Management agensts have locked the electricity meter cupboard.

tomstickland

Our totally inept management agents have recently actually done some work. Sadly, however, it involved them suddenly being worried about an electricity meter cupboard. They've fitted a lock to it. They've yet to explain to me how I am supposed to read my electricity meter.
They've explained it as being a legal requirement.

Can I reasonably expect to be given a key to the cupboard?

maninthestreet

tomstickland wrote: »

Our totally inept management agents have recently actually done some work. Sadly, however, it involved them suddenly being worried about an electricity meter cupboard. They've fitted a lock to it. They've yet to explain to me how I am supposed to read my electricity meter.
They've explained it as being a legal requirement.

Can I reasonably expect to be given a key to the cupboard?

Ask then what section of what Act of Parliament requires that an electrictiy meter cupboard should be locked? Is this where the fusebox is located??

Fire_Fox

tomstickland wrote: »

Our totally inept management agents have recently actually done some work. Sadly, however, it involved them suddenly being worried about an electricity meter cupboard. They've fitted a lock to it. They've yet to explain to me how I am supposed to read my electricity meter.
They've explained it as being a legal requirement.

Can I reasonably expect to be given a key to the cupboard?

What is the point in locking a door and then giving you a key? Just ring them up and get them to send someone out each time you need to read your meter: they will soon get sick of you.

Our useless management company installed a metal gate (complete with spikes) stopping junkies going down the steps to our basement where the meters are. I now need to go through a dry cleaning shop to read my meter! :rolleyes:

BexInLondon

Ours wouldn't give us a key but the next time a bloke from the company came out to do something else I nobbled him and he gave me one on condition I didn't tell his boss.

Jomo

We all have keys to ours but not sure if it is locked at all times tbh...we were given them on purchase, not by the management company.

tomstickland

Here's what they had to say:

There is a very strong legal and moral argument for why we do this and it is detailed as follows.

Our duty of care/Moral Obligation

We have a duty of care to protect all persons passing through the premises from the risk of injury.

We therefore lock the meter cupboards to protect (we must assume) vulnerable persons from accessing the hazardous electrical installations inside.

If we permitted access we would be in breach of our duty. If an accident or injury occurred because of this, a case of negligence could be forwarded against us as the managing agent.

Legal Argument

The Occupiers Liability Act 1957 and 1984 is a legal requirement that backs up this moral argument. It states that we the managing agent (acting on behalf of the occupier), must protect those under our duty of care.

Regulation 2 (2) states that we must; take such care as in all the circumstances of the case is reasonable to see that the visitor will be reasonably safe in using the premises for the purpose for which he is invited or permitted by the occupier to be there.

Regulation 3 (a), Outlines our duty of care to protect vulnerable persons; an occupier must be prepared for children to be less careful than adults.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 defines any room, lobby, corridor, staircase, road, or other place – used as a means of access to or egress from that place of work as a workplace. We therefore must also comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Regulation 2 of this act details our duty to provide our employee with a safe working environment. Regulation 3 extends these duties to those who may be affected by this work activity. These are any visitors, residents, contractors who pass through this area.

Jomo

Kindly ask them to provide all meter readings in that case...!

princessamy86

If we permitted access we would be in breach of our duty. If an accident or injury occurred because of this, a case of negligence could be forwarded against us as the managing agent.

It would seem that they expect you to put up with estimated bills then??

shellsuit

BexInLondon wrote: »

Ours wouldn't give us a key but the next time a bloke from the company came out to do something else I nobbled him and he gave me one on condition I didn't tell his boss.

Oh my God haha, I thought you said...

Next time a bloke from the company came out to do something else I nobbed him and he gave me one... :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:







Tom, I can't see why they can't give you a key ~ have you asked for one?

BexInLondon

shellsuit wrote: »

Oh my God haha, I thought you said...

Next time a bloke from the company came out to do something else I nobbed him and he gave me one... :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Eeeek! I didn't want the key that much!

Tony - perhaps you could say: I now understand why you installed a lock. Please advise as to when the key will be delivered.

Fire_Fox

Tom have you tried to make an appointment for someone to let you in to read your meters? I wouldn't let someone else read mine for me, as it's not unheard of for the wrong meter to be read where there are communal facilities.