My electricity meter is supplying two flats

CandyBar_2

wuckfit wrote: »

Good plan. If you were to use a kettle, electric oven, tumble-drier, 3 bar heater, hair drier, iron etc all at once, I'd expect that cable to get a bit, well, melty.

Also you probably want to keep schtum about those 'power cuts' your neighbour's been having of late

Ultimately, what you want is that prepayment meter replaced with a credit meter and connected to switch 2, and that flying lead removed.

best of luck getting it all sorted.

Yes, I think this is what EDF would intend to do, and what I too would prefer. The only time I cut power to my neighbour's flat, he was out. However he probably did guess that it was because of me when I came to talk to him about us sharing a meter .

I don't think I need to worry a lot about using too much power - I don't think I've ever used more than two of those at the same time

CandyBar_2

After many phone calls I have got EDF to agree to replace the prepayment meter with a credit meter, estimate my past usage based on that, and refund me for the amount overpaid over the past year. However, before they will do that, they need:
- an electrician to move the flat onto the prepayment meter (currently with £250 of debt on it)
- an electrician to certify that the installation is safe (installation certificate), as the prepayment meter has not been used for a long time
- me to call them for an emergency call-out, in order for them to reset the prepayment meter (I don't intend to pay off the £250 of debt accumulated several years ago!)
- me to call them to book a meter swap

However it seems getting an installation certificate (which is normally to certify that a new or modified installation is safe - not an existing one) may be difficult and/or expensive. From what I have read online, a PIR (Periodic Inspection Report) is really what they should be asking for, but I called EDF back to check and they insist that they will only accept an 'ICERT'/'installation certificate'. I guess changing the wire from switch 1 to 2 is a modification to the electrical installation though...

Anyone know if this is normal, and what I should expect to pay for the certificate and wiring change?

Cardew

Just make sure you get everything in writing from EDF!!!

CandyBar_2

I don't have it in writing but two people have told me they would refund me for the excess paid over the past year, and I have both their names, so I'm not overly worried...

CandyBar_2

Update: It seems they want an installation certificate for the wiring change (from switch 1 to 2), not the whole flat. This is probably easier to get.

So basically, if I understand this correctly, I need an electrician to come, remove the wire between switch 1 and switch 2, reconnect switch 2 to the prepayment meter, and issue a certificate for this work. Sound right?

wuckfit

CandyBar wrote: »

Update: It seems they want an installation certificate for the wiring change (from switch 1 to 2), not the whole flat. This is probably easier to get.

So basically, if I understand this correctly, I need an electrician to come, remove the wire between switch 1 and switch 2, reconnect switch 2 to the prepayment meter, and issue a certificate for this work. Sound right?

Sounds about right, yes.

Premier_2

CandyBar wrote: »

I don't have it in writing but two people have told me they would refund me for the excess paid over the past year, and I have both their names, so I'm not overly worried...

I think the suggestion is that you get in writing the instruction from EDF to get the things sorted yourself, rather than any agreement over payments at this time.

Obviously, I'm not very familiar to cases that have involved tampering, but would have thought normally the supplier would want to bring in their team (RPS - Revenue protection service? ) preferably so that they can first secure any evidence they may need to bring about any later prosecution (not implying they will against you, but probably against someone), and then I would have thought they would want to then put the wiring back so that your flat was on the PPM themselves (for which they may well make a charge).
As they seem to suggest you need to employ your own electrician to do that, I would too suggest this instruction is obtained in writing before you (or your employed electrician) touch anything.

CandyBar_2

Premier wrote: »

I think the suggestion is that you get in writing the instruction from EDF to get the things sorted yourself, rather than any agreement over payments at this time.

Obviously, I'm not very familiar to cases that have involved tampering, but would have thought normally the supplier would want to bring in their team (RPS - Revenue protection service? ) preferably so that they can first secure any evidence they may need to bring about any later prosecution (not implying they will against you, but probably against someone), and then I would have thought they would want to then put the wiring back so that your flat was on the PPM themselves (for which they may well make a charge).
As they seem to suggest you need to employ your own electrician to do that, I would too suggest this instruction is obtained in writing before you (or your employed electrician) touch anything.

I called them today and the woman I spoke to got very annoyed. She initially sent me a completely useless email saying that after my electrician has completed his rewiring he will provide me with an installation certificate (?!), and I told her that was not helpful. She then asked me to dictate the email I wanted her to send, but when I got to the useful part she said 'Oh this needs to be worded carefully!' (I felt like saying that maybe that's why she should have been wording it herself!) She then consulted her manager, came back and said that she would not be able to put *anything* in writing for me. She basically said if it's my wiring I can do what I like, but this does mean that they can later claim I made all this up (the way things were wired).

After some thinking I asked if I should get the electrician to put in writing the fact that the two supplies were together and he was going to separate them, and she said this would be good. So I guess I'll just have that added to the installation certificate...

macman

Given that fraud was involved here, and a considerable safety hazard, I'm baffled by EDF's reluctance to come out and even inspect the current set up.
It's not 'your wiring' until it reaches the consumer unit, anything connected to the meter on either side should not be touched by anyone but them surely?

CandyBar_2

As far as I know anything after the meter is mine. If this is not true then my strategy needs a rethink!

She told me she could put anything in writing as they have not inspected the wiring, so I told her I would be thrilled for someone to come out and inspect, but she replied that they won't do this without an installation certificate. Bit of a circular problem!

New development, after further inspection: the main fuse connected to the credit meter is actually marked 'TOP' (on the wood panel behind), and the main fuse connected to the prepayment meter is marked 'GND/B' (Ground/Basement). However, on the Henley connected to the prepayment meter it says (in pen) 'TOP FLOORS', so the two are contradictory. Also there are no seals on it (there are seals on the other one though). Should I not worry about this?