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Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 9:47:40 AM

MissMorrigan

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I need some electrical advice - and not of the toy kind.

Reality and I live in a small upstairs flat which is in a converted house and until last spring had the use of the entire attic space which housed not only our boiler, but also the neighbour's (the only entrance to the attic was through our flat). As a result of the neighbours' frequent heating boiler leaking, we agreed to allowing the neighbours to divide the attic space in two so that they could have an entrance put in their side. The building work was overseen by the freeholer of this property and to their specifications.

We have lived in this property for more than two years now and our electrical costs have always been reasonable - except for the last two (they occur quarterly). This winter's bill has been for £1,000.00 which is more than double that of last year's winter bill and for over a month of this duration we were absent from the property with all power sockets off 24/7 with the exception of a small refridgerator. Even people we know who have huge properties tend to spend only £75 per month towards their electric bill. We questioned the company who agreed that the bill, for the size of our property and the appliances we are using, seemed astronimical and as a result, we have tried to isolate the cause of the consumption. We are not using any more heating than we did last year.

Today, Reality went into our attic to clear up some of the junk up there only to see the power cable for our boiler running in through the next door's attic space - along with several other wires.

So, onto my question (sorry for the rambling but wanted to explain the situation fully). Could there be a reason as to why our boiler's power cable has been bypassed through and into the neighbour's attic (which is where their boiler is housed) other than for the purpose of using our electricity supply?

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 9:49:53 AM

Owner59

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My advice,w/30 years in the trades.

Get an electrician.

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 9:54:36 AM

MissMorrigan

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Hi, Owner, we're going to do that in any case first thing, as well as telephone the electrical company that deals with our supply. As this work was done under the freeholder's instructions, we wondered if there could be any other logical explanation for the wires running through the neighbour's attic space.

Thanks for replying, Owner.

< Message edited by MissMorrigan -- 1/25/2009 9:55:02 AM >

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 9:55:26 AM

philosophy

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Impossible to answer your substantive question without seeing the details. However, what O59 said is right. Definitely get a sparks to look over it. It's worth the minor expense involved.

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 9:57:41 AM

MissMorrigan

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Hi Philo, we will do first thing. While we have our suspicions, I didn't want to act without confirmation either way. I guess I'm just frustrated at having to wait til the morning, so my mind is whirring at a rate of knots (all that water! ).

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 10:11:08 AM

DarkSteven

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MissMorrigan, the answer to your question is indeed that the neighbor is getting electricity that you are paying for. I'd document that with a few photos before asking them what the heck. This may or may not have something to do with the high electric bill.

I suspect that they may have a high resistance short, causing an excessive power drain, that tripped breakers for them, and they jerryrigged tapping into your power as a fix. They may not even have known that they were freeloading on you.

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 10:11:08 AM

Termyn8or

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Sounds like someone is stealing your power, maybe water as well. That's a felony around here. Get someone with good enough credentials for the court in your area.

T

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 10:15:13 AM

philosophy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: DarkSteven

I'd document that with a few photos before asking them what the heck.

...excellent idea...

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 10:21:17 AM

MissMorrigan

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Hi Steven, thanks for replying. Since finding the boiler power cable running into the neighbour's attic space, along with several other wires, I've been fighting the temptation to rip the freeholder a new arsehole as the whole set-up in the attic looks dodgy and it would make sense as to why the freeholder insisted that they sort out the company to do the work and why they insisted on overseeing it (the freeholder leases out the flat next door).

Great advice re. taking pictures, hadn't thought of doing that and will do so tomorrow when Reality gets home from work. We'll also ask the electrical supply company (one of the largest suppliers in this country) if they will be prepared to send one of their sparkies to check this mess out for us (I know that we'll have to pay for that).

quote:

ORIGINAL: DarkSteven
MissMorrigan, the answer to your question is indeed that the neighbor is getting electricity that you are paying for. I'd document that with a few photos before asking them what the heck. This may or may not have something to do with the high electric bill.

I suspect that they may have a high resistance short, causing an excessive power drain, that tripped breakers for them, and they jerryrigged tapping into your power as a fix. They may not even have known that they were freeloading on you.

_____________________________

The Tooth Fairy who teaches kids to sell body parts for money.

A free society is a society where it is safe to find one's self unpopular and where history has shown that exceptions are not that exceptional.

(in reply to DarkSteven)

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 10:22:06 AM

TheGorenSociety

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Sounds to me like a fire just waiting to happen. Most shorts are caused due to a malfunction in the devices connected . Most people do not understand how dangerious that really is, contact electrician at least, document everything.

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 10:23:33 AM

MissMorrigan

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Hi Termy, thanks for replying. Once we've had a reputable electrician in to check this out for us, if they confirm our suspicions we will be taking it further and they will also incur our court costs, too.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Termyn8or
Sounds like someone is stealing your power, maybe water as well. That's a felony around here. Get someone with good enough credentials for the court in your area.

T

_____________________________

The Tooth Fairy who teaches kids to sell body parts for money.

A free society is a society where it is safe to find one's self unpopular and where history has shown that exceptions are not that exceptional.

(in reply to Termyn8or)

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 10:25:56 AM

MissMorrigan

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Hi, GS, I hadn't thought of that aspect. Thanks for pointing it out.

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheGorenSociety
Sounds to me like a fire just waiting to happen. Most shorts are caused due to a malfunction in the devices connected . Most people do not understand how dangerious that really is

_____________________________

The Tooth Fairy who teaches kids to sell body parts for money.

