When Do The Utility Companies Cut You Off?

[breadbin]

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.

I think I am correct in saying that when you are connected to the electcity via a meter you pay an installation fee plus a deposit for the meter, something like 12,000bt deposit, so when you move or sell the next person gives you the deposit money or you have the meter removed and then then get it reconnected via a fee and deposit. Easier to just let let give you the deposit cash I say.

So, the question is, if you get cut off and your meter is removed do you lose your deposit? If so, is this morally correct?

[PattayaPhom]

With the minimal amounts involved, if you cant rustle up the money in the speciied time, you should really be looking at relocating and getting your finances in order.

Edited July 31, 2012 by PattayaPhom

[LennyW]

I think I am correct in saying that when you are connected to the electcity via a meter you pay an installation fee plus a deposit for the meter, something like 12,000bt deposit, so when you move or sell the next person gives you the deposit money or you have the meter removed and then then get it reconnected via a fee and deposit. Easier to just let let give you the deposit cash I say.

So, the question is, if you get cut off and your meter is removed do you lose your deposit? If so, is this morally correct?

Only time i have ever paid a deposit for an electric meter is when getting a temporary supply to new builds, when build is complete and house registered you get the proper meter installed from the PEA and at this point get your previous deposit for the temporary meter back. Thereafter the meter is the property of the PEA and goes with the property, not the individual.

Never encountered the situation you describe.

Edited July 31, 2012 by LennyW

[toenail]

I have the same problem with my eletric bill, by the time my apartment receives the bill from the electric company, records it, then I pick it up (no definate date of the month, but around the 21st) I have a week to pay my bill at Seven-Eleven- a problem if you are traveling around the country or somewhere in Aisa. One week period to pay is a pain in the arse. Anyway, what are the hours of the electic company in Naklua. Since I am working during the day, this will be a challenge.

[LennyW]

I have the same problem with my eletric bill, by the time my apartment receives the bill from the electric company, records it, then I pick it up (no definate date of the month, but around the 21st) I have a week to pay my bill at Seven-Eleven- a problem if you are traveling around the country or somewhere in Aisa. One week period to pay is a pain in the arse. Anyway, what are the hours of the electic company in Naklua. Since I am working during the day, this will be a challenge.

There is another PEA office on Chaiyapruek 2, perhaps this is a more convenient location for you?

[Gone]

I have been cut off 2 times years ago due to bills not coming in the mail and yes I should have still known the dates and paid it however I just hook the wires back into the meter, went and paid the bill and was charged 100 baht for re-connection fee even though I did it myself. Still not so bad really

[chuckd]

I have been cut off 2 times years ago due to bills not coming in the mail and yes I should have still known the dates and paid it however I just hook the wires back into the meter, went and paid the bill and was charged 100 baht for re-connection fee even though I did it myself. Still not so bad really

Did they remove your meter and, if so, how did you get it back without them connecting it?

[Spoonman]

I have been cut off 2 times years ago due to bills not coming in the mail and yes I should have still known the dates and paid it however I just hook the wires back into the meter, went and paid the bill and was charged 100 baht for re-connection fee even though I did it myself. Still not so bad really

Did they remove your meter and, if so, how did you get it back without them connecting it?

If you read between the lines you might notice Gone said he re-connected the meter and one with a half a brain might think that the meter was not infact removed........ which half a brain do you own ?

[chuckd]

I have been cut off 2 times years ago due to bills not coming in the mail and yes I should have still known the dates and paid it however I just hook the wires back into the meter, went and paid the bill and was charged 100 baht for re-connection fee even though I did it myself. Still not so bad really

Did they remove your meter and, if so, how did you get it back without them connecting it?

If you read between the lines you might notice Gone said he re-connected the meter and one with a half a brain might think that the meter was not infact removed........ which half a brain do you own ?

Are you and Gone the same person using different forum names? If you aren't then your response to his actions are not germane to the conversation and are speculative at best.

When service is cut off by the electric company, the meter is removed. Either the electricity wasn't really cut off by the electric company or Mr. Gone is choosing to leave some details out of his statement. Either way, the question remains and reading between the lines doesn't solve that.

