I Suspect Neighbour Is Stealing My Electricity

LDanger321 on 12/04/2020 - 00:47
Last edited 17/04/2020 - 23:07 by 2 other users

I think either the builder ( or related site supplier) of my APT building or somebody who has intimate knowledge of my building electrical connections had been stealing my electricity.

Been living here for four years.. last year or two, I kept hearing most electrical switch boards clicking.. For one month in December, I used to periodically turn my main power switch off & noticed one neighbor coming out of their apt, head outside of the building then comes back in.. every single time! Believe it or not, my electricity bill, I saved $75 or so that particular month.

I am a female living alone with my daughter staying part time with me. I used to switch elec companies due to high usage when I am hardly home & only use energy saver globes & only fridge running constantly. Police cannot do anything without proof. The thief suspect lives opposite my apt, sharing ceiling space. Their address does not seem to appear registered as if it is vacant .. but families moved in & out may be privately rented out. Last year or so, the owner wanted to move back in & alerted the body corporate they are putting in new flooring in but after strange drilling in the ceiling, my ceiling now have draft wind & occasion movements.. I believe they made a man hole in their ceiling- they can easily roam or access my ceiling- all full of our electrical network lines.

How can stop them from stay connected to my electrical lines if they were confirmed thieves.. strata nor body corporate nor other neighbour are not cooperative nor caring to assist.. Would any electrician know how to detect when they look at my ceiling cavity?

Thanks

Mod: Comments closed. OP will call electrician.

Home & Garden

closed Comments

      • Love a bargain on 13/04/2020 - 00:30

        How do you think they entered your unit (obviously not via the front door)?
        Can you set a trap/ place something (something innocent/ casual looking rather than anything that scream "trap" there/ near the switch board that would let you know if someone has been in your unit?
        What about setup your own hidden surveillance/ security cameras (watching the switch board & any access point for examples)?

    • Danger321 on 12/04/2020 - 18:41

      I am not 100% sure if they are going inside or out .. but their door always opens as soon as I turn my main switch off within few minutes.. 100%..followed by my wall switch board areas clicking …

    • Tonyh87 on 13/04/2020 - 23:58
      +1

      You cannot remotely switch on circuit breakers, at least not ones in a residential building

  • matt3 on 12/04/2020 - 14:12
    +1

    And this is why the price of drugs have gone up (allegedly).

  • SnoozeAndLose on 12/04/2020 - 18:21
    +1

    Op do you have access to your power meter? Just turn off everything including the fridge and see if the reading is still going up?

    • Danger321 on 12/04/2020 - 18:26

      There is no reading screen inside my apt.. only switches ..

      • SnoozeAndLose on 12/04/2020 - 18:41
        +2

        You need to contact body corporation to gain access to the electric board room or call your energy provider as if you have smart meter they can read your reading on the phone

        • Danger321 on 12/04/2020 - 18:47

          I see.. I already have advised my energy provider about the issue.. as soon as there will be some investigation, these scums might switch everything to make me look paranoid for no reason. I will ring them again re: smart reading …
          As soon as the person from my energy provider leave, they will reconnect again.. I am pretty sure.. I just want not have to do this turning mains off thing once I go back to work.. 😢as mentioned earlier, body corporate, management & many owners here are all involved in stealing from other innocent owners.. us singles or elderly easy targets..

          • DoctorCalculon on 12/04/2020 - 20:07
            +5

            @Danger321: Also, don't forget since you are the owner of your unit you are by law a member of the Owners Corporation (Body Corporate / Strata). You have the right to inspect the meters or any relevant documentation pertaining to strata matters. If they refuse, you can take them to NCAT after issuing breach notices. Hopefully, it won't get that far.

            • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 11:50
              +1

              @DoctorCalculon: DoctorCalculon, absolutely I am aware & one year I was one of the elected committee member. I used to expose so many issues other owners didn’t realise & some other committee members who was involved with building of the building( & or developer) .. opposition got pretty fierce.. you have no idea how organized crims they were.. they used to damage my car & stopped me from viewing CCTV… etc absolute crims.. etc I won’t mention all those … I just want this one issue dealt with for now.. & get out of this crim infested place- even though it is a luxurious apt & area of Sydney.. I felt helpless in the past..

