Electric bill scam

[breaker]

A friend of mine signed 6-month contract for rent of apartment in Soi Bongkot (Pattaya). She paid 1 month in advance (6000 baht) + deposit (6000 baht). After 1 month of living there she got a huge electric bill. She have to pay 4905 baht for electric. But room is small and simple (among electrical appliance there is only air-conditioner, small fan, tv, fridge and water heater). And she never used air-conditioner, only fan.

In electric bill it was not stated how many kilowatt-hours she has used, there was written only price. On the wall of room I seen official paper with prices for everything. There was stated that electric cost 7 baht for 1 kilowatt-hour. I divided total cost (4905 baht) into price of one kilowatt (7 baht) and got that she used 700 kilowatt-hours! She talked with management about this bill. They told she that electric cost 9 baht per kilowatt, not 7 baht (as stated in document on the wall). If so, she used 4905/9=545 kilowatt-hours. But it sounds extremely much. I use air-conditioner all the time, but I see in my bill only from 250 to 300 kilowatt-hours per month. I guess that management just "drawed" this high number of kilowatt-hours. I'm think this is scam.

She was not argue about this bill. She paid this bill. But 1 day after she paid the bill, she go to buy food and when she come back to room, it was locked. There was big lock at the room door. Management of apartment explained to her that they thought that she not paid that bill. That's why they locked her room with her stuff. But she paid! She couldn't come back to her room with her stuff! Management of apartment explained that a person, who locked her room didn't knew that she paid already. That's why he locked her room and don't allow her enter. Seems like management expect that after they overcharging for electricity, every their customer will leave rented room. But she paid and she cried after they locked her room.

She want no stay in such apartment anymore. But if she leave room now, she will lose deposit (6000 baht) and money for next month (6000 baht). But if she will stay next 5 months in this room, they will overcharge her for electricity again (5000 baht every month for using just fan, fridge and tv).

What she can do? Lose 12000 baht now or lose 25000 baht in next 5 month? Or can return money for electric? (I'm sure, she used not more than 100 kilowatt-hours, which cost not more than 900 baht, not 4905 baht. But she can not check how much kilowatt-hours she used because electric meters are hidden from tenants).

May be, somebody had similar experience with apartments in Thailand?

[loppylugs1]

Heard of a few,nothing like this.

I just wonder if this friend of yours has a mouth to complain,and a loud one at that

Firstly the police,tourist if you must,then consumer complaints in Pattaya town hall,then Bangkok Post

[Dannyboy666]

I got Burned Worse, Nakula Soi 12ish tall apt building going N. On right before 7/11 on right, 9,000baht for 1 month, Studio apt.this was 2 years ago too, 9 bloody thousand, I used Aircon 90 min. During day at night while sleeping, Then when I left after that month , I left a decent Tip for the maids, they told the Manager, they got nothing, Jesus Crista...

[konying]

1. Next time her room gets locked, call the police . Owner or manager would be arrested on the spot. It is illegal to lock someone out without a court order.

2. OCPB, lodge a claim for incorrect billing, wrong prices and harassment. It may only take 1 phone call from them and she would be refunded and allowed to move out without any penalties.

If based in Pattaya , do NOT go to Pattaya branch, head to Chonburi.

[andre47]

Did your friend check the electric meter?

Edited June 7, 2015 by andre47

[Pattaya28]

This story really doesn't add up.

Forgetting the cost per unit, if she checked the meter when she moved in, I do not think she would have this problem. And month 2 will reveal the real usage.

[5tev1e]

Overcharging on electric bills is very common around pattaya,this is extortion,tourist police,pattaya town hall,dont make me laugh!your pissing in the wind,cut your losses and move out immediately

[topt]

Did your friend check the electric meter?

This story really doesn't add up.

Forgetting the cost per unit, if she checked the meter when she moved in, I do not think she would have this problem. And month 2 will reveal the real usage.

If you read the OP properly you would have seen that this appears to be the issue -

"But she can not check how much kilowatt-hours she used because electric meters are hidden from tenants)."

Is that even legal? Unfortunately they should have been warned off when they could not check the meter in the first instance.

[bmanly]

Yes, it's happened to me too. Paid 6,000 p/m for the room and then a 4,500 bill for electric. In 25 years I have never ever paid that much for a small room in Pattaya. I questioned the boss lady, she said "you use air con that why you pay too mut". IT'S NOT TRUE (I only used air con a few hours a day). In short, reading the meter is a waste of time as they can be tamperred with, that is what I suspect with my case.

I agree with the previous poster, cut your losses and move out. Then make sure your girl tells all her friends as well, steer clear of joints like that.

After I changed my apartment I used air con even more and only paid 1,100 so yeah for sure it is BS.

