Help needed on electricity meter

[Deleted member 114336]

hi
My housemate uses too much electricity- constant heater etc- I want to separate our electricity readings.
What can I do pls?

P.S. I’ve looked at smart meters on individual sockets however he’s got lots of sockets in his room and would find a way around them.

 

[SparkyChick]

Hi David,

Welcome to the forums.

You cannot and must not mess with the electricity meter installed in your property, I'll get the obvious out the way first.

With regards to metering your house mate... theoretically it is possible, but would likely require significant (read costly) changes to the electrical installation in the property.

When you say he has the heater on a lot... is there central heating in the property? If so, what type? May be some simple tweaks to that may alleviate the need for additional heating.

 

[snowhead]

Time for a new housemate, or a new house.

 

[Spoon]

Also, if it's a rented property, then you need the permission of the owner to do any changes...

 

[telectrix]

had similarprob with a tenant some time ago. he was paying me £10/ week for leccy, but had multiple portable heaters, ran up an annual bill on my account of £6000. when supplier cut off the leccy, he refused to pay rent. couple of good hard lads from the pool soon got him out.

 

[Deleted member 114336]

Hi David,

Welcome to the forums.

You cannot and must not mess with the electricity meter installed in your property, I'll get the obvious out the way first.

With regards to metering your house mate... theoretically it is possible, but would likely require significant (read costly) changes to the electrical installation in the property.

When you say he has the heater on a lot... is there central heating in the property? If so, what type? May be some simple tweaks to that may alleviate the need for additional heating.

Hi SparkyChick

We have no central heating, only electric. His cost is about £5 a day, my share of his heating bill is £50 a month. I use about £9 a month.
I don’t get what you meant by messing with the meter.
Are you an electrician?

 

[Deleted member 114336]

Time for a new housemate, or a new house.

No, there’s a way around, and yea if necessary then he’ll be forced to move house.

 

[Deleted member 114336]

Also, if it's a rented property, then you need the permission of the owner to do any changes...

Yea the owner is on board

 

[Deleted member 114336]

Time for a new housemate, or a new house.

I mean the problem can be solved by smart metering or other electrical engineering. Are you a professional?

 

[Deleted member 114336]

had similarprob with a tenant some time ago. he was paying me £10/ week for leccy, but had multiple portable heaters, ran up an annual bill on my account of £6000. when supplier cut off the leccy, he refused to pay rent. couple of good hard lads from the pool soon got him out.

I hope he paid his electricity

 

[Deleted member 114336]

I hope he paid his electricity

Yea forcing this guy is easily done, however, I’d rather have him pay his own. His parents are losers etc bad life experience so he doesn’t know respect, stuck in the cycle of abuse.
I am kind however He would be made to pay his bill if he did something like what your tenant did to you.
He even leaves heaters on full power when he goes out for a few days.
Lucky for him I see the cycle of abuse in him, or he’d be given two months notice and be made to pay his bill.

 

[Michael Sands]

I think you should stop asking everyone what credentials they have to validate their answers or nobody will give you their time

 

[DPG]

I'm intrigued to know why you are asking the guys/gals if they are electricians /professionals.

 

[Squid]

As an ex electrician/landlord my advice is kick him out or install a coin meter in his room.

 

[Squid]

had similarprob with a tenant some time ago. he was paying me £10/ week for leccy, but had multiple portable heaters, ran up an annual bill on my account of £6000. when supplier cut off the leccy, he refused to pay rent. couple of good hard lads from the pool soon got him out.

I like you a little bit more now,

if Peter Rachman had lived a few years longer than he would have been my God Father, how cool would that have been.

 

[Dave OCD]

To the OP - firstly all who have replied to you are well qualified people, the only way to meter this persons individual usage would be to have all of the sockets/lighting etc that he personally uses on their own circuits and thus through a dedicated meter.
But I reckon he should learn some respect for others and some decency, a background of neglect is one thing but do you think it's ok to let that cycle continue for ever more ?

 

[Deleted member 114336]

I think you should stop asking everyone what credentials they have to validate their answers or nobody will give you their time

Yea I don’t want that. This thread is for electricity professionals, not bs.

 

[Deleted member 114336]

I think you should stop asking everyone what credentials they have to validate their answers or nobody will give you their time

Yea I don’t want that. This thread is for electricity professionals, not bs.

I'm intrigued to know why you are asking the guys/gals if they are electricians /professionals.

