neighbour hooking up to my electric

[getonwithit]

just moved in to a house and an ex owner now lives in wood he owns at bottom of garden ,i have heard rumers that he has hooked in to the house's water and electric ? what makes me think could be as gas and electric about £1000 a quarter for past 10 years as found old bills , is there way i can test the electric for this ?

[sara3]

if you have meters, you just have to note the read-outs when you go out (assuming everything is switched off) and you should be able to see if there is any usage.

[Whoever]

You will probably never get a Nil reading for your own house if you're running a freezer which needs to be switched on all the time. If you have suspicions that somebody else is linked into your meters, contact your electricity and water supplier and ask them to investigate.

[lardhelmet]

Where does he plug in his electrical appliances if he lives in a wood?

[bednobs]

but if the bills have been high for the past 10 years, presumably the previous owner wasnt living in the woods then, but in the house?

[Sandy-Wroe]

Could you turn the electricity off at the meter? If he comes rushing up to your house shouting that the powers been cut you've grounds for suspicion.

[bednobs]

perhaps a house in the woods/

[AlBags]

Yep .. If he lives in the woods, he will definitely be flushing the loo a lot and running loads of baths : )

[alavahalf]

If he lives in the woods he may do as the bears do...and they are not known for flushing the loo..!

[getonwithit]

he sold the house about 10 years ago and the guys who lived there (renting from new owner)were all a bit hippie and let him run a pipe underground from the outside loo .;i new someone who lived in house 5 years ago and told me this , the house is a victorian terrace so not too massive £320 a month gas /electric a bit steep! anyhow is there a voltage tester type thing that would pick up underground currant

[AlBags]

Not something cheap enough and easy enough for you to use.
It may be buried deep too .. Try telling your supplier and asking if they can check .. or if they supply this neighbour!
I can't see how it could have been done without a connection at your incoming main supply, then going back out.

[boxtops]

Your costs seem extraordinarily high - I know ours are quite low but we only pay some £80 a month for our gas and electric together, and we are on a water meter so that is only a few pounds too, and we too are in a Victorian terrace.... it sounds like you are heating the woods!

[BillyBB]

If the bills are high because there is a supply running to him, then it will be after the meter and the power company will not care because you are paying for all electric used.
Try individually turning off the breakers/fuses on your consumer unit (fuseboard) to see what goes off in your house. Normally a fuse each for down and up light circuit, ring mains, shower, cooker etc Useful to label each for future reference, if one or more do not seem to change anything them leave them off/out.
Does he have lights on at night? Whacking off main switch may show he is connected.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

You need to ask a friendly electrician to call round at peak demand time (around 5pm)....switch off your main switch....confirm all your outlets are dead...then use a clamp meter on your mains tails to confirm no current is being drawn.the longer you leave the meter on the more definative the results.The service provider will do this but they may charge.If you were within 2 miles of my office I would not charge.

[annie0000]

The energy suppliers would check it for you - just explain that you think there is a problem because your bills seem high for your property and could they send someone round. If nothing else, they will have an energy efficiency team who come round to advise you on reducing your bills. they should notice if there is anything wrong - have you tried asking your neighbours what they pay as a comparison?

[Vagrant]

Could be your meter's not working properly.

[Whickerman]

That's a huge amount of power to use! Even if it costs to get someone out to check it, it should pay for itself as you're paying about two- three times what we pay here

[boxtops]

Hi getonwithit, is there any update? Curious to knowing how you are getting on with this one!