Dangerous or standard practice?

[Andy_R]

Our new house has an external electricity meter cupboard, but as well as the meter, there is also a huge on/off switch. This means anyone with a meter box key can turn off all the power to the house, including the mains powered smoke alarms, the fridge/freezer and (if we fit one) the burgalar alarm.

Surely this can't be right?

 

[Tony]

That is standard, both the alarms and the smoke detectors will also have batteries - remember to check the smoke detectors often.