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.
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:
We'll complete a few checks and confirm the date for an engineer visit
Please look out for this and contact us if the date isn't suitable
If we arrive and can't complete the new connection, we'll let you know why and next steps needed to resolve the issue
We'll install smart meters by default, and they'll be in pay monthly (credit/PAYM) setting
If you want a prepayment (PAYG) meter, we'll:
Install as pay monthly first
Check the meters are working correctly (so we don't leave you without supply)
Switch them to a PAYG tariff and account
Add any debt accrued in the PAYM setting, set at a repayment rate aligned with our current processes
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:
BG 10way Consumer Unit currently on offer from TLC-Direct
As yet @calli hasn’t said how the existing arrangement of flats is served by any existing Consumer Unit.
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!
I’m pretty friendly with lots of DNOs and I simply told the agent I’m a forum volunteer on the OVO Forum (which is true because I am!), helping a customer who works at a school (which is also true) and that they came to us (the forum volunteers) for advice.
Works every time! XD
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Hi, I own a flat above 2 commercial shops in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. My flat is the entire first (top) floor of the building. Historically, it was 2 flats. I would like to separate it off into 2 flats again so that I can rent out one side and keep the other for my own use (mostly storage).
How do I separate the gas and electricity charges for the new tenant? I could just turn off the gas radiators in the portion of the flat I’m keeping, but I would prefer for them to have a smart meter (pay monthly) for electricity and also gas, if possible? There is only one gas boiler though…
Do I need to get an electrician in first to provide a 2nd consumer unit? Then contact the supplier or DNO? What are the costs involved?
The first thing you need to do is set up a NEW connection for each of the flats via your DNO and Gas Transporter, then you need an electric/gas supplier to set up meters for them.
You will then need an electrician and a gas safe engineer to do the necessary works in each flat to rewire and replumb everything.
Let me know if you need more advice on this!
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ive read this thread but am no clearer to what the answer is to the original question.
In short I have one main meter that supplies two separate parts of the same flat each with their own fuse board (lets say upstairs and downstairs) I want to tenant upstairs separately to downstairs so each is responsible for paying for its own electricity usage on a PAYG system. What are the options available without the need for a new supply meter & MPAN?
Short answer: NONE exist - you must go with the existing advice in this thread and create completely separate supplies for each flat with unique Meters and MPANs for each one.
Long answer:
What you want to do is arguably dangerous and has basically zero benefit. You and your tenants would merely experience pain and you’re better off letting them manage their energy supplies themselves - you WILL NOT make a profit if you try to resell any of it.
Try this guide as it may help:
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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.
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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