High Electricty in Rented Accomodation

lionaljoseph

Hi All,

I live in a rented flat that ONLY has electricty. Its modern, very well insulated so I hardly use the heating, probably only during the cold winter really.

The building has its own electricty meters and bills come direct from the buildings management company; no service provider company such as British Gas, eon etc

My bills are incredibly high, around £500 per quarter for a well insulated one bed flat, living alone. I'm not alone either, other tennants are feeling the pinch too. The building is quite nice and has some comfortable residents; who just pay direct debit and dont even think about it.

The estate agent (who sends me the bills from the management company) has said to me 'i think your getting ripped off personally, but not sure what we can do about it'.

I have been to energy watch, citizens advice and others, had NO luck whatsoever.

I'm pretty sure its the electric boiler that is causing the high usage, as it continuously switches itself on to keep a certain temperature. So I have generally kept it switched off unless i need heat or a shower.

Does anyone have any thoughts (other than jeez your getting ripped off or move out, i've heard that a few times).

The problem is that my landlord has about £1,000 deposit so its not so simple to move out because any outstanding bills will just be taken out the deposit, which means they win, i still get ripped off and end up having to go through the headache of relocating.

Any insights

Mynewt

Do you know how the management agency are calculating your bills? Ar ethey based on any readings? or do they just provide you a a share of the bigger bill so to speak. Your right your bills are extrmely high for the type of property you mention, give the elvel of consumption you've mentioned and measures that exsist there.

A lot also depends on the terms of your tenancy at the property, but the heaache of relocating maybe be worth it in the long run.

What are the specific terms in your rental agreement regarding the provision of energy?

Cardew

Firstly it is illegal for landlords/managing agents to sell gas and electricity for a profit.

However there is a growing tendancy for Utility Companies to sign up managing agents so they get a big fat commission for bringing them captive customers.

They can even 'negotiate' a commercial tariff - which means you could be paying 15% VAT(soon to be 17.5%) instead of 5%

You really should insist on getting a detailed bill showing the price per kWH. and the VAT rate as well as the company that is supplying. As a rough guide the majority of your electricity should be in the region of 10p/kWh including 5% VAT.

That said all electric flats are very expensive to heat, but you really must know what you are paying for.

Premier_2

lionaljoseph wrote: »

...I have been to energy watch, ...

Hi lionaljoseph & welcome to MSE. :hello:

When did you approach Energywatch? They have been disbanded for well over a year now :eek:


Anyway, are you on an individual metered supply for your flat? If not, you on your own not heating, showing, having hot water etc will do nothing to your bill if the remainder of the residents are living in saunas with their windows flung open in an attempt to cool it down knowing they are not paying for their individual usage.
You will need collective communal action to reduce consumption (easier said than done, I appreciate), but what has already been used will have to be paid for.

Mynewt

He probably means consumer focus whom took over form energy watch.

spiro

Cardew wrote: »

Firstly it is illegal for landlords/managing agents to sell gas and electricity for a profit.

However there is a growing tendancy for Utility Companies to sign up managing agents so they get a big fat commission for bringing them captive customers.

They can even 'negotiate' a commercial tariff - which means you could be paying 15% VAT(soon to be 17.5%) instead of 5%

You really should insist on getting a detailed bill showing the price per kWH. and the VAT rate as well as the company that is supplying. As a rough guide the majority of your electricity should be in the region of 10p/kWh including 5% VAT.

That said all electric flats are very expensive to heat, but you really must know what you are paying for.

I think you are entitled to see what the landlord is being billed and it can only be based on a meter that covers your property he cant say 10 flats £1000 bill therefore £100 each.

pmhtuk

Incidently, I'm having a similar problem, but the company (in this case, Switch2 (ENER-G)) are yet to provide a bill after several months of moving into a new apt.

I'm concerned that I don't know how much I'm using, and have emailed them twice with the same response, saying a bill will be issued soon/they're updating their systems with tenants details/etc and I've no idea how much I'm going to have to pay.

They are in place to 'provide a better service and deal' and I'm sure that the building designer / owner (Urban Splash) will be getting some sort of cut from the money made, or commission...

Premier_2

spiro wrote: »

I think you are entitled to see what the landlord is being billed and it can only be based on a meter that covers your property he cant say 10 flats £1000 bill therefore £100 each.

What if each appartment is not independantly metered?
What about communal electricity usage e.g. corridor or security lighting?

lionaljoseph

Each apartment has bills based on usage and not share.
Its interesting that Cardew mentions its illegal for landlords etc to 'make profit' from energy, but its going about proving that and I went to Citizens Advice who didnt even touch that whole area, they sent me away saying get a solicitors letter....

PasturesNew

Can you/have you taken meter readings yourself?
If so, can you work out how much you're paying per unit?

spiro

Premier wrote: »

What if each appartment is not independantly metered?
What about communal electricity usage e.g. corridor or security lighting?

I have just checked and if they dont each have their own meter he has to based on the floor space of each flat and the appliances they have. So if every flat was the same size and had exactly the same appliances then he could get away with total bill/no flats = cost per flat. If one has more appliances then their sharea has to be higher.

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/EnergySupplyandPost/energysupply/managingbills/lanlord