Annexe consumer unit - must it be in annexe?

[Paul-in-Sussex]

Hi all
I rent an annexe. The consumer unit and meter etc is in the main house, which I am fine with.

Setting aside some complicated politics... it is being suggested that the annexe consumer unit must (by law) be within the annexe and that as it is not it must be moved from main house to annexe, which will be a huge amount of disruption.

My question then is: does an existing consumer unit have to be moved from main house to tenanted annexe. Annexe was built like this about thirty years ago.

Thanks in advance
Paul

 

[JohnW2]

I rent an annexe. The consumer unit and meter etc is in the main house, which I am fine with.

Do you mean that you rent (as a tenant) the annexe, or are you the landlord who rents the annexe out to some tenant?

Does the annexe have a separate electricity supply (and meter), or is it fed from the main house's supply?

Kind Regards, John

 

[Paul-in-Sussex]

I rent (as tenant). Annexe has it's own meters and breakers in main house.

Thanks
Paul

 

[JohnW2]

I rent (as tenant). Annexe has it's own meters and breakers in main house.

Thanks for clarifying. Is it an 'attached' annexe, and can it be accessed from within the main house?

So long as the main house and annexe are under the same occupancy (and particularly if it is an 'attached' annexe), I really can't see why there should be a problem. Who is suggesting that the CU needs to be moved?

Others may well have more useful things to say!

It could well be different if the annexe were under different occupancy from the main house, since there could then be safety concerns if the occupants of the annexe did not have constant access to the CU.

In practical terms, the meter has to be close to the origin of the supply, but the CU could, if it really had to be, be 'remote from there (although additional fusing may then be required,to protect the cable between meter and CU).

Kind Regards, John

 

[Adam_151]

I would say it needs to be where the tennant of the annex can get access to it, it doesn't need to be in the annex itself, a shared entraceway would be alright. What would not be acceptable (from a housing POV not the electrical regulations) would be for the board for the annex to only be accessible when someone from the main property is there..... they go on holiday, RCD trips, not acceptable to not have power until they come back

 

[JohnW2]

I would say it needs to be where the tennant of the annex can get access to it, it doesn't need to be in the annex itself, a shared entraceway would be alright. What would not be acceptable (from a housing POV not the electrical regulations) would be for the board for the annex to only be accessible when someone from the main property is there..... they go on holiday, RCD trips, not acceptable to not have power until they come back

Indeed - that's essentially what I just wrote.

However, as things currently are for the OP, with him being the occupant of both the main house and the annexe, I really can't see that there should be any issue/problem.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Murdochcat]

I read it as the OP rents the annex only. And the main breakers are in the main house which is separate and not accessible to the OP

That’s a tricky situation but if I was inspecting I think I’d give the CU location a C2

 

[Adam_151]

Indeed - that's essentially what I just wrote.

Sorry John, I think the replies must have crossed over in mid air

 

[Paul-in-Sussex]

I live in the annexe, main house is occupied by the property owner.

I am OK with the CU being in the main house as it rarely trips and owner doesn't go on holidays etc.

Really I am asking as a point of law. The politics here are difficult but suffice to say the owner isn't able to make these decisions himself. Those who do make his decisions want to do a vast amount of work to both properties (ceilings down etc) over a number of days. This is in no-one's interest except those that make the decisions, £££ ...

Before taking this further I need to know my position - I need to know if moving the CU / meters out of the main house is a matter of law or just a 'nice to have' situation.

I've been here twenty odd years and it suits me fine - not perfect but agreable enough - now everything is a problem, not with owner mind but his 'carers'.

Paul

 

[Murdochcat]

On the basis that the 2 properties are separate I would definitely give it a C2 on the basis that you, the tenant, have no access to the CU to isolate or reset breakers

the meter location isn’t ideal but really outside the scope of an EICR

there has to have been an EICR , what does that say ?

 

[Paul-in-Sussex]

Hi
I don't know what EICR or C2 is. Presumably an inspection?
I believe there might have been an inspection but I have never seen the report, or any report for that matter. Apparently tenants should see these things but I haven't - which doesn't surprise me.

Does a C2 mean it has to be moved by law?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Who is telling you this?

If you have access to the CU, what difference does it make?

 

[ericmark]

I know that for many year you can't make a profit from the supply of electric to another user, does not matter if a caravan or an annex. However there seems to be no requirement that the annex has a separate meter, I have since moving into this house claimed the annex is not a independent property, and at the moment I am fighting a claim by the local authority that the annex has it's own council tax fee.

I have since moving in claimed that the annex is not a separate unit, and it should be on one council tax, it has one means of heating between the two and one meter between the two, so I could not rent out the annex to anyone other than a family member, and if renting out to a family member it is not different to renting out a room.

The council do not agree, so as it stands I pay two council taxes, and have two sets of bins, but it seems it is not the council who decided if two independent units or one.

So the battle continues, if the annex is a independent unit, then I want a council tax reduction as the house is not detached, and I can claim single occupancy, where I live in the annex and wife lives in flat, the problem seems to be there is no internal access between the annex and main house. If I install a stair case or lift between the two, then they are considered as one.

It seems that having the same oil supply and electric supply does not mean they are one property, even if I can't comply with the regulations and have two accommodations units.

As you may realise this question is rather important to me. I means £1000 per year, as far as I am concerned the annex/flat is a visitors accommodation and not a unit which can be rented out, at the moment my daughter is living there, but she does not pay any rent.

So your question is of interest to me, as clearly if having one bill for all electric used is not allowed, then the annex is not an independent accommodation.

 

[Murdochcat]

Ok.

every landlord has to have a satisfactory EICR in place to let a property. This was introduced during the first lock down (June ‘20 for new let’s) and existing tenancies had to have them done by the 31st March 21

once done, the landlord has to provide the tenant with a copy, whether it is satisfactory or unsatisfactory. In the case of an unsatisfactory report, the landlord has 28 days to resolve any issues. However 28 days is often inpractical.

after the issues are resolved the Landlord is obliged to provide proof that the work is complete to the tenant

C2 means improvement necessary

 

[Murdochcat]

Who is telling you this?

If you have access to the CU, what difference does it make?

the op hasn’t confirmed if they have access