Meter connection error - help!

LauraMcC

My landlady has contacted me to tell me that she has just discovered that the electrical meters to the building I live in have been incorrectly connected. My landlady developed the house into three flats over a year ago, but the error has only just come to light. One of the electrical sources to my flat has been connected to another flat's meter. Now my landlady wants me to pay a share of the other flat's bill.
Yes, it is my electricity - but it's not my fault!
Whose liability should this be? Mine? The flat with the big bill? The electricity suppliers? The landlady? The original electrician who installed the meter?
Any advice would be gratefully received!
Thanks, Laura x

Terrylw1

Hi,

Are the meters fitted by the Supplier or are they private sub meters owned by the LL.

The LL cannot make you pay at all for the consumption if the meters are owned by a Meter Operator (standard elec metering in all properties) and I would strongly advise you to not pay a penny.

Your Supplier upon being told this will want to sort these crossed meters out which could mean bills will be recalculated. You could end up out of pocket then if they also ask for more so you should wait.

The LL has no legal proof of your consumption if the meters are not hers. The energy consumption is monitored through the industry and billed back to you by your Supplier.

It's nice thats she's trying to help out but she's going about it the wrong way. You need to get the meters corrected first with your Supplier, get their bills correct and then discuss it.

If the meter have been connected incorrectly, the private electrician the LL employed may have labelled the tails incorrectly. Thats her liability, not your or your Suppliers. The meter engineers only connect up the tails when they fit the meter, they are not responsible for tracing that an electrician has done his job properly.

Speak to your Suppliers (all tenants) as until the meter tails and all the meter numbers are uncrossed and corrected, this will continue forever.

If you pay anything, get a receipt incase you need to take legal action later if you find your LL has scammed you.


If by appliances you just mean everything is wired correctly except I wiring, then thats her electricians fault and it comes down to how you estimate the consumption. Thats tricky and she should be mindful thats it's her fault, not yours.