He may choose not to answer but your response is ignorant to the extreme.

[LennyW]

I have been cut off 2 times years ago due to bills not coming in the mail and yes I should have still known the dates and paid it however I just hook the wires back into the meter, went and paid the bill and was charged 100 baht for re-connection fee even though I did it myself. Still not so bad really

Did they remove your meter and, if so, how did you get it back without them connecting it?

If you read between the lines you might notice Gone said he re-connected the meter and one with a half a brain might think that the meter was not infact removed........ which half a brain do you own ?

Are you and Gone the same person using different forum names? If you aren't then your response to his actions are not germane to the conversation and are speculative at best.

When service is cut off by the electric company, the meter is removed. Either the electricity wasn't really cut off by the electric company or Mr. Gone is choosing to leave some details out of his statement. Either way, the question remains and reading between the lines doesn't solve that.

He may choose not to answer but your response is ignorant to the extreme.

The meter is NOT removed instantly, they cut off the supply first by disconnecting the cables under the meter, if the bill is still not paid within around 2 weeks THEN they come and physically remove the meter., hence the reason Gone was able to re-connect himself.

[chuckd]

Did they remove your meter and, if so, how did you get it back without them connecting it?

If you read between the lines you might notice Gone said he re-connected the meter and one with a half a brain might think that the meter was not infact removed........ which half a brain do you own ?

Are you and Gone the same person using different forum names? If you aren't then your response to his actions are not germane to the conversation and are speculative at best.

When service is cut off by the electric company, the meter is removed. Either the electricity wasn't really cut off by the electric company or Mr. Gone is choosing to leave some details out of his statement. Either way, the question remains and reading between the lines doesn't solve that.

He may choose not to answer but your response is ignorant to the extreme.

The meter is NOT removed instantly, they cut off the supply first by disconnecting the cables under the meter, if the bill is still not paid within around 2 weeks THEN they come and physically remove the meter., hence the reason Gone was able to re-connect himself.

My personal experience on this matter differs somewhat from your rather emphatic statement.

Back in the late 90s it was my pleasure (?) to own a bar in Pattaya. One month I provided the funds to pay the electric bill to my now EX-wife. A few days later I showed up at the bar in the late morning and, voila, there was no electricity and NO meter. I scrambled around and got them to take care of it the same day but it cost me a few hundred baht in gasoline costs. My ex-wife had a party with the electricity bill funds.

Another time I returned from a two day trip to Isaan around 2005 and discovered the electricity off. I had simply overlooked payment of the bill but did the scrambling act again and got it turned back on.

The third time was around 2010 when I deposited the electric money set up on automatic withdrawal to the wrong bank account and lost service again.

My fault all three times but all three times the meter was removed.

YMMV.

[LennyW]

If you read between the lines you might notice Gone said he re-connected the meter and one with a half a brain might think that the meter was not infact removed........ which half a brain do you own ?

Are you and Gone the same person using different forum names? If you aren't then your response to his actions are not germane to the conversation and are speculative at best.

When service is cut off by the electric company, the meter is removed. Either the electricity wasn't really cut off by the electric company or Mr. Gone is choosing to leave some details out of his statement. Either way, the question remains and reading between the lines doesn't solve that.

He may choose not to answer but your response is ignorant to the extreme.

The meter is NOT removed instantly, they cut off the supply first by disconnecting the cables under the meter, if the bill is still not paid within around 2 weeks THEN they come and physically remove the meter., hence the reason Gone was able to re-connect himself.

My personal experience on this matter differs somewhat from your rather emphatic statement.

Back in the late 90s it was my pleasure (?) to own a bar in Pattaya. One month I provided the funds to pay the electric bill to my now EX-wife. A few days later I showed up at the bar in the late morning and, voila, there was no electricity and NO meter. I scrambled around and got them to take care of it the same day but it cost me a few hundred baht in gasoline costs. My ex-wife had a party with the electricity bill funds.

