I have 3 x flats that have just the one meter supplied by Ovo.
I want to split into 3 x meters by Ovo. I want to avoid using power networks and getting in a 3 phase supply as they are suggesting
can this be done?
the supply is already going to all 3 so its about metering although i don’t want private meters, I would like 2 separate accounts for the tenants to pay themselves.
Best answer by Transparent
Updated on 24/01/25 by Emmanuelle_OVO:
A really technical but great question this one. To put things simply, your DNO would need to install a new 3 phase fuse or 2 new single phase fuses, so you’d also need to arrange for them to attend on the same day as your chosen supplier’s engineer. OVO Energy can now take on new connections. Some details of what to do is below:
If you have a supply number already (MPAN for electricity, MPAN for gas) and a meter attached, you already have a new connection and you can switch via the normal way online (when available).
Each meter must be connected to a Service Fuse in one direction and a Consumer Unit in the other.
A Consumer Unit is not itself an expensive item, especially if purchased as a package with all the trips pre-installed:
As yet
Unless there is a separate Consumer Unit for each flat, with the certification from a qualified electrician, then I can’t see how any Installer would be prepared to put in a meter. It would be in breach of SMICoP regulations. This Smart Meter Installation Code of Practice is the agreement by which engineers working for Energy Suppliers are licensed to break the seals on the Service Fuse without the attendance of the Distribution Network Operator and a qualified electrician on site.
As you would expect, the SMICoP regulations are primarily about safety. This doesn’t just mean the safety of the meter installation itself either. The Government (through Ofgem) are using the Smart Meter installations as an essential opportunity to verify that the gas and electricity supplies to each dwelling are up to the basic requirements.
No Installer could risk connecting a new meter to a Consumer Unit if there was a chance that the wiring somewhere in a flat might not be fed entirely from that Unit.
If they were to do so, then a later intervention by the DNO to run 3-phase into the building would leave the occupants with the risk of there being 440v within a room.
Now I still do have ideas as to how to save money in having this work done. But I cannot foresee any way that the issue can be resolved without the regulations being fully and correctly implemented. The rules are not onerous - they are actually just common sense, and successfully keep us alive!
Various options are available for the Landlord of properties split onto multiple flats and HMO’s.
To do it properly it involves having individual supplies/accounts for each flat, or at least having private, (owned by the landlord), sub-meters.properly fitted.
Meters are the only way to tell which flat is using how much energy.
If you want PAYG sub-meters that your tenants top up themselves, then this is one of the newer options now available that avoids having to issue the tenant with tokens/cards, or having to collect cash from coin meters. (Other suppliers and options are available - a websearch will find them).
https://www.topupmeters.co.uk/
Here’s a simple ‘getting started’ guide https://www.topupmeters.co.uk/getting-started
It is ultimately the landlords energy account and the landlord pays the account bill, the top-ups paid by the tenant for their smart-metered use are then credited back to the landlord.
Remember that it is illegal to resell energy to your tenants for more than you pay for it.
Hey
Glad to see a couple of our volunteers have already stopped by with some really helpful advice for you on this so I hope that’s been of use to you already.
As they’ve mentioned, you’ll need to have an entirely new connection installed for this to happen.
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