Electricty

[fmm]

For the past 4 years I have paid my bills every month, never missed one, always given the reading when the lawyers have requested it (they deal directly with the electricity company). Yesterday I emailed the lawyers with my water and electric reading (they had not asked for the electric but it is usually due around now, so I sent it over anyway). I received this from the lawyer:

"Just to let you know, that received a letter from the electricity company saying that they need to have acess to your property to check the meter.
Do you have any person on the apartment at the moment or you come to Portugal in the few next days? They want to go to apartment as soon as possible otherwise they will cut the electricity."

Now, I have asked them to let me know why exactly I am going to be cut off in a few days if I do not let them have access to my property. As I said, I have not missed paying any bills and have always given them readings promptly. This is the first time anyone has mentioned having access to the property and I have friends staying there currently, who do not want to spend an entire day of their holiday waiting for the electricty company to turn up.

Can the electricity company legally cut off my electricity despite my not owing them any money?

I can arrange for Maz to be there, but at the moment no one seems willing to give me a time and approximate date for this visit. I am getting pretty cross and wondered if anyone has any idea what this is all about!

Thanks in advance for your help/comments.

[steve]

Unfortunately the EDP do not know for sure that you do not owe them money because they have not read your meter for some time. Your readings are no doubt accurate but they need to confirm this.

I imagine that they have a policy which says that there must be an EDP reading every so many months. EDP visit my house at least twice a year to take readings.

Whatever the rights of the situation the utility suppliers seem to be a law unto themselves here.

[fmm]

Ahh - so probably nothing sinister then. I am just a little peeved that they can say they are going to cut me off with virtually no warning. Last year they ended up owing me loads of money at the end of the year, the year before I owed them a fortune at the end of the year. I expect it will be back to me owing them a fortune this year as a lot of friends have been over and not been as careful with the aircon as I am!

[Michael Crane]

Perhaps they think you might have your own meter! As an apprentice plumber and heating engineer back in the Dark Ages some of my workmates used to sell old gas and electric meters to their mates who would then replace the official ones with their own for a week or two each month!

[fmm]

The first year was very high on electric as one of my "friends" turned on the switch that said solar panel which sent the clock rotating at the speed of light. Took a month or two before I realised that it had been switched down and found out who had done it. The solar panel does not work and simply drains electricity from the meter. maybe they wonder why the bills last year were so reduced.

oh well - waiting for lawyer to get back to me so that we can sort out a date and time for the meter reading.

[Farol]

Is your meter actually inside your property? On newer builds most seem to be outside so that access to your garden might be sufficient.

[fmm]

it is inside the property in the hall way. It is about 25 years old.

[SPARKY TIM]

In the UK the supply company ( gas & electrical) have to inspect your meter once a year and have the authority to forcibly enter the premises if refused.

[fmm]

I have no intention of refusing. I was merely irritated that I first received notification at 3pm today that they want to visit and if they don't come within the next few days they will cut of my electricity. That is hardly conducive to maintaining a good relationship with their customers!

[ceh]

I had the same request from my Solicitor and Ive given her the number of the person who holds the keys.'

[steve]

Unfortunately customer service is still an emerging concept in Portugal across many areas of business and in particular in the public and utilities sectors.

[Polli62]

We had the same problem a few years ago but it was with the water meter, the guy who came to read it couldn't be bothered just to slide the door covering the hole where the water meter was, he left a card saying he couldn't read the meter and if they didn't get a reading within 1 month they would cut our water off. Since that fiasco my hubby as taken the door off so it didn't cause future problems, but what bugs me is it isn't rocket science to slide a door open, it was obviously beyond the water readers brain how he needed to open it.

[ceh]

Having made arrangements with the Solicitor and key holder, the latter waited all morning for the electricity company who never turned up. Apparently, they'd gone to another address. They are still threatening to disconnect the supply.