probably being scammed, need advice

FapCop

FapCop

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Hey guys

First things first. Apologies for posting this topic in this section. For some reason I cant post this thread in the right forum section. Mods can move this tread to the right spot by all means.

Im hoping someone with good legal knowledge sees this.
I moved into a new bachelor flat with my wife when we got married in February this year. Its a building at the back of a complex, privately owned and we're renting. Two flats, we're on top. The electricity of both flats are connected to the same meter box, and the account is in the guy below us' name. when we met him the day after we moved in, he explained to us how we paying electricity. He said that since we're two people and he's only one, we should pay two thirds of the electricity acount, because two people use mor electricity than one. We gave the guy the benifit of the doubt and accepted his terms.

Bout a month ago on a rather drunken night, he mentioned two meters on our building, but he that due to wires connected improperly, the meters count both flats together. This caught my attention and immediately I smelled a rat.

As we got close to winter, the electricity bills got higher and higher. it turned out that this guy uses electric dryers on all the laundry he does and he uses his heater probably every afternoon. we dont own either. he consumes a lot more electricity than we do and we still have to pay two thirds of the bill.

I was about to buy a single phase kWh meter and I was going to install it tomorrow to put an end to our troubles, but a few hours ago I spotted the box containing the two meters he spoke of back then. He's gone for a week, so im guessing all he has running right now is probably just a fridge. I opened the box and had a look at the two meters. One was running slower than the other. I asked my wife to switch off the mains on the inside breaker board, and low and behold, the one running faster came to a to a complete halt, the slower one remained unchanged.

It is obvious to me that he is scamming us into paying part of his bill. What are my options?
 
keep a record from both meters and work out what electricity costs locally. work it out
 
I think the only really helpful answers will come when you post pics of your wife.







Until then... speak to your landlord. There is NO way that the flat will be sharing electricity unless there has been some super-dodgy illegal building, and seeing as you are in a complex that is unlikely.
 
Yeah, the guy is a chancer. Two people may use marginally more electricity, but not by much. There's still one fridge, one geyser, one washing machine. Its not as if you both use a separate television simultaenously is there?

Photo's, speak to the landlord and your rental agency (assuming you went through one).

Its going to get nasty, he's not going to appreciate being found out. Expect the usual neighborly reprisals. Find a new place.
That's all I can suggest.
 
I should have elaborated a bit more.

I know exactly how to resolve the issue, but discovering how badly I've been ripped off, I want to tear him a new one. it is very likely that he's been doing this for a while, so Im looking at teaching this bastard a lesson he wont easily forget. im no lawyer and google isnt much help, but im pretty sure what he's been doing is something along the lines of fraud
 
work out how much he's ripped you off...send a registered letter of demand stating it will be followed by a claim in small claims court if it hasn't been paid in 21 days.
 
When he comes back complain about the excessive costs,in order to get him to sign letter about the 'joint' meter.Then monitor it for a few days.
With pics in hand and the letter confront him about the extra meter and demand a rebate or you will go to court.

PS.You should start looking for a new place in the meantime.
 
Arksun said:
He's gone for a week, so im guessing all he has running right now is probably just a fridge.

I asked my wife to switch off the mains on the inside breaker board, and low and behold, the one running faster came to a to a complete halt, the slower one remained unchanged.
Click to expand...

I see an opportunity here .. but then I'm known for killing people and burying them in the garden if they steal from me.

The proper solution would be to take regular readings and base your payment on that I suppose.
 
If you're sure the meters are improperly connected, take pics, get witnesses, and then confront him with it. Claim your money back. If he refuses you call the police.
 
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