Sharing the standing charge

MotoGP46

When an employer/landlord takes electricity from their tenants property to provide power for outside events, cafe etc. Is it reasonable to expect said landlord to pay at least half of the standing charge? Is this even legal?

tim_p

I’d be taking more notice of what power is being consumed by these ‘outside events’. Potentially far more than 30p-odd per day. 

GrumpyDil

Landlord should probably not take but negotiate costs. If you are a normal tenant with direct responsibility for paying the electricity bill then up to you if you agree to let Landlord take power from your supply. 

If you do agree you should meter the amount used and charge for that. I'd argue standing charges are paid by you anyway and unless landlord is running 24 hour events difficult to put a value on. 

FlorayG

No because the standing charge is the same whether or not the landlord is using it. What IS reasonable is to expect the landlord to pay for all the power he uses

EssexHebridean

As Floray says - the SC isn't the relevant part of the cost for consideration here! 

Scot_39

Sounds a bit strange and not sure I like the impliciations of the other party being both your landlord and employer.

You mention cafe - are you in a some sort of informal "tied property" (think shelter uses the more modern terms "service occupier" or  "service tennant" depending on whether living their key to job) flat above a trading business - renting - but as part of employment - on in past normally favourable terms ?

Are you sure this power drain is actually from your meter ?  

Many split properties have more than one meter.  There may even be a communal supply in the landlrds name as well as the individual tennants having normal domestic billing - and that might be the one being tapped off for external power.

If it is passing through the meter you pay for - do you have an idea of how much energy used by landlord is costing  ?

Have you compared readings when these external events occuring against when not ?

If it's insignificant - is it worth raising - if is significant - you might need a measurement of some sort.  So how exactly does the landlord take the power - normal internal socket - external sockets already fitted etc. ?