Separate garage - meter query

hdv63

Hi - can anyone advise as I'm getting mixed information from different suppliers.

I have a separate, detached garage that is not next to my property - its another 2 houses down. It has its own electricity supply and meter. The meter is a business meter, I'm told by edf, because its not a domestic residence ie a garage and I can't live in it it has to be classifed for their purposes as a business property with a business meter with a business rate. Scottish Power tell me that as the garage is for residential use and not a business the profile of the meter can be changed to that of residential.

I am confused - the garage is on a separate piece of land with separate deeds to the house - does this make a difference? At the end of the day its a domestic garage full of our domestic junk!

Any comments? Thanks.

spiro

For elec the classification should be based on fuel usage; mainly (over 50%) domestic it is domestic, mainly (over 50%) non domestic it is non domestic. Simplees

hdv63

Thanks. So how to I prove that? I'm contracted to edf till Nov but think I will change supplier and then take it from there.
edf were adamant that its a business property as its a garage detached from the house - personally I think they are taking the you know what .

Premier_2

Domestic premises are defined as 'premises at which supply is taken wholly or mainly for domestic purposes'.

http://cfe.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/cfe.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=5921&p_created=1210085202&p_sid=2sMiXpWj&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MjU5LDI1OSZwX3Byb2RzPTAmcF9jYXRzPTAmcF9wdj0mcF9jdj0mcF9wYWdlPTEmcF9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1idXNpbmVzcw**&p_li=&p_topview=1

How much electricity do you use in this garage? If it's just full of junk, I guess it's a light bulb on now and again and not much else. I'd be surprised if you use more than about 5 kWh per year ... unless of course you are doing some other kind of work there too.

The difference between 17.5% and 5% on about 50p isn't really worth arguing over is it?

hdv63

We've had to use a heater on and off during the winter and a dehumidifier, but not on constantly. Its a usual garage - lots of stuff stored in it and it gets used now and then for some diy, so the odd power tool.

The issue is when I we moved in the business tariff was dirt cheap, working out about £2.00 a quarter. edf changed their tariffs and it went up we pay £13.5 approx for first 25 units then about 10.5 for the remainder. The bill has gone up to £69.00 a quarter. Admitedly we have run the dehumidifer and heater but that is sporadic use. I think thats way too expensive - or is it just me? Possibly its the shock of going from zilch to larger bills. Thats why I think it should be classed as domestic.

spiro

I would write a letter of complaint to EDF that your garage has been wrongly classified as non domestic when it should be domestic. Also as a domestic site there are no enforced contract durations, only penalty clauses for leaving early, so you could swap before Nov. If they argue ask them what business is being run from the garage because without a business there cant be a business rate contract/tariff.

hdv63

Thanks Spiro. I have already started to draft something and I've emailed as well with the information from the website that Premier provided the link for. I'll see what they say and take it from there.