Back in the late 1980s I helped run a youth organisation that had its own ( historical) premises which were fast approaching 100 years old. You can imagine the wiring nightmare that had been built up over the years. Most of the heating in the vast spaces were electric radiators, a few oil filled but most of roof or wall mounted ones that looked like 2 bar electric fires ( 15 of )but without the coal effect.
Anyways one evening the cupboard containing the electric junction boxes, meter etc went on fire, luckily it was caught in time, the fire brigade called out the power company to make it safe, the chap came and made it safe but noticed that at some point in the past, the meter had been bypassed ( we only ever got estimated bills as no one was in premises during day) He said it looked as if it had been done years previously, so he reconnected back to way it should legally be, luckily he was an ex-member and no more was said.
The upside to this is, he took meter readings and the power company git back to us a week or so later telling the trustees that, over the years, their estimated bills had been wildly over-charging us and here's a cheque fora few grand to make up for that and a donation to make up for our overpayments not being spotted sooner.
We reckon the meter bypass was at least 40 years old - no one ever owned up to having done it..........
Biting the hand that feeds IT
