Future neighbor stealing electricity!!!

Letgivethis1ago

Hi

This is my 1st post I have used the site a lot however now I have a big decision to make and thought I know where to go...

I am currently buying a reposed lease hold flat for what I believe to be a good price. My mortgage will be £262 @ 3.19% a month and I plan to over pay (good info from this site) £500 a month mortgage paid off in 6 years... all else fails I have room to lower my repayments if things don't go entirely to plan.

However... This is really nagging at me.

The down stairs neighbors are running a flex cable from the communal hall power socket under their front door! The first time I noticed and spoke loudly to the estate agent about it and when I left it had gone. The next time I went the other person I was with noticed it when I looked they had put a hover next to their door to try and mask the fact the power cord was actually going under their door.

Their are 6/7 other properties in the development however only 2 flats in this part and are together over a carport that is accessed via a single door and the hallway. I believe I will need to get a solicitor to check I the service charge is split between the 2 or the complete 7.

I have instructed a no sale no fee sol and mortgage servery has been done or will be done in a day or to. I would really appreciate any help and opinion's.

getmore4less

It can get messy

http://boards.fool.co.uk/theft-of-communal-electricity-12656671.aspx

DebtClearer

Confront them about it, explain to them that you have to pay for it and see what they say.

Kirri

Speak to the managing agents about it?

Though personally I wouldn't feel happy having neighbours knowing you've reported them as they may cause trouble and flats are bad enough anyway - are they owners or tenants as maybe they could get moved on if tenants and this comes out. I'd do a bit of digging with the managing agents first.

marleyboy

A screw driver and a little DIY should be enough to completely sever the power socket of your juice.

moneyistooshorttomention

marleyboy wrote: »

A screw driver and a little DIY should be enough to completely sever the power socket of your juice.

It's a pity they probably know you have mentioned this already. Hopefully they don't and you can just surreptitiously tell whoever-is-in-charge and get THEM to put that socket out of action with an apparent "fault" having developed in it.

Be careful when telling said person-in-charge that they will be discreet enough not to let on that it was you that told them.

theartfullodger

Pedantic point: It's not "theft of electricity" but "Abstraction of electricity" (leccy is not something you can pick up and carry away with you...).

See...
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/60/section/13

13 Abstracting of electricity.

A person who dishonestly uses without due authority, or dishonestly causes to be wasted or diverted, any electricity shall on conviction on indictment be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.

so either point out to them this can get them 5 years in Brixton or tell Police or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, and report them that way...

Cheers!!

koksrob

We had a this issue in our block. plugs were needed in common areas for cleaning etc. so management agency installed sockets with keys on them. Only the cleaners/management agency have the keys to use the sockets.

Letgivethis1ago

Thanks do you think that I should not proceed with the purchase at this point it would only cost me £99.00 to go else where.

theartfullodger

There's always possible neighbour problems: if the deal makes sense do it. Or drop offer due to criminal activity!

Kirri

Letgivethis1ago wrote: »

Thanks do you think that I should not proceed with the purchase at this point it would only cost me £99.00 to go else where.

From my experience so far, there can always be problems in flats - so many are BTL these days with a huge turnover of tenants who don't really care, lot of fraud etc as they move on so quick and don't get caught/traced. So if the flat is right, see if the problem can be resolved as you could potentially find problems with any flats esp if there's a large proportion let out..

Your solicitor should be able to get hold of the managing agents details, get copies of the minutes of the last meeting etc for you, though in some cases I found that hard to get the details when looking to buy, but push for it and have a chat, see how on the ball they are if problems are reported, some are better than others. The communal elec bill is going on the service charge so I would want any misuse of it stopped by the MA immediately.

If they are owners doing it then the managing agents won't be aware and would stop it, if they are tenants they should be chucked out. If they are owners doing it though I wouldn't buy next to them as you'd be stuck with them..

They may just be desperate owners trying to save money not to get their flat repossessed, not that that makes it right or that I'd want to live next door!