We have been in our current house in Kathu for two years, and today received a bill from P.E.A. for 9000bht. allegedly for "Meter Rental"

We have not been asked to pay such a bill before and believe it to be a very high amount which apparently has never been paid before, either by landlord or previous owner

of our house.

Anyone any comment as to the legitimacy of this charge?

and whether we should budget for it annually?

Grateful for feed back.

It could be because it is still a temporary meter.

When any construction is started, a temporary meter is installed and this is rented until construction has been finished and then a permanent meter is installed.

Check to see if your meter is temporary, or, permanent.

You will have to ask a Thai as I have no idea how to tell the difference.

to establish what kind of meter you have had

1. check bill/baht/kwh. temp meter is +5 baht/kwh even for very little use

2. Look at meter, temp meter has a red sticker

and I have never heard about meter rental, most bars without Tabien baan has temp meters, there is a deposit and its baht/kwh, nothing else

when permanent meter, its a one off fee

one phace

5/15 approx 800 baht

15/45 approx 7500 baht

30/100 approx 13.000 baht

no rental