How can I verify car park lighting unrealistic £10k cost

[Zengze]

The building where I live has an indoor car parking area for 8 cars. It has its own standard electricity meter. The property management company has informed me that there's a £10k a year cost that they previously underestimated, and backdated £20k cost that needs to be paid by the 30 properties in the building. I'm responsible for signing off on the annual accounts, as a voluntary director. I've refused to sign off as:

The car park electricity only covers about 6 <100 watt light bulbs and and electric roller gate that is only used about 10 times a day. I find it unbelievable that these few electrical appliances can cost £10,000 a year in usage.

It seems suspicious, but I don't know how to go about verifying the cost is legitimately being caused by the lighting and electric door. Is there any kind of audit or verification that an electrician or the electricity supplier could carry out to trace where the electricity is being used? The management company isn't doing anything to investigate or offering any solutions. I can mandate that they take action if I know what to ask them to do.

Appreciate any helpful advice.

 

[flameport]

To start, have you got the actual electricity bills with actual readings on them - preferably for several years.

Does the meter only do the car park, or are there other common parts such as corridor/stairway lighting, any internal heating, any socket outlets in the building, and is there a passenger lift?

 

[Zengze]

That's a good idea. The meter only covers the car park and a bin area. There's no internal heating and no passenger lift. The car park has four working light bulbs and the bin area has one more. I don't know whether previous electricity charges were actual or estimated.

 

[flameport]

No way that just a few lights could use that much.
£10k per year at an expensive 50p per kWh is 20k units per year, or 55 per day, which for a continuous load would be about 2.2kW on permanently.
Equivalent to an electric kettle boiling away 24/7.

Other similar load cases would be an an electric heater on all the time, or someone charging an electric vehicle for 7+ hours every day

A less sinister option is that the meter has failed, or someone has read it incorrectly.

 

[Murdochcat]

I would request the energy bills for the last 3 years

And assuming you have access to the meter, read it once per week for the time being.

Also how are the lights controlled? Do you know the wattage of the units?

 

[Zengze]

The light bulbs are 58 Watt fluorescent tubes. They are controlled by a timer, and they're on 12 hours a day.

 

[Old Salt]

Electricity suppliers cannot charge beyond 12 months if its their error and not been billed previously. Why does your management company think they can?

 

[Zengze]

That's a good tip, thanks. Just verified it's correct here

Back-billing explained

Back bills are sent to you by your gas or electricity supplier when you've not been accurately charged. A guide to your rights.

www.ofgem.gov.uk

 

[JohnD]

Sometimes a tenant's usage goes through the landlord's meter.

It can be accidental or deliberate.

Read the meter frequently (get a pocket diary). You can photograph it on your phone. It may have an LED that flashes at a speed dependent on current draw. You could also turn off the main switch and see who complains.

Photos of the electrical installation might spark off ideas.

 

[Sureitsoff?]

Open the door then turn off all the lights and check if the meter is still flashing, if it is then something somewhere is also connected.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The light bulbs are 58 Watt fluorescent tubes. They are controlled by a timer, and they're on 12 hours a day.

Usually, lighting in an indoor parking area will be needed 24/7, as there is no natural light.

However if it's only 6 x 100w and really only on 12 hours per day, that works out at 7.2KWh per day, +54p per day standing charge. 7.2 x 30p per KWh = £2.16 per day +54p = a total of £2.70.

A full year = £2.70 x 365 = £985. Call it £1200 per year, to allow for the electric gate consumption.

 

[dal5band]

There is probably a management mark up !! For instance, renting agents charge for arranging a washing machine to be fixed, often more than the actual repair.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Landlords are not allowed to resell electrical energy at a markup. Doesn’t mean they won’t try though.

They are allowed a markup to cover the maintenance of the system, repairing the lighting etc.

 

[securespark]

I would change the flus for LEDs and put them on PIRs.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I would change the flus for LEDs and put them on PIRs.

As would I.