how to approach landlord suspected of using our electric...

Sadie23

I do have gas supply, gas central heating ect, its just in the 'glory hole' as such she has the underfloor heating, and I presume an electric shower as I cant imagine she can tap into the gas supply down there without having to have her own boiler?


I've looked through our agreement and nothing can be seen about bill sharing. We didn't actually realise that this storage room was indeed connected to our property (eg, if we bought it, it would belong to us) until we moved in. She manages the property herself but used a letting agent to find us and sort original tenancy, I was tempted to approach the letting agent but wasn't sure what help they would be.

HouseBuyer77

4 meters in the cupboard? I assume you know which is yours?

Could be the meter reader came and simply read the wrong meter for your flat.

Other thing you could try is switching off everything in the consumer unit (fuse box). Switch on one at a time until everything works again. If there's still a switched off switch then there's a circuit that's nothing to do with your flat. This may be the LLs underfloor heating.

If the consumer unit is next to the meter try and check if the cable coming out of your meter only goes into your consumer unit. If where the meter cables enter the unit there's some other cables coming out that could be feeding a seperate unit (though you need to identify this seperately from the cables coming out of the consumer unit feeding your flat, could be tricky if you don't understand electrics).

Sadie23

Sadie23 wrote: »

Hi everyone, thank you for your responses so far.


There is only 4 Meters in the electricity cupboard downstairs that I can see. the room in question in is right next to the cupboard so easy access to get any wires going in there I guess...


Yet to try turning everything off and checking meter, purely because i'm about 99% sure that its nothing in our property that is causing the bills. We even have the electric under floor heating in our shower room (by WarmWell) that she had previously installed but we only had that switched on the first few days we were there until we figured out how to turn it off trying to be prudent.


However, as soon as I get home from work I will try that and go and eyeball the meter to see if anything else is still making it go.


Testing waters I have previously asked how her electricity bills were when she was in property because ours are incredibly high, and she just palmed it off to being SSE and them being expensive. hmmmm

ignore me, its WarmUp - they do have website but cant link as new member

Sadie23

HouseBuyer77 wrote: »

4 meters in the cupboard? I assume you know which is yours?

Could be the meter reader came and simply read the wrong meter for your flat.

Other thing you could try is switching off everything in the consumer unit (fuse box). Switch on one at a time until everything works again. If there's still a switched off switch then there's a circuit that's nothing to do with your flat. This may be the LLs underfloor heating.

If the consumer unit is next to the meter try and check if the cable coming out of your meter only goes into your consumer unit. If where the meter cables enter the unit there's some other cables coming out that could be feeding a seperate unit (though you need to identify this seperately from the cables coming out of the consumer unit feeding your flat, could be tricky if you don't understand electrics).

Yes, know which one is ours due to reference number and we read our meter every month for our bills. Our fuse box is within our flat in the cupboard with the boiler.


Not sure could work out all the wires on the meter! I might see if I can twist an electricians friends leg to help me investigate

[Deleted User]

I don't know much about this but I have watched the TV programmes (Housing Enforcers I think) where the council go round private rental HMO's and have an electrician with them to check the electricity meters for unsafe installation, over useage etc . With the level of bills, it might be worth getting whatever type of electrician that was with this kind of team. He'd probably be the best to check meter safety and what is going where.

Having said that, I have a 2 bed maisonette, hardly use gas because I keep bills to a minimum, we have three pcs that are on, electric oven I use 2 or 3 times a week, usual white applicances and my bill is over £100 a month. I do make sure lights etc aren't on unnecessarily but I consider our electricity useage high even though I try to minimise it.

Sadie23

deannatrois wrote: »

I don't know much about this but I have watched the TV programmes where the council go round private rental HMO's and have an electrician with them to check the electricity. With the level of bills, it might be worth getting whatever type of electrician that was round. He'd probably be the best to check meter safety and what is going where.

Having said that, I have a 2 bed maisonette, hardly use gas because I keep bills to a minimum, we have three pcs that are on, electric oven I use 2 or 3 times a week, usual white applicances and my bill is over £100 a month. I do make sure lights etc aren't on unnecessarily but I consider our electricity useage high even though I try to minimise it.

I just find it odd that my mum lives in a 4 bed detached house with my two brothers (in their 20s, leaving lights on in every room ect ) and her dual fuel is £90 per month. and anyone I talk to (collegues ect) all tell me that what im paying is absolutely ridiculous and that it doesn't make sense

ST1991

My previous 2 bed flat was £90 a month... Electric only. We never used the heating as it was always warm (neighbours would put theirs on and our flat would heat up a treat! )

That flat was TINY (like really) and we were never home during the day. Nothing left on during the day or overnight, and we never really used many electrical devices.

Would really recommend the smart meter idea. Your current provider may even be able to send you one for free (many of them do now). That way you can turn everyone off and see what is being used as it is used.

moneyistooshorttomention

Sadie23 wrote: »

Not sure could work out all the wires on the meter! I might see if I can twist an electricians friends leg to help me investigate

That sounds like an eminently sensible idea - personally I'd be going in for the "bribery and corruption" school of thought and tempting him round with the offer of a bottle of whisky or something for his troubles.

EDIT; What a good idea to to check out with said electrician friend if you can manage to get your flat volunteered early for having your meter swopped to one of those "smart meters" and, funnily enough, any wires and things that don't belong connected to your meter get "accidentally on purpose" disconnected whilst doing so.

(you don't want to know that - right at this very moment - I'm paying £17 a month for both fuels - as they found I was overpaying so much at £80 a month).

Sadie23

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

(you don't want to know that - right at this very moment - I'm paying £17 a month for both fuels - as they found I was overpaying so much at £80 a month).

Lucky you! Not many people could say that

Guest101

Dear landlord,


We've notice that utilities are quite high in the property. You mentioned you had use of a room downstairs and I wanted to check if this was linked to the same supply as the flat?


Many thanks


Tenant