Installation of an electric meter for tenants

[bhups2k]

Hello,

I'm looking to install an electric meter for a shared property with tenants.
At present, the electrics are shared and all going into a single consumer unit.

We are looking to do the following, but as unsure whether it would be the ideal way of set up.

1. Install Henley blocks after the breaker from the meter
2. Install a small breaker for the tenant side by the existing mains and connect to 10mm2 core cable.
3. Surface run 10mm2 core cable to the tenant side and connect it to an electric meter and then to a new consumer unit

The tenant side will have around 4x ceiling lights, 8 double sockets, 1 electric cooker, 1 electric oven.
Heaters will be movable oil heaters.

Could you advise if the 10mm2 core cable will be sufficient and also what size breaker would be ideal by the Henley block.
Also could anyone advise on a decent pay meter. I can deal with coins or card payments.

I will get a certified sparky to check and sign it off, but I would like to learn to do the leg work myself.

Thank you to all in advance.

 

[Murdoch]

What you are looking at is a can of worms .............. as the landlord you are not allowed to profit from the resale of electricity to tenants.

Sounds like you need new new fuseboard / consumer unit and a competent spark NOW

and no the cable you suggest isn't the way to proceed

 

[ProDave]

Plus I doubt you will find any electrician willing to certify a DIY alteration of the meter tails and henley blocks.

 

[Murdoch]

Forgive me if I’m wrong but your new solar (see other thread) will be downstream of the single DNO meter. The solar will feed in and the second meter would record all usage by the tenanted property - suggesting on a sunny day that you would be charging the tenants for “free” electricity.

is this sensible ?

For bhups2K's other thread, Click here

 

[bhups2k]

What you are looking at is a can of worms .............. as the landlord you are not allowed to profit from the resale of electricity to tenants.

I mostly want to have a meter for the tenants to pay for what they are using. Not really to profit from it.

Sounds like you need new new fuseboard / consumer unit and a competent spark NOW

and no the cable you suggest isn't the way to proceed

My sparky is on leave for a few weeks and will poke him when he comes back...
Is there something you may suggest instead?

 

[bhups2k]

Plus I doubt you will find any electrician willing to certify a DIY alteration of the meter tails and henley blocks.

The electrician is someone I know, and he will be checking everything thoroughly.

 

[bhups2k]

Forgive me if I’m wrong but your new solar (see other thread) will be downstream of the single DNO meter. The solar will feed in and the second meter would record all usage by the tenanted property - suggesting on a sunny day that you would be charging the tenants for “free” electricity.

is this sensible ?

Would the solar installed not be classed as an investment and energy generated then be a cost which will be to return from the investment?
There will be a LONG time before the investment will pay itself off.

 

[Murdoch]

Would the solar installed not be classed as an investment and energy generated then be a cost which will be to return from the investment?
There will be a LONG time before the investment will pay itself off.

But you can't profit from selling electricity you generate from your solar ..............

I suspect you'll need a 2nd meter installed by the DNO

 

[Murdoch]

I mostly want to have a meter for the tenants to pay for what they are using. Not really to profit from it.

But you will be profiting from selling your free PV generated lecky to the tenant

 

[Sharpend]

Solar on a tenanted property is of no benefit to you the landlord other than to cost you.

 

[binky]

But you will be profiting from selling your free PV generated lecky to the tenant

Lots of landlords do that, it's not illegal as far as I know.

 

[Murdoch]

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/c...han they've,charged on every energy contract)

PV generation is "free"

 

[binky]

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/c...han they've,charged on every energy contract)

PV generation is "free"

Apart from the cost of installation.

Of the various landlords I know of with PV on rented property, they have set up an additional meter to record energy from the solar. Whether they are charging for the energy and how much, I don't know.

 

[Murdoch]

Apart from the cost of installation.

Of the various landlords I know of with PV on rented property, they have set up an additional meter to record energy from the solar. Whether they are charging for the energy and how much, I don't know.

I dont think the cost to install can be factored in

the tenant , if they have 1/2 a brain will realise that on sunny days the spare lecky from the PV should mean their lecky is free but the second meter can’t differentiate between grid sourced and PV sourced

 

[binky]

I dont think the cost to install can be factored in

the tenant , if they have 1/2 a brain will realise that on sunny days the spare lecky from the PV should mean their lecky is free but the second meter can’t differentiate between grid sourced and PV sourced

Obviously has to be wired appropriately, which isn't always easy.

Nothing I could see in those guidelines about solar, so I would say it's a grey area that the guidelines hasn't caught up with.

 

[Murdoch]

Obviously has to be wired appropriately, which isn't always easy.

Nothing I could see in those guidelines about solar, so I would say it's a grey area that the guidelines hasn't caught up with.

I read the OP, and his other thread as if there is one metered supply, PV being installed, and 2 homes

 

[binky]

I read the OP, and his other thread as if there is one metered supply, PV being installed, and 2 homes

Yep, not easy to sort out.

 

[Murdoch]

Yep, not easy to sort out.

quite so.
shame the op hasnt contributed further and I definitely wouldn’t be installing such a solution for a dodgy landlord to exploit a tenant

 

[MikeJhn]

Or another view, the tenant is not being exploiting they are getting what they pay for.

 

[Murdoch]

Or another view, the tenant is not being exploiting they are getting what they pay for.

But they would still be paying for free electricity generated by the PV