A free society is a society where it is safe to find one's self unpopular and where history has shown that exceptions are not that exceptional.

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 10:53:19 AM

Raechard

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From: S.E. London U.K.
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quote:

ORIGINAL: MissMorrigan
Today, Reality went into our attic to clear up some of the junk up there only to see the power cable for our boiler running in through the next door's attic space - along with several other wires.

So, onto my question (sorry for the rambling but wanted to explain the situation fully). Could there be a reason as to why our boiler's power cable has been bypassed through and into the neighbour's attic (which is where their boiler is housed) other than for the purpose of using our electricity supply?

If it were me I'd trace where the several other wires come from before going into your neighbours space and I would query it with the freeholder. The boiler needs to be earthed, you are not talking about the green and yellow striped one from the boiler?

It could be that your neighbour is growing drugs, that uses a lot of power, does your neighbour have an eastern European appearance?

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 11:10:41 AM

Sanity

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If you can access the point where you believe power is being stolen (the boiler, or wherever) you can then shut off one of your circuits at a time and then test the power lines with an inexpensive voltage tester. Determine which circuit the stolen power is being taken from that way, then turn that circuit off at the circuit box (so long as YOU don't have to have it on).

Once they complain about their lack of hot water you can hit them with your bill and ask them nicely to settle it out of court.

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 11:55:40 AM

MissMorrigan

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You are such a cheeky person!

There is presently no way of telling where the other wires are coming from and going to as on our side they're going underneath the floorboards and into a wall cavity, so could be to do with the lighting perhaps but I'm sure the electrician will be able to answer that for us when he checks it all out As for the boiler itself, the actual power supply leads from the boiler into our electrical supply, but there is another cable coming from that and leading into their attic - and I can think of no other logical reason for it other than to assume they're tapping into our supply

If they are growing drugs - what's a fair cut to ask for?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Raechard
It could be that your neighbour is growing drugs, that uses a lot of power, does your neighbour have an eastern European appearance?

_____________________________

The Tooth Fairy who teaches kids to sell body parts for money.

A free society is a society where it is safe to find one's self unpopular and where history has shown that exceptions are not that exceptional.

(in reply to Raechard)

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 11:59:07 AM

GreedyTop

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From: Savannah, GA
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at least 50%, MissM.. after all, it IS your electricity!! If they argue, just remind them that an observant electrician could ruin their set up

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 12:00:15 PM

MissMorrigan

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Hi Sanity, we had already ordered one of those voltage testers , that was prior to discovering the wires into next door's attic via our loft. We'll be discreet insofar as getting everything verified by a qual. electrician before we take matters further. Good ideas from you, and if it is proven they have deliberately tapped into our supply, it'll be my pleasure to deliver a shocking bill of my own to them.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sanity
If you can access the point where you believe power is being stolen (the boiler, or wherever) you can then shut off one of your circuits at a time and then test the power lines with an inexpensive voltage tester. Determine which circuit the stolen power is being taken from that way, then turn that circuit off at the circuit box (so long as YOU don't have to have it on).

Once they complain about their lack of hot water you can hit them with your bill and ask them nicely to settle it out of court.

_____________________________

The Tooth Fairy who teaches kids to sell body parts for money.

A free society is a society where it is safe to find one's self unpopular and where history has shown that exceptions are not that exceptional.

(in reply to Sanity)

Post #: 17

RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 12:00:56 PM

Underumam

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You might be liable along with them if they are growing pot. But you will smell very soon if they are. :)

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RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 12:04:50 PM

MissMorrigan

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Muahaha Greedy! I'll teach those fuckers a lesson they'll never forget. I reckon a 65/35 is a fair split, plus they can contribute to my weekly groceries for the inconvenience/sleepless nights they've put us through - I think I'm also going to have to start charging them for using our parking space in future and doubt we'll be hearing them whistling for joy again every damn morning at 5am!

quote:

ORIGINAL: GreedyTop
at least 50%, MissM.. after all, it IS your electricity!! If they argue, just remind them that an observant electrician could ruin their set up

_____________________________

The Tooth Fairy who teaches kids to sell body parts for money.

A free society is a society where it is safe to find one's self unpopular and where history has shown that exceptions are not that exceptional.

(in reply to GreedyTop)

Post #: 19

RE: Calling All Electricians - Advice Needed - 1/25/2009 12:12:30 PM

Politesub53

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Testing the voltage wont tell you how many watts are being used. You need to get an ampmetre for that, and to know what you are doing.

1) Its possible that your cables run through next doors attic and down to your fuseboard. I would suspect all cables in the attic take a similar route to the floor below.

2) Its possible that when the lofts were split, whoever did the work screwed up the wiring, and your neighbours may not even know.

3) Its possible you have a faulty meter, Southern Electric or whoever should be able to check this out.

4) Its possible that when any work was done your heater was wired to be on permanent and not on a timer.

5) If you are getting a sparks to take a look, make sure he knows what he is doing. The best way is to get a reputable firm in, even if the cost is a little higher.

6) Take a reading from your meter. Read it again in 6 hrs, times by four and times that by the number of days on the bill. That should roughly tally with your charge for useage.

Edits to add, subtract reading one from reading two.

< Message edited by Politesub53 -- 1/25/2009 12:28:20 PM >

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