Help! I alone am paying for communal electricity

MonkeyKong007

I live in a converted house with 4 flats in it, each a property in their own right. There are lights in our hallway which are often left on for days on end. I’m pretty sure that our landlord has just hooked up my meter to them. :mad: We pay no service charge in my flat - I'm not sure about the others.

Evidence? I just got a Npower home electricity monitor which goes up and down as the hall lights go on and off - not concrete but more than enough to make me suspicious. My meter is also closest to the wire that leads to the lights, so most convenient to be hooked up to

Can you advise as to how I approach this? It’s not in my contract for me to pay for this, but I have no rock solid evidence as the wires around the meter itself are shielded from view.

Do I call him first or go straight for a letter? I also would like some compensation but have no clue how much I may have been charged for it!!

Thanks

theartfullodger

Call him (polite, calm, firm..) but also a letter - and keep a copy. Sounds like theft of fraud to me...

In your shoes I'd ask for compo & for him to fix the problem permanently

bifold

Could you not just turn your electric off at the meter,then see if hallway lights still work first?,before calling or letter writing.

delain

bifold wrote: »

Could you not just turn your electric off at the meter,then see if hallway lights still work first?,before calling or letter writing.

Good plan. You should be able to do that.

Bunter_2

MonkeyKong007 wrote: »

I live in a converted house with 4 flats in it, each a property in their own right. There are lights in our hallway which are often left on for days on end. I’m pretty sure that our landlord has just hooked up my meter to them. :mad: We pay no service charge in my flat - I'm not sure about the others.

Usually, there is a separate meter (the LL's meter) in the hallway or somewhere.


Evidence? I just got a Npower home electricity monitor which goes up and down as the hall lights go on and off - not concrete but more than enough to make me suspicious.

As Bifold has suggested. Can you not switch off all your appliances and switch the hall light on for a little time. If your Npower monitor is anything like the gizzmo I got from Maplins you should be able to measure how much juice (if any) you are paying for.

My meter is also closest to the wire that leads to the lights, so most convenient to be hooked up to

Can you advise as to how I approach this? It’s not in my contract for me to pay for this, but I have no rock solid evidence as the wires around the meter itself are shielded from view.

Do I call him first or go straight for a letter? I also would like some compensation but have no clue how much I may have been charged for it!!

Thanks

It is more than reasonable for you to approach the LL and ask him how the hall lights are paid for. If he is paying he may appreciate you telling him so that he can put the hall light's on a timer.

If you are paying; he owes you.

G_M

First check your facts. Turn off the mains supply to your flat. There will be a (trip)switch or fuse or something. Does the hall light still work?
Second, check your lease. What does it say about communal electricity? Is there an annual service charge? Look at the accounts - is there a fee for communal electricity?
Third - if you're wrong and the freeholder is paying, talking to him might prompt him to send you a bill for 1/4 of the bill!