Electricity Meter Box?

Question

is it a tenants right (rented accomodation) to have access to their meter box to take a reading? The door is locked and only a maintenance chappy has the key - surely this is not right?

Answer 1

The meter box should be in a communal area. You should have a key to the locked cupboard/room. This is to allow you to check that your meter is not being tampered with .Another tenant might "hook in" to your electricity to save them having to pay for their own electricity.

A letter to your landlord asking for a key might solve the problem, but explain why you want it.

Good Luck.

Answer 2

Are you talking about the panel or the meter can?

The meter can can only be opened by the power company.

That's where the power comes in. The panel is where the breakers are. In an apartment They might have all the main breakers locked but you should have your own sub panel in your apartment. The sub panel is the only one they can't deny you access to.

Answer 3

..."Well unfortunately we do not allow our tenants to have individual meter keys, we always read the meter for them in going and outgoing if they want the meter read in between we go out and read it for them, this is only on managed properties, it is up to the landlord when it is let only.  

We do not like tenants having keys to the meter cupboard, mainly due to the safety issues of the meters, anyone can turn others electricity off, damage the meter etc, we never deny access to the tenant but it is always accompanied. So in the answer is yes it is common practice for tenants not to have a key to the meter cupboard rooms (on a communal block for example). Houses have meters in the property or outside on the wall."

Answer 4

Why not ask for the meter to have an housing built round it so that no one can mess with the meter , but the front of the housing as a glass or perspex window so that you can take the reading. This has to be better way , than keep asking your landlord for the reading ,which i would think you are entitled to do without all the fuzz. At todays prices i would like to be in some kind of control over what electric i am using and having to pay for.

Best of luck

P.S

Landlords note ! you could help a lot with this problem

Answer 5

Isn't there a little window in the box?