Electricity meter By Passed

sstrictly

one morning some one knocked at my door saying my electricity meter was bypassed . Iwas shocked to hear this .. I live in a block of 3 flats and any one from one of the three flats can access the meters now I live in a one bed room flat I have got only a small fridgeand and my laptop and some blubs ... my usage is £10- 11 a month .. just a month ago there wwere some people caught growing canabis in the other flat but only my meter was bypassed and not theirs ... but my elctircity company is saying that I have to pay the charges .. but I havent done the pypasss .... can any one help me here ????

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

Millions of people have their gas/electricity meters outside their property. If a defence against tampering(i.e. theft) was simply that others have access to the meter, then millions 'might try it on'.

What charges are they wanting?

sstrictly

About £200

Cardew

£200 and no legal action?

If you are confident that you don't owe the money - then go to court.

On the other hand!!!

DVardysShadow

Cardew wrote: »

... Millions of people have their gas/electricity meters outside their property. If a defence against tampering(i.e. theft) was simply that others have access to the meter, then millions 'might try it on'.

For their own reasons, it is the utilities which want access to the meters from outside.

Cardew

DVardysShadow wrote: »

For their own reasons, it is the utilities which want access to the meters from outside.

That's not in dispute; but what is the relevance here?

The OP was suggesting IMO that, as he had an outside meter, he could not be held responsible for the fact that someone had tampered with his meter.

I am suggesting that if those grounds were accepted as a defence, it would be open season for stealing gas and electricity.

Parva

Stealing gas may be a tad more complex. Electricity on the other hand almost anyone could acomplish with a screwdriver. You will however be caught and prosecuted either by the meter man seeing the modification or the massive decline in your average usage of electricity. Gas? Nah, not a chance!

Ignite

It sounds like the people in the other flat were a bunch of muppets. Firstly they got caught and secondly, it sounds like they bypassed the wrong meter! It is very common for people growing illegal drugs to bypass the meter. It can't help to remind the electricity company this and if it ties in with the drug growing they should be able to tie this up.

tanith

If your meter was bypassed then why did you have any usage? Surely it can't bypass part of your usage but not all of it?

sstrictly

well when I moved into this flat the electric company topped my meter up with £40 pounds since then my usage is £10 roughly per month ..... I dont know how by pass works so not a clue but ...the good news is that I had a word with the electricity company and the said the I wont have to pay the charges but still I have to pay for the unbilled electricity ......

dogshome

Hi sstrictly - As Ignite says, your horticultural neighbors are probably the none-to-bright culprits, but I'm afraid that is it you who's landed with the problem.

I suggest that you contact your local police, explain the problem and get a written report on the raid/arrests on your neighbors cannabis farm
Whilst you are doing that WRITE to your supplier explaining the facts and advising them you will forward a copy of the police report when it comes to hand - Hopefully this will stop them going into Debt Collection mode - and ask that they give you a copy of the report that states the meter was By-passed, and how they have arrived at the sum they are billing you for.