Monitoring electricity usage (updated 17th September 2020)

The use of an energy monitor can help residents monitor their electricity consumption and see how much kW an appliance uses when in operation. Geo produces two types of energy monitor . The Geo Minim LED energy monitor users a sensor that is fitted over the pulse light (red flashing light on your meter(s) to count the pulses and register usage. The CT-clip sensor version reads the electrical current going through the live cable(s) of the electricity meter. There is also an Owl monitor that uses clip-sensors and has the advantage of a battery-operated display.

The monitors’ wireless transmitter has a range of up to 30m so the display unit can be positioned where convenient.

The display tracks daily and weekly usage, holding one month’s history (today./yesterday, this week/last week, this month/last month). It provides you with similar information as a ‘smart meter’.

The monitor enables you to see the ‘background usage’ - ie, when you don’t have any electrical appliances running other than ‘always-on’ items including fridge/freezer, modem, devices on stand-by (sky box, printer etc) and the trace heating. Once you know the typical ‘background’ usage you can then monitor the increase in consumption caused by turning on appliances etc and checking the display.

If you have two meter readings on your electricity bill (R1 and R4 - please see the electricity page for further information) you will need to:

• purchase an additional clamp sensor for the clamp-sensor models. The clamps need to be installed on the ‘live’ cables in the fuse box. It can be trial and error locating the two relevant cables - you need to switch on R1 appliances (eg, an oven) and R4 appliances (eg, FCU in heating mode) and check that the display.

• Buy two Geo Minim LED monitors and place the LED sensors over the LED pulse light on the main and slave meters. Unfortunately each monitor can only have one LED input. We recommend using blu-tack or tape to attach the sensor as the supplied sticker tends to fall off over time. If you install just one LED sensor you will either be monitoring R1 usage or R4, and not total usage.

*Please note: energy monitors are not designed to replace your supply meter, which are highly accurate, but they provide a good guide of your real-time energy consumption.

Cladding update

Please click here to view the latest update from Parkgate Aspen.

Electrical maintenance works Saturday 18th July

Wednesday 23rd June: temporary suspension of lifts

New cycle lanes - noisy road works

Canary Wharf Group are in the process of installing new cycle lanes designed to cater for an anticipated increase in the volume of cyclists as people return to work after lockdown. The requirement for the new lanes has come from the Mayor of London, and the works are therefore of a high priority.

CWG has apologised for not having notified residents in advance of them commencing yesterday evening, and for the late-running last night. The works were timed to coincide with a road closure that was already in place. The cycle path works are continuing today and CWG advise that they hope the noisy part of the works will be finished by 5pm. 

Cladding update

The government yesterday published more information in respect of the £1bn Non-ACM ‘building safety fund’ announced by the Chancellor in March 2020. The press release can be found here, and the registration form questions here. Sol Unsdorfer, the s.24 Manager has set up a cladding working group at Canary Riverside which includes representatives from CREM, RACR and Residential Land (the owners of Circus apartments), and has advised that his staff will be completing the questionnaire ready for submission in July.

Reading your electricity meter

We’ve received a number of emails from residents querying their recent electricity bills and expressing concern that the readings provided on the bill differ significantly from those displayed on their meters. The difference is because the numbers displayed on the meters are not the usage readings, and to get the actual reading requires a bit of effort.

In your electricity cabinet (located in a hall cupboard) there are two meters*: a 'mains-talk' meter, and a slave meter.  You can completely ignore the slave meter for the purpose of meter reading.  To get the readings used in calculating your electricity consumption you need to cycle the display on the 'mains talk'  meter (NB: there may be a perspex panel in front of the meters: in order to take your readings you will need to unscrew the plastic screws and remove this panel::.  

• press the red button located on the ‘mains talk’ meter until you see R1#####: make a note of the reading;

• continue pressing the button until you see R4#####: make a note of the R4 reading*.

R4 meter reading = FCUs (the heating/cooling), heated bathroom floor and heated towel rails

R1 meter reading = everything else (including skirting heating and hot water trace heating)

To calculate your electricity consumption you will also need to have the reading(s) shown on your most recent bill.    

Deduct the previous meter reading from your current reading to calculate your consumption. Add the R1 and R4* usage together to get your total electricity consumption. 

*NB: One-bedrom apartments usually only have one meter and one reading.

More information on electricity can be found on the electricity page. Information on the kW consumption of individual apartments’ FCUs can be downloaded from the link on the FCUs page.

Coronavirus - advice on the safe use of the communal gardens

Coronavirus: ensuring Canary Riverside residents have help if needed

Given the current Coronavirus situation and the potential need for people to self-isolate, the Residents’ Association is heading up an initiative to ensure that help is at hand if and when needed.  

 If you are self-isolating at Canary Riverside due to Covid-19, help can be provided, including:

·       Picking up shopping

·       Picking up prescriptions

·       A friendly phone call

·       Bringing up your mail

If you would like to be put in contact with a fellow resident - either to receive or provide assistance - please contact RACR or your concierge who can put you in touch with residents who are helping out.

There is also a (private) Canary Riverside Facebook Group. Search for Canary Riverside within ‘Groups’, provide your details and you will be joined to the Group.

Coronavirus is contagious. Please take every precaution to ensure you are spreading only kindness. Avoid physical contact (2m distance). Wash your hands regularly. Items will be collected from/left in front of your door.

For up-to-date information on the Coronavirus please visit the BBC website, the NHS website and UK Government websites.

S20ZA dispensation: FTT decision 31st January 2020

In October 2019 lessees were notified of repairs carried out to the chillers earlier in the year, and that there had been an application made to the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) to dispense with a ‘section 20 consultation’. Please refer to the news item posted on October 23rd for details of the dispensation application.

The Tribunal has issued its decision granting dispensation from s.20 consultation. A copy of the decision can be found here.

Electricity billing

Clever Energy Ltd have been appointed by Sol Unsdorfer/Parkgate Aspen to manage the quarterly billing of electricity supplied to apartments from 1st October 2019.

Please see here for a ‘welcome letter’ to residential lessees from Clever Energy, which sets out contact information and payment terms. You should by now have received the introductory letter/email referred to: if you have not yet received such a letter please contact Clever Energy. Electricity bills for the quarter ending 31st December 2019 will be sent out shortly.

Lessees will also receive a separate adjustment for the quarter ending 30th September 2019, which reconciles actual consumption for the period with the on-account demand billed in advance by HML (based on your 2018 Q3 consumption). Any queries relating to this period should be sent to Kathryn at Parkgate Aspen, per the contact details set out in Clever Energy’s letter.

Winter Lights Road Closures

To help facilitate this year’s Winter Lights display there will be some road closures on the Canary Wharf estate.

Please see the map below for details.

Road closurEs

Christmas tree disposal

If you have a Christmas tree that you need to dispose of, please could you take your tree down to the P1 level of the Car Park (using the Goods Lift) and leave it near to the double doors of your building entrance, where the recycling bags and other large items are generally left for collection. 

Once you have taken your tree down to P1 please then inform your concierge, who will notify the waste operative team.  Please could you also tidy up any trails of pine needles left in your tree's wake - thank you!

The trees wil be collected by Tower Hamlets council between 6th - 19th January 2020: if you have a tree to dispose of after this date you will need to take it to the recycling centre yourself!

Wishing you a Happy New Year.