Management agensts have locked the electricity meter cupboard.

maninthestreet

Ask them how the !!!! the meter is supposed to be read by the meter reader when he knocks on your door.

tbs624

The phrase to hone in on there Tom is that bit in regulation 2 which says:

"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" (my highlighting).

It would clearly be reasonable for the occupants to be able to access the utility meters to their homes, by being given a key and a formal letter asking them to keep the cupboard locked, and the key put safely away, once the meter has been read. If they don't deal with your need to access the meter then clearly their decision has neither been made to cover "all the circumstances of the case", nor is it reasonable.

Muppets.

Does this cupboard also contain the emergency cut off switches btw?

tomstickland

I've had a good look around the net regarding this and it's normal practice to lock the cupboard, but also normal practice to give householders keys to the cupboard.

Ladybird20

ours is locked but we have our own keys

tomstickland

I've looked into the legal requirements and they boil down to
"take such care as in all the circumstances of the case is reasonable to see that the visitor will be reasonably safe"
As already pointed out by tbs624.

So I've asked them to provide a key.

marcg

It's not unusual for communal flats to give keys to the meter-reading person and not the leaseholders. Meters are often located in cupboards with lots of dangerous things in (like electrical supplies for the whole building) and are really not suitable for Joe Bloggs to be looking in unaccompanied. I'm sure the managing agent would be fine to give you readings or to give you access to take your own.

If however there is nothing in that cupboard apart from the meters themselves then you should have a key.

tomstickland

There's nothing in there apart from the meters. We've survived quite happily for the last 4 years.

Jomo

tomstickland wrote: »

There's nothing in there apart from the meters. We've survived quite happily for the last 4 years.

Using my past experience with certain management companies I'd have to say they don't know their a** from their elbow :rolleyes: sometimes. They are wrong but because they can also be quite high and mighty towards their customers (ie. stubborn) you may have to fight for your key!

I've known management companies in the past that are not even aware of the maintenance that they need to carry out on properties!

I might be wrong where your management company's concerned, they might be ok but... Try the nice approach first kindly asking them to supply each and every flat owner a key to the electric meter cupboard supplying any reasoning you have and hope that they comply.

sarah_elton

Approaching this from another angle, have you told your electricity supplier? Surely they won't be too happy if they can never read the meter! Even if they give you estimated bills, they usually read it once in a while.

Jomo

sarah_elton wrote: »

Approaching this from another angle, have you told your electricity supplier? Surely they won't be too happy if they can never read the meter! Even if they give you estimated bills, they usually read it once in a while.

My electricity supplier emails me for the meter reading.