Electric Bill Anomaly in Bangkok

[JuanMatus]

Hi Folks,

I'm renting a house in Bangkok area and apparently, the electric meter was malfunctioning for three months during Dec/Jan/Feb of 2022.  So, my bill was 400, 40, and 40 baht respectively.  This problem impacted at least 8 homes in this cul-de-sac.  Now, we just got a bill for 6800 baht for the three months!  As I am new to this town and moved here in late November, there is no history of electricity usage.  Secondly, we were vacationing an average of 12 days each of those months.  Question:  Has anyone been in this predicament, and, if so, were they able to resolve it to their satisfaction?... or, did they simply suck-it-up and state:  "may I have another, sir!"  LOL  This is a real issue for me even though I'm trying to keep it humorous!   Gracias

 

[impulse]

I'd have been tickled pink with a 6800 baht power bill for 3 months on my medium size BKK apartment. 

 

That's about $72 USD a month.  If you've been using the A/C at all, that's cheap.  You may also be paying for those months when they apparently weren't reading the meter.  Maybe it was malfunctioning, or maybe Covid was keeping them from reading it.

My typical bill was 3-4K on a normal month and 5k baht in the hottest months.  Part of that is because I was on the top floor and I paid for the view in higher electric bills. The ceiling insulation was pretty poor.

 

[tomazbodner]

We have lots of complaints at our condo of 30-50% higher power bills than usual for March. Mine was about 20% higher, so I'll wait to see what April brings, but apparently some meters were found broken, and electricity authority was informed, as were tenants to pay the bill and there would be deduction in following bills.

 

I do blame my higher bill on the hot part of March, though. A few days were VERY hot. Though admittedly, near the end of the month it was much cooler than expected. Let's see what next month's bill looks like before raising alarm.

[dj230]

Not sure about houses but in apartments usually electricity bills are inflated, in condo's they're not

 

If you're getting the bill straight from the government I don't see how it would be incorrect, although if the meter was broken I'm not sure how they would have been able to measure it.

 

6800 baht isn't that much for 3 months, I think mine is usually around 1500 in a condo with 2 ac's on 24/7, I'm guessing it would cost more for a house's electricity.  

 

What does your electricity bill usually cost?

[soi3eddie]

My meter in Bangkok condo went kaput in 2019. It was about 4 months before they realised it wasn't working properly (zero readings). I wasn't here much so very little use anyway. MEA replaced the meter and made no attempt to charge for any unbilled use. While away, fridge and internet modem router uses about 40 baht/month only.

[DUS]

1 hour ago, dj230 said:

I think mine is usually around 1500 in a condo with 2 ac's on 24/7,

That sounds very cheap if you have 2 ac’s on 24/7. I have 1 of 3 acs on roughly 8-10 hrs a day and pay slightly less than you. A friend of mine with 2 acs on 24/7 tells me he pays around 7-8k a month. Ah, the joy of living in TH :)))

[Crossy]

Odd that this is affecting multiple homes? @JuanMatus do you get your bill from the authority (MEA or PEA) or a private landlord?

 

At 6,800 for the 3 months I'd probably just pay up and see what your future bills are (without our solar our bill would be that per month ???? ).

[JuanMatus]

No... each house has it's own electric meter.  Apparently, about 8 meters were "all" busted.  The point is:  #1)  these were winter months (Dec/Jan/Feb);  #2)  We were missing for about half the month for two out of three of those.  Also, we only run ONE a/c during part of the day and ONE a/c during all night.  Generally, it's pretty cool in the morning.  I'm impressed by soi3eddie story which is actually what I would expect.  If it is not our fault, why should we pay!  I mean, except for us, the rest of the houses are owned by locals and it's a gated community.  So, no hanky-panky by strangers is expected.

[robblok]

17 minutes ago, JuanMatus said:

No... each house has it's own electric meter.  Apparently, about 8 meters were "all" busted.  The point is:  #1)  these were winter months (Dec/Jan/Feb);  #2)  We were missing for about half the month for two out of three of those.  Also, we only run ONE a/c during part of the day and ONE a/c during all night.  Generally, it's pretty cool in the morning.  I'm impressed by soi3eddie story which is actually what I would expect.  If it is not our fault, why should we pay!  I mean, except for us, the rest of the houses are owned by locals and it's a gated community.  So, no hanky-panky by strangers is expected.

To be honest i don't think that bill is much for 3 months. Also you run an airco all day in total So its normal.

And why should you pay.. because that is what you used. They just did not bill you correctly before. Now if you had not used it it would be different. This is just a correction for you not paying enough before. 

