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Tenant access to combined meter/elecintake cupboards
Rank: Forum user 
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Hi All,
I have an ongoing and common issue relating to customer access to pre-pay gas and electric meters.
In a large number of our prose built blocks of flats we have customer meters (gas & elec) located in the same walk-in cupboards as the main electrical intake and DBs. They are accessed from internal communal corridors.
We know that we have to restrict access due to the risk of electric shock and unauthorised storage. We also need to ensure that customers have controlled access so that they can top-up their meters as necessary.
We cannot decide on a happy medium. At the moment someone has fitted FB locks and issued FB keys to customers. We do not feel comfortable with this as customers can then access other restricted areas.
All help and advice greatly received.
Regards,
Jonathan
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Not exactly "purpose built" then? What an absolute pain for Tenants on the higher floors.
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Rank: Forum user
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Thanks for your enlightening input Ron...
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Rank: Super forum user
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ron has said it as it is!
Not being able to picture with regards to layouts etc have you considered the possibility of caging out from each other?
Is it practicable to restrict access to the tenants meters space wise to prevent dumping/storage of items?
Is this place managed daily if so can the caretaker (or whatever they call them these days) conduct daily checks for combustibles/ignition sources etc?
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Rank: Super forum user
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Come on Commo1979 expecting a useful, non sarcastic or helpful answer on this forum, thats just madness....!!!
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Rank: Forum user
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It was quite naive of me Mr Fibble...
I guess it is quite hard to propose an answer without being able to see the (purpose built) blocks.
They were probably fit for purpose at the time of construction. I will look at spacing and caretaker checks etc.
I guess the other thing is that there hasn't been an incident in all the time these blocks have existed (30 years).
So is it reasonable to say the likelihood of something occurring is very low (as long as equipment is well maintained and the room is kept clear of storage)?
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Rank: Super forum user
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Well that information will all help you build up a reasonable RA!
For saying the likelihood is low... what would be the consequences rate be if something actually occur?
You may wish to consider that the landlord discuss with their insurer ... or if self insured that they agree the current or prescribed measures are acceptable... all have their part of total risk management?
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Rank: Super forum user
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I stick by my earlier postregarding "purpose built". Somewhere down the line, in the context of CDM, a Designer has made an error of judgement.
You are left with a quandary here Commo, which can only really be resolved by resiting the meters to provide some segregation between one and the other.
Others have mentioned Risk Assessment, and those have to take into account foreseeable maintenance activities.
The day will arise when a serious safety conflict arises. An electrical contractor requiring an isolated safety zone for maintenance work, and a mother with babe in arms and a handful of coins needing to get the power back on to heat some milk.
You may find page 9 of this document of interest:
http://www.westernpower....ts_advisory_booklet.aspx
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Rank: Forum user
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Thanks Ron. And thanks to all those that posted a reply. It has certainly been useful to bounce some ideas around and has given me some pointers.
Off to the Asset Management team now...
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Tenant access to combined meter/elecintake cupboards
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