2.2 Meters, Valves and Switches

Mains Water Meter

The water meters are located in the Landlord’s Riser cupboard on each floor of the development. It is unlikely that you will need to gain access to the riser cupboard as this will be arranged between the utility company and the Managing Agent. If you do need to gain access, please contact the Managing Agent as the cupboard doors require a special key to open them. Each meter is labelled with the property postal number.

Electric Meter

The electric meters are also located in the Landlord’s Riser cupboards. Again, it is unlikely that you will need to gain access to the riser cupboard as this will be arranged between the utility company and the Managing Agent. If you do need to gain access, please contact the Managing Agent as the cupboard doors require a special key to open them. Each meter is labelled with the property postal number.

Electric Mains Switch and Current Breaker

The consumer unit is located in the cupboard which might be in either the hallway or off the kitchen or living room depending on the configuration of your apartment.

Prior to you moving into the property, all appliances and switches will have been tested so the property should be fully functional. If something does not work, please do check and make sure that the main electric switch on the consumer unit has not been switched off inadvertently or isolated by mistake. Each switch is labelled to show which room/circuit/appliance it controls.

Kitchen Appliances

The fused spurs for the kitchen appliances are all located in the cupboard, which might be in either the hallway or off the kitchen or living room, depending on the configuration of your apartment. All fused spurs are labelled so it is easy to identify which switch controls which appliance.

Towel Rails and Ventilation Units

Items such as the electric towel rails, and ventilation units that are in your bathrooms run off separate electrical circuits to the main apartment. The towel rails can be used to both heat the rooms and also dry towels and remove moisture. The fused spurs for these items are also located in the cupboard.

Location of fused spurs for bathroom appliances

Extract Fan Isolation Switch

The isolation switch located in the hallway cupboard is for the whole dwelling extract fan. It is located on the wall in the cupboard near the equipment and is labelled ‘MEV.’ This switch provides electrical isolation for the main extract fan positioned in the ceiling void that provides continuous extract to the bathrooms and kitchen area.

Washer Dryer

Depending on the configuration of your apartment, the washer/dryer is either located in the hallway cupboard or integrated into the kitchen units. It has been fully plumbed in and tested. It is, however, worth making sure, before you use it for the first time, that the waste pipe is still connected properly and has not been dislodged during the moving process.

Location of the fused spur for the washer dryer

Where the washer/dryer is fitted in the hall cupboard, a ducted extract grille is provided in the ceiling of the cupboard to remove air from the cupboard preventing the buildup of humidity. This facility means you can close the door of the hallway cupboard while the washer dryer is operating. The extract ventilation grille located in the ceiling of the cupboard provides continuous background ventilation to this cupboard.

Clean Water Stopcock

If there is an emergency, such as a leak, you need to isolate the water in your apartment. To do this, there is an internal stopcock located within the apartment adjacent to the hot water cylinder in the cupboard. When this is closed, it will shut off all the water to all appliances and pipework down stream of this valve.

There is a further isolation lever valve located behind an access hatch at high level in your hallway above the front door. You will need to use a stepladder and access plan key (which will have been provided to you when you moved in) to reach this valve.

Turn the lever to the closed position and you will stop the flow of water into the apartment. Please note that the valve is in the fully closed position when the lever is positioned perpendicular (at 90 degrees angle) to the pipe. The valve is in the fully open position when the lever is positioned parallel to the pipe. Please see the illustration below for further details.