gabbasin:
You need to go see your landlord and sort out the arrears built in the meter, for every 1,000 naira you recharge, you will get token worth 400 naira. Which means you're paying for someone's debt. That's why it's advisable before moving into an apartment, you need to check if there's arrears built in the meter and sort it out with the landlord at once.

jmoore:

Landlord will tie a tenant with rope and force him to pay energy bill? I would like to know NERC stand on this issue.

T0CH:
@Op, confront your Landlord about your findings and hear what he has to say about it. Try to reach an agreement whereby whatever debt you pay should be subtract from your annual rent (even if it's 50% because he may not likely agree to a 100%).

As a word of advice for accomodation seekers; as part of background checks you'd normally do, try to normalize asking for the meter number from your prospective landlord and taking it to the nearest DISCO office for investigations to know if there are any outstanding bills. It would save you a whole lot of stress.

gaby:


It will favor us.....

Nopretence:
It can't be only you buying the unit,how many of you in the compound and how many meter is installed to the premises,maybe the landlord play fast one on you by asking the installer to put the primary meter to yours apartment,in which this meter is the one that accrued the debt

Kirchoffs:
Sister I don’t have refrigerator in my house and I also don’t use Pressing iron at all.

princeade86:
sorry to say, try to always reason when commenting on a post. So before landlord applied for prepaid meter, he will not know that there is debt on it or what? It happens to me in my apartment here in Lagos, when we wanted to collect prepaid meter, our landlady told us that she's not having any money to clear d debt on the post paid, that we should all pls pay, but we should deduct it from our next house payment which I think is the best way to address that kind issue. Some landlord or lady are so useless. Na so one useless landlord dey increase house rent yearly in my previous house. Very heartless set of people.

ceejay80s:

There's no way the former user can owe such amount on a prepaid meter, so I believe it's arrears from the whole compound or the former user had his own old meter and has been owing until Nepa brought the new meter, go to the market and buy 5watt bulb or even 3watts and change all the bulbs, put off Ur fridge once it's block, find out if some one has tapped Ur light , call an electrician to check and disconnect and trace the wire so U will know who put burden for Ur head

Kirchoffs:
The landlord is late and the children aren’t in Naija, while he was alive I was told he refused to pay any money on the meter. My guy was the one occupying the apartment previously before I stepped in. The house is in care of a lawyer

MrKingsv:
The reason why you pay that much is because your electricity region is under service band A (They enjoy minimum of 20hrs/day).

Your unit cost per Kilowatt is usually BTW 68.61 naira to 76.20 naira....This band is very expensive but you are guaranteed constant electricity....

Other persons may recharge similar amount like you did but would get more Units because their transformer may be sourcing power from other lower service bands (B -E). But then, they would not enjoy similar light availability/duration

Kirchoffs:
I stay alone in a room and parlor self contain here in Lagos , although we have constant light, I have been in this area for less than 2year and light is at least 23-24 hrs per day.

I use 7000 naira to buy Nepa units on the 28th June and it’s finished already today being 12th of July, note that I don’t use anything that draws power in my house .

UPDATE!!!!
Is not duty of both of you what you or landlord need to do is to write a letter of debt on the meter and they will trace previous user hand him/her to police

So I went to Nepa office today and I was told that there is a debt of 65k on the prepaid meter, each time I recharge Nepa takes off 60% from me for the debt settlement.

Now my question is, am I supposed to be paying a debt I don’t owe or is this the duty of the landlord.

Kirchoffs:
To be factual, I had always known something was wrong but didn’t always go and make any complaints cos am always busy. Also the light bill was always sorted out by my guy until he traveled out early this year. He told me landlord refused to pay anything on the meter while he was alaive

Kirchoffs:
I stay alone in a room and parlor self contain here in Lagos , although we have constant light, I have been in this area for less than 2year and light is at least 23-24 hrs per day.

I use 7000 naira to buy Nepa units on the 28th June and it’s finished already today being 12th of July, note that I don’t use anything that draws power in my house .

UPDATE!!!!

So I went to Nepa office today and I was told that there is a debt of 65k on the prepaid meter, each time I recharge Nepa takes off 60% from me for the debt settlement.

Now my question is, am I supposed to be paying a debt I don’t owe or is this the duty of the landlord.