              • Hangryuman on 13/04/2020 - 16:06
                +3

                @Danger321: ah - there we go - you have 'organised crims' running your strata ?

                time to move then - unless you want a mighty fight

                I'm on committees - one year we had a standup shouting match at an AGM where a chain-smoking toxic dragon had got dodgy men in suits to knock on doors of non-English speaking owners' units and say to them in their language 'want to save money? Sign here!' - so they turned up enough unwitting proxies to vote themselves into power in a hostile takeover

                until I told the wimpy Chairman to rule the motion out of order - he was - oh - undecided for 45 minutes until the warring parties nearly came to blows - finally he did - job done - and said toxic dragon has since died of lung cancer - nobody sent flowers …

                • Danger321 on 15/04/2020 - 15:19

                  @Hangryuman: Hangryuman,
                  I have written somewhere here, I absolutely am dying to sell up & get out…. It just was not the right time & offers I got were far too low.. Don’t worry, I will be selling .. I am just wanting some peace of mind in the meantime…

  • Danger321 on 12/04/2020 - 18:31
    +2

    I will heed all your kind & helpful advises…will try whatever I possibly can, I will let you know the outcomes… Thanks so much..

  • DoctorCalculon on 12/04/2020 - 19:47
    +14

    If all else fails, contact Tracy Grimshaw from ACA. Her team will launch a full investigation, and expose the shady dealings of the body corporate with the criminal enterprise residing above.

    • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 11:55
      -5

      I have many connections with media if I wanted to but I just want peace & quiet… I am dealing with building industry here not just some petty crims who operate here, I am pretty certain. I also believe they dodge tax - do all they can to help themselves free exploiting innocent people’s hard earned living..

      • DoctorCalculon on 13/04/2020 - 19:14
        +3

        Whoa! I was on your side, but now I am starting to rethink that position.
        You have just made a multitude of tangential accusations above against a party that has allegedly been tampering with your electrical supply.

        Any accusation that you make against someone or some party are merely your opinions unless you have the hard cold facts that will hold up in a Court of Law.

        I am dealing with building industry

        Do you have tangible proof that some of the owners are the builders or electricians who worked on the apartment complex that you live in?

        also believe they dodge tax

        Did you obtain records from the ATO?

        • ssquid on 13/04/2020 - 20:44
          +7

          You seriously believed OP's suspicions might be true?
          For a start, their power bills are apparently tiny (~$70/mth). If someone was siphoning power they would be much higher.
          Secondly if the "offenders" know the building inside and out why would they splice in after the main switch in OP's apartment? It would be much easier (and seruptitious) to tap OP's supply near the meter, or at least on the source side of their supply switch.

          • DoctorCalculon on 13/04/2020 - 21:30
            +1

            @ssquid:

            For a start, their power bills are apparently tiny (~$70/mth)

            Okay, I totally missed this detail. Did OP mention this in a comment somewhere?
            If so, then the OP is obviously trolling us with their paranoid delusions.

          • Starcraftmazter on 16/04/2020 - 16:33

            @ssquid: $70 / m is not that tiny, I live in a 2 person household and that's about our bill ($80/m), and we use TV, computers, etc.

      • gromit on 14/04/2020 - 14:04
        +3

        Your power bills are so incredibly small it doesn't seem logical to think someone is stealing power. Even for a single person that level of usage is very small and I doubt any sort of significant theft is even possible when it is so low.

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 12/04/2020 - 20:13
    -6

    Essential reading:

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/530405

    • DoctorCalculon on 13/04/2020 - 00:18

      Seriously WTF?
      What does HECS debt have anything to do with OP's topic here?

      • peterpeterpumpkin on 13/04/2020 - 07:56
        +15

        Haha. I thought I posted the "risotto guy in the park borrowing neighbour's electricity" link.

