Can meters go faulty?

[NewOrder]

I have a strange problem. My workshop is rented and is in a business park, there is over 100 units there and each unit has its own meter but its in a meter room and I don't have access to it.

I use it to repair PCs, I am there around 5 hours a day 5 days a week so 25 hours per week, 100 per month. Typically there will be around two desktops and two laptops running (sometimes many more) and also 2 x 100w lights, although I have only started using these.

My 400w panel heater is running when I am in there, so 5 hours a day.

Apart from a fixed cost each month, the amount of electricity I am using is only coming to around £2-£5 a month, surely this seems far too low?

My unit costs are 13p per unit. I am using probably 800-1kw an hour. Lets just say that it is 1kw per hour. That is 0.13 per hour that is 0.65p per day.

0.65 per day x 5 days = 3.25
3.25 * 4 weeks = £13.00

So I get my bill to £13 a month, how can it often be £10 less than this? I am just a little worried my landlord may discover the meter is faulty and change me a big back log!

 

[Aragorn84]

the PC's wont likely draw that much at all, unless your running them at maximum load, your typical desktop isnt going to draw much more than about 100w, a laptop is probably <75.


Having said that, are you sure your "fixed cost" doesnt include a number of units? and your £2-5 is only what your using over an above this fixed cost?

 

[Spark123]

Are the meters private or network property? I have seen business parks where the meters are private, the overall bill being paid by one party (billed through a main network meter), they get cheaper electric owing to the amount used (megawatt user??) and they are not allowed to sell this on to the consumers at a profit hence everyone else on the estate gets cheap leccy.

 

[NewOrder]

Possibly it includes some usage. My bill is £20 plus what ever I use. The £20 is supposed to cover street lighting (the car parks etc) heating in the public buildings and I suspect profit.

I get billed by the owners of the estate and not by the utility company so I suspect the owners own the meters too.

 

[Spark123]

If it's cheaper than getting your own supply put in then don't knock it!

 

[flameport]

I am just a little worried my landlord may discover the meter is faulty and change me a big back log!

Not too likely, because a. how will the landlord know it is faulty, and b. even if they did somehow find out, how could they possibly prove how much electricity was previously used, c. it's their meter and therefore their responsibility to maintain it properly, and d. if it's locked away all the time, they can't blame you if it goes wrong.

 

[Lectrician]

Are the meters private or network property? I have seen business parks where the meters are private, the overall bill being paid by one party (billed through a main network meter), they get cheaper electric owing to the amount used (megawatt user??) and they are not allowed to sell this on to the consumers at a profit hence everyone else on the estate gets cheap leccy.

You are not allowed to sell DOMESTIC electric on at a profit, but can commercial. You can also charge distribution and admin fees for the fact you are supplying them with your cables and your meter.

 

[mfarrow]

Meters do break, and sometimes they might even get a little sad...

View media item 53091

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

Meters do break, and sometimes they might even get a little sad...

View media item 53091

Hard to spot, but I like it!!