Electricity meters behind a locked door: only mgt ctte have a key. Can they do this?

Hi all,

Currently the management committee in our apartment complex have all the electricity meters behind a locked door which only they have the key to.

Even the management company doesn't have access to this key. What happens currently is I ring the management company, the management company rings one of the management committee, who does the reading and emails back the management company. So I don't have access to my own meter.

This system is very unreliable. It sometimes can take 3 or so days to get an electricity reading. On on occasion it took two weeks because someone was on holiday. I had understandably a very angry tenant.

Does anyone know if the management committee are allowed deny me access to my own meter?

Have I any rights to get access to my own meter. It would make my life simpler if I had this access.

What arrangements have the ESB for obtaining readings?

Bachelor Boy said:

So I don't have access to my own meter.

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Neither do I and I live in an apartment. If I need a meter reading I ring the janitor who texts me the same day. A padlock appeared on the meter cupboard about a year after we moved in, it seemed a bit OTT considering that only I and another owner access the hall. As I get timely readings I am not overly inconvenienced rearding billing etc.

You definitely need more timely readings from the management committee.

I don't know what arrangements the electricity companies have. I would presume they'd have their own key. We have no on site caretaker so there is nothing I can do there. I would have no issue with not having access to my meter if I could get timely readings. I don't know who the members of the committee are so I don't know who to contact. I guess i was wondering if there is any laws or regaulations that say I can get access to the meter with prior arrangement with the managment company/committee.

Are you getting estimated bills?

Moved from Consumer Issues and Rights to
Management companies, apartments, etc which is where this type of question is dealt with on AAM.

Ive also expanded your title somewhat to more fully reflect your question. Let me know if this is ok.

aj (moderator}

Please check on the electricity bill whether is Estimated (E) or Actual (A) meter reading...

The change of title is fine and the move to a different area is fine.

As regards the bills, I honestly can't remember for certain now. Its been a few years since we lived there for a more than a month. However now that you mention it, I do think all the bill were estimated. But I'm not 100% sure to be honest. What difference would it make?

If bills were estimated you could either have operpaid (good for you) or underpaid (bad for you as you'd owe the ESB money).

If you own your apartment you could register your account online with the ESB and see your bill history, reading history etc.

You can register here:

http://www.electricireland.ie/youraccountonline

If there's an 'E' next to the reading on your bill then it's estimated.

You need to visually check your meter to see where you stand in relation to your current bill.

http://www.electricireland.ie/youraccountonline

A similar question was asked on boards.ie a few years ago. But recieved only one answer. It seems that this is a common problem. Interesting in that he has access to the gas meter but not the esb meter. I remember in the us seeing meters encased in glass perplex bubbles.

specific areas that an owner has a right of access to may be mentioned in the contract lease. The two obvious ones that are mentioned tend to be the front door to the unit and the balcony if there is one. Bin stores may be also listed.

If there is no other mention of any other areas that the unit has access to then the areas will be part of the common buildings designated the reserved property. This is owned by the OMC. In that case they will either provide keys or provide managed access as they see fit. The OMC will have an obligation to provide meter numbers if they don't provide keys to ensure the owner can rent out his unit but like any service is conditional upon service fees being paid. Fair enough.

There is no way this is acceptable. You have to be able to verify your own meter, and I would be insisting on it. You could be getting incorrect reading, or worse, the readings from a different meter.

Insist on them opening up the meter and letting you read it, say every 2 months. Presumably the ESB is in the tenant's name, then it should be him that gets access.

I would be thinking that ESB networks would be screaming at them for access?

Time said:

I would be thinking that ESB networks would be screaming at them for access?

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You'd think...they've only read my meter once in the last 10 years. Other than that, they're happy to drop off the card and estimate a reading if the customer doesn't provide one.

Another problem with the locked away meter happened to an acquaintance. A domestic appliance blew the electricity in her whole appartment. Replacing the fuse at the fuseboard inside didn't sort it and she was going to call an electrician. A friend called and started looking for 'the other fuse'. After much ado they gained access to this locked area. There is a trip switch there for each appartment and her's just had to be reset.

Why dont you raise the issue at your management company AGM ?.

Hi Guys, I meant to say thanks for your advice on this. It seems to be a very grey area. Thankfully I haven't had to get a reading for a while so I've put this issue on hold for now. Raising it at the next AGM seems probably the best thing to do under the circumstances. If I don't get any joy I can always raise it with a solicitor.

There are often fuses near the meters which ESB networks can remove if the supply is being cut off. Our power went off one day, and we discovered that someone had removed this fuse. ESB networks arrived and replaced it (within an hour or so) - they told us it happens quite often that people who have been cut off by removing this fuse drive to another development and "borrow" some one elses!

By the way OP, I think when you talk about the management company, you'll find they are the managing agents. The "committee members" are more than likely the directors of the actual Owners' Management Company.

people removing fuses from an LV panel is a severe health and safety risk. As these panels are only secured by a triangle key, which you can buy for 50c at any euroland shop it would seem to make sense to secure these spaces to prevent people from interfering with very dangerous electrical equipment. ESB can easily have access with their own key. Everyone else by appointment.

This problem happens all the time in apartments. I work for the ESB and I know for a fact it is your legal right to be able to have access to your own meter. If these rooms are fitted correctly there should be no easy way to be electrocuted. Also even we have a tough time getting access to these rooms same goes for fire crews to kill the power to a building. It's all a bit of a joke.