Electricity connection

Good Evening, I am hoping that someone here can help me.

We bought our property in the early eighties, it is two purpose built flats built 1883, the mains electric (100amp) comes in from the outside divides into two and only one part is connected to the two flats. The other was connected but the then LEB dismantled it saying they could reconnect the second line when needed. We sold one flat and the owner was quite happy to go halves with the bills. He has lived there for 10 years. We both decided to have the line reconnected, but the DNO who came to inspect turned this down, saying we had to have three phase since DNOtreated this as a multiple occupation property. We own the freehold and the owner downstairs has a 999years lease. This will cause massive problems re leases etc etc. We would like some advice on this matter since the owner downstairs now wishes to sell.

Many Thanks

panda

are they actually 2 separate properties, with their own addresses & front doors etc, and nothing shared?

Andy™ said:

are they actually 2 separate properties, with their own addresses & front doors etc, and nothing shared?

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Yes Andy they are two separate flats , each with their own street number. We share a small communal lobby.

Thankyou

so you need 1 phase per flat and a separate shared supply. THe DNOs tend to put in a 3 phase cable regardless these days.

Who would buy a flat that shares a supply and meter with the other and "go halves" on the bill.

It sounds like you had 1 supply looped to 2 flats before. That would have been okay if you had left it, but now they won't loop a supply like that, so one of you has to stump up for a new supply.  You could always go halves?

In simple terms someone has to dig a trench and install a new cable. You can reduce the cost by doing some of the digging yourself.

binky said:

so you need 1 phase per flat and a separate shared supply. THe DNOs tend to put in a 3 phase cable regardless these days.

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Binky

ProDave said:

Who would buy a flat that shares a supply and meter with the other and "go halves" on the bill.

It sounds like you had 1 supply looped to 2 flats before. That would have been okay if you had left it, but now they won't loop a supply like that, so one of you has to stump up for a new supply.  You could always go halves?

In simple terms someone has to dig a trench and install a new cable. You can reduce the cost by doing some of the digging yourself.

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ProDave Money this time is not the problem the leaseholder is paying. Yes it is a looped supply, and it needs separating. My question is why is DNO insisting on calling the two flats HMO’s thus having to have three phase installed when there is a perfectly adequate single phase for one flat, and we were asking for another single phase line to be run in to service our flat.

Land lords supply? 

I have a looped supply that needs an upgrade, we have our own front doors in a purpose built flats and the DNO said they would bring in a new SP supply but Mr Bellend downstairs wont have it so I'm stuck with it, at least I could pull his service fuse if he pisses me off!

Panda said:

Binky

ProDave Money this time is not the problem the leaseholder is paying. Yes it is a looped supply, and it needs separating. My question is why is DNO insisting on calling the two flats HMO’s thus having to have three phase installed when there is a perfectly adequate single phase for one flat, and we were asking for another single phase line to be run in to service our flat.

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You have to tell them what you want on the application form.

One flat has a supply. So don't ask for anything there.

The other flat, request a single phase supply, work out your requirements, it might be anything from 12KVA to 21KVA and ask for a quote.

I don't get the HMO bit either, but the fact a single supply may have been adequate for many years doesn't mean LEB will allow that going forward. Like many electrical things updating doesn't tend to happen until it is forced to be updated....

I suspect they mean a BMO Building of multiple occupancy. 

Here they like to have a single 3p supply and have it spilt for individual use , I believe it something to do with bringing in more than one supply and differing earths. 

The exact description eludes me at this time of night. 

Deke us usually up all night so perhaps he may google on my behalf  

Many thanks to all of you for the advice given. It’s been very helpful.

Thanks again 

Panda

Is the existing supply in one of the flats or in the common area. From your 'dispute' i would guess the supply head is in one of the flats & that's why they wont reconnect. It was the norm to have  numerous supply fuses in say a basement of a house/shop/flat that divided supplies into the various premises but that is not  been allowed  for years,  because in the case of a blown main fuse or  meter change or upgrade  or fault etc you have to get access into another property which sometimes was almost impossible. 

I do sometimes  find new conversions where the supplier has been tricked into connecting the new supply & meter as the householder has had their electrician fit some parts (such as a cut out/Ryfield etc)  so when the meter fixer turns up it appears ready for them and the original supply is locked away in another flat