Sub Metering

WolvesJon · May 13, 2013

Hi All I've been asked by a landlord to give a quote for some work he requires doing. He has a house that is converted into 5 bedsits. At the moment there is one single supply and one consumer unit. Lights are on up and downstairs circuits and there is a separate socket ring circuit for each of the rooms. No heavy electrical loads as gas heating in each room just a plug in counter top cooker. He's asked me if it would be possible to meter each of these room supply's separately??? I was wondering if there was an easy way of doing this without going with a meter/ sub board in each room. Would it be acceptable to run each of the ring circuit through a sub meter next to the main consumer unit? I'm probably barking completely up the wrong tree so any advice would be appreciated :icon6:

Landril · May 13, 2013

Does each bedsit require access to there own CU to reset a tripped unit etc, or can they all access the main CU?
Also even if you did meter the individual rings (which should be fine) what do you propose to do regarding the lighting circuit - individual rooms and shared?

Spoon · May 13, 2013

Landril said:
Also even if you did meter the individual rings (which should be fine) what do you propose to do regarding the lighting circuit - individual rooms and shared?

This is the main problem. If they find out that the lighting is not metered or is just on 1 meter for the whole house, what is to stop them tapping off the lamp fitting and running extra equipment...

WolvesJon · May 13, 2013

Hi Thanks for the reply. Yes all tenants would have access to main cu as its in a communal area. Lighting would have to be included in rent I guess as this would involve a lot more work to split which he doesn't want to do. I was just a but unsure if it was ok to come out of an Mcb into a sub meter then off to each room.

WolvesJon · May 13, 2013

Hi Spoon thanks for reply. I know not the best situation. I will give him his options let him decide.

Brightspark2 · May 13, 2013

Seems you have your answer but yes you can just meter each circuit seperatly...

Outspoken · May 13, 2013

WolveJon...have a look at this

We have installed these within DB's for racks, but they can be used for sub-mains to bedsits just as easily. They can go in their own locked enclosure to avoid tampering and from personal experience they are robust, reliable and accurate.