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Landlord access to apartment

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  • 14-09-2017 7:11pm
    #1
    Sebzy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,770 ✭✭✭


    HI All, some advice needed

    Just got a latter from my landlord stating that this Monday they will install new prepay power meters within each apartment in the house. Stating "if you are not at home we will gain access using the master key"

    Well can they do that without permission from the tenant?
    Curious too as to what happens to the money I have on my prepay at time of removal I guess it's lost.

    Nothing wrong with the current prepay power meters so their just swapping supplier i guess.


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    #2
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,532 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    Sebzy wrote: »
    HI All, some advice needed

    Just got a latter from my landlord stating that this Monday they will install new prepay power meters within each apartment in the house. Stating "if you are not at home we will gain access using the master key"

    Well can they do that without permission from the tenant?
    Curious too as to what happens to the money I have on my prepay at time of removal I guess it's lost.

    Nothing wrong with the current prepay power meters so their just swapping supplier i guess.
    Nothing wrong? So you don't mind paying 20% more than you should .


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    #3
    the_syco
    Registered Users Posts: 37,301 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    ted1 wrote: »
    Nothing wrong? So you don't mind paying 20% more than you should .
    To be fair, the landlord could be increasing the percentage that they get.

    How much do you think you'll have on the pre-pay?


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    #4
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,532 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    the_syco wrote: »
    ted1 wrote: »
    Nothing wrong? So you don't mind paying 20% more than you should .
    To be fair, the landlord could be increasing the percentage that they get.

    How much do you think you'll have on the pre-pay?
    Well prepay meters from the Licensed providers only give the standard rate where as on bill pay you get 20% discounts


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    #5
    spaceHopper
    Registered Users Posts: 3,992 ✭✭✭spaceHopper


    Yes he can he's given you more than 24 hours notice


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    #6
    CeilingFly
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,378 ✭✭✭CeilingFly


    Sebzy wrote: »

    Well can they do that without permission from the tenant?

    Its his property - no permission from tenant required to do a change like this.

    He's given you proper notice too.

    I'd say there are many a tenant that would wish their landlords to be as above board as yours.


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    #7
    Michael D Not Higgins
    Registered Users Posts: 7,223 ✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    spaceHopper wrote: »
    Yes he can he's given you more than 24 hours notice
    CeilingFly wrote: »
    Its his property - no permission from tenant required to do a change like this.

    He's given you proper notice too.

    I'd say there are many a tenant that would wish their landlords to be as above board as yours.

    Access to a tenanted property by a landlord is only by mutual agreement. OP, are you a tenant or a licensee? It seems very odd that the landlord would change the prepay meter, as you haven't requested this change. Does the landlord also live in the building?


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    #8
    the_syco
    Registered Users Posts: 37,301 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    Sebzy wrote: »
    they will install new prepay power meters within each apartment in the house
    How many apartments are in said house?


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    #9
    wordofwarning
    Closed Accounts Posts: 697 ✭✭✭wordofwarning


    CeilingFly wrote: »
    Its his property - no permission from tenant required to do a change like this.

    He's given you proper notice too.

    I'd say there are many a tenant that would wish their landlords to be as above board as yours.

    I think most tenants would want a landlord who asks them whether they want a prepaid meter rather than telling them they are getting one...

    OP contract for electricity is with the electric company. It has nothing to do with the landlord.

    OP I would text the landlord telling him, you don't want the meter and if it is installed you will ask for him to pay for it be removed


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    #10
    Cuddlesworth
    Registered Users Posts: 13,995 ✭✭✭✭Cuddlesworth


    You would have to assume they are private meters off a official meter, since each meter would have a active contract with each tenant and the landlord would have to go through a world of hurt to get them changed otherwise.


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    #11
    Askthe EA
    Registered Users Posts: 724 ✭✭✭Askthe EA


    Does the landlord issue you with the ESB bill? I wonder if there is one account for all the apartments and he is sick of working out the different bills.

    I cant see the providers allowing a third party to insist on a pre pay meter.


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    #12
    crossmolinalad
    Registered Users Posts: 837 ✭✭✭crossmolinalad


    wordofwarning wrote: »

    OP contract for electricity is with the electric company. It has nothing to do with the landlord.

    OP I would text the landlord telling him, you don't want the meter and if it is installed you will ask for him to pay for it be removed


    Well explain me something else about this
    I have a contract with supplier X but want to switch to supplier Y
    On the forms of Y I had to fill in that the house was rented and the name address and telephone number of the landlord
    So I filled it all in
    Take 3 weeks and the landlord showed up and didn't allow me to switch
    two days later got a phone call from Y switch not happen landlord not allowing it
    what has the landlord to do wit my supplier and a switch of supplier , I have the contracts not the landlord
    X is to expensive , had a contract for 6 years with them and want to leave them


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    #13
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,415 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Sebzy wrote: »
    Just got a latter from my landlord stating that this Monday they will install new prepay power meters within each apartment in the house. Stating "if you are not at home we will gain access using the master key"
    They shouldn't need access unless the meter is within your apartment. Ask why they need access.

