Is someone stealing my electricity?

[poni]

I don't know much about key meters but surely you must be registered with a service provider to top them up?
But there is no way a service provider lashed them in like that in what looks like 10.0 T&E.

that is what I was thinking ,who is getting the money from the top-up cards?, it does look like the credit meter is paying the whole bill and the card meters money is going somewhere else , it should go to the person that pays the bill from EON

 

[Sharpend]

Two options: 1) ask EoN or those you pay the bill too, to investigate your bills as a 1bed flat doesn’t warrant such an expense. Ask them for a check meter to be installed. This will bring them out and likely to be somebody slightly higher than a meter monkey.
Hopefully they will pick up the lashed in meters and report it back up the chain. Being into the conversation about the mpan numbers.
As it stands your neighbours should be paying you and you pay the one bill to supplier.
2) you call the fraud team at EoN and report fraudulent metering.

 

[ProDave]

My take on this.

The bottom right is the DNO;s meter into the building and meters the TOTAL used by all 3 flats.

The top 2 meters are probably private and one as has been pointed out is linked out.

I think the way is is supposed to work is someone pays the total bill for all 3 flats, and than that one person bills the other 2 flats for the amount they each use. Under this arrangement you must bill the other flats exactly the same unit rate that you pay to the DNO you are not allowed to sell at a profit.

How you go about unravelling this mess is another mater. Start by speaking to the other 2 flats and ask them who do they pay their electricity bill to, and roughly how much do they pay a year. That could be an interesting answer from the flat connected to the bypassed top left meter.

Best of luck

 

[Fleeting]

My take on this.

The bottom right is the DNO;s meter into the building and meters the TOTAL used by all 3 flats.

The top 2 meters are probably private and one as has been pointed out is linked out.

I think the way is is supposed to work is someone pays the total bill for all 3 flats, and than that one person bills the other 2 flats for the amount they each use. Under this arrangement you must bill the other flats exactly the same unit rate that you pay to the DNO you are not allowed to sell at a profit.

How you go about unravelling this mess is another mater. Start by speaking to the other 2 flats and ask them who do they pay their electricity bill to, and roughly how much do they pay a year. That could be an interesting answer from the flat connected to the bypassed top left meter.

Best of luck

We all agree on this but who is accepting the top up fees from the meter keys albeit one is linked out.

 

[Barx]

My take on the OP. Your meter is the original meter and the only one registered with a supplier. The building has been split up into flats and rather than getting new supplies / splitting the original, they have just installed 2 additional private pre-pay meters (sub metering). The original intention of this is that the main supply tenant would supply the pre-pay cards to the sub metered flat tenants and then the money from them basically pays their part of the bill. This used to be very common, and probably still is to some extent.
You are now at the very bad end of a crap stick. You are essentially paying for all 3 flats. The sub meter on the left have been by passed so never runs up. No idea who is suppying the other tenant with cards, but they are pretty readily available, cheaply. So probably just buying their own.
Now the flats have all been sold on without keeping the agreement in place. It never was a good idea, this setup.
You can try ask the DNO / supplier about adding additional meters, but they will more than likely want to upgrade the upply, which could cost big bucks.
Are the other 2 owners approachable, to explain the issue to and try resolve?

 

[monkey5]

As barx and prodave have said about the original meter and 2 sub meters, id concure. If the other 2 aren't approachable, could they be disconnected as the installation is pretty poor? Obviously as a last resort, but you should be paying their electricity. Is there gas too or just electric? The meter on the right is obviously getting topped up as the amount has changed, but they must be paying someone, so you need to find out who. The left meter must also know they are not using any of there credit so must understand something isn't right.
Keep us all updated with any outcomes please.

 

[apprentice87]

Ok, You are paying for ALL electricity used in the entire building. YOUR flat, YOUR eletricity. If it were ME, i would simply disconnect the other two meters, your power will still be on, and let the others have to arange their own supply. Not for you to worry about.

Imagine if say, my house water came from a pipe i had installed myself to next doors house and they discovered and cut the pipe. What could i do about it?? Not a lot..

The supplier will not help, they are getting paid so will not care, the police SHOULD take an interest [theft, conspiricy to defraud] but will most likely not care, so simply disconnect the two meters and let the other sort it out..

john..

 

[apprentice87]

My take on the OP. Your meter is the original meter and the only one registered with a supplier. The building has been split up into flats and rather than getting new supplies / splitting the original, they have just installed 2 additional private pre-pay meters (sub metering). The original intention of this is that the main supply tenant would supply the pre-pay cards to the sub metered flat tenants and then the money from them basically pays their part of the bill. This used to be very common, and probably still is to some extent.
You are now at the very bad end of a crap stick. You are essentially paying for all 3 flats. The sub meter on the left have been by passed so never runs up. No idea who is suppying the other tenant with cards, but they are pretty readily available, cheaply. So probably just buying their own.
Now the flats have all been sold on without keeping the agreement in place. It never was a good idea, this setup.
You can try ask the DNO / supplier about adding additional meters, but they will more than likely want to upgrade the upply, which could cost big bucks.
Are the other 2 owners approachable, to explain the issue to and try resolve?

Why would the OP care a crap about price?? It is not them needing a supply and they are under no obligation to supply the others. They should just dissconnect all supplies apart from their own and let the others arrange their OWN supplies. Why would they care a crap what this costs??

john..

 

[glenns]

Personally, I'd book a holiday and pull the main fuse.... by the time you come back the DNO will have been out and all 3 meters replaced, you're getting robbed!!

 

[Murdoch]

I do wonder if we’re being told everything as my question about the freeholder hasn’t been answered …….

 

[Nicky Tesla]

Yes, these are the only three meters. I know the one in the bottom right is mine because I turned everything on in my flat and it started moving much quicker.

It will move quicker no matter what flat you are in, because everything goes through that meter. Who's is the meter to the right?

 

[Murdoch]

It will move quicker no matter what flat you are in, because everything goes through that meter. Who's is the meter to the right?

don’t hold your breath for a reply …..

 

[Kama]

I agree with everything that has been said.
I cant see any Energy supplier getting involved, as they are metering everything that comes into the property, so they are not being defrauded.
As far as they are concerned, it like you having meters on your kids bedrooms, they dont care.
What I dont understand is, those other 2 meters, are Energy Supplied Meters, they arent check meters, or top ups, as said, the user of the left meter knows full well that hes not paying anything.
Turning of your Isolator / fuse board only isolates your Flat, Nothing Else.
How do you pay your Electricity Bill? Do they send you a meter reading ? it should have a meter serial number on it, check it ?

The other thing is those " submains " as said, look more like DIY , I wouldnt have thought an Electrician put those in.
Do you know the people or have an address for the person you purchased the flat from? They could have had a deal with the other 2 flats, or, been ripped of as well.
Good Luck and please post6 updates

 

[mort2376]

Get an electrician in who will make it safe and correct.

Take photos and document. Then you can happily give the electricians number to the other users and he can fit prepayment meters with cards that they have to purchase from you.

Or if its your name on the bill and mpan just change the meters anyway.

You won't recover costs from "stolen' electricity, but you will be able to get paid from now on.

Plus if you seek legal advice they may be able to confirm if you could add a small additional charge to recover, but you cannot make a profit from it.