Sub metering and winter fuel support

sharzys

The property I live in is a converted house divided into ground floor and first floor flat. The landlord is the account holder for the main meter with the energy provider. There are sub-meters to the two flats where we each pay for energy direct to the landlord each month based on usage, as two separate households. Does this mean that the winter fuel support should be given to two separate households or one? 

DE_612183

The support will be given to the person who has the electricity account with a supplier ( your landlord ) - whether you see any of it will be based on whether he is on a domestic or business tariff - if it's the latter nobody gets anything, if the former he "should" divide it up - but you'll have to take it up with him.

[Deleted User]

Assuming by winter fuel support you mean the £400 energy rebate (officially the Energy Bills Support Scheme) - then DE is broadly correct.

The EBSS rebate is only paid to domestic electricity accounts with licenced suppliers.  You don't have one of those, so you don't get any rebate.  If the landlord's supply is a commercial contract, they don't either.

If the landlord has a domestic contract for that main meter, they will get the £400 but there is no obligation or expectation that they should share it with you.  An unfortunate consequence of how the scheme is structured.

DE_612183

[Deleted User] said:

Assuming by winter fuel support you mean the £400 energy rebate (officially the Energy Bills Support Scheme) - then DE is broadly correct.

The EBSS rebate is only paid to domestic electricity accounts with licenced suppliers.  You don't have one of those, so you don't get any rebate.  If the landlord's supply is a commercial contract, they don't either.

If the landlord has a domestic contract for that main meter, they will get the £400 but there is no obligation or expectation that they should share it with you.  An unfortunate consequence of how the scheme is structured.

Yes agreed, however the landlords are not allowed to re-sale for more than they have paid for it, so you could argue that if the overall bill has been discounted by a £400 payment - that should be passed on, otherwise the landlord is making an unfair profit.

It probably needs to be checked as when the landlord rules were introduced the EBSS was not something that would have been considered.

MWT

DE_612183 said:

[Deleted User] said:

Assuming by winter fuel support you mean the £400 energy rebate (officially the Energy Bills Support Scheme) - then DE is broadly correct.

The EBSS rebate is only paid to domestic electricity accounts with licenced suppliers.  You don't have one of those, so you don't get any rebate.  If the landlord's supply is a commercial contract, they don't either.

If the landlord has a domestic contract for that main meter, they will get the £400 but there is no obligation or expectation that they should share it with you.  An unfortunate consequence of how the scheme is structured.

Yes agreed, however the landlords are not allowed to re-sale for more than they have paid for it, so you could argue that if the overall bill has been discounted by a £400 payment - that should be passed on, otherwise the landlord is making an unfair profit.

I don't think that is going to work, the person with the account is entitled to the £400 to reduce their own energy costs.

The energy they resell is still going to be sold at the price they pay for it, there is no link between the £400 support and the price paid per kWh.

ariarnia

but that doesn't mean the tenant can't ask there landlord nicely (knowing theres no entitlement) if they are on a domestic contract and if they will be splitting the 400 between the sub-tenants. 

someone on the housing board always used to say most things are best resolved with a conversation, tea and cake. 

[Deleted User]

Hi,

there's also the daily standing charge, is that split between flats?

MWT

Agreed, never hurts to ask, but the real answer for them is supposed to be in the alternative support fund that has been talked about, but not yet implemented...

[Deleted User]

DE_612183 said:

Deleted_User said:

Assuming by winter fuel support you mean the £400 energy rebate (officially the Energy Bills Support Scheme) - then DE is broadly correct.

The EBSS rebate is only paid to domestic electricity accounts with licenced suppliers.  You don't have one of those, so you don't get any rebate.  If the landlord's supply is a commercial contract, they don't either.

If the landlord has a domestic contract for that main meter, they will get the £400 but there is no obligation or expectation that they should share it with you.  An unfortunate consequence of how the scheme is structured.

Yes agreed, however the landlords are not allowed to re-sale for more than they have paid for it, so you could argue that if the overall bill has been discounted by a £400 payment - that should be passed on, otherwise the landlord is making an unfair profit.

It probably needs to be checked as when the landlord rules were introduced the EBSS was not something that would have been considered.

That's one of the main differences between the schemes.  Those which involve a change to unit rates, such as both the domestci and commercial versions of the EPG must be passed on.

The EBSS is just a cash gift (in effect) and is not a discount, so is not covered by the same thing,