I don’t want bs / trolling. This is supposed to be an electricity forum.

 

[Octopus]

Hi SparkyChick

We have no central heating, only electric. His cost is about £5 a day, my share of his heating bill is £50 a month. I use about £9 a month.
I don’t get what you meant by messing with the meter.
Are you an electrician?

Interesting guesses or assumptions for usage stated here.

How did you work out your share should only be £9.00 per month?

How much is the bill per month and how do you heat your room?

 

[Dave OCD]

Don't you understand that the people replying ARE electrical professionals ?? That's why your replies could easily cause offence....

 

[Deleted member 114336]

To the OP - firstly all who have replied to you are well qualified people, the only way to meter this persons individual usage would be to have all of the sockets/lighting etc that he personally uses on their own circuits and thus through a dedicated meter.
But I reckon he should learn some respect for others and some decency, a background of neglect is one thing but do you think it's ok to let that cycle continue for ever more ?

People tend to lash out when made to change habit. I have to separate his bill or he’ll leave.

 

[Deleted member 114336]

To the OP - firstly all who have replied to you are well qualified people, the only way to meter this persons individual usage would be to have all of the sockets/lighting etc that he personally uses on their own circuits and thus through a dedicated meter.
But I reckon he should learn some respect for others and some decency, a background of neglect is one thing but do you think it's ok to let that cycle continue for ever more ?

People tend to lash out when made to change habit. I have to separate his bill or he’ll leave.

 

[Deleted member 114336]

Interesting guesses or assumptions for usage stated here.

How did you work out your share should only be £9.00 per month?

How much is the bill per month and how do you heat your room?

I don’t hear my room and I have proper bedding.
The numbers are accurate, tho I don’t see how my explanation would solve my problem SparkyChick

 

[DPG]

Jeez I'm out. There's a serious attitude problem here that needs sorting before the electrical situation.

 

[Dave OCD]

Well I've explained what would need to be done David, if the rooms don't already have separate circuits for power and lighting then it's likely to cost hundreds, surely it would be easier to have a good chat and make him be more reasonable when the alternative is finding a new place to live ?

 

[Deleted member 114336]

Don't you understand that the people replying ARE electrical professionals ?? That's why your replies could easily cause offence....

Why didn’t they give a proper reply?

I posted here for help to solve my problem, not to chat bs

 

[SparkyChick]

Are you an electrician?

Only when I'm not on holiday.

Good luck resolving your problem.

 

[Dave OCD]

What sort of reply are you waiting for ? I tried to give you sensible advice,as did others. No one is 'chatting bs' , maybe with one exception....

 

[SparkyChick]

Why didn’t they give a proper reply?

I posted here for help to solve my problem, not to chat bs

Because the first part of providing a good answer is fully understanding the problem, so we ask questions... questions that may not seem relevant to you, but are relevant to us if we are to give good advice.

Thus far though you're coming across as a complete a$$ hat, so now I fully understand the current problem... it's probably you.

At this point, as a member of the forum staff, I'm giving you a choice... you can either apologise to the members you've offended (all of whom are professional sparks), answer our questions and we may be able to offer some advice or I can close the thread. It's your choice.

 

[Deleted member 114336]

Jeez I'm out. There's a serious attitude problem here that needs sorting before the electrical situation.

Well I've explained what would need to be done David, if the rooms don't already have separate circuits for power and lighting then it's likely to cost hundreds, surely it would be easier to have a good chat and make him be more reasonable when the alternative is finding a new place to live ?

We have had that chat. Ty for real advice. No good to expect habit to change, I’d only be disappointed, he knows. I will have to look at the schematic to see if his room has an independent supply, or if not then use socket meters they’re only £10. I’ll fix them such that any tampering would be clear.
I am v kind even to bad people /losers /abusers. I don’t want him to suffer because he can’t help himself.

 

[telectrix]

We have had that chat. Ty for real advice. No good to expect habit to change, I’d only be disappointed, he knows. I will have to look at the schematic to see if his room has an independent supply, or if not then use socket meters they’re only £10. I’ll fix them such that any tampering would be clear.
I am v kind even to bad people /losers /abusers. I don’t want him to suffer because he can’t help himself.

just make sure he gives you a share of the cannabis he grows on your leccy bill..

 

[DPG]

What a shame to lose out on an amazing wealth of knowledge of forum membersjust because of an attitude issue.

