Electric Bill, hike

[rocky123]

My electric bill is usually about 1,500 bht a month. Just had a bill for nearly 10,000 bht. Just had 3 "Engineers" came from, Provincial Electricity Authority. 

At first they told us to find an electrician to investigate the problem.!!  After I turned off my supply from the mains box, and showed them my meter, outside , on the pole was still spinning, they decided to take a look. One climbed the post to the overhead wires, another pocked with a very long pole. Low and behold the meter stopped spinning.

I asked whether I would get a refund, and they said no, it was not their fault. I pay by standing order so they took out my bank already. I will be cancelling the standing order but, what option have I got. I need electric and they have the monopoly.

[blackcab]

Did you take a video of this?

[Tarteso]

14 minutes ago, rocky123 said:

I asked whether I would get a refund, and they said no, it was not their fault.

Washing their hands... like Pontius Pilates...

why don't you try to contact someone with a higher level of responsibility?

Edited August 6, 2020 by Tarteso

[bkk6060]

Did you get the engineers names and do you speak Thai?

If not, take a Thai speaker with you to the office and explain the situation.

The prior useage will obviously show their was an issue 10,000 b seems impossible even if 2 or 3 were running 24/7.

[johng]

25 minutes ago, rocky123 said:

I asked whether I would get a refund, and they said no, it was not their fault. I pay by standing order so they took out my bank already.

Well from your explanation it clearly is  their fault  as the "fault" was on "their" side of the meter..getting a refund from them is another matter..but I do remember reading of some people getting refunds after the cases got some  media attention.

 

[mahjongguy]

"...they said no, it was not their fault."

 

Unless you have reason to believe that the meter itself is faulty, then from your brief description it seems most likely that there is/was some degree of leakage on your side of the meter. In the wiring that you own. 

 

It sucks to lose money that way but it could be a lot worse if the exact cause isn't located and repaired. That segment, from the output of the meter to the panel's master breaker, is unprotected. The rest of the wiring in your house is protected from starting a fire by the breakers but the first segment has none.  

[johng]

29 minutes ago, rocky123 said:

what option have I got. I need electric and they have the monopoly.

Solar power maybe or a petrol/diesel generator....  last resort a big hamster wheel connected to a car alternator to charge a few batteries ????

[newnative]

     I would speak to someone at PEA.  Worth a shot.  Bring your previous and current electric bills.  The workers who investigated are not likely the ones who can determine if you are entitled to a refund.  

[Leaver]

6 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

do you speak Thai?

If not, take a Thai speaker with you to the office and explain the situation.

What will the Thai speaker say? What is the Thai word for "refund?"  Does such a word exist in the Thai language? 

[jacko45k]

16 hours ago, johng said:

Well from your explanation it clearly is  their fault  as the "fault" was on "their" side of the meter..getting a refund from them is another matter..but I do remember reading of some people getting refunds after the cases got some  media attention.

 

Not sure how a fault on the supply side can cause the meter to spin.... I did not read that in the OP, perhaps he was poking around on the house side of the lines. In my place there is a tap off upstream of the mains incomer at the house, it feeds another small breaker going to the gate motor. Obviously anything downstream of the meter is 'yours'.

Be interesting to hear how cancelling the standing order works out, I once heard that was not straightforward and needed the utility permission.... one reason I pay mine at the 7-11.

[johng]

29 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Not sure how a fault on the supply side can cause the meter to spin....

Yes good point

 

18 hours ago, rocky123 said:

After I turned off my supply from the mains box, and showed them my meter, outside , on the pole was still spinning,

So it would seem that someone has "tapped"  into the output side of the meter and when they poked about

it got disconnected , they should have investigated where that rogue  connection wire  lead to.

[thailand49]

You will need to obtain someone who can speak Thai and understand some English to convey your question. You will need to start at the top and obtain the others who came out to your house.

 

Based on your comments it isn't from the meter since you indicated the poking came from the wires. I would seriously have some one look at the wires above since it can easily go away so fast it can also come back. Someone might have tapped into your line I once had this problem in my apartment unit building when I shut down the power the meter continue to run outside I finally found a guy to check it out one of the former tenants had added some items and wired things incorrectly.

[kwak250]

I can imagine how it will yo at the PEA.

Last time I enquired why my electric bill went from about 1500 baht to nearly 5000 baht they said.

Yes Thailand very hot.

I explained that it has never been more than 1500 baht they said very hot this year.

About 2 months later the meter stopped working .

Might be something similar as mine was spinning when everything was off.

 

[Guderian]

You could try the consumer protection department at City Hall, I've got no experience with them personally, but I have read one or two things over the years that may make it worth a shot.

