UK Landlord Forum / Life

I'll try to explain this as best I can.  My wifes old shop we live above and she moved her business to a bigger place but as she was there a long time the gas and electric ran our flat as well.  A friend then rented the shop and the utilities were included in the rent.  After 2 years he moved out and someone else took the shop on.  Now the electric bill has doubled over the last 12 months but the current tenant does open 7 days a week and open sometimes until after 9pm.  Now doing a bit of maintenance in the shop ages I noticed a second electric metre?  I vaguely remember my mate saying he fitted it to pay for extra electric so at the time I thought oh well he's just being nice.  Personally I just think because the shop is open a lot its using more electric but my wife thinks something sinister is happening?  Charging up power tools doesn't use that much does it?  They have 4 more years on the lease so not much I can really do but just wanted opinions on it?  Commercial property I have no clue about and my wife said leave it to her to LET out but slowly there's been a few minor things she hasn't checked correctly     

Try to find out if there's a server farm down there, mining Bitcoins.

Could be.  I think it's his kids rinsing the electric on the weekend and the tenant having mothers meetings almost every night.  Finally got hold of our friend who had the shop before and he stuck a second metre in there to see how much he was actually using.  He was probably only in there 3 or 4 days a week for 5 hours tops.  I knew this would happen but of course us men are always wrong!!!