Shop premises

[Ray Tay]

Thinking of buying a shop with a basement and two floor above the ground. There is room for two 2 bed flats and one bedroom flat and the shop premises. I plan to live in one of the flats. A big job as you would imagine.

Now to the electrical side. This is so I can gather a view of how it goes. The cable comes in from the street into the basement. There is a main fuse and a meter. What would be the arrangement of the rising cable to the shop and three flats? I would like each flat and the shop to have their meters on the premises, making them self-contained, rather than in a bank in the basement.

If the meters are in each flat, would there be one main fuse and a rising mains cable with a junction box in the cable and the branch off to each flat's own main fuse and meter?

 

[ericmark]

That is up to the DNO as they would need to fit the meters and all up to the meters is their property. Likely they would want the meters where they can read them however with the new smart meters seems they don't need to read them any longer. But only the DNO can answer your question, give them a ring and ask.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Ray. What is your intention re the flats. Are they going to pay for their own electric to the supplier, or will you charge the flats yourself for their electricity useage with you paying the electricity supplier for the total amount used by the flats plus the shop?

 

[Ray Tay]

Ericmark, thanks but who are the DNO? What does DNO mean?
So, what you are saying is that if electric meters are in each flat the cables to them have to be installed by the electric company as they own them?
If they are in a bank in the basement then the cables from each meter are the responsibility of the owners. But that only means credit meters. Pre-payment meters are out then.

If the supply cables go to each flat with a meter in each flat, I would assume a main switch in the basement for all the building and a main fuse for each flat in the flat.

 

[Ray Tay]

Ray. What is your intention re the flats. Are they going to pay for their own electric to the supplier, or will you charge the flats yourself for their electricity useage with you paying the electricity supplier for the total amount used by the flats plus the shop?

They pay the electricity company, with the flats and shop being totally self-contained, as would be the case in a new build block of flats.

 

[Taylortwocities]

OK. So the responsibility of all of that is the DNO
Distribution network Operator.

They own the cables etc that supply the electric to your building.

This link shows the DNO for your area and a contact number
http://www2.nationalgrid.com/UK/Our-company/Electricity/Distribution-Network-Operator-Companies/

The DNO put in the infrastructure from the power station to the meter point. You then decide which company you will pay for the electricity use (EDF, Npower, etc) and they supply the meter and send you/the flat owners the bill.

 

[Ray Tay]

Do smart meters have a telephone cable to them to transmit the data back to the Electricity company?

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

They usually have a SIM card.

 

[Taylortwocities]

They use wireless data. Not telephone

https://www.ovoenergy.com/ovo-answe...eters/how-do-my-smart-meters-communicate.html

 

[Ray Tay]

Taylortwocities, thanks. Do I have a choice of a bank of meter in the basement or having them inside each flat?

I assume the cables from the basement to each flat have to be in a fireproof duct?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Ask the DNO. They will specify.

 

[Ray Tay]

DetlefSchmitz, does this SIM card use the mobile network or a telephone line?

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

The ones I've come across use the mobile networks. There may be other technologies as well, I'm no expert.

 

[Ray Tay]

So if the meters are in a basement with a poor to no signal they are stuffed and have to visit. Are there smart gas meters as well in Britain? I have never heard of anyone having one.

 

[Ray Tay]

Ask the DNO. They will specify.

I am in the London area. What is the experience of some of you guys in this situation, before I contact them? And no doubt hanging for ever and not taking to the right man.