[natway09]

If you get to the bottom of this I would like to hear about it.

He fiddled with wires on their side of the meter & your meter stopped turning ?

Even if someone tapped into your supply if on the mains side why would your meter turn ?

You sure there is no "loop" connection 

[mahjongguy]

"He fiddled with wires on their side of the meter..."

 

The OP didn't say that.

[Sydebolle]

The technicians are not deciding on refunds; if they found that the fault was before or in the meter, then you need to sort matters with the PEA directly. 
If the fault is AFTER the meter, then it is your problem.

 

To avoid getting bank accounts completely emptied, I did the following (I owe two properties):
- open a brand new bank account per property
- get direct debits per property off the respective bank account

The balance on such an account should be a generous assumption of monthly fees, i.e. THB 1'500 electricity and THB 100 being water = THB 1'600. In such a case, the balance would read THB 2'500, just to cover more expensive months. Once a month, through internet banking offered by all banks meanwhile, have a look on what has been debited and then just replenish said bank account back to THB 2'500. Works for me for decades ???? 

[AbeNormal]

4 hours ago, johng said:

Yes good point

 

So it would seem that someone has "tapped"  into the output side of the meter and when they poked about

it got disconnected , they should have investigated where that rogue  connection wire  lead to.

I agree

[Max69xl]

Do you think a technician at PEA has the right to say no to a refund? You have to go the local PEA office and talk to them. Do you never check the bill from PEA when it's released? The due date is normally 10 days after it's been released. What date of the month are your scheduled payments set to be paid? 

Edited August 7, 2020 by Max69xl

[chilly07]

Would be best to post a photo showing which wires they were 'fiddling' with. Downstream is their responsibility upstream is yours. Turning off circuit breaker may not cut of something wired in before the breaker including someone stealing power which is all to common especially by Thai tradesman. Get it checked out by a recommended electrician as there is always a risk of fire. I believe PEA is responsible right up to the twin insulators attached to your house.

[jacko45k]

Just now, chilly07 said:

I believe PEA is responsible right up to the twin insulators attached to your house.

I thought they were responsible up to the outlet side of the meter. I say this because I had a meter problem some years back and it caught fire and damaged cables. They replaced it all free. Even had a some weeks with no meter and an estimated bill.... lovely and cool indoors then.

[rwill]

It could also have been that his power and neutral lines were touching and the insulation was worn and electricity was flowing between them.

[Jonnapat]

NOBODY gives refunds in Thailand unless you are very lucky. 

[samtab]

Just stop your meter for the next few months ! Not very difficult...

 

[johng]

47 minutes ago, samtab said:

Not very difficult...

Not very difficult but very illegal !!!

[rocky123]

The problem is up this pole. The very unhelpful people at PEA, just brushed me off. "Your Problem" I have been a costumer 15 years and thought they could at least advise me on how to resolve this. Saw the manager at PEA, eventualy. Gave no advise or help, just said, "You want I pay from my pocket !! Worried now about my future bills. Anyone know where to go for help. Thank you.

Pic shows 3 "Engineers" on the pole oposite my house, where my meter is.

[mahjongguy]

"Worried now about my future bills."

 

Check your meter once a day, see if it's advancing by the normal 20 to 30 units. 

 

 

[Kerryd]

Get a qualified electrician to check out the connections/meter. Narrow down where the problem is (i.e. faulty meter or someone spliced into your line). 

Then talk to a lawyer. If they think you have a case, they can talk to the PEA and tell them to fix the problem (or have your meter replaced). And if the PEA has a problem with that, the lawyer can go to the cops. They respond better when it's a lawyer talking to them. 

To me it sounds like a faulty meter. They charge you based on the meter reading and the meter shouldn't be spinning if there's no draw between it and your house. Any shenanigans/faulty connections happening between the meter and the pole shouldn't have any effect on the meter, unless it's faulty.

If the fault can be traced to the meter, then the lawyer should be able to get PEA to reimburse you the difference between the billed amount and what you generally average.

Of course, it could cost you a bit to do all that. 

Or you could do nothing and see what the next bill looks like. If it's as high as the last one, expect that all the ones after it will also be as high as well and then decide whether or not to do something about it.

 

[rocky123]

Had an independent electrician come over. He climbed up the pole and has insulated my wires at the top of pole. He says this was the problem, we will see. Surely the PEA should take responsibility for Their wiring over the road. Anyway cross fingers. Thanks for all the assistance, especially Reece, who put me onto the sparky.

 

[Kerryd]

If you shut off everything in the house now, is the meter still spinning like before ?