 

[telectrix]

tink this thread is on a hiding to nothing, we have an arse as OP who has an arse for a tenant. let them argue between themselves. the adiabatic equation is of no use here,

 

[Deleted member 114336]

Because the first part of providing a good answer is fully understanding the problem, so we ask questions... questions that may not seem relevant to you, but are relevant to us if we are to give good advice.

Thus far though you're coming across as a complete a$$ hat, so now I fully understand the current problem... it's probably you.

At this point, as a member of the forum staff, I'm giving you a choice... you can either apologise to the members you've offended (all of whom are professional sparks), answer our questions and we may be able to offer some advice or I can close the thread. It's your choice.

What a shame to lose out on an amazing wealth of knowledge of forum membersjust because of an attitude issue.

I should have been specific on how to separate the electricity reading for one room.

 

[Squid]

Well I've explained what would need to be done David, if the rooms don't already have separate circuits for power and lighting then it's likely to cost hundreds, surely it would be easier to have a good chat and make him be more reasonable when the alternative is finding a new place to live ?

Feed for a coin meter two sockets and a light circuit job jobbed, cn you still load on the tariff?

 

[telectrix]

I should have been specific on how to separate the electricity reading for one room.

get an electrician to fit you a landlord's meter.

 

[Dave OCD]

Feed for a coin meter two sockets and a light circuit job jobbed, cn you still load on the tariff?

Reselling electricity has strict rules as far as I know, you can only add a small amount to cover 'maintenance'. Although your solution is good and perfectly acceptable to any decent person I fear in this case that the same coin would get endless use.

 

[rolyberkin]

Split one side of rfc specific to that room into a radial with 20amp mcb, isolate other sockets not on that leg of rfc or put on other side of radial, install meter.

 

[rolyberkin]

 

[rolyberkin]

 

[telectrix]

better still put his sockets on a 10A MCB with a lock off kit. change combination each time it trips and sell the number at a tenner a time.

 

[Squid]

Reselling electricity has strict rules as far as I know, you can only add a small amount to cover 'maintenance'. Although your solution is good and perfectly acceptable to any decent person I fear in this case that the same coin would get endless use.

Sealed meter, my Mum had the same set up so I know it well.

 

[Dave OCD]

Certain people can manipulate such seals very well, either that or just blatantly break them, beyond normal decent behaviour.

 

[Deleted member 114336]

Reselling electricity has strict rules as far as I know, you can only add a small amount to cover 'maintenance'. Although your solution is good and perfectly acceptable to any decent person I fear in this case that the same coin would get endless use.

That sounds like an expensive job. A coin meter sounds more expensive than smart meters on each socket.
Even adiabatic is useless in my case because the guy would use constant heater anyway, let’s not question why.

 

[Deleted member 114336]

Sealed meter, my Mum had the same set up so I know it well.

Is that the same thing as a Landlord’s meter?

 

[Dave OCD]

That sounds like an expensive job. A coin meter sounds more expensive than smart meters on each socket.
Even adiabatic is useless in my case because the guy would use constant heater anyway, let’s not question why.

That's the real issue here, I think trying to work around it will never succeed in this particular case.

 

[Octopus]

I don’t hear my room and I have proper bedding.
The numbers are accurate, tho I don’t see how my explanation would solve my problem SparkyChick

I don’t see how your figures can be accurate.

How do you wash, make hot drinks, cook food, keep food cold ...,,

These all add up

So stop messing around and convince us you know your figures..

How much do the winter months compare with the summer?

....

 

[Squid]

Is that the same thing as a Landlord’s meter?

Back in the past you could buy a meter that you owned and could install per room.

Newer version then the twister type,

 

[Deleted member 114336]

I don’t see how your figures can be accurate.

How do you wash, make hot drinks, cook food, keep food cold ...,,

These all add up

So stop messing around and convince us you know your figures..

How much do the winter months compare with the summer?

....

Back in the past you could buy a meter that you owned and could install per room.

Newer version then the twister type,

View attachment 46733

Ty. I will look at installing a digital meter like how a coin meter used to be installed.

 

[SparkyChick]

@David Mack ,

Looks like you've got an answer you're happy with.

I'll say thank you on behalf of all the members you've insulted along the way and leave you with a warning... if you post again and display a similar level of contempt for the people who are trying to help you, I'll personally ban you. Whilst there is a certain level of chit chat between the professional members, the majority of members time here is spent answering queries from other electricians and members of the public. We do it for free because we like to help... we don't do it to be insulted.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and welcome to the forums.