asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether there is any restriction on the price which can be charged for electricity by persons who resell electricity supplied to them by the Electricity Supply Board; and if not, if he will take steps to prevent undue profits being made by landlords and hoteliers who supply electricity to tenants and customers through coin-operated meters.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Resale of Electricity.
7.
Under section 35 of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1927, any person who shall sell electricity or supply electricity for sale without a permit is liable on summary conviction to a term of six months imprisonment and/or a fine of £100 together with, in the case of a continuing offence, a further fine of £10 for every day the offence continues.
The Electricity Supply Board have informed me that when coin-operated meters are supplied by them to flat-owners or occupiers the meters are calibrated at the correct unit charge. The Board is most anxious that excessive charges should not be made and if specific instances were brought to their attention they would consider taking appropriate action.
Any person who has a complaint about excessive charges should report the matter to the Board.
I take it that the calibration is done by the ESB?
Yes.
And that these meters cannot properly be interfered with by landlords or hotel owners?
Certainly not. This is the first complaint I have received in five years, and if the Deputy has any information in this regard, the ESB would be only too glad to take action if the information is furnished to them.
My information comes from the tenants of flats in Dublin who fear that they are being overcharged by meters installed by their landlords and also from some people who have electric meters in hotel rooms and who feel that they do not get as much value for their shilling as they would get in their homes. I have no reason to say that this is so.