Does My Electricity Bill Sound Right?

[notnek]

Hi everyone.

I moved to Bangkok about a month ago and just received the bill from my 1-bed apartment (29/10/11 - 23/11/11). My rent is 4500B but I was shocked to see that I've been charged 5376B for electricity! The rate per unit is 8B and I've been charged for 672 units.

Here's a list of what I use: air con on low for about 12 hours a day, charge my laptop, fridge, light (5 hours), shower in the morning. And that's it - no TV, cooker, etc. I probably use the air con more than I need to but this still doesn't sound right.

Does the bill sound right or am I being conned?

[negreanu]

rate per unit is 8B

Ouch! Depends on your rental agreement. Paying Electricity direct to government would be half that rate.

Always check if your electric/water bills are direct to the supplier or the building before you sign a contract.

Edited November 24, 2011 by negreanu

[notnek]

rate per unit is 8B

Ouch! Depends on your rental agreement. Paying Electricity direct to government would be half that rate.

Always check if your electric/water bills are direct to the supplier or the building before you sign a contract.

My stay in Bangkok was arranged for me. I knew that 8B was a lot before signing but I would've never thought I'd be paying over 5000 in less than a month. Does anyone have an example of their monthly electricity units? Also, who decides what a "unit" is? - is it fixed in Thailand?

Edited November 24, 2011 by notnek

[Moonrakers]

That's crazy.

More than twice what it should be, and then some more.

Get it sorted or move.

[Totster]

Jasus, I get annoyed if my electric bill is over bt800.. I do not have aircon though.

[maiphedmaiaroi]

Happened to me many years ago.

Was very happy with a 4ka month clean apartment in soi 93. Had the ac running whenever i was there. Got the bill around the same as yours.

Running 1 ac unit at the goverment rate for 12 hours costs 30 baht so someone is making a nice living from you.

[MJo]

Get your aircon cleaned. Makes big difference.

Also turn all breakers etc off and ask to see the meter. If still turning someone has tapped into your line.

[maiphedmaiaroi]

Just read your post again.

Well i run ac 12 hours as said. Computer on about 8 hours. Very large fish tish tank and normal appliances i use 300 units per month.

Go check the meter and see how fast its moving.

[Crossy]

22 units a day does seem high for what you say you use.

What power is your aircon (BTU or kW)? A 20,000 BTU A/C will use up to 2 units an hour depending upon how hard you make it work, what temperature do you have set?

An old, unserviced or dirty A/C can swallow power at an alarming rate

[transam]

My pal has just rented a place for him and his lady to find that the electricity provided by the land lord is 10bht per unit . Shit is happening to sort it out but these <deleted> are really ripping folk off.

[maiphedmaiaroi]

Get your aircon cleaned. Makes big difference.

Also turn all breakers etc off and ask to see the meter. If still turning someone has tapped into your line.

Doesnt make that much difference. If anything it should use less power now as its not to hot at night now which means the unit outside which uses the most electric wont be working as hard.

[notnek]

Get your aircon cleaned. Makes big difference.

Also turn all breakers etc off and ask to see the meter. If still turning someone has tapped into your line.

I had a problem with my aircon leaking a few weeks ago and I got it cleaned. I've noticed a few drops of water on my floor in the last few days and it's being looked at again tomorrow.

I run the aircon at 20degC 90% of the time.

[Crossy]

I run the aircon at 20degC 90% of the time.

Ah, an arctic lover, probably explains the bill (does the compressor ever actually cut off?).

Try running at 23C.

[notnek]

I run the aircon at 20degC 90% of the time.

Ah, an arctic lover, probably explains the bill (does the compressor ever actually cut off?).

Try running at 23C.

Actually I don't really find much difference between 15C and 25C (it definitely needs to be fixed!) I find that the compressor cuts off if I move the dial around a bit but normally it stays on even at high temps.

[transam]

I run the aircon at 20degC 90% of the time.

Ah, an arctic lover, probably explains the bill (does the compressor ever actually cut off?).

Try running at 23C.

OR 26, perrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect for any farang.

[Crossy]

I run the aircon at 20degC 90% of the time.

Ah, an arctic lover, probably explains the bill (does the compressor ever actually cut off?).

Try running at 23C.

OR 26, perrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect for any farang.

I was trying to ease him gently into the higher temperatures

Seriously, with the compressor running constantly there are no real surprises when it comes to the bill

[poanoi]

I was told that these meters can be adjusted by taking away a resistance to make it spin faster,

i suspect that is the case here, i get charged 1.500 baht/month without using air con at all,.

unit is set to 7, same as my old place, i live exactly the same, only difference is my electric then was ~750

[transam]

I was told that these meters can be adjusted by taking away a resistance to make it spin faster,

i suspect that is the case here, i get charged 1.500 baht/month without using air con at all,.

unit is set to 7, same as my old place, i live exactly the same, only difference is my electric then was ~750

I now pay around 1500bht with A/C in my bedroom, gov juice is below 4 bht per unit, but l think it very wrong that landlords can make cash out of government provided electricity.

[Forethat]

That's crazy for a one bed...

First of all, make sure you get the AC serviced, that makes a huge difference. Secondly, adapt to the heat, I run the AC at 27...

Lastly, do you get an invoice from the landlord? Make sure you get the one from the electricity company. The price per unit tells me they are skimming of the top, they might even add a couple of units to make it even creamier..!

[McGarty]

Ouch.

At government tarrif I run a 3 bed house with computer on 24/7, fridge freezer, tv, fans on almost 24/7, aircon maybe 4 hours a day at 26 / 27 deg C, Microwave oven. 1200 Baht.

