Splitting semi detached house into 2 flats

[leighgainsley]

Hi guys

I am converting an existing semi detached house into 2 flats. The house once converted will have a 1 bedroom flat at ground floor and a duplex 2 bed on the 1st and 2nd floors. There will be a small 5 sqm communal area as you come into the house with the doors to each flat off this communal area.

The exisitng house obviously has an existing single phase electrical supply.

I have had conflicting advice as what to do with the electrical supply. Some people have said that I will need a new three-phase supply into the house and I have a quote for this from UK Power Networks of £2750!. According to UK Power Networks I can not have 2 single phase supplies as there is a communal area rather than a door to each flat from the street.

However, after speaking to my electrician this morning, he has said I can just keep the existing single phase supply and split it once in the house? Is this possible? It will oviously save me a small fortune!!

I plan on selling the flats so will need to comply with all the building regs etc.

Look forward to hearing!

Many thanks


Leigh

 

[a1guvner]

You could run the communal area from the larger flat and mention that in the sale particulars, have seen the smaller flats in your position fed via a check meter from the larger flat, ideal for the developer as no new service coming in, nightmare for the new tennants with reads and who's responsible for what so if that comes out it would make the places alot harder to shift, cant see why they should not give you 2 single phase supplies

 

[leighgainsley]

Thanks - they said the installers will refuse to do 2 single supplies as there is a communal area.

I really need a meter for each of the flats.

Do I have any other options?

 

[a1guvner]

Sounds like to much of a small communal area to warrent a landlords supply, sounds like just a lobby to me which i believe the larger flat should be reponsible for, i would try and get it requoted from UKPN and ask for one more SP supply

Who said the installers will refuse?

 

[leighgainsley]

Thanks.

UKPN said that!

 

[a1guvner]

Cant see why at all, i would try again, did they do a site visit or budget desk quote

 

[leighgainsley]

They told me it had to be a 3-phased supply from the desk, and then followed this up with a site visit.

I feel like I am being raped!

 

[Rockingit]

As I understand it, each individual dwelling requires it's own separate supply/MPAN in order to facilitate independent metering and consumer choice. If you were splitting it into an HMO things might be slightly different, but if you're selling the places as individual leasehold properties, divided on the Land Registry, then it's fairly clear.

I can understand about the DNO not being keen on installing multiple phases due to issues of separation, but what you might be able to do is keep the supply as it is and run it to the larger flat (run the communal area from it and account for it in your freehold charge) and ask the DNO to provide you with a separate MPAN as a new supply spurred off that head for the small 1 bed flat.

They can't justify forcing a 3ph install on you if their argument is about separation in the communal area!!

 

[leighgainsley]

Thanks Rockingit.

I will give that a go. I think as far as the potential buyers are concerned, they just want to know they have their own separate meter.

Would spurring an MPAN off the existing supply comply with building regs?

 

[a1guvner]

As I understand it, each individual dwelling requires it's own separate supply/MPAN in order to facilitate independent metering and consumer choice. If you were splitting it into an HMO things might be slightly different, but if you're selling the places as individual leasehold properties, divided on the Land Registry, then it's fairly clear.

I can understand about the DNO not being keen on installing multiple phases due to issues of separation, but what you might be able to do is keep the supply as it is and run it to the larger flat (run the communal area from it and account for it in your freehold charge) and ask the DNO to provide you with a separate MPAN as a new supply spurred off that head for the small 1 bed flat.

They can't justify forcing a 3ph install on you if their argument is about separation in the communal area!!

I would bear in mind i did have trouble getting a head split to 2 cutouts a while back, was out in the sticks but they really wanted to install a new tx for the client at the clients cost, not much of a deal breaker, just a thought for you

 

[a1guvner]

Thanks Rockingit.

I will give that a go. I think as far as the potential buyers are concerned, they just want to know they have their own separate meter.

Would spurring an MPAN off the existing supply comply with building regs?

The mpan is only the meter point allocation number so that all meters have thier own reference regardless of the supply setup

 

[Rockingit]

Yes, I could have explained a bit more clearly!! What you are asking for is another metered supply by spurring from the existing. Alternatively, you could ask them for a new MPAN and have your own electrician fit a separate meter for it.

 

[a1guvner]

Yes, I could have explained a bit more clearly!! What you are asking for is another metered supply by spurring from the existing. Alternatively, you could ask them for a new MPAN and have your own electrician fit a separate meter for it.

As i understnd it you will only get the new mpan once the additional supply/cutout has been fitted

 

[leighgainsley]

As i understnd it you will only get the new mpan once the additional supply/cutout has been fitted

Ok thanks. So is the best plan of action for me to ask UKPN to spur the existing supply? Failing this, then try and just have an additional single phase supply (with the small communal area attached to the larger flat)?

 

[a1guvner]

Ok thanks. So is the best plan of action for me to ask UKPN to spur the existing supply? Failing this, then try and just have an additional single phase supply (with the small communal area attached to the larger flat)?

That would be my plan of attack