Extremely high electricity bill for an Airbnb

[SAFETY FIRST]

9 minutes ago, madone said:

do try to make sense boyo

I've written my comments in English. 

 

If you do not understand try using google translate 

 

[bkk6060]

I would not pay that and Abnb has a mediation link for disputes.

I used it before in my case the host wanted 5,000 b upfront for one month utilities.  When I left, she refused to answer my request for the final ut. bill. Abnb stepped in and I was eventually reimbursed approx. 2,000 b.

[renaissanc]

Nowadays, assume that everyone running a business is a potential scammer. A scammer will say, "Oh, I've lost the bills." I'd reply, "Nonsense! Every bill nowadays is a 'smart bill' and shows the number of units from the previous 6 months. A bill shows the tariff charge, so I can calculate the charge if you are unable to provide the invoices. Thank you for your help." 

[TheFishman1]

The owner of the R&B probably got a bill and then she just multiplies that by two so you’re actually paying twice as much as you should be paying TIT

[RayWright]

The initial Electric meter reading has too many zeros to look convincing.

Did you take your own photos of both meters at time of move in?

Also on the legal side, did your AirBnB landlord submit a TM30 when you moved in. If so, did you apply for a TM90 after 3 months. If not, you're on more dodgy ground.

 

[RayWright]

Just took a look at my move in Reading of my condo, Meter's look the same, ie model MF-33E.

So the right-hand column is ignored when taking a meter reading.

So from your 2 photos,  you've used 808 units. 

Not 100% sure, due to photo quality,  but Serial Numbers look the same, so implies the same meter.

I would definately ask for copies of the Juristic or PEA bills to confirm what they are reporting.

Also, the Landlord asking for $1750:00, which to me speaks irregularity, as it's another round number. Seems the Landlord might have a over ambitious rounding error!

[Renegade Sea Monkey]

On 5/29/2025 at 2:48 AM, Ohyesuare said:

Does it say in the Airbnb, what rate they will charge you for electric? It seems like for 8085 units, they are charging you 7 baht per unit instead of 4.5-5. 

 

For a one bedroom condo/apartment, that usage does not seem possible even if you ran one or two ACs 24/7 the whole 4 and a half months, unless maybe you were doing it with all the windows open. It's possible this AirBNB owner just sends the same before and after photos to all long term tenants, if you didn't check and verify the meter in person, yourself.

 

Hi, thank to everyone for all of the comments; they have been very helpful! In the time since I originally posted, I got a response from the Airbnb host, who wrote:

 

"I charged 7 THB per unit as always, it doesn't change from your previous stay"

 

Well, this is the horse's mouth, the smoking gun. Based on what Ohyesuare and several other people have said, this is indeed an inflated rate for something that should be 4 or 4.5 THB per unit. It's like the host is trying to make a big profit from the utilities. (I stayed at the host's place recently on another occasion for 2 months and paid a really high bill without complaining, so I got overcharged on that occasion, also.)

 

Airbnb allows you to decline the money request or make a counteroffer. I plan to counteroffer $900 USD (almost 30,000 baht) to settle the matter. If we do go through an official review process, I don't think the host will look good. I like the place in which I stayed, but this water/electricity charge just does not seem fair. 

 

(As an aside: we all know that the host charges more for a rental than they actually pay in rent -- that makes sense and is part of the whole point of Airbnb. But I can't see any argument for a host simply inventing their own rate for various utilities. Even if the host writes in the fine print, "I charge 7 baht per unit for electricity," few renters are going to be so aware of local electricity rates that they will raise an eyebrow or even think to price-shop where electricity is concerned. That is, Airbnb would need to be transparent about the whole thing -- if I rent for a month, I should be able to compare an apartment that charges 40,000/month rent, 4 baht per unit/electricity, with an apartment that charges 37,000 baht/month rent, 7 baht per unit/electricity, and the utility rates should be prominently displayed along with the rental price. It all gets hopelessly complicated and I'd think that Airbnb would agree that the electricity rate should be the local going rate, not a figure that the host invents.)