Business electricity for flat hallway lighting?

ciber

Hi,

The building I live in is owned by the owners of each of the flats through a building management company. The electricity for the hallway lighting (3 lightbulbs, using around 8 units a year) is coming from a business supply and is currently costing us around £200 a year, which if you work it out per unit is completely insane (£25 per kwh).

I've had a brief look around but can't find anyone willing to offer sensible prices. Am I looking in the wrong place? Can anyone here suggest the right place to look for business electricity for such a small usage?

Thanks!

footyguy

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2103023

Robin9

Opus Energy.

Similar set up - October bill was £7

Andy_WSM

Why not have the business supply wired to one of (or your) flats? And have everyone put a few £ in the pot every year to pay for the lighting?

It's crazy having a business supply or any sort of maintenance contract for a few lights.

I was in a similar position when I moved here. 4 bungalows in a private cul-de-sac. A 70W Metal Halide lamp lights the end of the cul-de-sac on a dusk to dawn sensor. There was a business meter in an outdoor cabinet and a contract to have the lamp "serviced" every year. Collectively they cost over £400 a year.

The 4 bungalows would split the cost every year, it was approx £100 each.

We paid between us to have an armoured cable run to my meter box and disconnected the business supply and terminated the contract to have the lamp changed every year. The cost of moving the supply was about £300. This was done 7 years ago. In that time I have changed the lamp once, it cost me £6 something so I purchased a spare at the same time, which I have not needed yet!

The cost of running the lamp now is under £5 a month - it helps that I have ECO 7 which covers 7 of the lamps 12 hours of running each night during the Winter months and a higher proportion in the Summer months. The 3 neighbours all give me £20 around Christmas time (I ask for £15!) so the lamp now isn't costing me anything and saving all of them at least £80 a year.

Obviously the above all relies on there being a bit of community spirit and everyone getting along together.

dogshome

Following on from Andy_wsm's post.
It's fortunate that you are in a self-managed block, one solution is to do away with the public area lightings meter completely and wire the lamps into whichever flat it is easier to wire them into - With a private sub-meter fitted into the lights supply, all residents can contribute to the actual cost, with the bonus that there is no Standing Charge to pay