    Who's name is on the bill. If it is your name, tell them you don't want any change and that you will charge them for any excess cost.
    crossmolinalad wrote: »
    Well explain me something else about this
    I have a contract with supplier X but want to switch to supplier Y
    On the forms of Y I had to fill in that the house was rented and the name address and telephone number of the landlord
    So I filled it all in
    Take 3 weeks and the landlord showed up and didn't allow me to switch
    two days later got a phone call from Y switch not happen landlord not allowing it
    what has the landlord to do wit my supplier and a switch of supplier , I have the contracts not the landlord
    X is to expensive , had a contract for 6 years with them and want to leave them

    If there was a change of meter involved, the landlord has a say. At a very minimum, you would need to have the same type of meter fitted when you leave.

    If there is no change of meter, the landlord has no say - complain.


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    #14
    Askthe EA
    Registered Users Posts: 724 ✭✭✭Askthe EA


    This doesn't make sense. I've never had to provide my LL details to the power company.


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    #15
    Ms Doubtfire1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,422 ✭✭✭Ms Doubtfire1


    what does your lease agreement say? Mine's quite specific stating all utilities payments are the tenants responsibility.As such, i am responsible and have the right to switch supplier if and when i please. I would most certainly NOT let my LL install a prepay meter in my house.Those things are often 20% over the normal rate.


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    #16
    crossmolinalad
    Registered Users Posts: 837 ✭✭✭crossmolinalad


    Victor wrote: »


    If there was a change of meter involved, the landlord has a say. At a very minimum, you would need to have the same type of meter fitted when you leave.

    If there is no change of meter, the landlord has no say - complain.

    There is a change of meters involved but has nothing to do with the change of providers
    Esb wants to put in two new smartmeters one for storage heaters and the other for 24 hours use and they want them outside the house
    Landlord don't want that change and I never asked for that and has nothing to do with change of providers Just ESB wants that done says every house between now and 2021 will be done

    What about the provider , landlord said I have done business so long as I live with provider X and wont trust all of the others so leave it by what it is , but provider X is way to expensive and I have to pay for it , its my money and not his money
    Contract and bill is in my name so don't see the problem here


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    #17
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 24,714 ✭ [Deleted User]


    It may be similar to a house a friend of mine lives in, now while its a house share its almost like separate apartments but with with a shared bathroom and kitchen. Each room has its own prepay meter so tenants pay for electricity usage in their bedroom while common area electricity is included in the rent. Heating is also included in the rent. All utilities are in the LLs name including all the prepay meters in bedrooms. There is absolutely no option whatsoever for tenants to take bills into their name or change provider.

    I have also lived in house shares in the past where the bills always stayed in the LLs name so its not unusual. I would see a big house divided into apartments with one meter being much easier to run by the LL keeping the utilities in this name but possibly moving towards a prepay system to avoid conflicts over bills and dividing them up etc.


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    #18
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,415 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Chad Low Penknives wrote: »
    I have also lived in house shares in the past where the bills always stayed in the LLs name so its not unusual. I would see a big house divided into apartments with one meter being much easier to run by the LL keeping the utilities in this name but possibly moving towards a prepay system to avoid conflicts over bills and dividing them up etc.
    Electricity bills in the landlord's name are usually indicative of shady practice.


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    #19
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 24,714 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Victor wrote: »
    Electricity bills in the landlord's name are usually indicative of shady practice.

    Not really, it works much better for house shares where the rooms are let seperately and there is a turnover of people living there.

    I've lived in a house share where the people living there had the utilities in their name and in ones where the LL had the bills in his name and it's far far easier to have them in the LLs name when you have a turn over of tenants which is always the way in house shares where rooms are let rather than the full house. From my experience there is a change of room renter about every 6 months and is a royal pain in the ass if you have to be constantly changing over bills from one person to another etc for gas and electricity.

    The introduction of prepay meters makes this much safer from a LLs perspective, in my case the LLs bills were addressed to the house and we opened them and paid them in the post office but he was placing a lot of trust in the people living in the house some of whom moved in and out without ever meeting him.


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    #20
    housetypeb
    Registered Users Posts: 1,192 ✭✭✭housetypeb


    Victor wrote: »
    Electricity bills in the landlord's name are usually indicative of shady practice.

    In a house share which is let room by room it's the best option.
    You can't really ask or expect a tenant who is renting a room in a house share to put an utility bill onto his name and make him responsible for collecting the money from other tenants to pay their portion of it.
    Much easier to leave it in the landlords name,sign up for e-billing and email the bill to all with a breakdown of what each tenant owes,normally split evenly between all tenants,open and transparent.
    When a tenant leaves and another moves in,it's easy enough to call in a meter reading,and figure out what the one leaving owes-even if a bill isn't issued there and then-and where the new tenant is starting from.


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