Advice on getting extra meter for self contained basement

[silverbantam]

I have a self contained basement which I am looking to rent out. It has a separate gas meter and consumer unit but shares a meter with the main house. I have a three phase supply which has recently been replaced by Northern Powergrid. I would like to split the supply for an extra meter for the basement but Northern Powergrid say they no longer do this but would only supply a new connection which costs over £1000 !

I have phoned my supplier (Scottish Power) who say I need to get an electrician to split the supply, do the wiring & provide a safety certificate. Then they can give me a new MPAN and arrange for a new meter to be installed.

Will Scottish Power be able to install the new meter from one of the spare fuses on the main fuse ?

Here is a photo of my fuses and meter:

The meter on the bottom right is a sub meter for the basement which I no longer need. The consumer unit is for the basement (the one for the main house is now upstairs)

 

[Spoon]

It may be too early in the morning but I think I'm miss reading your post.
You say "I would like to split the supply for an extra meter for the basement" then in your last paragraph is "The meter on the bottom right is a sub meter for the basement which I no longer need"
What is wrong with the meter for the basement you already have?

 

[silverbantam]

It may be too early in the morning but I think I'm miss reading your post.
You say "I would like to split the supply for an extra meter for the basement" then in your last paragraph is "The meter on the bottom right is a sub meter for the basement which I no longer need"
What is wrong with the meter for the basement you already have?

I want to rent out the basement so I need a new meter so they can be billed separately and change supplier if they wish.

 

[Spoon]

Confused:
The Itron meter is the main meter for the house.
The "meter on the bottom right is a sub meter for the basement" is a separate meter purely for the basement. Can't you use this one.

 

[silverbantam]

Confused:
The Itron meter is the main meter for the house.
The "meter on the bottom right is a sub meter for the basement" is a separate meter purely for the basement. Can't you use this one.

I want Scottish Power to install their own meter so the basement can be billed separately.

 

[Spoon]

So what you want is two separate accounts with Scottish Power, one for the whole house and one for the basement, and for them to come in and replace the old basement meter with one of their own. really.
If you are renting out the basement then just use the basement meter and calculate the charge for the tenants yourself, using the same calcs Scottish Power do. Saves you money.

Anyhow, back to your original post. It looks like you don't need to mess about splitting your existing supply as you already have everything in place. You just need the old basement meter replacing with a new one.

 

[silverbantam]

So what you want is two separate accounts with Scottish Power, one for the whole house and one for the basement, and for them to come in and replace the old basement meter with one of their own. really.
If you are renting out the basement then just use the basement meter and calculate the charge for the tenants yourself, using the same calcs Scottish Power do. Saves you money.

Anyhow, back to your original post. It looks like you don't need to mess about splitting your existing supply as you already have everything in place. You just need the old basement meter replacing with a new one.

How can using a submeter save me money? As the basement already has it's own gas meter I would be entitled to dual fuel discounts.

 

[Spoon]

Ok, so my comment about saving money may be wrong. I can't be right all the time... How about the last paragraph on post 6?

 

[Engineer54]

Unless i'm misreading this also, all you need for that existing basement meter is a MPAN number which will be to the account of the tennant.

As far as i can see (the photo is way too dark) the sub meter is not being fed from the load side of the main meter, but i may be wrong...

 

[Spoon]

This is how I see the pic:
The power comes in. One phase used. This goes to the Itron meter. From there to the 3 pole isolator under the meter. Then to the block. From the block there are 2 circuits. One going up the left had side of the block to the CU for the rest of the house. ( I don't want to think on the installation method and cable type, or if the earth cable is big enough) second circuit goes to black meter then onto CU for basement.
I could be wrong, again, though...

 

[silverbantam]

This is how I see the pic:
The power comes in. One phase used. This goes to the Itron meter. From there to the 3 pole isolator under the meter. Then to the block. From the block there are 2 circuits. One going up the left had side of the block to the CU for the rest of the house. ( I don't want to think on the installation method and cable type, or if the earth cable is big enough) second circuit goes to black meter then onto CU for basement.
I could be wrong, again, though...

No, that's right.

 

[Spoon]

No, that's right.

Cool. I'm right... Im going to tell the missus...
So is it as Eng54 says and you just need a MPAN number for the basement meter?

 

[silverbantam]

Cool. I'm right... Im going to tell the missus...
So is it as Eng54 says and you just need a MPAN number for the basement meter?

Scottish Power say my electrician can apply for the MPAN. Is that right ?

 

[Spoon]

Just done a quick search on Google and it says your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) should be able to give you one.
MPRNs, M numbers, Meter Point Reference Numbers explained