Access to electrical cupboard withheld?

Reply to the comment left by Puzzler at 01/11/2019 – 08:16
EXACTLY. They say call out the power company… its ridiculous.

Since my post-it moved on. They contacted the power supplier who confirmed no one but them or an electrician should enter the cupboard (madness), but the management co said only theirs can enter, and their sparky doesn’t work out of hours. I just can’t seem to win here!

Reply to the comment left by Paul McCarthy at 01/11/2019 – 08:22
It’s pretty obvious that this “management” company is a total fraud as the staff are simply not up to the job. I think you need to look elsewhere to get sufficient influence to force thier compliance.
You can totally forget about the consequences of upsetting them as they are only ever going to be a totally obstructive burden anyway. Your problem here is not anything to do with the meters. Your problem is the calibre of staff in the “management” company. When you win this battle, it is inevitable that more will follow later with the next requirement for any form of judgement on their part.
I try very hard to keep the involvement of people like this out of my own life. Doctors, dentists, tenants, tradesmen, all are repeatedly rejected. It reduces my wealth but it increases my quality of life.

Is this a residential management company or agent? if the former, it’s quite possible they are outside their authority. I would have thought, although I don’t know, that a resident has a right to check their meter whenever they wish.

My suggestion would be to ring any power company yourself to check this (each flat may have a different supplier) and if they say it’s rubbish ask them to put it in writing or refer you to something you can quote

Reply to the comment left by Puzzler at 01/11/2019 – 14:56
https://mocopa.org.uk/documents/mocopa

Installation of meter guidance – bottom of p72 – must be placed so consumer can access

Reply to the comment left by Puzzler at 01/11/2019 – 15:19
Thank very much to you and everyone for your help. I think I am never going to get anywhere with this managing agent and residents association…

I did speak to the electrician who manages the block, he laughed and said they are a real pain. He will replace the lock and all I need to do is get an FB1 key to get access…just not to tell them he told me.

Reply to the comment left by Paul McCarthy at 01/11/2019 – 16:03
Pragmatic. 🙂

Reply to the comment left by Paul McCarthy at 01/11/2019 – 16:03
Write to the management company and let them know you respect their views but should it trip again out of hours you will have no option to put the tenent in a hotel until you can have the issue resolved and will invoice them for the cost.

On an electrical side-
You need better discrimination (nothing about ginger people), the protective device at the consumers installation should trip before one near the meter.

Put photos of the consumer unit and meter / isoaltor up please.

Reply to the comment left by ___ baldelectrician at 02/11/2019 – 10:14
“the protective device at the consumers installation should trip before one near the meter.”
You are quite right technically. However it is certainly not unknown that, in practice, a low fuse rating does not actually fail as it is designed to do, and it then passes on a surge of power to a higher fused point.
This is rare but, in practice, it does actually happen. This is yet another reason for the mismanagement company to be brought into line with common sense and their duty of care.

I’m pretty sure that managing agents job description requirements are to be evasive, obstructive and lazy. I’m amazed that any flat OWNER isn’t deemed responsible / trustworthy enough to have access to his property’s meters, in most cases we’re more interested in our property’s true welfare than the MAs are, who only see £££s.
How a power supplier can determine that is beyond me.

Contact your local authority enforcement officer to inspect as this can be deemed as a risk to your tenant as access to the meter is extremely important in case of a ? fire where main trio switched may need to be isolated.