Meters & Consumer Units in Flats

[RichA]

I have purchased a house - badly set up as two flats - that is in need of an overhaul, which I wish to complete in order to sell.

There is currently two power supplies with separate meters, however, they are both in the cellar which forms part of the ground floor flat. So...

1. Is it normal/acceptable for the electricity meter not to be readily accessible. i.e. top floor flat needing to access ground floor flat's cellar to read meter?

2. Is there any restriction how far the consumer unit is from the meter?

3. Is it preferential (given a total rewire is required) to have the CU in the middle of the property to cut down on cost/time for wiring?

Many thanks in advance for any help.
RichA

 

[Steve]

1. not sure about flats, but in our shop, we have the electric meter for the flat on the first floor in our cellar. It just has "flat" written on it, with a bit of 16mm² twin and earth going upstairs.

2. normally, the electric company will only supply 2 metres of meter tails, the rest of the distance you will normally make up with 25mm² 3 core SWA, with a switchfuse next to the meter.

3. THE cu? are you converting back to a house? You need to have the CU in an accessible place in each property. Doesn't really matter where. If you are having it as a house, just wang it in the cellar next to the meter.

 

[RichA]

Thanks for you response.

1. This is a similar principle so should be ok.

2. Whoops, I thought the "tail" was from their fuse to the meter. However, a switchfuse next to meter followed by 25mm2 to CU should be fine.

3. Keeping as two flats, natural spot for CU is ground floor (by entrance), was unsure whether there was much benefit from extending 25mm2 to put the CU on first floor (for first floor flat).

Thks.

 

[Steve]

You know you will need 2 CU's dont you? Its just you keep mentioning "the" cu. You might get away with just meter tails to the ground floor CU (depending on location WRT the meter in the cellar), but you definitely need 25mm² SWA for the upstairs CU (or 16mm² twin and earth if you fit a 60A switchfuse at the meter)

 

[Adam_151]

Are you planning on keeping it as two flats, or returning it to one house?

If the latter, then the logical thing to do is to have the electricity company come and remove the two (probably) 60A supplies, and give you a shiney new 100A supply

 

[RichA]

Planning to keep it as two flats.

Ground Floor Flat isn't so much a problem - meter and CU will remain in the cellar (assesable from G/Fl Flat).

Top Floor Flat is more the issue. However, by the sounds of it an acceptable solution will be...
* Keep meter in cellar
* 60A Switchfuse by meter
* Run 25mm² SWA or 16mm² twin and earth for the T/Floor Flat CU
* CU in T/Floor Flat hallway (thus readily accessible)

Thanks for all your help.

RichA

 

[andy]

Planning to keep it as two flats.

Ground Floor Flat isn't so much a problem - meter and CU will remain in the cellar (assesable from G/Fl Flat).

Top Floor Flat is more the issue. However, by the sounds of it an acceptable solution will be...
* Keep meter in cellar
* 60A Switchfuse by meter
* Run 25mm² SWA or 16mm² twin and earth for the T/Floor Flat CU
* CU in T/Floor Flat hallway (thus readily accessible)

Thanks for all your help.

RichA

i would use 80A switch fuse, 25mm SWA (not 16T&E).