Power consumption on rehearsal space

[xgsjx]

If he's really an ok sort of guy then diplomacy is a good thing & see if he'll let you pay over a period of time (a year or something), or if all adds up ok with you then pay it all in one or two instalments. I would arrange some sort of agreement tho as you are preventing dampness setting into HIS building, which is something HE should be doing, not you!

[bass_ferret]

[quote name='Dan_Nailed' post='433945' date='Mar 13 2009, 05:33 PM']Actually he can't, due to the amended Utilities Act 2000, as of 1st January 2003 landlords can't re-sell utilities to tenants at a price higher than they've paid. This was the first thing Energywatch told me![/quote]
Didn't know that. I used to work for the electricity board before they were privatised and it was a serious problem, particularly with multiple occupancy buildings.

[dlloyd]

[quote name='Dan_Nailed' post='434990' date='Mar 15 2009, 01:23 AM']Cheers for all the advice, I was thinking about a timer for the dehumidifier...maybe run it 8 hours a day instead of 24 hours a day? It's only if we leave it OFF that after a week we notice the start of damp. Also on the doing a runner front, he doesn't actually have any way to trace us! Obviously that's a last resort as we need to rehearse.

And he did agree two years ago to start bringing us quarterly bills...he just never bothered and has admitted that as his fault.[/quote]

You could probably get away with having them on less than that. What you really need to be doing is concentrating on preventing condensation rather than just removing water from the atmosphere. Humidity isn't a problem per se.

You said that the problem of moisture on your gear was weather dependent. I'm guessing the place isn't heated particularly well or consistantly.

You might want to set the dehumidifier to come on several times a day, particularly when the temperature drops at night.... and especially for a couple of hours after you have a rehearsal (when the amount of water in the air is at its highest and the temperature is going to drop the most).

It might be a good idea to invest in a decent hygrometer, one that records relative humidity levels throughout the day, so you know if you're doing enough to stop the relative humidity getting to 100%, where condensation forms. Relative humidity is temperature dependent (which is why dew or frost forms overnight outside) so you can't rely on a single measurement in a 24 hour period.

Edited March 15, 2009 by dlloyd

[Dan_Nailed]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='435079' date='Mar 15 2009, 10:29 AM']You could probably get away with having them on less than that. What you really need to be doing is concentrating on preventing condensation rather than just removing water from the atmosphere. Humidity isn't a problem per se.

You said that the problem of moisture on your gear was weather dependent. I'm guessing the place isn't heated particularly well or consistantly.

You might want to set the dehumidifier to come on several times a day, particularly when the temperature drops at night.... and especially for a couple of hours after you have a rehearsal (when the amount of water in the air is at its highest and the temperature is going to drop the most).

It might be a good idea to invest in a decent hygrometer, one that records relative humidity levels throughout the day, so you know if you're doing enough to stop the relative humidity getting to 100%, where condensation forms. Relative humidity is temperature dependent (which is why dew or frost forms overnight outside) so you can't rely on a single measurement in a 24 hour period.[/quote]

If it's cold when we walk in, we turn on a small convection heater for about twenty minutes till we start playing, then it goes off once the old fingers are warm. If it's too hot we open the door

My current viewpoint is we move to another band room that isn't £8.66 a square foot and doesn't have damp problems...he's agreed to drop the electricity bill to £395, same as we paid last time. Even though we rehearse less often for shorter periods with energy efficient lightbulbs. Next plan is to get out of there ASAP.

Why would he drop the bill unless he is in the wrong though? I'd chase an extra £250 if I was in the right, guess that's as much an admission of guilt as anything on his part.