City power swapped meter...now what?

[Belix]

City power sent a contractor round to swap the old meter out with a new one.
No notification of any kind of course, guy just appears.
Contractor leaves a city power card, and buggers off, has no idea what happens now, he thinks it's prepaid, but is not sure.

Called up city power, no-one knows anything. Went round to municipal office, they say just to buy prepaid at any shop. Helpful.

I've never used prepaid before, like Manuel, I know nothing...

The 3 phase meter (model HXE310-P) looks to be made by a company called Hexing it that helps anything.
I can't see any pad for entering any voucher number.
Can't see how I see what the credit balance is either.

So far the house still has power, but when it comes to city power, I prefer to be proactive, as I fully expect the power to just stop at some random point in the near future.

Anyone know where I go from here?

 

[T-Man]

You should have received a keypad that you plug into a wall socket - also a card with your meter number on it.
If you were on post-paid before you will still be now. The meter scrolls through a whole lot of numbers, current usage, total usage, meter number , time and date etc.
Your biggest challenge is going to be that they (you) took proper note of the last reading on the old meter.

 

[Belix]

Thanks.
No keypad provided.
Hope it's still post paid then.
I got a photo of the meter reading before they took them out at least.

 

[The Trutherizer]

If it's prepaid there will be a pad to enter the code. Surely.

 

[isie]

City power sent a contractor round to swap the old meter out with a new one.
No notification of any kind of course, guy just appears.
Contractor leaves a city power card, and buggers off, has no idea what happens now, he thinks it's prepaid, but is not sure.

Called up city power, no-one knows anything. Went round to municipal office, they say just to buy prepaid at any shop. Helpful.

I've never used prepaid before, like Manuel, I know nothing...

The 3 phase meter (model HXE310-P) looks to be made by a company called Hexing it that helps anything.
I can't see any pad for entering any voucher number.
Can't see how I see what the credit balance is either.

So far the house still has power, but when it comes to city power, I prefer to be proactive, as I fully expect the power to just stop at some random point in the near future.

Anyone know where I go from here?

They basically gave you a meter that can be converted to prepaid. You are still on post paid
So on your end just hope they noted the old readings correctly and made note of the meter change.

They might offer to convert you to prepaid sooner or later

 

[deweyzeph]

It actually benefits you if they didn't make a note of the old meter reading as they'll have no choice but to start you from zero. The burden of proof is on the city to prove that your meter reading is correct, not on you.

 

[C4Cat]

Do you have electricity? Did you get a card?

 

[Enzo Matrix]

It actually benefits you if they didn't make a note of the old meter reading as they'll have no choice but to start you from zero. The burden of proof is on the city to prove that your meter reading is correct, not on you.

Geezuz in which wonderland utopia do you live. It is ALWAYS up to the customers to sort sht like this out if there is any sort of billing issue

 

[deweyzeph]

Geezuz in which wonderland utopia do you live. It is ALWAYS up to the customers to sort sht like this out if there is any sort of billing issue

Nope, there was an important court case dealing with this:

https://businesstech.co.za/news/fin...eed-to-know-about-your-water-and-lights-bill/

It is not the duty of the consumer to read meters and determine their actual consumption. As a result a consumer will not be considered to have acknowledged a debt when the municipality has failed to provide details.

 

[Belix]

Do you have electricity? Did you get a card?

Electricity has stayed on thus far! Yes they left a city power card

 

[PsyWulf]

Nope, there was an important court case dealing with this:

https://businesstech.co.za/news/fin...eed-to-know-about-your-water-and-lights-bill/

Eh, older than 3years readings,cool story there

3years of estimates to actual is a big window

 

[isie]

Nope, there was an important court case dealing with this:

https://businesstech.co.za/news/fin...eed-to-know-about-your-water-and-lights-bill/

this article has nothing to do with them changing the meter , trust me i have seen this happen plenty of times.
they change the meter , then the meter reader comes notes the reading (not noting a change of meter) , and the system cannot calculate they charge you as if the meter goes all the way round, then you sit and fight and all they say is you need to pay while your case is being reviewed then , finally the log from the contractor comes that the meter was changed and wow they pass the credit, and no apology for their **** up.

 

[deweyzeph]

this article has nothing to do with them changing the meter , trust me i have seen this happen plenty of times.
they change the meter , then the meter reader comes notes the reading (not noting a change of meter) , and the system cannot calculate they charge you as if the meter goes all the way round, then you sit and fight and all they say is you need to pay while your case is being reviewed then , finally the log from the contractor comes that the meter was changed and wow they pass the credit, and no apology for their **** up.