Another time I returned from a two day trip to Isaan around 2005 and discovered the electricity off. I had simply overlooked payment of the bill but did the scrambling act again and got it turned back on.

The third time was around 2010 when I deposited the electric money set up on automatic withdrawal to the wrong bank account and lost service again.

My fault all three times but all three times the meter was removed.

YMMV.

I guess you were just extremely unlucky.

[brewsterbudgen]

In Bangkok they send a reminder after the deadline for first bill.

[Guderian]

The meter is NOT removed instantly, they cut off the supply first by disconnecting the cables under the meter, if the bill is still not paid within around 2 weeks THEN they come and physically remove the meter., hence the reason Gone was able to re-connect himself.

What's to stop you simply reconnecting them again? I had to have a new fuse box installed and the guys who did it simply removed the cables from the meter outside, as you describe, so that they could work safely. It takes about 30 seconds to reconnect them, so it doesn't seem like a very good way to disconnect someone for non-payment.

[LennyW]

The meter is NOT removed instantly, they cut off the supply first by disconnecting the cables under the meter, if the bill is still not paid within around 2 weeks THEN they come and physically remove the meter., hence the reason Gone was able to re-connect himself.

What's to stop you simply reconnecting them again? I had to have a new fuse box installed and the guys who did it simply removed the cables from the meter outside, as you describe, so that they could work safely. It takes about 30 seconds to reconnect them, so it doesn't seem like a very good way to disconnect someone for non-payment.

Exactly, nothing to stop you reconnecting yourself as Gone previously said he had done, don't know what the repercussions might be if you were caught though?

[BWPattaya]

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

DTAC have let me pay in advance when I wanted to ensure that my service would continue whilst I wa abroad. Never tried it with electric or water companies though.

[BWPattaya]

I have been cut off 2 times years ago due to bills not coming in the mail and yes I should have still known the dates and paid it however I just hook the wires back into the meter, went and paid the bill and was charged 100 baht for re-connection fee even though I did it myself. Still not so bad really

Do your bills come through the post? When our meters are read the bill is put in the mailbox immediately.

[LennyW]

I have been cut off 2 times years ago due to bills not coming in the mail and yes I should have still known the dates and paid it however I just hook the wires back into the meter, went and paid the bill and was charged 100 baht for re-connection fee even though I did it myself. Still not so bad really

Do your bills come through the post? When our meters are read the bill is put in the mailbox immediately.

My normal bills are given at the time of reading, however, my properties with 3 phase supply come a few days after reading via a lady on a motorbike, i never pay her directly but i know some of the locals do.

[Gone]

In my case the meter was not removed. Just the main feed cables (wires) going Into the meter (above the meter). Using welding gloves, and being a tradesman anyways I just took the black electrical tape off of the wires that were disconnected and put them back in, tightened the screws and that was it.

Like I say this was around 5 years ago so I'm not sure what their policy is now.

[RabC]

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.

I have mt bank account here set up so I get an SMS whenever there is a deposit or withdrawal maybe you could try and get that set up?

Edited August 8, 2012 by RabC

[monty]

In my case the meter was not removed. Just the main feed cables (wires) going Into the meter (above the meter). Using welding gloves, and being a tradesman anyways I just took the black electrical tape off of the wires that were disconnected and put them back in, tightened the screws and that was it.

Like I say this was around 5 years ago so I'm not sure what their policy is now.

Still the same.

Few days after the due date cables disconnected and taped up.

According to the electric office another week and then they remove the meter and actually disconnect the cables high up in the electricity pole.

Very simple reason, few years ago, they immediately removed the meter, then the houseowner got the local "chang" in who would simply twist the wires together, wait a week, then go pay the bill and they just had a week of totally free power (apart from the 107 baht reconnection fee)!

The way they do it now, at least they still count your usage until you go in to pay your bill...

Probably their way of a reminder, while you can still have power and they can bill your usage.

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect App

[bangkokstick]

Maybe they do not cut condos as quickly as houses ?

[LennyW]

Maybe they do not cut condos as quickly as houses ?

Bit of a <deleted> if they cut the whole condo though!