Suspected energy theft

gurudave

I have a device which wraps around mains cables in the distribution box and shows power usage - it shows there to be a continuous 50W drain when all switches are off except for the circuit marked 'kitchen'. In the kitchen all circuit breakers are off (hob, oven, central heating boiler) and all plugged-in devices are switched off. There is nothing that should be consuming any power.

The landlord has installed a sump pump (yes, it's a basement flat), and I know that sump pumps sometimes come with battery backup - my suspicion is that it is this that is using the 50W. There is nothing in my contract which says that I am responsible for paying for this, and I calculate that over the eight years I have lived here that comes to over £2000.

Does anyone out there have any advice on what I could/should do, both from a moral point of view and from a financial one. Many thanks for any help.

Stubod

..on what grounds would you not be responsible for this??

gurudave

Stubod said:

..on what grounds would you not be responsible for this??

I'll bounce that back at you... on what grounds would I be responsible for it?

As I said, there's nothing in the tenancy agreement which mentions this. It's not like it's me that's using the power.

Tucosalamanca

You're on an incredibly expensive tariff if 50w running for eight years cost £2,000 (or anything even close to it).

Perhaps recheck your sums if you want to take it further?

caprikid1

gurudave said:

Stubod said:

..on what grounds would you not be responsible for this??

I'll bounce that back at you... on what grounds would I be responsible for it?

As I said, there's nothing in the tenancy agreement which mentions this. It's not like it's me that's using the power.

The tenant has to maintain the property from a heating and damp perspective. Time to talk to the landlord ...

Emmia

If you don't power the pump, presumably your flat will flood (water? sewage?) how much would replacing your belongings / the inconvenience cost? 

MattMattMattUK

gurudave said:

I have a device which wraps around mains cables in the distribution box and shows power usage - it shows there to be a continuous 50W drain when all switches are off except for the circuit marked 'kitchen'. In the kitchen all circuit breakers are off (hob, oven, central heating boiler) and all plugged-in devices are switched off. There is nothing that should be consuming any power.

Unless you know the wiring of the property it could be that something is on another circuit, the circulation pump for the central heating is not usually on the same switch as the boiler itself etc. Equally those clamp on energy measuring devices are not particularly accurate, 50w is likely well within it's operating tolerances. 

gurudave said:

The landlord has installed a sump pump (yes, it's a basement flat), and I know that sump pumps sometimes come with battery backup - my suspicion is that it is this that is using the 50W.

A sump pump does not operate continuously, only when the sump fills to a certain level. 

gurudave said:

There is nothing in my contract which says that I am responsible for paying for this, 

It is part of maintaining your property in a damp free way, the same as bathroom extractors are not specified as being something you must pay for the electricity for, but you are still responsible. 

gurudave said:

and I calculate that over the eight years I have lived here that comes to over £2000.

That would seem to be insanely high, even if the pump had operated continuously for eight years it would have only used around £500-600 of electricity and it would not have or it would have burnt out. At most one would expect it to run for maybe 15 minutes a day, so the real world cost would be about £6-8 in total.

gurudave said:

Does anyone out there have any advice on what I could/should do, both from a moral point of view and from a financial one. Many thanks for any help.

Nothing.

Olinda99

50w continouous (0.05kw) is 438kwHr over a year or £100pa at say 25p per unit

Obviously prices were cheaper 8 yrs ago

Where is the pump wired into.your consumer unit ?

If you are seeing 50w draw continuous 24/7 that won't be a sump pump

gurudave

OK thanks everyone.

To respond to everyone's points so far...

The central heating pump is on the same circuit as the boiler.
I don't think it's within the operating tolerance of the device - when I switch on only one 3W LED lamp, the device indeed shows 3W is being consumed.
I know sump pumps do not operate continuously which is why I mentioned they sometimes come with battery back-up.
I disagree that it's like a bathroom fan extractor - that is a clear and obvious use, whereas whatever is using the 50W is hidden.   

My calculation was 50W * 24 hours * 365 days * 8 years = 3504000 watt hours, or 3504 kW hours. I thought a kWh cost around 60p but have just discovered it to be around 22p. So that would make it 3504 * 22 = £770.88. Not so bad, but still a sum I could do with.

Robin9

Do you really mean "continuous"  ?     

If you switch off the kitchen circuit at the distribution board -  does the 50W drop to zero?

As others have said sump pumps cycle, rather like a fridge

gurudave

Olinda99 said:

50w continouous (0.05kw) is 438kwHr over a year or £100pa at say 25p per unit

Obviously prices were cheaper 8 yrs ago

Where is the pump wired into.your consumer unit ?

If you are seeing 50w draw continuous 24/7 that won't be a sump pump

Yes, thanks, I have already revisited my maths!

And I have no idea where the sump pump is wired into the consumer unit. There's nothing marked as such. The pump is however below the kitchen floor, which is why I suspect(ed) it to be responsible.