NYC Residential Building Metering and Equipment

[NEC User]

There is a NYC residential building. The building consists of 2 units (for 2 tenants) and a cellar room. The tenants do not have access to the cellar room and the room has electrical panels, requires an exhaust fan and lighting. A relatively negligible electrical load.
My understanding is there should be 3 meters (one for tenant 1, one for tenant 2, and one for the landlord to pay for the cellar room). The landlord requested only 2 meters which would then make the tenants responsible for paying the utility bills of the cellar room they do not have access to.

I can't think of any code violations of making the tenants pay for the areas they don't have access to. Could be unethical.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

 

[infinity]

The NEC doesn't allow what you're proposing:

210.25 Branch Circuits in Buildings with More Than
One Occupancy.
(A) Dwelling Unit Branch Circuits. Branch circuits in
each dwelling unit shall supply only loads within that dwelling
unit or loads associated only with that dwelling unit.
(B) Common Area Branch Circuits. Branch circuits in-
stalled for the purpose of lighting, central alarm, signal, com-
munications, or other purposes for public or common areas of
a two-family dwelling, a multifamily dwelling, or a multi-
occupancy building shall not be supplied from equipment that
supplies an individual dwelling unit or tenant space.

NYC says this about it:

SECTION 210.25
Section 210.25 ? Add an Exception to (A) and (B) to read as follows:
Exception to (A) and (B): Buildings built prior to January 1, 2003 are exempt from the requirements of
210.25 (A) and (B) under either of the following conditions:
(1) undergoing renovation less than 50 percent.
(2) repair to or replacement of existing equipment.

 

[darekelec]

:happyyes:

 

[GoldDigger]

I realize that this is chopping logic, but clearly the cellar is not a public area, nor is it a common area in the simple English sense of the word. And although it is not defined in Article 100, Annex D discusses things like " a common laundry facility available to all tenants..."

In a condo complex, "common" refers to that which is not part of individual units, whether any unit owners have access to those facilities, elements or areas or not.

I agree that the locked cellar should be covered by 210.25, but I am not convinced that the wording makes that clear.

There is also an interesting issue with access if the panels in the cellar supply power to the individual units and the tenants do not have access to them. Is there 100% time available maintenance staff to give access to those panels when needed? I doubt it.