This doesn't happen in Cape Town. I have a constant problem with the water meter readers in my area reading my neighbours' water meters on either side of me and then attributing that reading to me. My one neighbour's meter is almost a thousand kiloliters behind my meter, and the other neighbour's meter is almost a thousand kiloliters ahead of my meter. In both cases when the wrong meter reading is read by the meter readers (whether behind or ahead) the system rejects the reading and instead issues an estimated reading based on the average of my last 3 month's readings.

 

[RedViking]

Maybe try to convert to prepaid? So much better and you don't rely on the municipality to get it right.

 

[T-Man]

In JHB going pre-paid lost one of the benefits since yesterday. They're now charging a R200/month/ex vat municipal fee extra.

 

[Lupus]

In JHB going pre-paid lost one of the benefits since yesterday. They're now charging a R200/month/ex vat municipal fee extra.

Still works out to R290 less then postpaid. Remember post paid still has R540 extra added before you've used any electricity.

 

[isie]

Still works out to R290 less then postpaid. Remember post paid still has R540 extra added before you've used any electricity.

and no estimates on prepaid and you can work the pre paid system to your advantage buying more in summer to cover higher winter usage

 

[Belix]

This has been a complete mess.
so:
month 1 - estimate: 2 x normal bill. City of JHB - just pay, it gets reversed when actuals read. we paid
month 2 - estimate: again 3 x normal bill. City of JHB. Just pay, it will be fixed. we paid
month 3 - Actual reading! Except the idiot can't see where the comma goes. 21805 kWh instead 2180.5. Invoice is 10x usual amount. Went to randburg City of JHB offices - severely bored lady says meter readers don't make mistakes. Your photos are fake. Go away. Usual f-off attitude at the Randburg offices.
month 4 - estimates again, but now based on the "actual" meter reading. again 10x actual readings.
The bill now stands at over R60K, with CIty of JHB threatening to shut off services.

Want to go prepaid asap, but CIty of JHB state any credits left on the postpaid account are not refunded.

Emails to estimations@citypower.co.za are delayed then bounce undelivered
Emails to 'wmcqueries@citypower.co.za' are delayed then bounce undelivered
Tried calling 086 056 2874. Got passed around and cut off numerous times.

How the stuff do you get this sorted out?

 

[isie]

This has been a complete mess.
so:
month 1 - estimate: 2 x normal bill. City of JHB - just pay, it gets reversed when actuals read. we paid
month 2 - estimate: again 3 x normal bill. City of JHB. Just pay, it will be fixed. we paid
month 3 - Actual reading! Except the idiot can't see where the comma goes. 21805 kWh instead 2180.5. Invoice is 10x usual amount. Went to randburg City of JHB offices - severely bored lady says meter readers don't make mistakes. Your photos are fake. Go away. Usual f-off attitude at the Randburg offices.
month 4 - estimates again, but now based on the "actual" meter reading. again 10x actual readings.
The bill now stands at over R60K, with CIty of JHB threatening to shut off services.

Want to go prepaid asap, but CIty of JHB state any credits left on the postpaid account are not refunded.

Emails to estimations@citypower.co.za are delayed then bounce undelivered
Emails to 'wmcqueries@citypower.co.za' are delayed then bounce undelivered
Tried calling 086 056 2874. Got passed around and cut off numerous times.

How the stuff do you get this sorted out?

Contact the COJ ombudsman
010 2888 2800
complaints@joburgombudsman.org.za

just a warning they have a crap load of forms to fill out and you need to attach all proof and advise what you did and as much detail as is possible etc (and the query must be over 30 days - yours is like 4 months already).

They say it takes 21 days to resolve but they sorted my query in a few days (i had a almost 3 year long issue so had loads of attachments to send ) and got me a refund as well.

 

[itareanlnotani]

This doesn't happen in Cape Town. I have a constant problem with the water meter readers in my area reading my neighbours' water meters on either side of me and then attributing that reading to me. My one neighbour's meter is almost a thousand kiloliters behind my meter, and the other neighbour's meter is almost a thousand kiloliters ahead of my meter. In both cases when the wrong meter reading is read by the meter readers (whether behind or ahead) the system rejects the reading and instead issues an estimated reading based on the average of my last 3 month's readings.

Easy enough to solve.

Label all 3.