HELP Please. Single phase to 3 phase, HELP?

I wander if anyone would be able to assist me please.

I own [a property], Folkestone, Kent, [postcode].

It is currently on a single phase electricity supply and i believe i maybe forced to upgrade to a 3 or 4 phase electricity supply.

There is a shop and basement in the building which is separate from the 3 flats, although i know that there is just a single phase electricity supply to the building.

I am currently paying for the electricity supply to the 3 flats because i have been told that i am not able to install key meters to the flats as the building is only on a single phase supply. Is this information accurate?

If so, what do i need to do to change everything so that i can put the flats onto key meters?

If this is not accurate, still, what do i need to do to change everything so that i can put the flats onto key meters?

I was told once before by EDF Energy (I think) that the only way I would be able to put key meters in the flats is if i paid in excess of £5000.00 to have a 3 or 4 phase put into the building which would entail digging up the road, and pavement area outside of my building.

It seems that if the above is the case then i am being held to ransom for £5000.00 just to enable my tenants to be able to govern their own use of electricity.

I do believe that my electrician did separate each flats' electricity when i bought the place 5 or 6 yrs ago and did say that he thought there was enough power to run all 3 flats, (of course there is because that is how they are being run now, aswell as the shop & basement!). The confusion to me is if there is enough power to run the building as is, why do i need a 3 or 4 phase supply just so that i can install key meters?

I would really appreciate any help and advise anyone maybe able to offer me on this matter.


Many Thanks
Simon

you can install your own card or coin meters but you would only be able to sell the electricity for the same price it costs you I believe..
you would be responsible for programmng the cards / collecting the coins etc....

Or you can have an electrician come and install credit meters. These don't involve any payment cards/keys/coins but do allow you to monitor the use in each flat. You could agree a monthly limit, or charge pound for pound what is on the meter.

As your electrician has already seperated the flats, this will be a relatively cheap and easy job. Credit meters (or payment meters) are not expensive.

You can install private metering but the problem with this is it leaves you trying to sort out the mess if tenants don't pay, steal leccy or whatever. You are not allowed to add any markup to the electricty price you are charged which may complicate matters (it will be simpler to handle this if you use meters that you check rather than coin or key based meters).

If you want the electriticy suppliers to meter them seperately then they will want to provision the supplies based on thier idea of the needs of the seperate properties which will as you have found likely mean upgrading the cable from the street to three phase.

BTW if you do get the work done to have seperate metering by the electricity suppliers demand an itemised quote from the DNO that is clearly marked as to what works are contestable. You may be able to save a lot of money by doing some of the work yourself.

hi Romney Marshian here so not far away!
did your original leckie put seperate consumer units for each flat? if so then easy-peasy!
If not can you turn off individual flats at a fuse board by switching breakers/pulling fuses? if so then more work but still possible.
as you say adding meters won't increase load & may in fact reduce it if tenants know they are going to be billed.

Would just like to say a personal thank you to you all, your posts have been very helpful & i think they will have saved me a lot of money.

I just wish i had discovered a site like this a couple of years ago.

Thanks Again All
Simon

4 phase? Something I'm missing?

Yep, you're missing the 4th dimension

(Think he probably means 3 phase 4 wire)

no,. just 4 supplies..
one black, one grey and 2 brown.. probably..
one for each flat...