing this is circa £1400 :eek: and that is just the cost for what the electricity board have to do. It's a rigmarole of a process. The electricity board will dig the road/path up but then I am responsible for having a trench dug in the garden for the cables and then I will have the cost of my own electrician as well as he has to do certain work.

So, if yours is a similar set up then it is costly and not as simple at it seems. A tenant who recently moved in requested her own meter (she doesn't like the coins) and said " If it can be done by the time I get back from my holiday that would be great!". :rolleyes: The electricity board have a waiting time of up to 10 weeks once payment is received :rotfl:

richardc1983

Oh never I know that my landlord will not do anything like that! hes only just gotten round to flattening the garden after 5yrs of being here!

paintpot

Yes, it's true, like I said, it's not as simple at it might seem. It is an antiquated way of doing things i.e. the coin meter, but the reason your landlord won't have changed it is because of the cost/hassle involved. It's getting on my nerves sorting the meter split out on the house I deal with but it needs to be brought into the 21st century at long last. Plus gaining access to each flat to empty the meters is a pain as well.

I am sure if you offer to pay, he'll let you have your own meter :rotfl:

richardc1983 wrote: »

Oh never I know that my landlord will not do anything like that! hes only just gotten round to flattening the garden after 5yrs of being here!

richardc1983

HAHA i said that to him!

The thing is my landlord just lets himself in, if im in bed and i dont answer the door he lets himself in to empty it!!!! our rent isnt high though and our council tax and gas is included in price of it.

paintpot

I knew you were going to say that! Your landlord has no right to just let himself in. He is breaching your legal right to quiet enjoyment of the property. You do not have to tolerate this.

That's the reason it is a pain for me because legally the landlord has to serve written notice to enter and the tenant does have the right to refuse you entry. No-one has yet but then I empty the meters infrequently to try not to disturb the tenants too much. They can hold a surprising amount of money - I took over £100 out of one once - I didn't realise how much was in it and it's above head height - I nearly broke my nose as I wasn't expecting the tray with the coins in to be so heavy :rotfl:

richardc1983 wrote: »

HAHA i said that to him!

The thing is my landlord just lets himself in, if im in bed and i dont answer the door he lets himself in to empty it!!!! our rent isnt high though and our council tax and gas is included in price of it.