 

Anyway it would not be any different in the west if they found out you used but did not pay enough. A mistake in collecting does not mean you don't owe it.

 

I am always amazed at how people try to wiggle out of paying stuff. 

 

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

15 hours ago, JuanMatus said:

Now, we just got a bill for 6800 baht for the three months

Not too long ago PEA replaced all the electric meters in our housing estate with the new type meters. 

 

The chief engineer came to my house and asked me to look at my meter, he asked for me to take out my phone and record video of our conversation to show my wife.

 

He showed me that my electric meter was faulty, the KW's were accumulating but the disc was seized (stopped). 

 

After replacing the meter, bills for the following month and every other bill were higher (quite a bit) but I was never asked for any additional money. 

 

I reckon I saved heaps over the many years. 

 

 

[Crossy]

1 hour ago, JuanMatus said:

Apparently, about 8 meters were "all" busted. 

 

Who is asking for the $$$? PEA/MEA or someone else?

 

I find it "interesting" that 8 meters were "damaged".

 

Does your bill look something like this? (could be orange instead of purple)

 

[Guest truthman]

The same thing happened to me. I was getting bills for 3 months that I knew were too low but I didn't do anything about it and finally a letter came saying the meter had been broken and I owed something like 1,000 baht. I went to the MEA but they just said this was the charge calculated when the new meter was put in (I assumed it was the difference between the meter reading before the malfunction and the one after the new meter was put in). So I just paid it since it.

[KannikaP]

13 hours ago, dj230 said:

I think mine is usually around 1500 in a condo with 2 ac's on 24/7, I'm guessing it would cost more for a house's electricity.  

A 9600 BTU a/c will take about 500 watts per hour if it is functioning correctly and going on & off as required. That's 12 units per day x 30 days = 360 units @ Bht 4 per unit = about 1500. So good.

Why would a house's electricity cost more than a condo? Unless you were running far more appliances.

[KannikaP]

12 hours ago, DUS said:

That sounds very cheap if you have 2 ac’s on 24/7

A 9600 BTU a/c will take about 500 watts per hour if it is functioning correctly and going on & off as required. That's 12 units per day x 30 days = 360 units @ Bht 4 per unit = about 1500. 

[JimmyJ]

If the meter wasn't working they have no idea how much you used 

 

Fight it! Don't pay.

[JimmyJ]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

To be honest i don't think that bill is much for 3 months. Also you run an airco all day in total So its normal.

And why should you pay.. because that is what you used. They just did not bill you correctly before. Now if you had not used it it would be different. This is just a correction for you not paying enough before. 

 

Anyway it would not be any different in the west if they found out you used but did not pay enough. A mistake in collecting does not mean you don't owe it.

 

I am always amazed at how people try to wiggle out of paying stuff. 

 

 

 

"Also you run an airco all day in total"

 

You quoted the relevant part of his statement but still got it wrong.

He doesn't run an ac all day.

 

"And why should you pay.. because that is what you used"

 

The meter was broken.

They're charging an estimate - i.e., a guess.

 

"I am always amazed at how people try to wiggle out of paying stuff. "

 

I am always amazed at people who respond to posts without paying attention to the OP.

 

 

 

[robblok]

25 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

 

"Also you run an airco all day in total"

 

You quoted the relevant part of his statement but still got it wrong.

He doesn't run an ac all day.

 

"And why should you pay.. because that is what you used"

 

The meter was broken.

They're charging an estimate - i.e., a guess.

 

"I am always amazed at how people try to wiggle out of paying stuff. "

 

I am always amazed at people who respond to posts without paying attention to the OP.

 

 

 

Its not an estimate they know how much it was. Anyway he runs one aircon part of the the day the other at night that combines to 24/7

 

Given that the bill is not high and why would it be an estimate they can calculate it. But its a cheap bill for 3 montths espially with an aircon on 24/7 my bills used to be 6k a month running 1 aircon during the day and one at night. The one during the day at 27 degrees the other at 22 (both inverter new units)

 

 

[JuanMatus]

Ok, this is response to KannikaP.   Thanks for your analysis.  Nobody I know uses an a/c for the whole day unless they are too rich.  Generally, you'll use an A/C for 15 hours or so. I need to check the BTU ratings of my A/C.  We use our A/C quite miserly.  Mostly all night for about 8 hrs and maybe 5 or so hours during the day.  Otherwise, we use fan a lot.

