Sub meter help

Clairebear15

I live in a rented flat, opposite our front door is a small room with a washing machine in which is used by several other flats. It is connected to our electricity supply, and there appears to be a sub meter in there which people put a pound into when they use the machine. Are we paying for the electricity to this machine? Or is it possible for it to be coonected to our supply but paid for seperatly?

Johnandabby

When you say it's connected to your electricity supply, do you mean your flat or the whole flat block? The communal laundry room would normally be connected to the Landlord's supply, with the pay-as-you-go meter.

Is the washing machine actually cabled from your consumer unit within your flat? If so, then you are paying for it. However, very unlikely.

If you can post more info, I will try and help

Clairebear15

Its connected directly to my flat, as when I switch of our electric it turns if the machine and light in there. We have our own washing machine in our flat. The landlord has never mentioned anything about this other machine to us and I have only just realised it is on our electric supply. It is a house which is split into four flats all on there own floor with there own electric supply. Thanks yor your response.

Clairebear15

It isnt plugged into a socket in our flat, there are electric sockets in the room where it is plugged in, but in are electric fuse box there is a switch that seems to power the electric for that room

SwanJon

It does sound like it is linked to your flat, in which case you should be gettng the money from the meter there as you'll be paying for that in your bills.

Get in touch with the landlord about your concerns, especially if he owns the whole block.
Does it have it's own fuse/trip switch? If so just turn that switch off until it's reolved - when the rest of the flats get onto the landlord things'll probably start to move.

Atidi

Clairebear15 wrote: »

I live in a rented flat, opposite our front door is a small room with a washing machine in which is used by several other flats. It is connected to our electricity supply, and there appears to be a sub meter in there which people put a pound into when they use the machine. Are we paying for the electricity to this machine? Or is it possible for it to be coonected to our supply but paid for seperatly?

I very much doubt it.

If you want to be sure, next timne you see someone using the washing machine, turn off your leccy and see if they start banging the washing machine cuz it's stopped

:rotfl:

Johnandabby

Clairebear15 wrote: »

Its connected directly to my flat, as when I switch of our electric it turns if the machine and light in there. We have our own washing machine in our flat. The landlord has never mentioned anything about this other machine to us and I have only just realised it is on our electric supply. It is a house which is split into four flats all on there own floor with there own electric supply. Thanks yor your response.

So do you have your own electricity meter? And if you switch off everything at your consumer unit the communal washing machine and lights turn off? Then you are paying for it and you should get the money from the pay-as-you-go meter. However, I would then question how much of the communal lighting and power you are supplying - all of this should be run from a landlord's meter, which is then split between the occupants in a service charge. Except for the washing machine, which shoud be paid for only by those using it. And technically you are responsible for the condition of the electricity supply to the washing machine as its run off your consumer unit at the moment. :eek:

I would do what another poster suggested - wait until someone is using the washing machine and switch off your consumer unit and see what happens. Knowing now that its a house converted to flats makes it more likely that they cut corners during the conversion. Then keep the circuit to the washing machine turned off if you can, and raise the issue immediately with the landlord/management company. Nothing short of them disconnecting the washing machine and landlord supplies from your consumer unit, and paying you for the full energy costs associated with the washing machine for your stay there, would be acceptable in my opinion.

Clairebear15

Yes we have are own meter, which turns off the machine when we switch it off. Seems like he must be pocketing all the money then, and we have lived there for four years!

MK55

Get onto your LL, they are being naughty, don't think the supplier can do anything here?

Clairebear15

Yeah I have considered phoning the electricity company, but I can't imagine they will be able to do anything. I just want to be sure what Im talking about before I go to him, as I'm sure he will be able to twist it

MK55

I dont think supplier would have any info as they don't fit the sub-meter. I would suggest asking ur LL to remove it, and then comparing ur regular monthly bill to the new one and asking for a rebate? Suppose worse comes to worse you get rid of it for future use!