Hello, we live in a big house that has been converted into 3 flats. We are electric only and just started to move in. I have noticed that there is a daily usage of exactly 1.9kwh. It is spread equally throughout the entire day and I have no idea what is causing this. I have tried to turn the main switch off in the fuse box but it makes no difference.
Any advice would be very appreciated. Thank you.
Hi
1.9 kWh over a day corresponds to a constant load of 80W, which is not insignificant. Are there communal bits of the property that you’re perhaps paying for - lighting on stairs or in the basement, for example, or ‘always live’ stuff that bypasses the consumer unit (fuse box), such as fire alarms? Lights can easily reach that sort of draw, but there would have to be dozens of heat/smoke detectors for their consumption to amount to anything noticeable.
If you have a smart meter, its usage data should give you a clue as BP points out.
1.9 kWh over a day corresponds to a constant load of 80W, which is not insignificant. Are there communal bits of the property that you’re perhaps paying for - lighting on stairs or in the basement, for example, or ‘always live’ stuff that bypasses the consumer unit (fuse box), such as fire alarms? Lights can easily reach that sort of draw, but there would have to be dozens of heat/smoke detectors for their consumption to amount to anything noticeable.
If you have a smart meter, its usage data should give you a clue as BP points out.
This was going to be my suggestion, a communal hallway light perhaps. It might be worth doing a ‘creep test’.
If you’ve been unable to get to the bottom of an increase in our usage by locating a greedy appliance, the next step would be to carry out an initial check on the accuracy of the meter with a ‘Creep Test’. To carry this out: turn off the power to your fuse box and check if the meter continues to clock. If the meter clocks (more than 1 - 2 units which could be down to residual power in the wires) then it's either faulty, or clocking someone else’s usage.
If your meter is in a communal meter cupboard, sometimes the meter details can get mixed up. Firstly it’s worth checking the meter serial number on the meter matches the serial number registered on your account. You can see this on the ‘Meter readings’ page of your online account.
I think as the usage is consistent it’s more likely to be an estimate or an overlooked appliance. If everything is off at the fuse, the meter shouldn’t clock any consumption.
Please pop back if you can with an update
1.9 kWh over a day corresponds to a constant load of 80W, which is not insignificant. Are there communal bits of the property that you’re perhaps paying for - lighting on stairs or in the basement, for example, or ‘always live’ stuff that bypasses the consumer unit (fuse box), such as fire alarms? Lights can easily reach that sort of draw, but there would have to be dozens of heat/smoke detectors for their consumption to amount to anything noticeable.
If you have a smart meter, its usage data should give you a clue as BP points out.
This was going to be my suggestion, a communal hallway light perhaps. It might be worth doing a ‘creep test’.
If you’ve been unable to get to the bottom of an increase in our usage by locating a greedy appliance, the next step would be to carry out an initial check on the accuracy of the meter with a ‘Creep Test’. To carry this out: turn off the power to your fuse box and check if the meter continues to clock. If the meter clocks (more than 1 - 2 units which could be down to residual power in the wires) then it's either faulty, or clocking someone else’s usage.
If your meter is in a communal meter cupboard, sometimes the meter details can get mixed up. Firstly it’s worth checking the meter serial number on the meter matches the serial number registered on your account. You can see this on the ‘Meter readings’ page of your online account.
I think as the usage is consistent it’s more likely to be an estimate or an overlooked appliance. If everything is off at the fuse, the meter shouldn’t clock any consumption.
Please pop back if you can with an update
Thank you everyone for your replies. After tracing the wires and cables I’m 99% certain that I’m powering the communal lights, fire alarms etc. My electricity usage is correct so I don’t believe there’s an issue with my meter, I checked by turning on some high usage appliances e.g electric oven and it accurately displayed my increased usage.
From my meter I followed the cables which led to a box, there they split off into an isolator labelled “flat 3 isolator”, my flat, and a fuse box with switches such as “lighting” “fire alarm”. My meter is the only out of all of them that splits off, the rest go directly to their isolator switches.
There are multiple lights in the hallways that are on 24/7 and so this makes me think even more so that it would be the case.
It looks like you’ve found the culprit.
What to do about it? That communal load you’d be paying for could cost about £15 a month, depending on your tariff. Do you own or rent the property? If it’s your own, then your neighbours should pay you ~£10 a month each. If it’s rented, the landlord should deduct ~£15 a month from your rent to cover this. The alternative for him would be some expensive rewiring.
You might have to document it, in which case you’d need a device to monitor how much energy is being used communally. A £20 wifi CT meter might be enough.
If you are a tenant then check whether your Tenancy Agreement or rent statement says anything about that communal supply.
If you own your flat then check your lease or service charge starement.
You may find that your rent, or service charge, has already been reduced from what the other flats pay.
eg. You may find that they may each be paying a service charge for communal electricity use, but your charges should then be reduced by the total of what they are paying. Maybe yours even shows a ‘communal energy credit’ or similar wording.
In effect that’s an administrative way of them each paying you a nominal amount for the extra on your bill for the communal use. (Without you having to collect it from them).
If you are a tenant then check whether your Tenancy Agreement or rent statement says anything about that communal supply.
If you own your flat then check your lease or service charge starement.
You may find that your rent, or service charge, has already been reduced from what the other flats pay.
eg. You may find that they may each be paying a service charge for communal electricity use, but your charges should then be reduced by the total of what they are paying. Maybe yours even shows a ‘communal energy credit’ or similar wording.
In effect that’s an administrative way of them each paying you a nominal amount for the extra on your bill for the communal use. (Without you having to collect it from them).
Some helpful advice here from our community members, it’s definitely worth checking your tenancy agreement
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