[SAFETY FIRST]

12 minutes ago, JuanMatus said:

Nobody I know uses an a/c for the whole day unless they are too rich

My neighbor is not well off, he works everyday, very long hours as a chef, his gf is home all day and has the air conditioner going 24/7 in the bedroom and living room (2 A/C's) . 

 

She only turns off when going out to the 7-Eleven/food stall. 

 

[KannikaP]

25 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

My neighbor is not well off, he works everyday, very long hours as a chef, his gf is home all day and has the air conditioner going 24/7 in the bedroom and living room (2 A/C's) . 

 

She only turns off when going out to the 7-Eleven/food stall. 

 

So how much is their electricity bill?

[JuanMatus]

Ok, first of all, it's MEA in this sub-district.  Secondly, as I had stated initially, we were on vacation for an average of 12 to 15 days each of those months as I'm trying to figure out where to buy a house and live.  I'm not keen on Bangkok even though it's a big city with all the facilities.  I've lived most of my adult life in Seattle and Los Angeles areas.

Secondly, the bill does not look like a regular bill, but, a letter head with an excel-type spreadsheet.  For each month, they "assume" that I should be spending 537 units.  Hence the cost.  Now, as I had stated, I moved here in mid-November and there's no history at all.  So, why penalize me.  Additionally, there are only two of us and we are out-and-about a lot exploring the city or visiting her family/friends, ie, we don't run the A/C or fan all day.  If it were US, i would be comfortable fighting with the utility company.  This is not "my" land and they can throw you out under any guise with no recourse... or at least that's what I've been led to believe!  ????

Luckily, we're renting the house in my wife's name who is a local person.  She stated that she will attempt to argue the bill as we have hotel receipts and pictures from Phuket, Surat Thani, Trang, Koh Mook etc areas where we've been.

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

5 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

So how much is their electricity bill?

It's a rental house, I don't know them, they've been living there for a few months only. 

 

The AC's are old and noisy.

I hope they move out soon, things will be quiet again. 

 

 

[JuanMatus]

7 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

So how much is their electricity bill?

It's 6800 baht for 3 months of Dec/Jan/Feb which are the coldest months.  See my previous reply and the initial post for the reason for starting this post.  Thanks to you all.  I'll post the outcome by Tuesday as the bill is due on Tuesday, ie, we have one day to resolve this mess. 

 

[JuanMatus]

9 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

So how much is their electricity bill?

It's 6800 baht for 3 months of Dec/Jan/Feb which are the coldest months.  See my previous reply and the initial post for the reason for starting this post.  Thanks to you all.  I'll post the outcome by Tuesday as the bill is due on Tuesday, ie, we have one day to resolve this mess. 

 

[KannikaP]

37 minutes ago, JuanMatus said:

It's 6800 baht for 3 months of Dec/Jan/Feb which are the coldest months.  See my previous reply and the initial post for the reason for starting this post.  Thanks to you all.  I'll post the outcome by Tuesday as the bill is due on Tuesday, ie, we have one day to resolve this mess. 

 

No, read my post again. I was referring to the friend of a friend.

[JeffersLos]

Our house in Bangkok is around 3000thb per month in the cooler season. Around 5000 per month in the hot season. 3 bedrooms with AC on all night. 

[JuanMatus]

Thank you all very much.  I'm a newbie in this country and learning as I go.  By profession, I was an electrical engineer and am quite savvy in technology.  I need to do my own calculations as to the utility expenses.  I plan on retiring somewhere away from big cities and near the gulf or Andaman Sea area, ie, within an hour drive of ocean.

[Crossy]

51 minutes ago, JuanMatus said:

Thanks to you all.  I'll post the outcome by Tuesday as the bill is due on Tuesday, ie, we have one day to resolve this mess. 

 

I assume you have a new meter now.

 

Can you guesstimate what a month would be from what it reads now vs what it read when installed? At least then you would have something to go in to bat with (assuming your guesstimate is less than they are asking of course).

 

Is your bill from MEA/PEA or "someone else"??

 

[JuanMatus]

yes, we all have new meters and the company is MEA here.  I purposely ran one A/C almost all day during march and the bill was 2100 baht.  That's fine as this was my baseline.  Yes, I can calculate the total expense as it's high-school level knowledge for me.

[Crossy]

It's very difficult to compare other people's usage with what yours "should be".

 

For example, we use around 35kWh per day, inverter A/C only at night and we don't have a pet penguin (set to 26C).

 

Our biggest single power user - Madam's ruddy koi pond ???? 

 

Luckily we have a big chunk of solar so we are not paying PEA for 80% of our usage.