communal area electric.

chris1804

I need some advice on this matter please guys .

My sister lives in a 2 bedroom flat. There are 4 floors with 2 flats on each floor. (8 in block in total there all electric no gas) my sisters currently out the country for 4 weeks so I'm checking on her property every other day. She has turned every single appliance off and the only appliance switched on is the fridge freezer. She's on a pre-payment meter and there was £40 on there the day she left. It's now been 15 days she's been away and her electric is on £24. To me that seems to much to be used just for a fridge freezer. On each of the landings there is 1 plug socket on each. The person underneath has got a extention lead going into her flat . My first thought was what a checky B. Question who pays for that electric? Does the outside sockets electric get taken from everybody meter in that block or is it separate. Because I went over last week and that person had the extention lead plugged in and when I went over a few hours ago she's still got in plugged in. My guess is she's got heaters on the go

CashStrapped

Is it an E7 (night storage heater property)? This is because the storage heaters may be on a timed circuit that only activates at night.

So in the day, it looks like they are off at the socket. However, they would be active at night. The only way to tell is to turn the power off at the main consumer unit.

The storage heaters could be getting a small charge each night. It would only be a small amount if the dials had been turned right down (as she is away) to just keep a bit of warmth in. You may not notice the warmth at the times you have been checking on it.

Is she letting? Or is she a leaseholder? Depending on the lease, she may be paying a contribution to the total cost of communal electrics under a maintenance charge. This is divided amongst all tenants. If one person is using a communal socket, then they maybe stealing communal power (which your sister may be contributing 1/8th to). You would have to investigate and if confirmed, inform the freeholder or managing agency.

It is unlikely that the flat meter is feeding the communal sockets. It is something you can check once you have eliminated the more obvious ones.

Another possibility (a common issue in flats), is that people are checking the wrong meter for their flat. This is very common in new and converted blocks. So your sister may be reading the meter which is actually recording use for another flat. That flat is doing the same. Because it is such a mess it can take years (if ever) to sort out. So in effect, everyone is paying another persons bill.

The only way to test this is do a meter test. Turn everything off at the consumer unit, then check the meter. Then turn one high powered thing on, and check the meter. Turn it off again, check the meter.

Robin9

The landing sockets should come off the landlords supply - not your sisters.

Plug a kettle into the landing socket nearest your sisters and switch off the supply at the consumer unit. If the kettle goes off then the sockets are somehow part of your sisters installation - report to your landlord.

chris1804

She does have storage heaters but there all turned off. She never uses them as there so expensive . She uses a blow heater. I know there not on because it's so cold in there. I went down to the electric room were all the electric boxes are and had a look on the flat below and says she's got under 1 day left. (I have same meter at home and looks like utilita is her supplier) so if I connect a kettle to my sisters landing socket is it the main breaker switch I need to turn off in my sister property to check if it still works. There's defo something dodgy about it all. Pay like the rest of us the checky B.

Edit . Just to add my sister rents off Landlord. I've told her about it and she has contacted the landlord to get some information about it. I feel like switching it off and cutting the cord

CashStrapped

Do a meter test as I described (going back and forth) to ensure the meter reacts to use from your property only.

Then do the same test using the communal socket.

Also check the standing charge. There will always be some daily fee building up on the meter, so it could have a high standing charge. The remaining usage could be as a result of normal background use. You can only measure actual use by taking daily kwh readings and not going by cost.

It is just a case of process of elimination.

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Regarding the communal thief. Once you have established that the communal sockets are independent of the flats. Get a few covert photos of the person using the socket. Contact the freeholder/managing agent.

A flat complex I am familiar with has no easy access sockets in communal areas for this reason. They are all behind locked utility cupboards too far from any single property.

Raxiel

If its anything like the block I used to live in the communal area will have its own meter with the account paid out of the ground rent as a flat rate. The usage is pretty predictable (thieving neighbours aside) - a years worth of lighting plus a bit extra for the vacuum if they send cleaners round once a week.

Expect a snotty letter to all occupants once the management company get the next bill. And possibly an increase in the ground rent to cover it (all the more reason to report the thief so your sister doesn't get stung then.)

The credit has gone down a lot, but have you made a note of the actual reading? Taking two readings a day apart would help identify if it's down to usage or just (as Cashstrapped suggests and I'm inclined to agree) a high standing charge?

Finally, you mention she uses a blower because the storage heaters are expensive, all electric heating costs the same to produce the same amount of heat (although a portable unit can let you use less by just heating the immediate area you are in). Are you sure they are storage heaters, and not panel heaters (ie instant heat) incorrectly described as storage heaters by lying/clueless letting agents/landlords?

If they are real NSH's they might just need configuring correctly.

Norman_Castle

Plug a lamp into the socket outside the flat then turn your sisters electricity off. If the lamp still works she is not paying for it directly but she is likely to be paying for the communal supply through the service charge.
My small under counter fridge uses about £70 per year in electricity and is the most expensive to run single item I own. Its possible your sisters use includes a standing charge and possibly debt repayment.

chris1804

I'll go over each day until she's back and take pictures of the meter readings and the extention lead. I'll also take pictures of that other women's meter readings.

CashStrapped

The meter should tell you the daily standing charge. Ensure you cycle through all the screens. Only the kwh will tell you the exact amount of daily use. You will of course have to check the same time each day to get an accurate reading.

Richie-from-the-Boro

All flat dwellers will pay for the communal leccy via a service charge per year in this case £ costs ÷ 8. Is there a 13a on each landing or only this landing ?. Someone is misappropriating an electricity supply, garner evidence and supply that evidence to the landlord or managing agent. I find it difficult to believe that socket is hard wired into the sisters direct, but the sister and all other 7 dwellers will be paying for the !!!!!!!ised supply.

System

Standing charges on the meter are easy to see on the meter.Its given as a weekly amount. They are usually in the area of £ 2 a week, but the meter could also be deducting a weekly debt of between £3.50 and £16 .The £40 would soon be disappearing if debt as well as standing charges were being deducted.Debt screen is on S and T, showing total debt owed and the weekly amount.( need the key inserted to see these screens )
Landlords supply will include the socket on each landing as well as the lighting.It will have its own meter and be labeled landlord s supply in the meter cupboard. To prove this plug something in the socket like a hair dryer and see if the meter little red light flashes faster when its used.