When Do The Utility Companies Cut You Off?

[Guderian]

A few days ago I got my latest electricity bill. At the bottom it says something about 25 July to 3 August (in Thai), which I assume is the period during which I can pay it at a 7-eleven or other local shop - is that right? So if the meter was read on the 24th, they then give you 10 days to pay it in a convenient manner. After that, as far as I have read, you have to go to the electricity company office to pay the bill. My question is: how long after that 10 day period will they give you to pay the bill at their office before they send someone to cut off your power? Is the water company the same? Thanks for any information, I've read lots of conflicting things about this.

[Upnotover]

Couple of years back they came to my home only 2 or 3 days after the 7-11 date passed ready to cut me off, managed to stop them by promising to go to the office immediately and pay the bill, which i did.

[ThaidDown]

The latest date on the bottom of the electricity and water bills bills is the date that it should be paid by. The Provincial Electric people seem to be quick off the mark in disconnections, may be less than a week to 3 weeks after the due date. The Water people seem to allow a month or so. This is in Rayong Province and as with most things here other areas may have different rules.

Also note that, if cut off, there is a reconnection charge, somewhere around 500 baht, I think, that is payable after the bill has been settled. Iif you leave it too long ( 3-6 months) your account is cancelled and you have to re-apply for service.

[bertdryden]

I lost my electric Bill & thought I remebered the date of the 22nd, in fact it was the 12th. In the morning of the 17th a fella on a bike came & warned my girlfriend we had to pay before 3pm - we went & paid in Naklua office before 3pm & got a small charge (110 baht I think). So for us is was 5 days we live Khao Talo.

[canman]

As above, had forgot to pay the electric bill, turned out it was 4 days late. Came home from work and no power, they had taken the meter away.

[Guderian]

Thanks for the replies. So you don't get long, it seems, maybe a week at best but possibly only a few days.

I'm taking a trip out of the country and should be back within the 10 day payment period, but I was wondering if I get delayed would I still be OK. Maybe it's best just to leave the money with a neighbour since they will get their bill on the same day.

[Morakot]

As above, had forgot to pay the electric bill, turned out it was 4 days late. Came home from work and no power, they had taken the meter away.

Quite drastic, I'd say!

In some countries, if an electricity provider wants to disconnect a not paying costumer a court order is required.

[MJCM]

My friends neighbor got his water meter taken away only 2 days after the due date of the Bill.

This was in Pattaya just last month.

[Morakot]

My friends neighbor got his water meter taken away only 2 days after the due date of the Bill.

This was in Pattaya just last month.

... and presumably had to pay for it being reconnected.

Sounds almost like an extortion scheme.

[PattayaParent]

My friends neighbor got his water meter taken away only 2 days after the due date of the Bill.

This was in Pattaya just last month.

Used to be you were allowed 2 bills before cut off but then they started running out of meters to supply the increased demand so I guess just cut off immediately now so they can re-use the meter straight away.

[pattayadingo]

My water bill was 10 days late and they took the meter the same day I arrived back here. Was not paid for me by the landlord because the bill went missing.

They do call round to the house and let you know they are disconnecting you.

Yes, you can get your neighbour to pay. They should get their bills the same day as you so will know what dates to pay by.

[Rimmer]

A couple of posts removed, if you have a point to make there is no need to pepper it with profanities. To do so is also against Forum rules.

[Spoonman]

I had my meter removed 3 days after moving into a new rental, only found out it was gone after my morning visit to the toilet, at this time I also discovered there was no toilet paper.

To make matters worse obviously the shower did not function either and I was due at an important work meeting in less than an hour.

Impressed I was not, even worse was trying to find the place to pay the bill and extortion money to have meter returned.

[jcowle]

Couple of years back they came to my home only 2 or 3 days after the 7-11 date passed ready to cut me off, managed to stop them by promising to go to the office immediately and pay the bill, which i did.

Same for me last month, missed the payment date for 7/11 after 3 days they were at the house ready to remove the meter.

JOHN

[JohnC]

Simply solved IF you have a Thai bank account, just set up a direct debit, my meter gets read on the last week of the month and the money taken on the 11th of the following month.

[tingtongfarang]

Often my bills came after the date it could be paid at the 7/11 which made it real hassle. Atleast i found with the water bill you can leave them an advance payment of something like 500bht and the will then send a bill showing the amount deducted and amount remaining,

Another time i was at home working on the computer when the eletricity went off. The guy had cut my electric then knocked on the front door to tell me i had,nt paid the bill, Infact i had paid but even when i showed him the paid bill would,nt turn it back on till he had made some calls and cleared the matter.

[Guderian]

Simply solved IF you have a Thai bank account, just set up a direct debit, my meter gets read on the last week of the month and the money taken on the 11th of the following month.