        Must have been hacked :)

        • TheRealCher on 13/04/2020 - 14:07
          +1

          I remember him…. Bless…. We need to think of all the lonely risotto BBQ pool cookers out there in this time of need

  • Third_Gear on 12/04/2020 - 20:46
    +8

    New building means you have a smart meter and you should be able to check your daily usage online easily enough. Look up whoever your energy supplier is.

    https://www.agl.com.au/help/agl-online-services/agl-energy-a…

    Unplug everything but your fridge and you can see if your energy is being drawn elsewhere.

    • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 11:59

      Third_Gear.. mine is with Origin.. but will check out the site .. thanks ..

      • brawndo on 14/04/2020 - 15:45

        There's a mobile phone app for Origin that shows you day by day usage as well, worth looking into that.

    • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 13:46
      -2

      Third_Gear.. my mobile charger took all day to charge my mobile phone so often.. once, my charger was actually not charging but draining..?!? I thought it was a faulty charger.. never in my dream did I realise this theft was happening…

      • brendanm on 14/04/2020 - 21:27

        😂😂😂

      • Roman Sandstorm on 15/04/2020 - 00:31
        +3

        @ Danger321

        my mobile charger took all day to charge my mobile phone so often.. once, my charger was actually not charging but draining.
        never in my dream did I realise this theft was happening

        I'm not completely sure this is how electricity works.

        • ssquid on 15/04/2020 - 01:49

          I'm completely sure it's how phones with damaged batteries work and has nothing to do with the mains supply.

          • Danger321 on 15/04/2020 - 15:26

            @ssquid: I am still using exactly same phone & charger, it is totally fine.. that incident used to happen & at the time I didn’t have a clue about all these revelations another neighbour was wondering about etc.. potential power drain due to theft ..?!? Lately, they function fine & NO DAMAGE..

      • LordPanda on 15/04/2020 - 07:59
        +8

        You’ve overplayed your hand here.

      • Skinnerr on 17/04/2020 - 01:40

        my charger was actually not charging but draining..?!? I thought it was a faulty charger.. never in my dream did I realise this theft was happening…

        The electric bandits lmao.🤣

  • horice on 12/04/2020 - 21:05
    +1

    @ Danger321

    numerous times I was away, came home to find all sorts of stuff, items that look like plumbing or electrical with marks on my ceilings & walls that my place did not have.. because nothing of my belongings got stolen, I didn’t call police at the time..

    Seriously ? Got some photos

    • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 10:39

      No photos.. they were tiny particles & a black rubber bit that goes with down lighting- now that I have found out what they were… I threw them out during house cleaning - just wondered what they were & why they were there…

  • aussieprepper on 13/04/2020 - 06:30

    Your not really meant to play with breakers but you should be able to pull it out and take it with you? You can also get locks for the breaker switches.

    Or buy a clamp meter and measure the amount of amps running into your breaker box before the breaker switches when every thing is turned of. Generally you couldn't run 2 houses from a single fuse setup it may trip the breaker. This is completely dependent on the setup.

    • lgacb08 on 13/04/2020 - 07:22

      Nah, new building standards don't use those takeaway fuses anymore.

    • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 10:50

      I am suspecting they actually don’t have electricity supply company but had been feeding off mine ( & or neighbour’s?!?) all these years… It was vacant for a while then was rented out for short term then mid last year they advised the other owners ( & that they submitted approval to put wooden flooring etc) are moving back in etc I only discovered ( & realised) their doing ever since…. although I used to wonder why there was evidence of defrosting happened in my fridge/freezer.. high electricity bill when I was away most of the three month bill cycle, etc.. earlier when I turned my powers off to investigate, they had a loud generator of some sort which I had no idea where the noise was coming from nor identify what the noise was ?!?

      • ssquid on 13/04/2020 - 16:55

        How old is your fridge? Anything built in the last 20 years will have an auto-defrost function that cycles on every ~48 hours.

        • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 21:02

          Bought brand new four years ago.. as I was moving in..

        • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 21:06

          Bought new four years ago.. what do you mean.. leaving it turned off for a while will allow it to cool things back quickly ???