Kirchoffs:
My brother I don’t even have fridge , all the appliances I have here is just 2 fans and one television with 4 bulbs. I have called electricians and they told me no one is tapping my light

Psady:
pls is this prepaid metre just installed or how long have u been using it? because if it has been installed for long it means u've been paying off the debt for that long without knowing , meaning the actual debt was above 65k .

ceejay80s:

Something is wrong some where , the remaining balance after they have removed their arrears should take U 1 month,
I don't trust the electricians, call another electrician from a far Street who doesn't know anybody in Ur street, U never can tell, the electrician U called did it for them and will lie to U , somebody is using that light with U,
On U prepaid receipt after U buy , how many unit is remaining, calculate it to Ur appliances, just do the maths and U know how many days it should last

Kirchoffs:
I stay alone in a room and parlor self contain here in Lagos , although we have constant light, I have been in this area for less than 2year and light is at least 23-24 hrs per day.

I use 7000 naira to buy Nepa units on the 28th June and it’s finished already today being 12th of July, note that I don’t use anything that draws power in my house .

UPDATE!!!!

So I went to Nepa office today and I was told that there is a debt of 65k on the prepaid meter, each time I recharge Nepa takes off 60% from me for the debt settlement.

Now my question is, am I supposed to be paying a debt I don’t owe or is this the duty of the landlord.

jmoore:
I am serious. Some tenants are stubborn, some of them pack out without completing their rent.

Kirchoffs:
I stay alone in a room and parlor self contain here in Lagos , although we have constant light, I have been in this area for less than 2year and light is at least 23-24 hrs per day.

I use 7000 naira to buy Nepa units on the 28th June and it’s finished already today being 12th of July, note that I don’t use anything that draws power in my house .

UPDATE!!!!

So I went to Nepa office today and I was told that there is a debt of 65k on the prepaid meter, each time I recharge Nepa takes off 60% from me for the debt settlement.

Now my question is, am I supposed to be paying a debt I don’t owe or is this the duty of the landlord.

Mummiesboy:
oza doh

jmoore:

You didn't state how many kwh units you bought.
7,000 naira worth of electricity won't finish quickly with those appliances you listed. Someone is probably tapping electricity from your apartment/meter.

baaliyah:


If PHCN takes 60 percent to service your debt, that leaves you with 40 percent which is N2800.
You mean 2800 is too much for almost two weeks of regular power supply.

Kirchoffs:
I stay alone in a room and parlor self contain here in Lagos , although we have constant light, I have been in this area for less than 2year and light is at least 23-24 hrs per day.

I use 7000 naira to buy Nepa units on the 28th June and it’s finished already today being 12th of July, note that I don’t use anything that draws power in my house .

UPDATE!!!!

So I went to Nepa office today and I was told that there is a debt of 65k on the prepaid meter, each time I recharge Nepa takes off 60% from me for the debt settlement.

Now my question is, am I supposed to be paying a debt I don’t owe or is this the duty of the landlord.

PaulH07:


Abeg no vex oh, but I'll like to know which part of Lagos you dey see that 23-24hrs light.

Make I love there abeg. I no go even mind dey spend 20k on light per month sef...

Klass99:


How long did you expect 7k worth of power units to last with 23-24 hours of regular power supply? Do you not iron your clothes as well? Ironing draws power too. Look at the value you get from constant power supply and don't stress so much about the cost.

Not to rain on your parade but 28th June to 12th July is exactly 15 days, 7k power for 15 days is not bad at all if you ask me. I am trying to monitor my power consumption to ascertain how many units 10 to 20k provides and how long it lasts based on my usage. I haven't figured it out properly yet but I am getting there. I loaded 10k on the 29th of June and today the 13th of July my meter is blinking red and indicating I am low on units.

I'm guessing I may need 20 to 25 or 30k worth of units to conveniently take me through a whole month because I like to use AC and I don't mind the cost because my quality of life tremendously improved when I moved to my current location. I remember being so stressed and frustrated at a previous accomodation that I would sit back at the office after work hours, dreading going home because I knew I was going back to darkness and no water. Without power water couldn't be pumped and that was a constant occurence at that accommodation, as tenants we banded together to find a solution.......but mehn those are not days I want to ever go back to.

This money we stress and worry about will not follow us to the grave so my practice in life is to spend it on the things that add value to me and bring joy into my heart. If you are getting value for your money close your eyes and enjoy that value/benefit. And one more thing it helps when you buy units and load your meter with a bulk sum like 15k as against 7k. If you can, don't break it up into small bits. I understand things are rough now and we may need to spread money out to meet other needs, but we can decide what matters and what to prioritize.

Modified to add: I see that you've fundamentally changed your original post to a different story now. Your landlord will argue that you are the one benefitting from the power/electricity so you should bear the cost. That's how most of them think and operate.

Assetosky:



Do people with meter enjoy light without first buying it? How did they owe when you must pay before seeing light

Childfree:


I had same issue.
Landlord refused.
What would you do?
He knows you must use light hence you would go and recharge. PHCN would remove it wether you like it or not.