Landlords supply - flats

[robo83]

I am coming to the final stages of a project, 2 flats, communal lighting in the hallway and staircase outside plus car park bollards for the 2 flats.

The main contractor (who i work for) has refused to install a landlords meter and said the developer doesn't want one installed. They have instructed me to wire the communal lighting to a flat that i have rewired.

I have informed them the risk of doing so, due to loss of power in one of the flats and the countless situations that could cause the communal lighting to be turned off (not paying bill/unsold property etc etc).

If i get an email confirming how they want it wired/connected would that be sufficient to ensure no comebacks at a later stage if one of them events happens?

 

[Octopus]

I think not having a landlords supply is one big bad idea ....

In your situation, you need to email the developer and / the contractir - if they state this is how they want it done, then you have CYA

As for rules and regs ...... it probably doesn’t comply with a reg or 2 but can’t remember the numbers ....

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Landlord is opening themselves up to possible issues later down the line if they are sold and new owners find they are paying for all the communal electric.
If they insist then keep the paper trail and email chain so you cant be blamed later down the line.

 

[robo83]

These were the replies i was expecting, thank you.

I am not proceeding unless i get written confirmation and that they accept liability for any future repercussions.

 

[Octopus]

Out of interest, what type of cu have you fitted?

Dual rcd or rcbos ?

 

[westward10]

Are the flats for sale or rental.

 

[The Ghost]

You could always put a din rail mounted meter in the CU?

 

[Which One’s Live?]

I can’t understand why they would not want the landlord’s supply separately connected and metered.

As others have said, in the event of power loss: no communal lights, no emergency lightning, fire alarms, door entry.

One would have thought they could just collect back the money through maintenance charges anyway. Or even in the rent perhaps?

 

[Wilko]

I can’t understand why they would not want the landlord’s supply separately connected and metered.

I can only think they want Tennant to (unknowingly?) pay for those services.

 

[Which One’s Live?]

Maybe. It seems unnecessarily sneaky though, particularly in terms of risk/benefit. But that would be an explanation for it.

Don’t L/L’s have a legal obligation to make sure Fire Risk Assesments are recorded? This would seem to be one that could be avoided.

Edit: thinking about it, maybe it’s the Freeholder’s responsibility.

 

[littlespark]

Do whats been asked... make sure you have it in writing.

Also make sure you label the CU so that its obvious to the prospective flat owner/tenant when they view the property that they are paying for the communal lighting....
Developers will never shift them

 

[Phil Thompson]

Don’t forget getting caught out very quickly when the selected property goes away on holiday and returns to a high bill when it should be at £1 or £2 to maintain fridge freezer temps only.
Especially if it’s during winter and communal lighting used the most.

Or if they’re what I call “super safe plug people” and empty their freezer and turn the main switch at the board off whilst away.

A health and safety nightmare

Then there’s the leaving oneself open to litigation as it’s really defrauding the tenant/owner out of money if they aren’t made aware.

Also how do they intend for you to correctly label the consumer unit, and complete EIC correctly? As Emergency Lighting and Fire Alarm, Intercom, Communal Lighting, Communal Sockets are gonna stick out a mile, and you might think sure joe public probably wouldn’t twig on. But a spark will, and one of the first things a person in a new place does is get a spark in to put up lights for them.
So it could get discovered pretty swiftly.

Id be telling them a point blank no, and if they aren’t happy then they can for work up to date.

If they ask you to do it once, then they’ll ask again with the weight off doing the first one, there, hanging over your head to persuade you to.

Plus it’s bad publicity when it gets found out and hits the local papers.

 

[Wilko]

Noting that we may not have the full picture - but if the motivation is as I think it is - I would not do it. You'll perhaps all laugh, but I do try to follow "right thoughts, right actions", passed sins et al.

 

[Adam W]

I can only think they want Tennant to (unknowingly?) pay for those services.

Some people just can't resist pinching pennies. It's not as if they need the money, more of an obsession - the idea that they're getting one over on the tenant.
It's dishonest.