Electrical Distribution Board - Who is Responsible?

phykell · 10 Oct 2019

Hi,

I've just bought a house and there's no power at the consumer unit. I've looked at the distribution board and it's clear (to me anyway) that the CU cables should be connected to the 100A switch on the board but I wasn't sure who is responsible for reconnecting it. I spoke to a very helpful guy at EON who suggested that it's up to me to appoint an electrician who can then connect the cables but he didn't want me to send a picture of it and I had to explain the wiring as best I could. I've attached a photo of the board and it does seem as though he's spot on. He even suggested I could do it myself if I know what I'm doing

Please take a look at the photo if you can and let me know if this is indeed a job for an electrician - thanks

conny · 10 Oct 2019

If the house is a new house then you can assume it is a complete new wiring install. It's possiblr/probable that when the wiring was completed the incoming supply wasn't available to connect to.
I would suggest you get on to the builders and ask them to come and connect the supply free of charge and also supply a copy of all relevant test certificates.

securespark · 10 Oct 2019

Not sure it's a complete new install. The tails are pre-harmonised colours.

Nice to know you have an amp fuse!

Did you buy it through an estate agent?

Did you view the house before purchase?

Did it have an energised wiring system?

Is it repo?

SUNRAY · 10 Oct 2019

conny said:
If the house is a new house then you can assume it is a complete new wiring install. It's possiblr/probable that when the wiring was completed the incoming supply wasn't available to connect to.
I would suggest you get on to the builders and ask them to come and connect the supply free of charge and also supply a copy of all relevant test certificates.

That doesn't look very new to me with red and black tails and loads of cobwebs.
however it may very well be a new isolator, meter and/or cutout in April. With no indication of removed meter details
I've never known them not reconnect the tails unless there is a problem, or if they weren't there.
Was there power when you viewed?

Edit: crossed in the post

AndyPRK · 10 Oct 2019

Looks like a
New cutout to me. As it has new colour dots.

As you say, old house and old colour tails.

securespark · 10 Oct 2019

Repo then, possibly?

phykell · 10 Oct 2019

conny said:
If the house is a new house then you can assume it is a complete new wiring install. It's possiblr/probable that when the wiring was completed the incoming supply wasn't available to connect to.
I would suggest you get on to the builders and ask them to come and connect the supply free of charge and also supply a copy of all relevant test certificates.

Apologies, I should have been more specific - the house was built in 2003 and it was an auction purchase.

DetlefSchmitz · 10 Oct 2019

The prepayment meter is a bit of a giveaway. To have it replaced with a normal quarterly meter you need to be able to pass a credit check. Often the change can be FOC if you pass the credit check. Prepayment meters limit the tariff options available and mean you can suddenly lose your supply.

phykell · 10 Oct 2019

DetlefSchmitz said:
The prepayment meter is a bit of a giveaway. To have it replaced with a normal quarterly meter you need to be able to pass a credit check. Often the change can be FOC if you pass the credit check. Prepayment meters limit the tariff options available and mean you can suddenly lose your supply.

That's a good point

I'd never seen a pre-payment meter before and when I spoke to them they said they'd send a key out (the previous owner didn't leave one!) and I'd then be able to get the electricity on. I intend to move to a direct debit payment but I didn't know that the meter would need to be replaced - I just assumed they'd switch it to a different (keyless) mode.

DetlefSchmitz · 10 Oct 2019

To be fair, that may be possible. It's beyond my competence. I understand though that the meter usually gets changed.

phykell · 10 Oct 2019

DetlefSchmitz said:
To be fair, that may be possible. It's beyond my competence. I understand though that the meter usually gets changed.

Well now I'm thinking it sounds far too sensible to have a meter which can perform both functions if necessary

I'll speak to them tomorrow about changing the meter then but I'm guessing in the meantime that I can just attach the CU cables to the isolator switch as the EON guy suggested or get an electrician to do it for me. I'm used to working on very high voltage supplies - CRTs and valve equipment so I consider myself reasonably competent. I'm a bit concerned about the pre-harmonisation cables now though - it was supposed to be built in 2003.

AndyPRK · 10 Oct 2019

New colours came in around 2004 2005

The switch is in the on position.
So turn it off.

It says you need an Allen key on the label.

Connect earth into the grey box

DetlefSchmitz · 10 Oct 2019

I think the danger is that before you can use the electricity you may have to buy enough credit to cancel the debt of the last user. If that is the case you don't really want to do that.

phykell · 10 Oct 2019

DetlefSchmitz said:
I think the danger is that before you can use the electricity you may have to buy enough credit to cancel the debt of the last user. If that is the case you don't really want to do that.

EON did say that they would put a note on the system to reset it - the outstanding debt was the first thing I mentioned to them

flameport · 10 Oct 2019

phykell said:
I'm guessing in the meantime that I can just attach the CU cables to the isolator switch as the EON guy suggested

Only after the installation has been checked to ensure it's safe.
There is a reason it's been disconnected.

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Electrical Distribution Board - Who is Responsible?

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