Legal rights to access electricity meter readings

Abchat

I don't have an access to electricity meter reading as it's located in common area. I always have to request this from property management which is a time consuming.
Is there any legal right for me as owner of the property to request access to meter reading ? Or to have it moved to accessible place?

What actions can be taken ?

Peregrinus

You'd need the permission of the management company, since it would involve getting work done in the common area. And of course you're have to pay the cost the work involved, and have it done to the satisfaction of the management company (and the electricity supplier, obviously). But i don't think there's any fundamental objection to relocating your meter, preferably to somewhere inside your own flat.

Del2005

With the roll out of smart meters there won't be a need to submit readings. Check to see when your planned to move before spending money on moving the meter.

Victor

Peregrinus wrote: »

But i don't think there's any fundamental objection to relocating your meter, preferably to somewhere inside your own flat.

Utility companies don't want this as it means they would often be denied access, as people are at work, etc. during the day. Sometimes the denied access can run to years.

Peregrinus

Victor wrote: »

Utility companies don't want this as it means they would often be denied access, as people are at work, etc. during the day. Sometimes the denied access can run to years.

Good point. So, if the meter is to be moved, it'll need to be to somewhere where both he and the meter-reader have unobstructed access to it. Which likely means that lots of other people will also have unobstructed access to it.

Lenar3556

Peregrinus wrote: »

Good point. So, if the meter is to be moved, it'll need to be to somewhere where both he and the meter-reader have unobstructed access to it. Which likely means that lots of other people will also have unobstructed access to it.

And realistically it’s not going to moved because ESB networks for a start will not consent. Installing a private meter or energy monitor within OP’s accommodation might be helpful to provide a separate monitoring point which should correlate with the ESB meter.

GerardKeating

Abchat wrote: »

What actions can be taken ?

What do you hope to achieve with this, are you disputing the figures with the ESB, or want to supply reading when they do an estimated reading?

NeuralNetwork

There should be a building regulation requiring access to be facilitated to meters. It’s not that complex to provide and was done in apartments I lived in without issue. They just had a bank of meters hidden neatly behind a door in the foyer.

It’s ESBs meter, so they won’t facilitate moving it into an apartment if it’s located in a cluster as it makes reading meters much more difficult for them. Also there are issues around the technicalities of that too, as there’s a demarcation between the network’s wiring and the private wiring at the meter. You’d be asking them to place the meter on privately owned wiring. That adds complications around fusing, earth bonding, isolation switches etc etc which isn’t impossible but it’s outside their spec.

blackbox

Abchat wrote: »

I don't have an access to electricity meter reading as it's located in common area. I always have to request this from property management which is a time consuming.
Is there any legal right for me as owner of the property to request access to meter reading ? Or to have it moved to accessible place?

What actions can be taken ?

Unless I misunderstand, the management company is giving you access upon request, albeit with some delay. So what you are really asking for is faster or more convenient access. I don't think you have much of a case.

Thoie

In a previous place I lived, the meters were also locked off (as there was other equipment in there as well). The arrangement with the management agency was that when you wanted a meter reading, you'd send them a mail, and they'd reply back the next working day with a photo of the meter.

Previously we'd done the "arranging to meet someone to be let in", which was tedious, but the email turned out simpler for everyone. Ask if your agency can do something like that.

Mrs OBumble

Abchat wrote: »

I don't have an access to electricity meter reading as it's located in common area. I always have to request this from property management which is a time consuming.
Is there any legal right for me as owner of the property to request access to meter reading ? Or to have it moved to accessible place?

What actions can be taken ?

Why do you not have access to the common areas in your complex? Surely by definition of common areas, you should?

Del2005

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Why do you not have access to the common areas in your complex? Surely by definition of common areas, you should?

I doubt many places let regular people into their electrical/facility rooms, especially with our litigious nature.

Grolschevik

My place has all the meters in the lobby behind wooden doors that can be opened with a tool, rather than being locked with a key. The unit numbers aren't marked on the individual meters, but the individual MPRNs are.

If the OP's are similar, maybe they can ask to be allowed an opening tool. Or find similar in a hardware shop.

NeuralNetwork

Ours just had a closet in the entrance call with the face of the meters. It wasn’t in any way dangerous and it wasn’t locked. Just open up and read.

Peregrinus

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Why do you not have access to the common areas in your complex? Surely by definition of common areas, you should?

The common areas are so called because they are in common ownership, not because they are open to all comers.

The lift-shaft, for instance, is a common area, but for obvious reasons access to it (other then when actually inside the lift) is strictly controlled.