          • ssquid on 13/04/2020 - 21:09

            @Danger321: I mean the evidence of defrosting is completely normal, the fridge has a built-in heater in the freezer that it runs for about 40 minutes to defrost itself every few days.

            • Forfiet on 15/04/2020 - 15:31

              @ssquid: Correct, it's why my cornetto's are softer in the morning :)

      • Tonyh87 on 14/04/2020 - 00:07
        +2

        If you can run 2 premises for the price your electricity bill is, I want the same deal you have. Most people have a bill that costs three times as much per quarter. Your bill is tiny

  • soan papdi on 13/04/2020 - 10:35
    +8

    If you think someone is entering your apartment, set up a camera in your house and have it upload to the cloud as a backup. Surely even if they enter even once, that's enough to get the cops involved

    • John Kimble on 13/04/2020 - 10:43
      +1

      They might be entering when the power is out or cutting the power before they enter.

      • soan papdi on 13/04/2020 - 10:55
        +3

        Valid point. There are plenty of battery backed indoor cameras. It's not like OP is leaving the apartment for days. Just turn off power in tbe morning and stay at a friend's for a few hours.

        Moreover, the fact that they only enter when she's not around makes me think they are keeping a close eye on her already.

        • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 11:05

          ggop.. correct.. they know our movements.. I used to have door bell ring few times.. some Uber eats delivery..?!? I never ordered… I now know they were checking if any one was home.. they also know when I car is not parked in my car park, my place being on ground floor, they can see if my lights are on…

      • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 11:00
        -1

        Exactly! John K is spot on.. my other single neighbour & I have bought & decided to install a camera.. her wifi got switched off so went blank .. mine strangely got hacked?!?!? I couldn’t get the recording date correctly even when I asked a professional to look at it… it kept dating 2018..?!? I bought mine in 2019… how..??? I don’t know.. If the scums decide to turn our wifi & electricity off.. there was no use having any camera for most don’t run on batteries..

        • soan papdi on 13/04/2020 - 11:03

          Just a wild guess, maybe the camera has a reset pinhole that wipes everything back to factory settings.

          • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 11:07

            @soan papdi: I would like to find out but I think now disappeared.. they might have taken it away… for I gave up & did not bother using it ..
            Also, local cops don’t care… unless some valuable things with evidence of break ins or somebody is hurt…the scums have been coming in ( probably using master key- none of the apts had deadlocks installed being a so called security apt.. ) without my knowledge for a while now… although if they decide, they have locksmith tradesmen allies they can use… etc

        • lgacb08 on 13/04/2020 - 11:17
          +2

          Most indoor camera nowadays can run off powerbank for a while, those that use micro usb cable like xiaomi, tp link or the like, just get something with a microsd card plug in too and discreet enough so you can hide it away. I've used a 20000mah to power the xiaomi xiaofang camera and it ran for nearly 2 days straight. Also get some portable mobile broadband router that can run off powerbank so yoi can upload the footage on the cloud too. And if youre good enough set wifi of the router into stealth mode (not broadcasting ssid).
          If you're determined to catch the thief probably you'll need to invest in a bit of gear, if budget allowed you could have a portable fridge freezer and lead acid battery to move some of the essentials off the main fridge for around $1000 mark. But if you don't then a powerbank, a few cameras and motion sensors can be set up for a few hundred bucks.

          • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 13:53

            @lgacb08: It all sound costly & no guarantee they will still be home .. they would def steal that for sure.. they are or know all the high tech people.. my neighbour’s web cam hidden camera wifi was hacked..etc.. Thanks.. I may look into installing next place I move into…

  • Stphen on 13/04/2020 - 11:18
    +2

    The first thing you should do is contact A Current Affairs on channel 9, they have experience with this sort of thing.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEgYiYb_ODs

    • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 12:06
      +2

      I watched that too.. absolutely! The only difference is that was dealing one thief.. I am dealing with numerous that are occupying here- all linked & know each other . Another friend from nearby suburb told me they caught one resident criminal who was stealing from the strata- many residents investigate & reported. Unfortunately, I am now dealing alone a bunch of crims.. & now that my other single residents who used to suffer the same/similar, since left the building, I am left alone to defend my territory… one of them is in touch to support me remotely as she wishes I could get out ASAP ..

