The electricity distribution company had disconnected their light sometime last year for owing two months of unpaid bills. While some tenants refused to pay their light bill to settle the debt of two months, some had solar and never bothered. The debt kept accumulating even when they had been disconnected.
In six months, they were owing almost half a million.
Now this is where it got so messy.
Now this is where it got so messy.
You disconnected a building over two months of unpaid bills and were still billing them for up to six months even while they had no power in the building. Does that even make sense? It goes to show that aside from those on the prepaid meter system that purchase power by units, what normal meter residences receive as bills are actually estimated and often inflated figures. How do you explain billing a residence for four months without light? It shows how bad the system in Nigeria is.
The landlord got to know about the unpaid debt and convened a meeting with his tenants. He assured them that every single kobo they are owing, they will pay for it. They thought he was bluffing. He settled the debt and the light was reconnected.
The landlord got to know about the unpaid debt and convened a meeting with his tenants. He assured them that every single kobo they are owing, they will pay for it. They thought he was bluffing. He settled the debt and the light was reconnected.
He has now pushed for a prepaid meter. As they were renewing their rent this year, the landlord has been deducting the money he spent on the light from each of them in their rent. When he deducts, his lawyer issues a receipt showing the number of months the remaining balance covers.
The ones who are yet to pay, upon hearing about the deduction, threatened to pack out rather than pay for what they didn't use.
The ones who are yet to pay, upon hearing about the deduction, threatened to pack out rather than pay for what they didn't use.
On hearing that, the landlord sent a message across that he has no problem with anyone who chooses to pack out, but they will pay to the last kobo before moving their properties out of the building. That was how he defeated them all.
When I heard all of this, I was so pissed that I began to wonder what kind of country we are in. From the citizens to the leaders.
In developed countries, people are billed for what they use. If Nigeria must get better, every institution, sector, and agency must work effectively.
In modern times like this, we should be talking about every Nigerian using a prepaid meter. It would save the power companies so much stress from the fuel and energy they expend going around streets to disconnect power monthly, but then, because of the corruption and the profit they make from exploiting with the use of the old meter system, they wouldn't want it to be phased out completely.
In modern times like this, we should be talking about every Nigerian using a prepaid meter. It would save the power companies so much stress from the fuel and energy they expend going around streets to disconnect power monthly, but then, because of the corruption and the profit they make from exploiting with the use of the old meter system, they wouldn't want it to be phased out completely.
It is more complicated than this Teejay. There are people who bypass their meters and still have light even when they are cut off.
ReplyDeleteNigeria is a complex country and most things that people suggest online are too simplistic for solving its problems.
I live in Ghana and I use prepaid a meter. While I was away for 3months, I kept reloading my meter via the power companies mobile app with my balance in view. Nigeria can do better o. I visited lagos last Xmas and my folks kept complaining about some band A abi na band B ....why??
ReplyDeleteIn England they used to do that prepaid thing, not sure if they still do it.
Delete@In developed countries, people are billed for what they use - you hear am or you don live for any developed country before? Oshi - it is people like you that live in face-me I-slap you houses in those remote parts of PH who bypass metres and dont pay for electricity consumed. Most Nigerian cities condemn govt and its officials but they are no better. Who are the people doing the fake medications, fake drinks, adulterated food and fruits, bypassing metres etc?
ReplyDeleteAnon 14:07 so what is your point exactly, because I’m trying to understand why you are insulting Tee-Jay here.. why not take the message and leave the messenger..
DeleteAnon 14:07, I guess you're the anon always insulting Teejay, because I don't see what warrants insults in his story, na so you hate am reach? sofri abeg.
Delete@Teejay...This story brings back memories from when I lived in Lagos.We lived with our landlord in the first apartment we rented,na so bill go show,landlord would show us the amount and blatantly refuse to pay.
ReplyDeleteHe would tell us tenants to share it amongst ourselves,if we don't pay on time and Nepa cuts our line,you dare not put on the gen o,landlord would come and disconnect the gen and cut wire if you prove stubborn.Na so we dey help landlord pay him bill every month.Made me vow never to live with owner of property again.
We moved out after some years.We were enjoying a landlord free house until Nepa bill came out the first month and Boom!!! We were owing Nepa bill almost 200k...Ahn,ahn,shebi landlord said he was previously living there and he wasn't owing any bill before he moved out to his new house na,wetin come bring bill?
Now this is were I educate some of us that don't know about how Nepa operates.Landlord was on estimated billing,he moved out of the apartment for over a year and wasn't in a rush to rent the place out,He told Nepa officials to disconnect the wire as he wasn't around to make use of their light.
Well they disconnected and nobody ever told him to go to Nepa office and officially write to them so the estimated bill would stop reading.Na so we inherit Nepa bill o.
Please if you aren't ready to reconnect your light for at list two months after Nepa disconnects,kindly go to their office and write it officially.When we newly moved to Abuja,we had to travel out of Abuja for about 4 months(we were on estimated billing then).I went to Nepa office and asked what to do,they asked us to write an official letter stating the months and submit.Trust me it worked,the day we told them we were leaving they came and disconnected and they reconnected after we returned back.
All rental units should have their own individual meters. If ppl are bypassing everyone else will pay for that stolen electricity.
ReplyDelete