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

 

[Silly Sausage]

In Jail & the pictures have been removed for evidence?

I hope not! :-(

 

[Lacy]

I did submit a post to this thread a few days ago clarifying the legal position but as it was my first post it told me the reply had to be moderated before it would be displayed. It seems to have disappeared into the ether.....

 

[Stroppy]

Here are the pictures I recovered from my cache:

and

 

[exniceic]

It looks like the original supply tails to the meter are the old brown colour outer sheaf which was the common colour at the time. I can see from your photos now the new tail arrangement. It still does not alter the fact that the Supply Company's supply to that property has been comprimised illegally. and fraud has taken place.
I have never,ever, known a Supply Company install a Henley Box before their meter.

Someone is in big trouble, if it was me I would emigrate. (joke)

 

[Lacy]

Yet again, I have typed a fairly comprehensive reply outlining the legal aspects and this damn board tells me it has to be moderated first before it is posted.......I am only trying to help and enlighten here, folks.....will this reply disappear into the ether too?

 

[Silly Sausage]

Lacy, you might have to have X number of posts before you are unleashed.
Don't give up.

 

[Lacy]

Can't understand why it's letting me post some replies....like this one....and not others?

 

[Knobhead]

Have you being trying to include pictures in the posts?

That is one limiting factor I know of for a newcommer

 

[Lacy]

It might be because the reply included links to relevant legislation.....but if the moderator looks at it they will see there's nothing dodgy there.....it's just that it's the second time I've typed it all out and I've had no contact from a mod about either post; they just disappear with seemingly no trace....

 

[Geordie Spark]

It might be because the reply included links to relevant legislation.....but if the moderator looks at it they will see there's nothing dodgy there.....it's just that it's the second time I've typed it all out and I've had no contact from a mod about either post; they just disappear with seemingly no trace....

Hi Lacy.

I don't know what's happening with your posts, I'm just a member here same as you, but how about typing your posts in Notepad, then saving them to your pc then copy & paste here on the board. That way, you'll always be able to re-post when / if you're able to.

(Sorry if I'm teaching my granny how to suck eggs.)

 

[Lacy]

No mate, you're right, I should have saved the post Somewhere else before hitting the send button. serves me right.......I'll have another crack at it soon!

 

[Lacy]

Just to clarify a couple of legal points:

A few people have mentioned ‘theft’. It’s technically impossible to steal electricity. In order to commit theft you have to dishonestly appropriate ‘property’ and property has to be tangible and it’s because electricity is intangible that the offence of abstracting electricity was created in the 1968 Theft act.

Abstracting Electricity
Section 13 Theft Act 1968 - 5 years - indictable (triable either way) offence
It is an offence for a person to dishonestly :-
• use without due authority, or
• cause to be wasted, or

• cause to be diverted,

any electricity.

Note the use of the word ‘dishonestly’. If the original poster is a lay person who had work done for him it would be difficult to prove any degree of dishonesty up to the point that he became aware that there was a problem with the wiring. As soon as he becomes aware (by asking in this thread for example) any subsequent use without notifying his supplier would more than likely be deemed dishonest.

The other offence that may have been committed here is by his electrician:

Tampering with electricity meters
Section 31 and Schedule 7,Article 11Electricity Act 1989 - level 3 fine - summary offence
It is an offence for a person, with intent or culpable negligence, to alter the measuring capability of any meter, or prevent a meter from registering the quantity of electricity supplied.
It would be difficult for his electrician to argue that he wasn’t culpably negligent given the obvious faux pas that has been made here.

If it were me, I would contact my supplier ASAP with an explanation of what has happened and details of how long the wiring has been like that, a list of appliances and loads on the unmetered circuits and estimated usage together with an assurance that I intend to pay for unmetered electricity used.

As the meter reader has, it seems, already clocked the problem, to do anything, such as getting the wiring altered now as if nothing has ever happened, could be deemed dishonest.

 

[Midwest]

There is one flaw to that argument, the gent now knows (as been wisely advised by this forum) that he is getting electricity for free and any court (if it ever got that far) would form a view about his 'mensrea' or he knew he was breaking the law.

Homeworker, my advice would be to stop messing around and get on the phone to your supplier as soon as possible. If you get the fault fixed and not tell the supplier (can't believe people suggesting that!) and subsequently get found out you will end up in court and possibly in prison.

Abstracting electricity S13 Theft Act 1968.

You may have a high bill to pay back, but I think you would rather that than spending time behind bars. A high level of gain is one of the aggravating factors for sentencing.
As others have said, you do not perpetrate this offence,and it is possible it was a simple mistake by the electrician. The difference is you now know!

Did mention this before Lacy, and the original thread owner seems very conspicuous by his absence. I suspect he is a very worried person, but the longer they leave it to contact the supplier (now that they know it is wrong, both technically AND legally), the worse things will become. Let’s hope homeworker comes back to us to say he has made contact with his supplier.

 

[sedgy34]

The op shouldn't do anything!!!! As I posted before he's got an electrical cert from a sparky who did his newly works the op is a consumer therefore non the wiser lol

 

[Guitarist]

The op shouldn't do anything!!!! As I posted before he's got an electrical cert from a sparky who did his newly works the op is a consumer therefore non the wiser lol

Used to be non the wiser...