I've heard various things about paying by direct debit. It's a bit of a pain to set up - get a form from the company, or is it from the bank? - fill that in, get the bank to authorise it, take it to the utility company offices, then wait until they deign to act upon it. One respected poster said that the Pattaya water company took 4 months to get a direct debit operating.

I asked my lawyer about doing this and he advised against it, saying that sometimes they took the wrong amount and then you had the hassle of trying to rectify their mistake. He'd even heard of cases where they had cut people off after the correct amount had been taken from their bank account.

TiT, I suppose.

[Rimmer]

Ten years, in two different houses of paying electric via direct debit not one over charge and not one late payment. It also takes no time at all to set up.

[chuckd]

Ten years, in two different houses of paying electric via direct debit not one over charge and not one late payment. It also takes no time at all to set up.

Agree with Rimmer but only 8 years experience. Not a problem that was not self inflicted.

[4evermaat]

is it possible to overpay your bill to have a credit for the following month?

[Guderian]

Ten years, in two different houses of paying electric via direct debit not one over charge and not one late payment. It also takes no time at all to set up.

Ten years, in two different houses of paying electric via direct debit not one over charge and not one late payment. It also takes no time at all to set up.

Can you elaborate on what's needed? I gather there's a form required. Do you get that from your bank or the electricity company? Any other paperwork?

[Rimmer]

Its many years since we did this but my wife remembers we got the form from the bank then take it to the electric company and they do the rest.

[chuckd]

Its many years since we did this but my wife remembers we got the form from the bank then take it to the electric company and they do the rest.

Agreed. It normally takes one or two billing cycles before they have it set up. You will still receive a bill each month as usual, but after the banking arrangement is set up and working, your bill will NOT have a bar code.

This works for your water bill as well.

[Guderian]

Its many years since we did this but my wife remembers we got the form from the bank then take it to the electric company and they do the rest.

Thanks. I'll ask SCB for a form.

[Guderian]

Its many years since we did this but my wife remembers we got the form from the bank then take it to the electric company and they do the rest.

Agreed. It normally takes one or two billing cycles before they have it set up. You will still receive a bill each month as usual, but after the banking arrangement is set up and working, your bill will NOT have a bar code.

This works for your water bill as well.

That's useful to know about the bar code. How long after the bill has been issued do they usually deduct the money from your account? Is it always within the 10 day pay-at-a-convenience-store window?

[skippybangkok]

Wrong question....... question how much time does it take to be re-connected........

[chuckd]

Guderian:

Our bill usually comes in around the 27th to 29th and the deduction takes place usually between the 7th and the 11th of the following month. It depends on bank and local holidays and weekends.

[Langsuan Man]

Just a warning, the Provincial Electric Company in Pattaya is pretty good about setting up direct debit from your Thai Bank Account and can get it done in less than a month after you put in the request using the form that the bank gives you but the Water Company requires 4 months to start it up

Pretty incredible even for Thailand, how in the world could it take four months to get a clerk to make the debit action recurring. Are they super efficient at the electric company or just totally incompentent at the water company ........... well I guess I just answered my own question

[CRUNCHER]

Simply solved IF you have a Thai bank account, just set up a direct debit, my meter gets read on the last week of the month and the money taken on the 11th of the following month.

I've heard various things about paying by direct debit. It's a bit of a pain to set up - get a form from the company, or is it from the bank? - fill that in, get the bank to authorise it, take it to the utility company offices, then wait until they deign to act upon it. One respected poster said that the Pattaya water company took 4 months to get a direct debit operating.

I asked my lawyer about doing this and he advised against it, saying that sometimes they took the wrong amount and then you had the hassle of trying to rectify their mistake. He'd even heard of cases where they had cut people off after the correct amount had been taken from their bank account.

TiT, I suppose.

My water I pay to the condo so I don't know, but the electric was as easy as pie. Take your bank passbook, passport and an old bill to the Electric office at Naklua (just down from the police station). Best if you also take the usual copies, if not they will send you next door to get them done.

Took just a few minutes and was effective just a few days later. I did not need to go to the bank myself.

Staff could not have been more helpful despite their limited English and my non-existant Thai. This was one of my better experiences in dealing with Thai officaldom. 3BB was a lot of hassle and I have given up with True.

[Guderian]

Guderian:

Our bill usually comes in around the 27th to 29th and the deduction takes place usually between the 7th and the 11th of the following month. It depends on bank and local holidays and weekends.

Thanks. That worries me a little bit, as it seems the only way you will know that the direct debit has been authorised is if a bar code doesn't appear on your bill. I don't have online banking here so there's no easy way of checking if the money has been taken from my account - I don't want to go to the bank every day to update the passbook. If there was a glitch and I thought the direct debit had been accepted when it hadn't, then the first thing I would know about it would probably be when they cut me off.