DANGER! Hot wiring – what we all should know?

DANGER! Hot wiring – what we all should know?

9:52 AM, 12th April 2024, About 7 months ago 4

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Hello, Two weeks ago I was unaware of what Hot Wiring was. Basically, it is electricity theft done by connecting wire either side of a meter and hence no current is charged for as it doesn’t pass through the meter. It can be LETHAL.

I had a call from the resident of a block in which my husband and I own a flat. She was distraught. An engineer from OVO had just knocked on her door showing her a burnt out electric meter that had belonged to her neighbour and told her she and the rest of the block were lucky to be alive.

I did some research. Any tenant can just “get a new meter”. There is currently no obligation to advise either landlord or Block Management. In this case, the energy company flatly refused to check the gas meter for tampering as I wasn’t the account holder.

THIS IS CLEARLY WRONG. The criminals get the usual slap on the wrist and are free to change suppliers and do it again, with the rest of the block blissfully unaware of the danger they are in.

I have contacted OFGEM, the ENERGY OMBUDSMAN, UKRPA and the Fire Brigade. All agree things need to change but it is not something they can do.

No, it is not a GDPR issue, I have spoken with a GDPR practitioner who states clearly “Safety comes first”.

I have had more success in lobbying my MP.

I would like to urge other landlords to do the same. If we don’t want to risk waking up to dead tenants, the law has to change so that EVERY UTILITY COMPANY HAS A LEGAL OBLIGATION to report Hot Wiring to the landlord of any tenanted property and the Managing Agent where this is happening in blocks of Flats. (Whether rented or otherwise).

We all have voices. We can make this happen.

I am a landlord in Weston Super Mare. In my block, one owner is now so concerned about it happening again he starts every day by getting out his step ladder to check his neighbours’ meter for tampering. Yes, the offending tenant has been asked to leave.

Please use your voice. Do your own research. Contact your MP. It is the law that needs to change.

Thank you,

Hilda


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Professor W

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10:54 AM, 12th April 2024, About 7 months ago

I had a similar issue a few years when a council recommend tenants boyfriend messed with the meter even though i had the police involved and phoned the electric firm to make it safe the engineer who turned up said it was my responsibility ?? and the electric firm would be going after me for £3000-£4000 cost of new meter and lost electric " landlords are an easy target " (exact words), he said next time just let the new tenant phone up for a meter change and we would have done it for free !!!

Ray Davison

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13:22 PM, 12th April 2024, About 7 months ago

Checking for meter tempering is on my checklist at every property inspection along with evidence of other illegal activity such as drug use etc.

Judith Wordsworth

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10:53 AM, 13th April 2024, About 7 months ago

Another old trick with non smart meters is drill a tiny hole in the side, insert a needle or king pin to stop the wheel.

When meter due to be read, remove and fill hole with shoe polish.

yl2006

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13:41 PM, 13th April 2024, About 7 months ago

Yes, it's a H&S issue but I don't see how landlords are responsible for this any more than they are for, say, a tenant's own gas cooker?

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