Supplier vs DNO for Maisonette

tetrarch

I received "one of those" phonecalls from my daughter the other day. She said that she was getting strange electric shocks whilst in the shower.

I said that this sounded like a grounding issue and suggested (erroneously as it turns out) that this was a plumbing issue associated with the boiler as the problem appeared to be associated with the shower only.

Plumber came round and after arguing that it was in her head! eventually agreed, after she made him take his shoes and socks off, (that's my girl!) that there was a genuine problem and that an electrician was required.

She reported this to Octopus who fobbed her off terribly and basically washed their hands of the probem

I have an electrician with me working on my refurb at the moment so he went round and discovered that the supply to her half-maisonette was reversed. 240v from Neutral/E and 0V from Live/E

I had my daughter video the circuit tested screaming on the "wrong" side of the circuit and Octupus finally called in UKPN

UKPN attended and said that there was some kind of "short-circuit" with the lower maisonette and that the conduit had become live, causing the supply switch. They actually disconnected the supply to downstairs that "fixed" my daughter's problem but have left an elderly man with a cut-off property.

Now we are in the situation where neither UKPN nor Octopus want to take responsibility. I have two questions?

1. What is the best place to go to get this resolved fully?

2. How can my daughter recover the costs that she has incurred to get this far for a problem that is not hers?

Regards

Tet

molerat

It all depends where the short was, it could be anywhere.  If after the meter then it is the responsibility of the property owner.  If it was before the meter then I am sure UKPN would have fixed it.  Who is the supplier for downstairs ?

TadleyBaggie

Octopus (who I presume are your supplier) have no responsibility here whatsoever.

BarelySentientAI

tetrarch said:

I have an electrician with me working on my refurb at the moment so he went round and discovered that the supply to her half-maisonette was reversed. 240v from Neutral/E and 0V from Live/E

I had my daughter video the circuit tested screaming on the "wrong" side of the circuit and Octupus finally called in UKPN

Which wouldn't give her electric shocks in the shower unless something was wrong with her own property's wiring/plumbing.

tetrarch said:

2. How can my daughter recover the costs that she has incurred to get this far for a problem that is not hers?

Probably nowhere.  Not everything is a claim.  You might be able to persuade someone to chuck her a goodwill payment.

Certainly nothing to do with Octopus and probably no fault of UKPN either.

FreeBear

BarelySentientAI said:

tetrarch said:

I have an electrician with me working on my refurb at the moment so he went round and discovered that the supply to her half-maisonette was reversed. 240v from Neutral/E and 0V from Live/E

I had my daughter video the circuit tested screaming on the "wrong" side of the circuit and Octupus finally called in UKPN

Which wouldn't give her electric shocks in the shower unless something was wrong with her own property's wiring/plumbing.

There should be an RCD on the shower circuit to prevent shocks. There should also be earth bonding on any copper pipe supplying the shower.

Vortigern

If this is a "half maisonette", who owns the property? The owner/landlord or their letting agent should be responsible for this.