High electricity bills?

[chiang mai]

We buy directly from PEA and our average rate is around 3.10 baht per unit, plus tax.

Typically, landlords impose a rate that involves a large profit, up to you how you want to handle but I suspect it's going to be swings and roundabouts.

If it's any consolation however, since you said you are working in Thailand, the cost of such expense can be offset against Thai business tax!

Good luck.

[Crossy]

Sadly Becca it's not unusual, they tempt with cheap rent then screw on power and water, probably easiest just to grit it out until the end of your lease then find somewhere else

Back home there's a maximum resale value for power, but not here

EDIT and before anyone asks, this thread will not degenerate into a "do you have a work permit" discussion. OK?

[itsbecca]

Sadly Becca it's not unusual, they tempt with cheap rent then screw on power and water, probably easiest just to grit it out until the end of your lease then find somewhere else

Back home there's a maximum resale value for power, but not here

EDIT and before anyone asks, this thread will not degenerate into a "do you have a work permit" discussion. OK?

Well that's unfortunate. I was a bit worried when the English speaking owner was no where to be seen after our initial deposit was made, so all details were a little painful to work out with the employees who didn't understand us as well. I kept trying to ask about electricity rates and just got the answer that don't worry, I don't have to pay that now, I pay that at the end of the month

At least we have really good internet, that's one plus of a building with little to no other tenants. Guess it's time to buy some fans!

[KittenKong]

I need some help I feel like we're getting fleeced. They're asking us to pay 10 baht per unit.

I know it's common for condos/hotels to charge above government rate, so I was expecting that, but this seems like a pretty big hike?

You mention that the meter is in your room, which implies that the building is probably reselling electricity that they pay for at the commercial rate which is higher than the domestic rate. Either way these scammers are overcharging you as the commercial rate is not 10B and the domestic rate is just over 4B.

Up to you not to agree and to propose a lower rate, or leave, or let them walk all over you.

When I rented my unit one of my conditions was that I would only pay government rate and not the 5 or 6B they generally charged, but my meter was a government meter and an individual bill was issued monthly by the PEA. The rental agent agreed to my terms, and had they not done so I simply would not have taken the rental.

[itsbecca]

Just wanted to mention that I spoke to the owner and did get it lowered to 8 baht per unit. It's still above govt charg, but common I think. I checked around and that's what most hotels/condos in the area are charging. It might've helped that I knew other places were charging lower, and that I know 8 is still profit for him... but on the other hand it was a pretty friendly conversation and very short, so he might've relented no matter what I was saying at all.

Best case would be to hash this all out *before* you sign a lease of course, because then you have the most negotiating power because you can walk, but if anyone finds themselves in my situation I would definitely still recommend trying to talk to them. So with that savings now we can just go buy a fan and maybe have a semi-reasonable charge next month.

[billphillips]

In Thailand it is illegal to charge more than the government set rate for electricity.

I have no idea how to contact the electric police.

[itsbecca]

In Thailand it is illegal to charge more than the government set rate for electricity.

I have no idea how to contact the electric police.

Yes far be it from me to ask for, receive, and then use advice that ends up saving me as significant amount of money and making my time in Thailand easier and more comfortable. I apologize for abusing the forum, you can go back to making your funnies now.

[chiang mai]

Well done OP.

[Naam]

Anyone gotten their May one yet?

Ours is dated to the 11th June so will arrive next week.

don't expect it to be lower

mine was in line with expectations. three days abroad did make a little dent.

by the way, nice additional feature now showing the amounts of the last 6 months.

[billphillips]

In Thailand it is illegal to charge more than the government set rate for electricity.

I have no idea how to contact the electric police.

Yes far be it from me to ask for, receive, and then use advice that ends up saving me as significant amount of money and making my time in Thailand easier and more comfortable. I apologize for abusing the forum, you can go back to making your funnies now.

Actually, it's quite true. It's illegal to charge more than the government set rate. That's about 50% of the rate that you have negotiated down to (somewhere around ฿4 per unit). I'll reword the other bit. I have no experience or information on how to enforce that law.

[bankruatsteve]

Please lock this before I have to read more sucky opinions.

[billphillips]

Please lock this before I have to read more sucky opinions.

Maybe some posters here think that your opinion sucks too. Nevertheless, it's your opinion and you are entitled to it. However, you are not in a position to call the shots here, and posting off topic is not normally permitted.

I think that the op asked for advice and it's reasonable for other members to try to offer advice and opinions, your likes / dislikes of posts is hardly relevant or informative. Please keep on topic and keep in mind the op when replying.

[KittenKong]

Actually, it's quite true. It's illegal to charge more than the government set rate. That's about 50% of the rate that you have negotiated down to (somewhere around ฿4 per unit). I'll reword the other bit. I have no experience or information on how to enforce that law.

If so there are dozens of agents and owners in my building breaking the law every day. Of course that isn't the only law they break.

[Crossy]

I don't suppose anyone has a link to the relevant law regarding the resale of electricity?

Obviously Thai language would be OK.

[Tywais]

Anyone gotten their May one yet?

Ours is dated to the 11th June so will arrive next week.

don't expect it to be lower

mine was in line with expectations. three days abroad did make a little dent.

by the way, nice additional feature now showing the amounts of the last 6 months.

I just got the new format also. However there is a new charge on it that has never been on my other bills. See line 2. Appears to be some kind of service charge but in the many years of electric bills never had that. That messes up my spread sheet, have to add a new column now. The bottom bill is my old format without that charge.

[Happy Grumpy]

2,700

2,700

4,500

4,500

this month

3,700

[Naam]

Anyone gotten their May one yet?

