Please help - Landlord has decided to put in a coin meter for electric??

lazy&indebt

Hello all.

I've lived in my little studio flat for 18 months now.

It is (what I think) a converted garage on the side of a large house which my landlord lives in) it is has it's own front door etc.

My rent when I first moved in was £325 + £15 per month for electric. I didn't have my own electricity bill, Im assumsing he just used it to pay towards his overall electricity bill.

I saw him yesterday and he told me he is having a coin meter put in for my electric!! I am having my £15 per month back and instead I've got to put coins in this meter to pay for my electric.

How does this work? How can I tell if I'm being ripped off? I don't want to be paying for his electric as well! He is a nice guy and has never ripped me off before so I don't think he would but I don't want to be paying over the odds for it.

Can someone please help?

pania

hiya. I'd ask him for the reason why he has taken this course of action and to ask him that if it appears it is costing you more per month this way then would there be a rebate off your rent?
I'd also ask him if the proeprty you are in is listed as a seperate dwelling with the land registry. chances are that if it is attached to the other property it is just classed as an "annexe" and therefore potentially on the same meter to the main house.
I'd just ask for a little more information on why he has made this choice. Good luck!!

lazy&indebt

Thank you for your help.

I haven't got a problem paying more than £15 per month if I am paying a fair price just for the electricity I am using... it would be unfair on my landlord if I am paying £15 per month but using more than that... so long as I don't get ripped off!

rayday2

Is there one or two meters being installed ask him. It could be a separate meter is being put in for you and his house will continue to be billed for his useage it is better for them to be separated.

peb

I am surprised in that it is a coin meter - have I got that right? Theoretically it is correct for you each to have your own meter and be responsible for your own usage - that is only fair. (NB how it is registered at the land registry is totally irrelevant) Meters can be loaded and this is a common trick in holiday accomodation but if your landlord has always been fair then that should not be a problem - but speaking as a landord it is usually the tenant who comes to an agreement with the utility company as to how payments are made. Just double check as to whether he just means seperate meters, possibly prepayment meters which I think from other MSE comments are more expensive or it really is a coin meter.

lazy&indebt

It is definitely a coin meter. One where you put coins in to pay for your electric which I'm guessing it means that he comes along and empties it and uses the money to pay towards the total electric bill?

moz86

It sounds to me like he will have 1 meter for his property and your part. It may be that he thinks the electricity bill he is receiving is not reflective of the amount he uses, plus £15. So he obviously doesn't want to make a loss so to speak. You said he's a fair man and has always been good to you. I would trust him, as he is no longer charging you the £15 and you will just pay for the true amount you use.

pania

peb wrote: »

(NB how it is registered at the land registry is totally irrelevant)

terribly sorry, just trying to help.:o

fistfullofdollars

Could you not ask him to get one of these prepay meters installed i.e. a key/card one? Then you can pay and keep incontrol and you dont have the fuss of finding a 50p to stick in the meter?

peb

Sorry Pania - wasn't meaning to have a dig - just got my legal head on!

pania

no probs. xx