₦airaland Forum

Yes, it's very very helpful. Thank you.

Hello. Good evening.

Please, I need advice so I don't take rash decisions.

Okay, I moved into this house in 2021, and one problem we had was excessive consumption of electricity. There are 3flats in my compound, 1bedroom each. Then there's the gate house (1room self-contained), which is also being paid for by the caretaker. And there's a carwash out front. The first flat was housing workers who worked in a restaurant just opposite the house and they only used sockets, there was nothing asides 2mattresses, and a few bags) in the house as I once entered there when there was a plumbing issue and the caretaker kept the spare keys with me).
The other flat is a guy who does 9-5 who was around mostly at night with a TV and small fridge...i am the only one with an AC, a small fridge, a sound system, my TV, even till date is still packed, I never installed it in this house because I don't even have the time to view it. The only thing we all had in common were socket extensions, bulbs (energy saving) and fans.

When I moved in, we each used to contribute 1k, then tariff increased last year July, we started paying 1,500. So, this consumption went on for several months and I was told by older tenants that the pumping machine is a big one and the car wash uses the water being pumped from the compound. I approached the care taker and told him I can't be personally spending 2k a week in a compound with very few appliances. With the fact that I stopped using my AC. I noticed that we'd pump water sometimes 4-6times a day. The caretaker said that the money being realised from the carwash is what we use in servicing and fueling the generator when there's no light as well as vegetation control in the compound. Everyone kicked against it. They had to disconnect the carwash so we can service our utilities and environs ourselves. Which they did and with each person paying just 1k, our light lasted us 2months or more. Depending on the usage and supply of power.

Then this year, this new neighbour moved in. A couple with a kid. We started paying 2k each so we'd have a longer span before we'd need to recharge again. They used to send their contribution to me to buy since I'm usually mostly the one at home (I work remotely). But sometimes, we just buy light individually especially when I'm not around much. And since July, I haven't been around much.

Things were normal until they moved in all their belongings... suddenly 8k light that spills to 3months started finishing in 4-5days...

On the 2nd of December, I travelled to Lagos, aunty called me on the 8th, to tell me that everyone is contributing to her now. I send my own contribution because my younger brother was at my place then...i returned on the 21st, by 23rd, unit finished, my brother went to tell her and she said ok. She bought another one and I wondered why we're loading it in bits, but I didn't say anything. As long as there was light. Then I returned I left on 25th, I returned on 28th, by 31st, afternoon, there was no light. My brother went to meet her and she told him that we had exhausted everything. I went to her later that evening when I woke up, and she said that it even finished on the 21st, that she had to buy from her purse, then it finished on 27th again and she used her money...everyone came out and we talked, my aunty said that the meter must be faulty, that she only uses her tall fridge, that they seldom iron clothes, and TV, that's all. By my neighbour said he has seen a double burner electric stove and that he's aware that they iron a lot because her husband once hailed him for taking his clothes to the drycleaners every week, that he does all his drycleaning at home. Oga came out too and denied it, that the meter is an old meter and is most likely faulty. (Mind you, we only pump water once in 3-4days, because the water doesn't finish quickly). And this issue has been going on since October, they moved in September.

Last Thursday, before I went to see my family, we recharged 8k again o. Meanwhile, the other guy came back on Monday, I came in today being Wednesday (making 6days), My neighbour just told me that the woman told him this morning that she doesn't know if the unit will last till night time...we didn't have this problem until she became in charge of the contributions and I said it's either someone is heavily using electricity or someone is playing foul and madam dey carry nose for me...

Please, does a faulty meter use up units that are not used in the house? Because I remember back then when they started distributing prepaid newly, my family house had 2 because we had 2 phases...one was faulty and we never used it until NEPA came to retrieve it several years later and the units that was loaded in it remained the same until it was retrieved. So please, can a faulty meter cause this? Is it possible? Thank you!

Agboriotejoye:
Sorry to quote you.
Unfortunately, you're a prime example of a good citizen in a bad country.
Now calculate how much you've spent buying fuel and how much you could have used to bribe the NEPA official and you immediately look stupid.
Let me tell you, I have this same issue in my compound. If you investigate, you'll find that the debt put on the PPM is bogus and not the fault of either the landlord or the former tenant. I have a friend who fell victim of such too. He just woke up one morning to find 97k on his PPM. After extensive investigation and back and forth with NEPA guys, it was found that the debt was put on his PPM "by mistake". Oya reverse it, mba. NEPA (AEDC) hibernate. He had to bribe one of them to bypass him so he could get light after three weeks of running gen.
A guy on the first page made a very comical comment on your holy holy. He ain't wrong.
My suggestion is if you can get NERC to look at it or CPC you will end up paying nothing. But if not, simply bribe the NEPA dude and move on. Cause getting a lawyer will almost cost you same as that bill on the PPM itself. Even our God knows we're in a hell hole and have to do all we can to get by. You're not the problem. Nigeria is.