New electricity meter excessive use / neighbours connected

JC_Derby

Jmoo wrote: »

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.

Forgive me but why would ukpn attend for a meter installation? (Are they also a MOPS sasquacco?)
I can understand them turning the power on to your neighbour as he probably rang in saying he was off supply, they have a duty to do that. I would say that the person who came to restore your neighbours supply was not aware of the back ground of your issue.

Jmoo

JC_Derby wrote: »

Forgive me but why would ukpn attend for a meter installation? (Are they also a MOPS sasquacco?)
I can understand them turning the power on to your neighbour as he probably rang in saying he was off supply, they have a duty to do that. I would say that the person who came to restore your neighbours supply was not aware of the back ground of your issue.

Yes perhaps I'm simplifying what happened... It wasn't just the case of installing a meter, as the setup was that my neighbour was connected to mine. So the wiring had to be sorted and UKPN had to be satisfied with the setup before they'd give the go ahead for a meter installation. As the wiring wasn't satisfactory (despite their visits beforehand) they put a halt on it.

Perhaps the person who visited wasn't aware, but at the end of the day that meter is in my name. The neighbour did not/does not have an active electricity account and did not have a meter either. I wouldn't have the cheek to call someone out to flick someone else's meter on/off if it wasn't in my name...

D_M_E

All of this means that you and you alone are responsible for the energy bill and you alone will be the one chased for payment by the energy company, no matter what the amount of energy used.

It looks like your only option to sort this is to find somewhere else to rent.

Have you tried involving the local council housing enforcers and getting them to make the landlord put it right?

Have you considered paying your own electrician to disconnect the other property - if you do take this route, make sure the sparky cuts off as much cable as possible which goes to the other premises.

Jmoo

D_M_E wrote: »

All of this means that you and you alone are responsible for the energy bill and you alone will be the one chased for payment by the energy company, no matter what the amount of energy used...
Have you considered paying your own electrician to disconnect the other property - if you do take this route, make sure the sparky cuts off as much cable as possible which goes to the other premises.

It has since been sorted as you'll read further down the thread. The neighbour moved away before paying and with no effort by letting agents or landlord to ask them to stump up a contribution, but the landlord eventually and reluctantly agreed to pay 50%. My bills have now reduced from £45 a month to approximately £10, so it is frustrating I could not have got more back as my neighbour clearly had been exploiting not having to pay during his tenancy, but I'm pleased the sorry saga is now over. I did not want to get on the bad side of my landlord, letting agent or my neighbour. Had I known the neighbour wouldn't make a contribution I might have been more prepared to take further action.

D_M_E

Yes, I read the threads and no, it's NOT been sorted.

The other flat still has free energy which is being recorded by your meter.

If only 10% of what is being recorded is used by you, you are still out of pocket, especially as the other flat effectively is still getting free energy.

As I said, it's your supply, the meter is registered to you and you alone are responsible for the bill until you move out, not you and the landlord, it's only you the power company will chase for payment.

You say the landlord has agreed to pay 50% of the bill - have you got this in writing, and is it 50% of ALL bills, or just bills from now on?

What's to stop the landlord saying there's no such agreement?

As I said, once the other flat's occupier realises they are getting free energy, their usage will rocket and it will again be you footing the bill - what if they start weed farming, which uses a lot of power?

It seems to me the only way you are going to get this resolved is to move somewhere else.

If you still want to stay, run the contents of your fridge right down and then turn off the power for extended periods and claim that there must be something wrong as the power keeps cutting out and ruining your frozen stuff or fridge contents.

lstar337

D_M_E wrote: »

Yes, I read the threads and no, it's NOT been sorted.

The other flat still has free energy which is being recorded by your meter.

If only 10% of what is being recorded is used by you, you are still out of pocket, especially as the other flat effectively is still getting free energy.

As I said, it's your supply, the meter is registered to you and you alone are responsible for the bill until you move out, not you and the landlord, it's only you the power company will chase for payment.

You say the landlord has agreed to pay 50% of the bill - have you got this in writing, and is it 50% of ALL bills, or just bills from now on?

What's to stop the landlord saying there's no such agreement?

As I said, once the other flat's occupier realises they are getting free energy, their usage will rocket and it will again be you footing the bill - what if they start weed farming, which uses a lot of power?

It seems to me the only way you are going to get this resolved is to move somewhere else.

If you still want to stay, run the contents of your fridge right down and then turn off the power for extended periods and claim that there must be something wrong as the power keeps cutting out and ruining your frozen stuff or fridge contents.

It has been sorted, the other flat has its own supply now.

D_M_E

Up until this morning, your information was that the other flat was connected to your meter.

Now you say that the other place has its own supply - where does this supply come from, a separate meter or has the supply now been moved over to someone else's meter?

You don't report anywhere that a new meter has been fitted, instead you report that the fitters refused to fit it, so you need to check if it really is a new supply.

lstar337

D_M_E wrote: »

Up until this morning, your information was that the other flat was connected to your meter.

Now you say that the other place has its own supply - where does this supply come from, a separate meter or has the supply now been moved over to someone else's meter?

You don't report anywhere that a new meter has been fitted, instead you report that the fitters refused to fit it, so you need to check if it really is a new supply.

D_M_E, read back through the thread. (post 38 from the 12th of July)

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=70982109&postcount=38

Jmoo wrote: »

So at last, seven months later my neighbour has been disconnected from my meter.

This thread has only just become reactive because Jmoo has been keeping us up-to-date.

Jmoo

Yes I think we're going around in circles here, I will perverse with SSE, they've said they need to monitor my monthly usage for my direct debit anyway.