New electricity meter excessive use / neighbours connected

Jmoo

Difficult isn't it, because I need my fridge running still.

dogshome

Run the fridge stock down, then cut the power as you go off for the week-end.
Some food going off in a fridge has to be a damn site cheaper than funding the Elec. for another flat

lstar337

Jmoo wrote: »

As I say, this guy is using his storage heaters full blast. I've barely had my heating on, he's very much took the pee with his consumption compared to mine. It's made it all rather frustrating.

But if he is under the impression that his electric is included in his rent, then what would you expect?

Lets face it, if you are told you electric is included in a fixed price then you are going to use it more than if you are paying for it independently.

I think of myself as a fair person who doesn't like to take advantage of others, but even I use more heat when I go on holiday and utilities are thrown in to the overall cost.

This is all IF the landlord is the real issue. If the tenant is the one stealing, then that is a douche bag move.

Jmoo

No, he was quite clear he had contacted the letting agent to say he hadn't got a meter or was receiving a bill, but carried on regardless as he heard nothing more.

[Deleted User]

Jmoo wrote: »

No, he was quite clear he had contacted the letting agent to say he hadn't got a meter or was receiving a bill, but carried on regardless as he heard nothing more.

Thats exactly what some fiddlers come out with when I ve caught them bypassing..plead ignorance !why believe a word he says ? I even had one drug addled moronic saying he d got a special arrangement with the electric company and his prepay meter did nt need any topping up! passed that gem onto EDF who did...precisely nothing. I d reported the same property 6 months previously in having a dangerous bypass, I can only presume the new tenant realised his prepay meter never needed topping up so was keen to keep me away. Its probably still fiddled now.EDF dont seem to have much of an active RPU section.

Jmoo

It is frustrating. As I say, I don't think 50% of that £200 bill I would have spent given my heating has been off, I have been taking clothes to a friends to wash, and that I am away weekends from Friday morning.

Jmoo

So at last, seven months later my neighbour has been disconnected from my meter. The tenant moved out in the end without paying a penny, and the landlord has agreed to pay no more than 50%. I think that was unfair - they clearly consumed more (and never had to pay). Nonetheless I'm glad that's over with.

I still expect compensation - even if it's off SSE for taking so long to diagnose this, and messing me around (along with UK Power Networks) over the months. Is it fair to want compensation, what would be reasonable?

JC_Derby

Not going to overly stick up for ukpn, but as their jurisdiction ends at the cut out ( and admittedly only skim reading this thread) why would they also be to blame?

Jmoo

In the installation of the new meter they came out to assess the situation and confirmed everything was ready. They then turned up again and said it couldn't be done without more modern wiring and delayed the installation. In an emergency visit they also came out and switched my power back on just so my neighbour could enjoy more free electricity while I was away. Not the most helpful bunch.

dogshome

Wow
So somewhere between early July when the un- metered flat's tenant moved out, and yesterday, that flats Landlord has re-let the property in full knowledge of the meter problem and excess cost to you.

I would fully understand your position if this Landlord is also your Landlord, in that you can't make too many waves
If however it's a different Landlord, then WRITE: "Expressing your disappointment in his/her stance of accepting liability for only 50% of the Elec bills incurred whilst the previous tenant was in occupation, on the grounds that anyone with FREE electricity has absolutely no incentive to monitor and restrict their consumption.

Despite now being fully aware of the meter problems, you have elected to re-let the flat before the meter problems have been resolved.
I will not accept the continued financial risk of power bills over which I have no control, and will use the switch on my meter set-up to cut the power to both flats on all possible occasions, unless that is, I have your written agreement to meet 75% of the useage costs on my power bills until both flats have the correct metering