    • DoctorCalculon on 13/04/2020 - 19:18

      Already suggested this in my comment here: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/8561200/redir

  • Freerange braincells on 13/04/2020 - 12:19

    You can get a circuit breaker lockout kit with a padlock and tag. Lock it out, they legally can't remove the lock and see what happens.

    • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 13:05

      Thanks Ghostbenedict… don’t know how where it goes but I can get an electrician if needed… as long as these scums don’t come in or access to remove it.. as mentioned all building managements all involved with crim activities..

  • Maxxjet on 13/04/2020 - 13:02
    +2

    Keep some 'aggressive to stranger' type of dogs in your apt… win-win..if you are a dog lover :)

    • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 13:07

      AllWins: I considered that but I am not home enough to care for a dog.. I would love to though… & certainly would be a great idea to fend off scums entering ..

  • darkmoss on 13/04/2020 - 13:19
    +16

    Definitely get a referral to see a Psych !

    • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 13:22

      I am seeing one, don’t worry.. I just need to get out of this hell hole then nothing will bother my life to need to see one!

  • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 13:29
    +3

    When I finally get to sell & move out of here, those who cared enough to write helpful suggestions here will be invited to my new place to celebrate!!! Thanks xo

    • belongsinforums on 14/04/2020 - 11:15
      +1

      Sorry, going to have to report your gathering to the popo for breaching social distancing. Jokes aside, hope you figure this out OP

      • Danger321 on 15/04/2020 - 15:42

        belongsinforums,
        Thanks.. I didn’t mind your joke unlike some insensitive jokes by some…
        Yes, may need to have a remote online party once there is a definitive answer… hoping all positive that I was simply paranoid - that what I & my other neighbour had been hearing in our ceilings is just the electrical cords rolling themselves around.. & no theft..

  • Meowcat on 13/04/2020 - 13:37
    +2

    Contact an electrician

    • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 13:59

      Meowcat, would all electrician know how to detect & detach ?? Or somebody who knows about large scale building electrical lining ..??

  • DrRalph on 13/04/2020 - 14:18

    A camera is all you need.

    • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 14:37

      Do you mean a special camera that an electricians use to detect electric network ???

  • dragong87 on 13/04/2020 - 14:41
    +2

    Locking things up inside your house will show you're suspicious and they'll be more careful.
    Something simple but doesnt require wifi/cloud. Old gopro with decent sized memory card and one of the 26800mah powerbanks you see pop up on ozb all the time - but it wont upload to the cloud for real time viewing. (just make sure the sounds and led's on the gopro are turned off). That should record for quite a few hours.

  • brawndo on 13/04/2020 - 14:41
    +1

    How much is your daily supply charge? You do realise that's a fixed cost regardless of how much electricity you use?

    • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 14:54

      Yes, I am aware of that. I have explained my dramatic bill change in my original post… accompanied by what that suspected thief neighbours did… they were wondering why their power wasn’t workings but investigating their side & my switch areas, when I started to turn my internal main power switch off inside my kitchen cupboard etc.. What I do to my electricity switches, should have nothing to do with anyone else’s…

  • pufffdragon on 13/04/2020 - 17:35
    +2

    Honestly, do what many have suggested here already. Leave your lights on and switch the main off, and have someone watching to see if both apartments switch off at the same time.

    Couldn't be simpler and won't cost you a thing. Probably your best starting point. Everything else suggested should come after this is done first.

  • ozoner on 13/04/2020 - 18:42
    +18

    I can't imagine how tough your life has been lately with this stuff, and I say this with a great deal of respect, but please speak with a mental health professional.

    While I obviously don't know you or your situation other than what you have posted here, and I may be wrong, but what you describe here and the circumstances surrounding it make your experiences sound remarkably like paranoid delusions. There are treatments (both pharmaceutical and non- ) which can help you if this is the case. At worst you can get support in dealing with your situation proactively.

    I wish you the best of luck in these crazy and uncertain times. Best of luck and peace.

