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.) 

[Ohyesuare]

17 hours ago, RayWright said:

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 I think @RayWright is correct. Looking at your photos again, the last number looks off/fake so according to the photos, you probably only used 808 units which even at his inflated 7 baht/unit rate  is 5656 baht/$172 dollars. The host is trying to majorly scam you, please fight this through AirBNB and don't let the scammer get away with it.

[Fruit Trader]

19 hours ago, RayWright said:

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!

 

 

You show a single phase meter, the OP shows a three phase meter where the right hand digit is likely to be units x1.
 

[JaxxBKK]

Do you have a washer and where you're doing massive amounts of laundry? Do you happen to have a dryer? Do you take lots of hot showers?

 

My experience is roughly an old clunky ac unit will use about 1 unit an hour of electricity.

 

I'm now in a coolish condo. I'm running one ac unit about 14 hours a day. 6 hrs living room, 8 hours bedroom. Bin is like b1400 (we rent condo but pay electric direct to mea)

 

Imo it's perfectly fair to charge b7. You are not the owner, you are renting the condenser and receiver. Anything goes wrong it's not on you.

 

As someone said before I think that the first picture was probably taking it some very early date. I do some simple math and see if it's even possible for the AC to run those kind of numbers. I'm doubting that and at that point I would either offer a calculated price. Take it to both Airbnb immediately and the police as well. Inform the owner that you are going to take it to the police and do so.

 

The nice thing about this problem is that if those air conditioners are running at Max there is a maximum amount of electricity that you will consume. The calculation won't be precise but it won't be us $1,700 lol

 

Is it possible that the air conditioners are too small in the room is too big so the AC is just constantly running? Are the units old?

 

Abnb is always a total rip-off so I gotta say you deserve it. My NZ bnb experience was ok but two in US just hassles from owners. I loathe abnb and wish it bankruptcy and death.

 

Hotels in Thailand so cheap, service oriented. Your loss.

[JaxxBKK]

3 hours ago, Renegade Sea Monkey said:

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. (

 

You're way off base. Thai Nationals that stay in Thai apartments often and pay b7 and even more for electric. I stayed in apartment for many years and paid seven baht a unit.

 

As I said in the previous post the owner has to purchase and maintain the AC units. There's no reason why someone renting especially for short term should have the use of these for absolutely free. These aren't a washer, hot shower or a kettle. AC units are often heavy use and run as you have done constantly.

 

I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that you have the AC running even when you're out and about

 

seems your problem isn't the difference between 4.5 and 7 b imo

 

little doubt you were scammed, but I think that the meter has been photoshopped or something.

 

PS: you should also have asked for a monthly bill.

[BritManToo]

15 minutes ago, JaxxBKK said:

 

You're way off base. Thai Nationals that stay in Thai apartments often and pay b7 and even more for electric. I stayed in apartment for many years and paid seven baht a unit.

 

As I said in the previous post the owner has to purchase and maintain the AC units. There's no reason why someone renting especially for short term should have the use of these for absolutely free. These aren't a washer, hot shower or a kettle. AC units are often heavy use and run as you have done constantly.

 

I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that you have the AC running even when you're out and about

 

seems your problem isn't the difference between 4.5 and 7 b imo

 

little doubt you were scammed, but I think that the meter has been photoshopped or something.

 

PS: you should also have asked for a monthly bill.

I think you're missing the point that the photo of the meter reading seems altered.

The last number on the meter is always smaller/different, apart from in the ops two readings and the electric photos seem unusually blurred.

[JaxxBKK]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

I think you're missing the point that the photo of the meter reading seems altered.

The last number on the meter is always smaller/different, apart from in the ops two readings.

 

Nope. Mentioned that a few times.

 

Nevertheless, he's talking about being scammed for paying b7 per unit. That's not how he's being scammed.

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, JaxxBKK said:

 

Nope. Mentioned that a few times.

 

Nevertheless, he's talking about being scammed for paying b7 per unit. That's not how he's being scammed.

Agree, looks like he's being scammed for using 8000, when he only used 800.