On an electrics loops with 3 other flats?

Jennylanchester

We recently had workmen come round from nedl saying they had to update our mains supply electrics we they were out dated and unsafe and they said we were on an electrical loop with the two up/down next door flats, and the one above. We have a one bed flat with no venal heating. Gas fire that's only on oct to apr roughly. Two adults. Two kids. We spend £150 a month in as and electric. Have we been paying our neighbours bills??

GrungeMeister

I doubt they mean you're paying for all three homes, surely ?

I think they mean the mains supply comes in and gets split three ways. And that if your home's electrical wiring is clapped out, so the wiring in the other two flats will be as well.

societys_child

Jennylanchester wrote: »

We spend £150 a month in as and electric. Have we been paying our neighbours bills??

Highly unlikely, but if you want to check, pick a time when the other flats are occupied and switch everything off.
Read the meter.
By everything I mean everything, lights, TVs, fridge, freezer, water heating, etc for half an hour or more, then check to see if your meter is clocking up any usage, by reading it again. - don't forget to turn fridge/ freezer back on -

Grungemeister, I don't think they mean the internal house wiring, op said "mains supply electrics".

Jennylanchester

Yup mains supply. But we can't change our sitting room light... When we turn all our power off its still on as its on upstairs power
Everyone says we're paying a ridiculous amount £150 per month for gas and electric in a one bed flat. Up to £80 a month on electric and £64 a month on gas (we don't have central heating and only five double sockets in the whole flat) so I don't know how they are saying we're using so much. I have friends who use washer/drier more so than us with central heating on alot and still use under the £110 monthly mark

societys_child

Sounds like the wiring is certainly mixed up.

So if you've turned everything off (apart form the sitting room light which appears to running off the flat above) does the meter stop completely?

From what you say, £150 pm does sound high.

Have you read this thread?
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4201949

Jennylanchester

I remember when we went to turkey on hol we only left the fridge/freezer on nothing else and that apparently used £12 in two weeks which I thought was alot?

Jennylanchester

As in it used £12 we left on the meter, and the emergency £5 and then cut off the day before we came home..

societys_child

According to this site
http://www.appliancesonline.co.uk/advice/fridge-freezers/buying-guide/how-much-is-my-fridge-freezer-going-to-cost-to-run.aspx
An "A" rated F/F costs £44 a year (assuming a tariff of 12.5p. per KWh)

But really you still need to know if your meter stops when you switch everything off. If not, someone is using your power!.

Wywth

Jennylanchester wrote: »

... Have we been paying our neighbours bills??

Jennylanchester wrote: »

Yup mains supply. But we can't change our sitting room light... When we turn all our power off its still on as its on upstairs power ...

It sounds more like like your neighbour is probably paying for some of your electricity consumption!