    • DingoBilly on 14/04/2020 - 16:01
      +2

      Genuinely wanted to say the same. Nothing mentioned seems out of the ordinary except for OPs insistence that people are coming and stealing things. Heck, my electricity bill tripled for a few months before I found out it was a dodgy water boiler, there's lots of many more reasonable explanations for what is happening.

  • diceman99 on 13/04/2020 - 18:51

    Roughly work out your electricity usage.
    Whatever is left on such as the fridge, Computer, Modem Work out its annual usage.

    Look at your electricity Bill, does your usage match how much you think your using.

  • peterw1 on 13/04/2020 - 19:26
    +2

    Install an Arlo ultra wireless security cam in your unit. It’s wireless so you can take it with you. It has a live function you can use with your iPhone app to check inside whenever you chose. Also the motion sensor is sensitive so it’ll pick up any movement. Place the cameras where you think they are entering your premises. It will all be recorded. Good luck.

    • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 20:31

      Thanks.. my other neighbor put Arlo but very strangely many footages but either someone hacked in… she could tell the door opened - was audible & her phone was alerted but there was no person visible as if there was some sort of erasure..?!? & her wifi suddenly didn’t work..etc.. that put me off from investing & getting one- knowing wifi can be disturbed/disconnected/hacked.. & can be also taken. The one I had- the screen went blank as if somebody put a cloth over it.. I did place right next to my entry .. noise of my door opening was recorded but could not see who came in. I mentioned earlier above but knowing they didn’t come in to steal anything … there is nothing police can do..they may get out of police station with just a slap on their hand..?!?

      • big on 14/04/2020 - 10:58

        If you turn the main switch off / have no power, your wifi router is off as well, hence no transmission of data. Not sure if Arlo is battery backed up, otherwise that stops recording too. Only way is a hidden battery backed camera if you turn the main switch off and leave building, as someone suggested earlier. So probably no hacks.

  • Danger321 on 13/04/2020 - 20:44
    +1

    Day 1: Overnight, I have turned all my power off until 6 am this morning…( yes, need to now eat up what’s in my fridge fairly quickly!) I had a lot of movements overnight across my ceiling cavity… observed.. they were clearly annoyed.. lots of door slamming !! Heard electricity cords being dragged ( hopefully pulled away to connect to elsewhere..?!? Fingers crossed ), ladder being carried in & out during the day… I think what I heard outside my front door…so far no electricity wall switches clicking… although one of my auto night lights flickered even though the switch was off… wonder if they hooked to my line where regardless of what I turn off inside my apt , their connection to my electricity feeding is not interrupted..?!? Is that possible??
    I will turn off for another night tonight to see.. ?

    • echineon on 13/04/2020 - 21:14
      +17

      Please seek health professional help when you can. This is not about the criminals but if you're against something that big, you would need someone to back you up mentally too. This must be draining for you. All the best.

  • superuser on 14/04/2020 - 00:17

    Is it hard to know someone steals your electricity?
    Just check the meter if there is any strange wires after the meter, if not then why worry?

  • AEKaBeer on 14/04/2020 - 01:32
    -6

    I really don't want to suggest you drop it, but these people might be dangerous. I know from your earlier post that money might be tight and you hate that these people are stealing from you, but there is a risk they might want to retaliate if they get found out.

    In any case it doesn't seem like they're entering the main premises and it's likely they have installed a secondary switchboard in the cavity.

  • kaleidoscope on 14/04/2020 - 08:14
    +1

    What you should do is try to confirm your theory first. There are plenty of suggestions given above. If he’s found to be stealing your electricity, with evidence you have report to police or strata. Else get a sparky to fix the wiring. Good luck.

  • belongsinforums on 14/04/2020 - 11:12
    +1

    I've said this before, but my air con bill skyrocketed one time. I contested the bill with the power company. Body corp repeatedly denied any possibility of fooking up. After investigation, the power company found that they accidentally switched my power bill with a neighbor!

  • picklewizard on 14/04/2020 - 11:51
    +2

    Why would the neighbour steal your electricity instead of just bypassing the meter?

    This isn't happening.