[Mosha]

Those pot kettles are greedy. By turning ours off after the morning 2 or 3 cups we saved 500 Baht at Govt rates. I only run the AC at night in the hot season.

[thaiIand]

well even though you are being scammed by having to pay 8bht unit, someone is using your electricity.

I run a tower computer with a very warm 30" monitor that uses a lot of units., a faulty laptop that charges at max power every second and there's a tv. Lots of kitchen appliance. 1 of the AC is at 25 for 10hrs a night and the other is at 24 for 14hrs at least, plus 2 regular fan and a high end fan and my lights are all farang style bulbs that cost more electricity and i usually ramp up 1000 unit for a HOUSE, not 1br apt.

makes me remember my good old days in apts.. was for a few months at housebythepond in bangkok and the guy gave me an outrageous electricity bill when i had to get someone to fix my AC every 2-3days because it would stop working.. the fat english manager said he'd have me killed if i ever claimed to anyone else that he was scamming me.. it was like 10baht per unit there.

Edited November 24, 2011 by thaiIand

[phaethon]

That seems a bit hefty, but believable if you have had the aircon set to arctic.

From March to September inclusive I averaged 1826THB/month in a room with the same rent as you and 7THB/unit. Having a few days a month with AC all day but most days with just a pedastle fan and nights with AC running in 'quiet' mode at 30^oC.

My previous place charged 8THB/unit and I averaged 1446.43THB/month over two years, not using AC at all except for a few days a month.

The new place, at almost half the rent, is very warm. I suspect the walls are not as well insulated and, as I am now on the top floor, I'm getting latent heat continuing to radiate through the ceiling from the roof/water tanks etc. and keeping the temperature up for the first half of the night at least.

This month I've cut back on the AC and the first bill of this new regime is due any minute now.

[MJo]

Get your aircon cleaned. Makes big difference.

Also turn all breakers etc off and ask to see the meter. If still turning someone has tapped into your line.

Doesnt make that much difference. If anything it should use less power now as its not to hot at night now which means the unit outside which uses the most electric wont be working as hard.

Trust me it does, have seen huge deductions on my bills after cleaning and servicing aircons. Usually they don't do much on the outdoor unit but the indoor unit that collects all the dust and crap.

[kurnell]

I have a 3 bedroom house with 2 fridges, 2 ACs running at least 12 hrs a day, lights, giant washing machine, computer, fans, kitchen appliances....and we have never had a bill over 3k. You are being screwed, no matter the unit rate.

[notnek]

Get your aircon cleaned. Makes big difference.

Also turn all breakers etc off and ask to see the meter. If still turning someone has tapped into your line.

Doesnt make that much difference. If anything it should use less power now as its not to hot at night now which means the unit outside which uses the most electric wont be working as hard.

Trust me it does, have seen huge deductions on my bills after cleaning and servicing aircons. Usually they don't do much on the outdoor unit but the indoor unit that collects all the dust and crap.

Thanks for all the replies. I had it set to 20 because that's the only setting that seemed to produce a constant temperature. I've just changed it to 25 and after 20 minutes its become pretty cold in here! The thermostat can't be working properly.

[lovelomsak]

I am shocked by what I read here. If you have a high usage the electric company will come to your house and try to find out the reason for it. They donot like large consumers of electricity here. They encourage less usage. I have a friend with a large bakery. They have 3 huge electric ovens working from 6 in the morning till late in the afternoon everyday.Also 2 large commercial aircons going all day to cool off the customer area. Plus huge commercial fridges for the bake goods out front that people open the doors on all day. Plus they live upstairs and use 3 aircons in the bedrooms. The electric company has come to their place and looked to see why they use so much. The electric company wanted them to cut back some how if they could. Their average monthly bill is 7000 to 8 000

So anyone with high usage at a private residence should get cooperation from the electric company if they looked into it.

[JohnC]

Did you get a meter reading the day you moved in? you may have inherited the previous tenants bill!

[edwardandtubs]

When I first moved to Thailand I lived in a place that was obviously so thoughtlessly constructed that the temperature would be unbearably hot unless the aircon was turned on. As it was a large studio and the electricity was 7 baht per unit, this led to a bill of over 5000 baht for the first month. Now I live in a proper apartment and don't pay more than 2000 baht direct to the electricity company, even though I run the aircon whenever I'm at home at 25 or 26 degrees. A lot of these cheaper apartments are a false economy if you use the aircon much. It's a total scam as basically you're paying more to subsidise the low rent of the people who don't use aircon. Move out and get yourself into a well constructed apartment where you pay the electricity bill direct to the electricity company.

Edited November 24, 2011 by edwardandtubs

[edwardandtubs]

I am shocked by what I read here. If you have a high usage the electric company will come to your house and try to find out the reason for it. They donot like large consumers of electricity here. They encourage less usage. I have a friend with a large bakery. They have 3 huge electric ovens working from 6 in the morning till late in the afternoon everyday.Also 2 large commercial aircons going all day to cool off the customer area. Plus huge commercial fridges for the bake goods out front that people open the doors on all day. Plus they live upstairs and use 3 aircons in the bedrooms. The electric company has come to their place and looked to see why they use so much. The electric company wanted them to cut back some how if they could. Their average monthly bill is 7000 to 8 000

So anyone with high usage at a private residence should get cooperation from the electric company if they looked into it.

He doesn't really have high usage. His bill is over 5000 baht but over half of that goes to the landlord so his real bill would be around 2000-2500 which seems about right for high aircon usage.