Electrical contractor bypassed my meter ?

[homeworker]

Looking for some advice before deciding how to proceed.

A number of years ago I had an extension built with all the electrics supplied by a second CU fitted in the garage. I recently had cause to look closely at the wiring (after a particularly lengthy MeterPlus reading) and have determined that the second consumer unit is connected to the wrong side of my meter.

Now I can see no reason nfor the contractor to do this intentionally so i am trying to establish why this should have happened, genuine mistake ? common practice ?.

Having had the extension professionally project managed and as far as I can remember all signed off (this resposibility I assumed was with the Project management - rather than me the householder) I am really surprised and a little concerned that I find myself in this situation. And where I fully expect to pay for power consumed I am worried that I am liable in any way.

Any professional thoughts and advice more than welcome.

Bob

 

[trev]

I'd expect an additional CU to be connected either from the existing one or by use of henley blocks on the existing tails. No doubt your lengthy meter reading was when this was picked up on. How long ago was this 2nd CU installed and do you have any certification covering it, if you have then this will go some way to mitigating your liability as long as you pay for the estimated consumption in the interim

 

[Rockingit]

Hello Bob.

Firstly, can you post us up a picture of your meter situation?

Second, what do you think you're seeing that gives you this impression? Not saying you're wrong, btw!

It would be common to have one or two chunky black/brown connector boxes just after the RIGHT side of the meter outlet (as in, two cables in, two out) and from there to have one set of cables feeding one CU, and another to the other.

 

[Plonker 3]

Could you post up some pictures of it so we can see exactly how it is by-passed, more advice can be given once we see the arrangement.

It is illegal to have your meter bypassed, so I would contact your provder ASAP to inform them if you think that is the case, but beware there is a good chance they will think you have done it.

 

[Spazz]

Firstly - if the contractor connected it to the wrong side of the meter - you would of been having free electric - This is Theft! It would not cause you to have a high electric bill

Secondly - If the DNO visits and sees that this has happened you could face a fine or worse

mistake or not - cant comment

Find the certificate and check it out - if you didnt have a certificate you need to find out if he was an electrician - visit Competent Persons Register | Home and do a search on him

What is your location - dont give your address!

Get an Electrician out to get it sorted ASAP before something happens


In regads to a high bill, this could be a bad installation or using to much electric.

Again this needs to be checked out!


As a recommendation - take pictures incase the electrician is not registered! - for legal reasons


Keep us updated!

 

[trev]

A tad harsh branding someone a thief for what may have been a mistake not of their making wouldn't you say mate?

 

[Spazz]

I didn't brand anyone - all I said if the action of bridging the meter is theft - I am not saying that homeworker is a theft at all!
From what he said he is the innocent party here.

Dont jump to do anything as yet - get some pictures up here in case it is a basic misunderstanding

 

[trev]

This is Theft! It would not cause you to have a high electric bill

Secondly - If the DNO visits and sees that this has happened you could face a fine or worse

Copied and pasted from your first reponse. While I agree that it could be viewed as theft if the DNO wanted to get really awkward about it I don't see the point in scaremongering. If the OP approaches the supplier and pays any estimated consumption can you honestly see criminal proceedings being issued against him?

 

[Spazz]

Sorry it is theft! - not saying that he is responsible for it

Like I said get some pictures on here - it could be a simple mistake.

Trev - dont jump to conclusions

 

[trev]

Can you honestly see criminal proceedings being issued against the OP resulting in the "fine or worse"?
I can't as long as the estimated consumption is paid for if the meter does turn out to have been bypassed

 

[homeworker]

Wow - Thanks for the prompt responses - I may have misled slightly, the "lengthy MeterPlus reading" refers to the length of time the MeterPlus man took to jot down a few numbers, not a high bill, normally he is in and out in seconds this time he read the numbers out to himself then took a couple of minutes more looking at the meter / original CU.

Having never paid any attention before I took a look out of curiosity to find the cables leading to the new CU are fed from the same block that supplies the Meter. The Electrician is a local contractor (and is in the Competant Persons Register), I do have a certificate but that in itself might be enough for him to say "it was fine when i left it - look, Here's a certificate" ?

I am keen to get this sorted and pay for the power I owe but as pointed out above the supplier may indeed think I am to blame. I'll post some pictures when I get home.

I am in North Yorkshire - if there's a relevance.

 

[Spazz]

No I cant if its done in the correct way.
If he report it himself and explains the situation then he will be ok. If they turned up then a different situation might occour.

First of all - he needs to be 100% certain that the 2nd CU is wired up on the wrong side. He also needs to know has he got an EIC to prove who installed it.

So first of all - post some pictures on here so we can tell him 100% that it is correct or its wrong and find out if he has any certificates or proof of who installed it!

I am sure that he does not want a situation where he made a mistake and it is wired up on the correct side and he feels a fool infront of the DNO. (I AM NOT SAYING S/HE HAS GOT IT WRONG) - but we dont know anything about this person - apart from s/he only found this out after a large bill - if this was the case then this being the wrong side would not cause this - so there are 2 potential problems - a picture of this meter and all the cables in that area could say alot! and answer alot more questions than is it on the wrong side of the meter!

It may also answer why he is using so much more electric!

 

[trev]

I really don't think you'll have much to worry about Homeworker. Try to get a picture of the meter itself so we can see if it's seals are intact as well as photo's of the tails and where they are jointed

 

[Rockingit]

An old friend of mine shared a house with some other lads whilst at Uni - loooong time ago. Because they were a long way from the campus and all on the same courses, they were out early and back late and kept missing the meter reader. For three years. Now, the previous occupant had been some little old dear that hardly used anything, completely unlike 3 or 4 lads on the p. So, they were starting to get a little worried about the difference between their estimated bills and the real one when it eventually arrived and caught up with them, and how they were going to pay it. But, being the fine students of engineering that they were, they realised that if they actually INCREASED their consumption, they could clock the meter over to roughly what the bills said...... and so they tried very very hard for a few months and just had everything they could find plugged in and on 24/7. Then it happened, one of them was ill and at home, made the mistake of answering the knock at the door........ "oh *&^#%" says they, as they hadn't managed to quite get there on the reading so were now dreading a bill of empirical size. Weeks went by, and the brown envelope landed on the mat. Inside, it contained a rebate cheque for over charge!!!!!!!! They never had the guts to cash it.

 

[Knobhead]

When was the meter read? From what I’ve been told the DNO don’t hang about. They may have the police in tow as well.