Ours is dated to the 11th June so will arrive next week.

don't expect it to be lower

mine was in line with expectations. three days abroad did make a little dent.

by the way, nice additional feature now showing the amounts of the last 6 months.

I just got the new format also. However there is a new charge on it that has never been on my other bills. See line 2. Appears to be some kind of service charge but in the many years of electric bills never had that. That messes up my spread sheet, have to add a new column now. The bottom bill is my old format without that charge.

Elec Bill.jpg

Elec Bill Old.jpg

i did not even realise the new charge which is clearly a flat charge without any bearing on consumption or value.

[Pib]

That service change has always been on my MEA electric bills (MEA is for the Bangkok area)....both the old style bill and the new style bill.

[KittenKong]

My PEA bill (Pattaya) shows 3 different rates for consumption from 1-150 units (2.7628B), 151-400 units (3.7362B) and units over 400 (3.9361B).

It also shows a service charge (labelled as such, in English) of 38.22B

All plus VAT. It all boils down to an average of 4.29B/unit this month.

Last month's bill did not include this 38.22B service charge, but it did include another charge labelled "Ft", calculated at 0.5896B per unit and which amounted to a total of 212B on that bill (all plus VAT).

So it looks like I'm better off with the service charge that with the "Ft" (Fuel Tax?) charge.

[Pib]

The Ft (Fuel Tariff) and Service Charge has always been part of the bills, whether your particular bill showed the charge separate or happened to lump it into your total bill. Whether shown or not, the charges have been in your total electric bill. Oh yea, don't forget the 7% VAT. I've looked at/used the PEA and MEA electric bill calculators on their web sites and those sites sure include the service charge along with Ft and VAT as separate charges. And since I'm with MEA here in Bangkok the MEA bills have always shown those charges.

I have about 5 years worth of MEA bills....during those 5 years they have had 3 bill formats....two formats being a large size about the same size as a printer page that was delivered by the mailman about a week after the electric company took the monthly meter reading and the most recent just starting this month being a large cash register type receipt which showed up in my mailbox the same day of the meter reading which I'm assuming the electric company meter reader put in my box right after taking the reading...doing it like the water company now....guess it cuts down on back office support needed to prepare bills for mailing, postage costs, etc. I expect the meter reader got a new device that instead of just recording the data for download later it now records, immediately prints out the bill, and then can be downloaded at the end of the day to update the electric companies billing system....technology marches on.

Now the next step is when they replace the electric meters with smart meters which transmit the billing info to a electric company receiving device which just drives near the meter. They were using that in the location I lived in the States just before moving to Thailand. Then even better is a smart meter that transmits the data over electric lines back to the electric company.

Now if you don't get your electric bill directly from the electric company/the electric service is not in you name but a landlord then I expect there are all variety of bill formats based on the bill provided by the landlord.

[blackcab]

Just wanted to mention that I spoke to the owner and did get it lowered to 8 baht per unit. It's still above govt charg, but common I think. I checked around and that's what most hotels/condos in the area are charging. It might've helped that I knew other places were charging lower, and that I know 8 is still profit for him... but on the other hand it was a pretty friendly conversation and very short, so he might've relented no matter what I was saying at all.

Best case would be to hash this all out *before* you sign a lease of course, because then you have the most negotiating power because you can walk, but if anyone finds themselves in my situation I would definitely still recommend trying to talk to them. So with that savings now we can just go buy a fan and maybe have a semi-reasonable charge next month.

I work for a company that owns apartment blocks that have rooms that are 99% leased to Thai people. We charge 8 baht a unit to the tenants. We pay the MEA 2.1.2 tariff.

8 baht per unit is not an unusual price. And yes, the building owner does make a profit on the resale price.

[Pib]

Just wanted to mention that I spoke to the owner and did get it lowered to 8 baht per unit. It's still above govt charg, but common I think. I checked around and that's what most hotels/condos in the area are charging. It might've helped that I knew other places were charging lower, and that I know 8 is still profit for him... but on the other hand it was a pretty friendly conversation and very short, so he might've relented no matter what I was saying at all.

Best case would be to hash this all out *before* you sign a lease of course, because then you have the most negotiating power because you can walk, but if anyone finds themselves in my situation I would definitely still recommend trying to talk to them. So with that savings now we can just go buy a fan and maybe have a semi-reasonable charge next month.

I work for a company that owns apartment blocks that have rooms that are 99% leased to Thai people. We charge 8 baht a unit to the tenants. We pay the MEA 2.1.2 tariff.

8 baht per unit is not an unusual price. And yes, the building owner does make a profit on the resale price.

He does indeed make a profit...a very nice profit. Current MEA/PEA residential rates works out to approx Bt4.5/KWH including Ft/VAT/Fees. That's using the MEA Residential 1.2 Residential tariff which is very, very close to the MEA Small General 2.1.2 tariff.

So a person who say uses 1000KWH per month, the account is in his name, he is billed directly from MEA/PEA would pay 1000 x4.5 = Bt4500. But if want to know the "exact" cost by using the MEA calculator the cost would be Bt4,541.56

But if that person is a tenant and pays the landlord Bt8/KWH then for 1000KWH he would pay 1000 x 8 = Bt8,000, which is equates to a profit of Bt3,500 or 87%. And using the MEA calculator to get the exact cost for 1000KWH using tariff 2.1.2 the cost would be Bt4,550.06 including Ft/VAT/Fees. Yeap, your company is making a very nice profit on your tenant electricity charge.

[blackcab]

In reality it's a little different. For the billing cycle shown in the attachment our cost was 26,494.62.

We invoiced 35,936 baht. That block has 47 rooms, so on average the profit was 200 baht a room.

This is a good illustration why the apartment business needs scale to work well.