External garage electricity wrongly connected to neighbours supply

[JohnW2]

Abstraction of electricity is theft, the supplier should be informed

As big-all has written, it would be far from a straightforward case of 'theft', given's hard to see how there's any theft (certainly no 'theft' from the supplier), given that all the used electricity is being paid for. Also, since the situation is not the deliberate doing of the freeholders and/or leaseholders (who presumably were totally unaware of the situation for a long time), they could hardly be blamed for any 'theft'?

... and, in any event, if one of the householders were guilty of 'theft', then so would the other one be - so I don't think that either would be too keen on complaining about any alleged 'theft'

 

[JohnW2]

.... very good point was made, how could an EIC be completed without realising supply went to wrong garages?

A 'proper' EIC (i.e. one involving allegedly 'dead tests') could obviously not be produced 'safely' without that being detected/'realised'

I do look at my own home. Between 200 and 600 watt being recorded as being used, five refrigeration units, so will be some for them, smart controls, so will be some for them, Sky box router etc, again some for them, but still a bit higher than I would have expected.

Are you really surprised that "five refrigeration units" (plus various other things) amounted to "200 to 600 Watts)?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Are you really surprised that "five refrigeration units" (plus various other things) amounted to "200 to 600 Watts)?

The real surprise, is how the five, manage within the 200 to 600 watts!

 

[JohnW2]

The real surprise, is how the five, manage within the 200 to 600 watts!

Quite so - my very point!

Mind you, the average power consumption of modern fridges/freezers is very low. A quick look around suggests that typical 'tall fridges' (about 240 L capacity) currently offered for sale claim to have an annual energy consumption of just a bit over 100 kWh, which equates to an average power consumption of just 12 Watts or so!

 

[blup]

not sure where the theft is as all power is being paid for ??

Somebody's paying more and somebody's paying less than they should.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I would bet, that both garages are adjacent, the supply cables run out to them in one trench - then the wrong cable terminated to each garage. Should be a simple job, of swapping the cables over, to the correct garage.

 

[ericmark]

I would bet, that both garages are adjacent, the supply cables run out to them in one trench - then the wrong cable terminated to each garage. Should be a simple job, of swapping the cables over, to the correct garage.

I think you are likely correct, and by now the problem is solved, in fact likely solved very quickly which is why we have not seen @Ematthews after first few posts.

 

[SUNRAY]

I would bet, that both garages are adjacent, the supply cables run out to them in one trench - then the wrong cable terminated to each garage. Should be a simple job, of swapping the cables over, to the correct garage.

Sadly it's not quite that easy in the situation I've just been in. The title deeds clearly show which garage is part of which property, roughly:

There are maybe a coupleof dozen garages in a row with houses backing onto the garage area both sides plus a few footpaths forming a back ally behind the left houses and some between the blocks, I didn't take too much notice but blocks are probably 3 or 4 houses each.

All paths and road access are concrete so not fancying digging it!
I was in the yellow house and the power is crossed with blue (my colours for indication), unfortunately detatched at both ends of the feed, yes I imagine it has been something like a single trench as shown.

It came to light due to 'false tripping' of the double RCD CU in yellow, they didn't realise the power in the garage came from the house CU's.

 

[JohnW2]

Somebody's paying more and somebody's paying less than they should.

Possibly, but only (significantly) so if the two somebodies had (significantly) different usages of 'garage electricity' (which is probably fairly unlikely).

In any event, 'theft' surely has to be a deliberate/'known' act - not 'accidental and unknown', and certainly not when the 'accident' wasn't even on the part of the somebodies paying the bills, doesn't it?

 

[ericmark]

Has there been any progress on this?, I have encountered exactly the same situation today.

OK, can see point asking what was the outcome. It has come up a few times, where clearly there has been a problem with the original installation, and the question is how far back can one go?

We see recalls on cars over 10 years old, and the normal building warranty was 25 years. Be it some down lights without an earth, or a major thing like the garages we have all seen missed errors, and the question arises if the errors missed with a PIR/EICR can one claim from the report provider? Or at least their professional indemnity insurance.

There are two options to correct, one is the supply side of cable, the other the garage side of the cable. But it really is down to who pays, if one party is satisfied to just not have power to their garage, then no one can really force them.

 

[JohnW2]

.... we have all seen missed errors, and the question arises if the errors missed with a PIR/EICR can one claim from the report provider? Or at least their professional indemnity insurance.

Claim for what? The remedial work would have to eventually be done (once the need was eventually discovered), and paid for (by someone), regardless of whether or not any PIRs/EICRs during the period had failed to detect the problem.

I suppose one could complain (to the report provider and/or his/her CPS, if there was one) about the incorrect report which one had paid for (maybe hoping for some 'refund' because of the unsatisfactory service that was provided) - but, beyond that, I see nothing for which one could 'claim' from anyone who had provided a PIR/EICR.

There are two options to correct, one is the supply side of cable, the other the garage side of the cable.

Indeed - and, as I've said, I would suspect that it would be easier (hence probably cheaper) at the garage end.

But it really is down to who pays, if one party is satisfied to just not have power to their garage, then no one can really force them.

It may be unavoidable, but neither of the current house/garage owners should really have to pay. I have no idea of the legal situation but if (as seems to be the case) the company which undertook (or, at least, sub-contracted) the original installation still exists, then, morally speaking, it should be for them to correct their error, without charge, shouldn't it?

In a situation like this the supplier (or suppliers) involved may have something to say, and may want to 'get involved' - since, as a result of the error, two customers are being charged for electricity being used by someone else. As I've recently suggested, they might well both end up paying roughly the correct amount, but that's not inevitable, but the supplier(s) may nevertheless still be unhappy, 'on principle'