Phantom Electricity? How do I get electricity provider to check the meter

obamtl

Hello all, For several years now, I’ve suspected I’m being charged for way more than I consume. I’ve taken extreme steps to cut costs and very little difference. Upgraded all lights and appliances, and now the hot water is permanently off and the heating only turn on in one room at a time and set to 16oC. I live alone, yet I’m being charged for up to 20kwh a day. A couple in a similar flat as mine, who are far less extreme consume 6-7kwh a day.

I’m away for an extended period, and cut off the power in my flat from the fuse box. Yet I’m still being charged for circa 15kwh a day. Bulb have been extremely uncooperative. They keep asking me to do a “burn test” but the one time I managed to do this, nothing unusual showed up. The meter stopped reading for the 15 minutes or so. This only proves that my electricity runs through that meter, but doesn’t prove that only my electricity runs through the meter. They keep obstructing at getting an engineer out to have a look. Once I managed to have it escalated, after speaking to 2 agents. The first agent said he’ll do it and send me a form to fill, but instead sent me a request to do another burn test. I called back and the second agent arranged for an engineer, but the first agent then cancelled the request, so no engineer was sent.

What options do I have to get this investigated and resolved, because an empty flat with power cut off at the fuse should not consume 15kwh of electricity a day.

Gerry1

What exactly did your 'burn test' involve?  I trust that you have checked that the serial number of 'your' meter is the same as that on the bill?

Do the Meter Sanity Test, especially if the meter is in an external cupboard or meter room.

If this suggests something is wrong, then ask for a check meter to be installed.  If this isn't forthcoming, submit a formal written complaint and go to the Ombudsman upon receipt of a deadlock letter or after eight weeks if they don't send one.  Better to communicate in writing so that you have an audit trail.

If the meter is within your property you could even consider buying a cheap meter and getting an electrician to install it downstream of the official one.

[Deleted User]

Sounds like a crossed meter. Check that the serial number on the actual meter matches that shown on your bill. 

You have the right to ask for an independent meter check. There will be no cost if the meter is found to be malfunctioning. 

macman

You are perfectly at liberty to have a sparky trace the wiring downstream of your meter to see if i's feeding another property, if you cannot do this yourself, but it's not really plausible if the meter is installed within your property. This is entirely your domain, being your side of the meter: you don't need the supplier's permission.
Far more likely to just be a crossed s/n, as above.

Mobtr

If you’ve done a burns test & the meter stopped when it was turned off can’t see how it can be a meter mix up or someone else using it. Surely it would still have advanced. 

Ectophile

Anything after the meter isn't their problem. If someone has tapped into the supply between the meter and your flat, then the energy company won't be interested.

macman

Would help if you could explain the location of the meter and the proximity of the flat to it?

obamtl

macman said:

You are perfectly at liberty to have a sparky trace the wiring downstream of your meter to see if i's feeding another property, if you cannot do this yourself, but it's not really plausible if the meter is installed within your property. This is entirely your domain, being your side of the meter: you don't need the supplier's permission.
Far more likely to just be a crossed s/n, as above.

It's not a crossed serial number as the number on the meter itself and my bill match up.

Also, when you cut off the power from the meter itself, it cuts off the power to my apartment, but when the power is cut off from my apartment, tge meter still runs.

The fuse box in the apartment was turned off from the 22nd to the 29th. High usage continued from the 22nd through to late afternoon on the 24th, ranging from £6.58 to £7.08 a day. It then dropped to around £1.80 a day, with mostly a flat line and two spike (6AM and 7PM) until the 29th. On the 30th, it rose back to £4.42. Incidentally I'm aware the next door neighbour was away for Christmas and returned on the 29th. 

This gives solid evidence that at least part of my neighbour's electricity runs through my meter. 

I have to wait until next week for an electrician to trace the wiring.

I suppose my question now is that given that I've clearly been paying for part of my neighbour's electricity, what recourse do I have?

obamtl

macman said:

Would help if you could explain the location of the meter and the proximity of the flat to it?

The meter is in a locked communal cupboard about 15ft away from the apartment.

[Deleted User]

obamtl said:

macman said:

You are perfectly at liberty to have a sparky trace the wiring downstream of your meter to see if i's feeding another property, if you cannot do this yourself, but it's not really plausible if the meter is installed within your property. This is entirely your domain, being your side of the meter: you don't need the supplier's permission.
Far more likely to just be a crossed s/n, as above.

It's not a crossed serial number as the number on the meter itself and my bill match up.

Also, when you cut off the power from the meter itself, it cuts off the power to my apartment, but when the power is cut off from my apartment, tge meter still runs.

The fuse box in the apartment was turned off from the 22nd to the 29th. High usage continued from the 22nd through to late afternoon on the 24th, ranging from £6.58 to £7.08 a day. It then dropped to around £1.80 a day, with mostly a flat line and two spike (6AM and 7PM) until the 29th. On the 30th, it rose back to £4.42. Incidentally I'm aware the next door neighbour was away for Christmas and returned on the 29th. 

This gives solid evidence that at least part of my neighbour's electricity runs through my meter. 

I have to wait until next week for an electrician to trace the wiring.

I suppose my question now is that given that I've clearly been paying for part of my neighbour's electricity, what recourse do I have?

You get a report from a qualified electrician and you take it up with your neighbour if you have clear evidence of incorrect wiring.  Anything on the house side of your meter is of no interest to your energy supplier.

ariarnia

obamtl said:

I have to wait until next week for an electrician to trace the wiring.

can you maybe give us a picture and we might be able to speed it up for you if we spot anything obvious?

ideally a picture of your meter (including the cables going in and out/the area if thats something you can do) and if you think its something from the fuse then the cables going from the fuse to your consumer box might be helpful? 

can't promise anything but theres some very clever people on here who are used to looking for problems like this