  • [Deactivated] on 14/04/2020 - 12:06
    +3

    Have you ever been diagnosed with a paranoid or anxiety disorder?

  • rompastompa on 14/04/2020 - 12:10
    +8

    I'm surprised no one has mentioned to buy a CO tester. Your apartment isn't above the two basement carports is it?

    OP: Let us know if you start finding some hand written notes around the place in the coming days. Almost 4 years to the day.

    • jorf on 14/04/2020 - 12:14
      +1

      This is the first thing I thought of when I read this thread.

      • Mallard on 14/04/2020 - 18:29
        -1

        Me too fellow Redditor

  • uzz30 on 14/04/2020 - 12:27
    +6

    Last year or so, the owner wanted to move back in & alerted the body corporate they are putting in new flooring in but after strange drilling in the ceiling, my ceiling now have draft wind & occasion movements.. I believe they made a man hole in their ceiling- they can easily roam or access my ceiling

    From what you've stated here, there should be hard evidence of illegal modifications to your apartment building. Specifically to the fire wall that separates your apartment from the apartment that you suspect is stealing from you.

    If my understanding is correct:
    * the suspect apartment is on the same floor with a shared wall separating the two apartments?
    * there is an apartment on the floor above?

    That means that if the building was built to the National Construction Code it will have to meet all the standards of the code at the time. That will include firewalls that extend through the ceiling between floors and apartments. There should be no holes in this wall allowing electrical interconnections between the apartments.

    Because there is a floor above you, it's doubtful that there is room between your ceiling and the floor above for a person to roam, however there is electrical cabling in that space. There should be limited air movement and noise within that space. Sorry to add to your unease, but any movement there is usually attributable to rodents.

    To prove or disprove your suspicions you can engage a professional Building Inspector to prepare a Building Inspection Report. These are the building inspectors your would normally engage to provide you pre-purchase Building Inspections Reports. You will need to tell them about your suspicion of illegal cabling in your ceiling space. They should have a specialized ceiling inspection camera that should allow them to provide you with the evidence you need. They will have the knowledge to recognize any illegal / not to code construction, modifications or cabling and the authority to prepare an official report which you can use as evidence to make a complaint to the police or relevant authority.

    • Danger321 on 17/04/2020 - 20:24
      -2

      I did get two professional in during first two years.. one was noise insulation- came non-compliant so the builder DID NOT put insulation up to national standard. Two, I got building inspector - there were marks in my ceiling - I thought there were water leak.. luckily no. I had great trouble initially getting one to inspect but as soon as mentioned the name of the builders, they didn’t want to.. one said they are not nice people.. there were others who used to deal with them but didn’t want to do the report… etc. luckily no leak but I would only assume the marks on my ceiling along down lights were may be people came in to check my lights..?!? once some stains I made complaints about were patched up when I got home after been away..
      I have threatened to take them to NCAT.. & go on media.. I just had no time nor energy to do all that … esp. knowing some people in the industry warned me they are not decent people..etc etc.. I don’t want to go on any more. The scums also changed my apt fitting to all that were original & new to faulty stuff … I didn’t realize until another owner suspected that in her apt .. once the two year defect period ended.. etc..

  • CalmLemons on 14/04/2020 - 12:42
    +4

    Your electricity bill would be double, not just a little bit over.

    Unless you have a cheap fridge that is burning through energy.

    Come on this post cannot be real.

  • soan papdi on 14/04/2020 - 12:45

    It just occurred to me. They might not be a traditional armed thug type. They could be using your power to mine bitcoins as that's the main upfront cost in mining right now. Like someone else suggested, new buildings should have smart meters (VIC at least). Look them up here: https://www.aer.gov.au/consumers/who-is-my-distributor

  • one man clan on 14/04/2020 - 13:05
    +3

    THe level of paranoia here is high. Reminds me a lot of this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/34l7vo/ma_post…

    I really wouldn't take this at face value. The idea that a neighbour would repeatedly break in to an apartment to jack electricity seems fairly fanciful. Isn't the more logical explanation, as posited earlier, that there was a billing error?

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