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

NYM

As you appear to get on well with your LL, maybe it would be better if you could word your email in a less accusatory way.

Something friendly

Following receipt of fuel bills that in our opinion are exceptionally high considering our usage, We've asked our electrician to investigate ways of reducing our consumption. Curiously, he has identified an additional fuse board that appears to be running a supply to areas unconnected with our flat. We would like him to isolate our supply from that fuse board but before doing so, need to ensure that it won't have an adverse impact on supply to other areas in the building.

We will be monitoring our own usage once isolated from the additional supply and will need to come to some arrangement regarding reimbursement of the charges we have been billed.

Perhaps it might be usful to have a meeting to discuss the issue?

Yours,

Sadie23

ST1991

Agree that perhaps it isn't the best idea to leave the additional fuse boxes turned off. if she has a fridge/freezer etc can she then claim against you for loss/damage should the freezer defrost and ruin her lovely underfloor heating with gross freezer water?

I would definitely make the email/letter less question-y and perhaps a little less accusatory. You can become more assertive once you gauge her response. The last thing you want is your notice... but at the same time i 100% agree that this isnt on!!

moneyistooshorttomention

Rain_Shadow wrote: »

If the LL has a kitchen then they may well have a freezer. Switching that off may cause a problem.

....and the point of saying that is what?

Her (possible) freezer. Her problem.

Guest101

pawlala wrote: »

Dear tenant,

No.

Kind regards,

Landlord

Genius....


If they say no, then the tenant can turn off the fuses in the fusebox and the LL has no further claim...

moneyistooshorttomention

NYM wrote: »

As you appear to get on well with your LL, maybe it would be better if you could word your email in a less accusatory way.

Something friendly

Following receipt of fuel bills that are exceptionally high considering our usage, we've asked our electrician to investigate ways of reducing our consumption. He has identified an additional fuse board that appears to be running a supply to areas unconnected with our flat. As this must have occurred in error at some point - we have now had him isolate our supply from that fuse board.

We are monitoring our own usage - now that it has been isolated from the additional supply and will need to come to some arrangement regarding reimbursement of the charges we have been billed.

I believe it would be useful to have a meeting to discuss the issue. Can you let us know what dates would be suitable for yourself for this?

Yours,

Sadie23

That sounds like a reasonable basic letter - as amended to "firm it up" a bit.

Sadie23

Thanks again for your input, have firmed it up a bit and sent it, with a request for her to call us today to discuss. In my words to OH when writing the email 'I don't want to be rude', his response was 'well I think its incredibly rude what she's done to us'. and he is completely right!


This certainly puts me off renting, its bad enough paying out for rent without this being lumped on too. Cant wait until we can buy a house (we have to wait until October, OH is self employed and need to wait until we have 3 years worth of books).


Nothings ever easy!

Rain_Shadow

Sadie23 wrote: »

This certainly puts me off renting, its bad enough paying out for rent without this being lumped on too. Cant wait until we can buy a house (we have to wait until October, OH is self employed and need to wait until we have 3 years worth of books).


Nothings ever easy!

What's bad about that?

moneyistooshorttomention

Rent is money down the drain.

I can sympathise with that. If I'd got married back in my 20s (ie 1970s) then we would have bought a house immediately and no money wasted on rent at all. In the event - I was single - so it was a much longer/harder struggle.

There would have been no struggle at all if I'd been married - and I would have been more than a little resentful at all that wasted money (and was obviously a lot more resentful of the waste in the event....).

I guess - in cheaper areas of the country - that maybe married people still expect to buy their starter house immediately??

Rain_Shadow

Rent is not wasted money. It is the price of having a home in the same way that mortgage interest (the price of renting money) is.

Sadie23

Rain_Shadow wrote: »

What's bad about that?

Rent in my area is high, I just don't like that I'm lining someone else's pockets with more money than it would cost to have a mortgage. At least if you are paying a mortgage and sell your house you get a return of sorts. Personal opinion which some people either agree, or disagree with!