Lost power to flat, no switches have gone?

[Reece_7576]

Hi,
I’m not an electrician so won’t pretend to understand anything. But I’ve just lost all power to my flat, nothing tripped off but the power had been intermittent on and off when ever it rains. I’ve visited the meter boxes and there were a smell of burnt plastic like when a capo blows and the sound of a staticy/arcing sound coming from the meter box. It’s worth noting my meter box was warmer than all the others so I just flicked it off.

What could cause this? I just can’t find anything online or find much documentation on the matter. It can’t be a power cut because all the neighbouring flat spots in the building are fine.

There’s no other switch boxes in between the meter and the flat that I know of.

Thanks in advance!

 

[JohnD]

the sound of a staticy/arcing sound coming from the meter box. It’s worth noting my meter box was warmer than all the others so I just flicked it off.

Phone your electricity supplier. There will be a number on your bill. Tell them what you just told us. If you see any signs of a tarry material leaking out, tell them that too.

It would have been interesting to see photos of your "meter box" and the cables around it, especially to gauge its age and condition, but that does not affect my advice.


Your bill might possibly say something like "Electrical emergency or
power cut? Phone 105 (24 hours a day)"

See also
https://www.powercut105.com

 

[Reece_7576]

Phone your electricity supplier. There will be a number on your bill. Tell them what you just told us. If you see any signs of a tarry material leaking out, tell them that too.

Thanks JohnD, I needed up getting NG out last night to make sure it’s safe, the wires supplying the box were loose and had melted all their insulation. I can tell you the box is about 2 years old as it’s a newly refurbed building that had 1 meter for the whole building previously. I’m wondering if this could explain my £1,500 electric bill since December in a 1 bed flat that’s in barley ever in!

Got an electrician coming today so I’ll take some photos for interests/evidence sakes. (My energy bill is an ongoing argument between the lettings room, edf and myself)

 

[Taylortwocities]

Do post the photos on here, we LOVE photos!!

 

[Reece_7576]

Do post the photos on here, we LOVE photos!!

There’s not much to show with photos yet, but they will come - I have this video recording the noise my meter makes when the switch is on though!

 

[Reece_7576]

Day 2: Still no electric due to arguments between the lettings agency and building management.

 

[bernardgreen]

Contact Environmental Health at your local council. They may take action to enforce the restoration of power.

 

[Reece_7576]

Do post the photos on here, we LOVE photos!!

I will do that @bernardgreen, thanks for your help. I’ve only just moved out from my parents fully 8months ago, it’s a living nightmare!

Picture of issue attached to post.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Wow that’s serious.
Can you describe what that is a photo of. Also a picture of the whole thing and what it connects to will help.

I suggest you send it to the letting agent, building maintenance and environmental health. Maybe the fire brigade too!

 

[Bosswhite]

It looks like the sheathing of the tails is damaged or the neutral is arching, get the Elec Board in to pull the main fuse the tails will still be live .

 

[RF Lighting]

That is the supply terminal of a BS88 DINrail mounted fuse holder

 

[Reece_7576]

Thanks everyone for your help - my lettings agency has lied through their teeth and insisted to building management that they have sent an electrician yesterday (when they refused to do so).

The building management have sent out an electrician to arrive at some point today and will settle the dispute with them privately.

These are the best images I can provide as there is usually a case covering the internals. It’s basically a series of meters like this spanning the wall.

NG have visited and removed the fuse.

 

[conny]

Regarding your massive bill.
My FIL had his bungalow rebuilt just over a year ago and the builders had a supply connected through a meter so they paid for it.
When FIL moved back in a different meter was installed so he wouldn't get billed for the builders usage. However, when they took the first meter reading after 3 months they 'assumed' the meter was a brand new one and started at zero. Turns out to be a reconditioned meter which hadn't been reset so already had units registered on it. They sent him a bill for over £3.500 for the 3 months.
It took my wife over 6 months investigative work, (luckily she is Operations Manager for a security company), to discover the meter was not a new one and hadn't been reset when it was refurbed. They are still dragging their heels about wiping it out as it no longer appears on his bills but there is a figure showing it is still attached to the account.

If your flat had one meter serving all properties and now has individual ones this may be the reason why yours is so big.
It's something you could raise with them.

 

[Reece_7576]

Regarding your massive bill.
My FIL had his bungalow rebuilt just over a year ago and the builders had a supply connected through a meter so they paid for it...

That’s actually really helpful thank you, the argument stems from them actually charging us from the wrong meter that was labelled ‘10’ our flat number (10 was marked on 2 meters). The reading the energy company has is a totally different reading I took from when we moved in (I took readings off both meters marked 10) But they’re not having any of it.

Luckily we had EDF out (based on letting agencies advice) who obviously couldn’t do anything with the electrics. The bloke was more than happy to speak with his boss about getting the bill quashed which is good!

 

[Taylortwocities]

Ok. That photo shows it is the responsibility of the management company to fix that.

IME letting agencies just want their 12% etc for doing diddly squat. Check your letting agreement. I would refuse to pay them n days rental.
Keep any receipts from takeaway food and any out of pocket expenses. Bill them for time off work.
Hopefully the spark today will resolve this today.