Msunduzi Municipality Electricity Rip-off (''Daylight'' Robbery)

[zaks987]

Hi guys, so unfortunately I have electricity woes. In June the municipality replaced our electricity meter saying that they are replacing the old ones with digital meters. Anyway, from the time they installed it, it's been increasing gradually. I normally pay like R900 to R1100 average. Now the bill is coming to R1700 to R1800. I went to speak to them about it, that how can the bill practically double over-night. Their reply was maybe this new meter is turning too fast or we consuming too much that's complete BS, we don't really use electricity unless needed. I mean wtf is wrong with these guys? If we don't pay the bill, our lights may get cut so how does this solve our issue. They gave us a number to contact the people installing these meters to come have a look, apparently ''Havelock Road'', which they say is a completely different department and enterprise from them. It all sounds kinda fishy and there could be fraud taking place here. I'm not sure if the people coming to take the reading are taking the correct digits or are they paid to give false information? I spoke to an official from the meter reading department and he was sullen and unresponsive about it. Did anyone have the same issue or currently pursuing one of the same nature? What can we do? I feel trapped in this dilemma.

 

[ProAsm]

Up here in Hilton we were used for a new Internet based water meter.
We all now have these fancy looking Internet meters which transfer data every hour to I think 8ta (wireless Internet)
These meters run at twice the speed of the old ones and there is nothing much you can do about it.
Fortunately the Hilton Rate Payers Association stepped in and had these meters scrapped.
So your best bet is to get hold of your Msunduzi Rate Payers Association and see what they can do for you.
Good luck

 

[Fudzy]

Can't you submit your readings yourself up in Pmb?

 

[Fudzy]

http://www.msunduzi.gov.za/site/meter-reading-submission

 

[ProAsm]

Can't you submit your readings yourself up in Pmb?

In my case that is how I submit my readings but in Zaks case where the meter reads junk, what reading do you submit

 

[Fudzy]

In my case that is how I submit my readings but in Zaks case where the meter reads junk, what reading do you submit

I don't think Zak takes his own readings, I could be mistaken. Either way, recording the measurements yourself will give evidence to dispute any differences.

 

[The_Mowgs]

I don't think Zak takes his own readings, I could be mistaken. Either way, recording the measurements yourself will give evidence to dispute any differences.

Even if Moses reads his meter it wont matter. He said that the meter is turning too fast. According to him it has nothing to do with the reading of the meter.

 

[Awesum]

Get an OWL energy meter so that you can monitor your energy usage. http://www.theowl.co.za/
It will also help you reduce your energy consumption.

 

[upup]

At one stage I took my readings daily. readings are normally by us 2 months old, so you are now busy with winter readings which might be higher than normal.

 

[ProAsm]

I do readings monthly and keep the Kw/hr's used for each month

2012 readings: Jan=841  Feb=860  Mar=903  Apr=1049 May=844  Jun=870
               Jul=1098 Aug=909  Sep=1066 Oct=805  Nov=814  Dec=1041

2013 readings: Jan=724  Feb=769  Mar=752  Apr=798  May=878  Jun=854
               Jul=892  Aug=893  Sep=830  Oct=858  Nov=768  Dec=797

2014 readings: Jan=877  Feb=747  Mar=782  Apr=810  May=793  Jun=763
               Jul=841  Aug=770  Sep=730  Oct=879  Nov=775  Dec=823

2015 readings: Jan=887  Feb=740  Mar=757  Apr=758  May=729  Jun=788
               Jul=818  Aug=750  Sep=755

 

[Fudzy]

I do readings monthly and keep the Kw/hr's used for each month

2012 readings: Jan=841  Feb=860  Mar=903  Apr=1049 May=844  Jun=870
               Jul=1098 Aug=909  Sep=1066 Oct=805  Nov=814  Dec=1041

2013 readings: Jan=724  Feb=769  Mar=752  Apr=798  May=878  Jun=854
               Jul=892  Aug=893  Sep=830  Oct=858  Nov=768  Dec=797

2014 readings: Jan=877  Feb=747  Mar=782  Apr=810  May=793  Jun=763
               Jul=841  Aug=770  Sep=730  Oct=879  Nov=775  Dec=823

2015 readings: Jan=887  Feb=740  Mar=757  Apr=758  May=729  Jun=788
               Jul=818  Aug=750  Sep=755

What happened in 2012?

 

[ProAsm]

In Jan 2013 I started switching off my geyser for 18 hours a day, also 2012 had a very cold winter, we even had snow here