Factsheet

Landlord Services

ELECTRICITY THEFT

Facts

  1. It’s illegal!– If successfully prosecuted, ‘meter cheaters’ can face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to £2,000. Energy supply companies can also disconnect an electricity supply that has been tampered with leaving householders without power.
  1. It’s dangerous! - meter tampering can cause sparks that lead to fires, expose others to the risk of electrocution and invalidate insurance policies
  1. Electricity fraud can kill! - tampering with electricity meters can be lethal, not only for the culprit but also for neighbours living nearby
  1. Zero tolerance! -Tamworth Borough Council has a zero tolerance approach to electricity meter tampering. If we discover that a tenant has been involved they could face a criminal prosecution and eviction.
  1. We do take legal action where residents are found to be tampering with their electricity.

Useful Information

Energy companies are now required by ‘ofgem’ to play an active role in detecting, investigating and preventing the theft of electricity. ALL suppliers must have a ‘theft risk assessment service’ to better target investigations

Attempts to take electricity directly from the mains WILL kill you. It should not be touched by anybody except the owner of the equipment (Western Power). Domestic electricians are not qualified to do this.

If the safety measures on electricity supplies are bypassed then it can also result in not only fire, which poses a risk to those who live nearby, but also all metal in that building could become 'live', raising the risk of electrocution and posing extra dangers to the emergency services and the public

At the suppliers’ discretion, you may not be able to get your electricity supply re-instated. If this happens, you cannot continue to maintain your home in terms of heating, hot water, cooking, washing, lighting and other areas that you currently take for granted.

Electricity suppliers share information under the Data Protection Act, so if your current supplier won’t reinstate your electric, it is highly unlikely anyone else will either

If you know that somebody else has interfered with their electricity supply, you can report this to Western Power Distribution, the electricity supplier, the police on 101 and Tamworth Borough Council.

How do I report electricity theft?

If you are concerned about electricity theft or want to know more on how you are protected from electricity theft, you can:

  1. Contact your energy supplier. You can find their details on your energy bill or visit
  2. Contact the UK Revenue Protection Association (UKRPA) at
  3. Call 0207 090 1070
  4. Complete the UKRPA online fraud report form at
  5. Report the theft anonymously using the stayenergysafe website at

Reviewed June 2017