[Pattaya46]

Hi. Paying an overcharge on the price of electric units, like 6 or 10 baht, is very frequent in Thailand when you rent, and it's not a scam as you agree with this price when you sign your contract.

Here it's different, because it's the amount of units that seems wrong. No way you can use 500 unit/kWh in one month in an apartment, mainly if you don't use aircon!

How many unit did she really used? I mean what difference on the electric meter? You usually write the value of meters (electric & water) when you sign your contract and get the keys, everywhere in the world. Bad practice in some areas is to make pay the "tourist room" for the electric of several other rooms too (friends, family,...)

> What she can do?

She should make a complain at a main Police Station.

Police doesn't like this kind of scam and proved to be very helpful to solve many such problems.

[Bung]

All too common and they just keep doing it as they see she is a farang woman whom i assume speaks little or no thai. They scam her the intimidate her in the hope she will forfeit their deposit. Then they just do it all over again. The owners are a bunch of low lifes who need their comeuppance but little chance of that happening if she just does nothing which she most likely will. Do you think thais or even chinese tourists would accept it? No. But until people actually do something it will carry on. No good moaning about it on here is there?

[breaker]

All too common and they just keep doing it as they see she is a farang woman whom i assume speaks little or no thai.

No.

She is Thai girl, she speak perfect Thai.

I never thought that some Thais can cheat other Thais.

Actually, she paid 4905 baht after just 26 days of staying in this room (from 5 to 31 may).

Even less than one month.

545 kilowatt-hours in 26 days is equal to about 21 kilowatt-hours per day!

Edited June 7, 2015 by breaker

[chickenslegs]

My step daughter had a similar problem when she first moved into an apartment. I checked the meter and found that the manager was reading the number in full including the last figure, in red, which is tenths of a unit. Thus the bill was 10x too high (1,500B instead of 150B).

As far as I know, all the other apartments got correct bills - so I think the manager was trying it on. Of course we had to accept it as an honest mistake.

[joepattaya1961]

Breaker, your friend MUST demand a specified electric bill which includes the meter-number.

Besides that, the tennant has the right and must be allowed to check the meter any time.

If your friend has a rental-contract, there should be the electric-status mentioned incl. the meter-number.

Sounds a bit formal, but if one of the above fails......your friend has no leg to stand on. Even no, with this bill without number from electric meter the problem will persist.

Next time: DO NOT accept an electric bill with just an amount.

[balo]

All too common and they just keep doing it as they see she is a farang woman whom i assume speaks little or no thai.

No.

She is Thai girl, she speak perfect Thai.

I never thought that some Thais can cheat other Thais.

Actually, she paid 4905 baht after just 26 days of staying in this room (from 5 to 31 may).

Even less than one month.

545 kilowatt-hours in 26 days is equal to about 21 kilowatt-hours per day!

This is clearly a misread of the meter , demand to see the meter and call in the police if necessary . Even if it's 9 baht per unit (I would never live in such a place) , the bill should be something like 2000 baht with air con used every night.

[breaker]

Breaker, your friend MUST demand a specified electric bill which includes the meter-number.

Besides that, the tennant has the right and must be allowed to check the meter any time.

If your friend has a rental-contract, there should be the electric-status mentioned incl. the meter-number.

Sounds a bit formal, but if one of the above fails......your friend has no leg to stand on. Even no, with this bill without number from electric meter the problem will persist.

Next time: DO NOT accept an electric bill with just an amount.

After she talked with management, they wrote electric meter numbers. But I doubt that these numbers are correct.

Yes, it's very good idea ask to check electric meter (she not checked numbers because electric meters hidden from tenants).

Thank you for your advice.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Rimmer

[balo]

Looks like a scam to me , thanks for letting us know the name of the place .

[konying]

Breaker, again. Take the bill and evidence of payment and being locked out and go to OCPB in Chonburi.

But knowing Thai thinking, you wasting your time. She will pay or got you to pay and move on.

This is not uncommon , but rather common. Girls renting these rooms are bar girls who too scared and illiterate to take any action, so owners make money .

My neighbour, old witch, never returns deposit or fixes anything in the room.

If someone has more than 1 person, she charges them double, which is a nonsense, considering they rent room on yearly basis not a hotel and pay water and electric separately .

Edited June 7, 2015 by konying

[bartender100]

Most advise you would get if you researched renting a condo in Thailand would be check the electric rate first

[breaker]

Most advise you would get if you researched renting a condo in Thailand would be check the electric rate first

High electric rate (9 baht per kW-h) is not problem.

Problem in that they wrote wrong number of used electric units (545 kW-h in a 26 days).

She never used air-conditioner. So, she used much less than 545 kW-h.

[fforest1]

Your electric bill should be with no air around 4,5,6 maybe 700.

[Rimmer]

A post naming the establishment also a copy of the bill have been removed as this is against forum rules, it is also a criminal offence and can put a person in jail:

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