Sesco tightens power-supply rules

The Star 31/10/2006

KUCHING: Property owners or tenants who have just moved into their premises must open an electricity account under their own name with Syarikat Sesco Bhd for power supply to be connected.

Sesco said it was tightening its procedures and would no longer connect or reconnect power supply to any premises unless the account was registered by the rightful owner.

“Evidence of ownership shall be in the form of a sale-and-purchase agreement or land title. Should the existing account name for the premises differ from the S&P or land title, a change of name must be effected,” it said in a statement.

A grace period of 14 days will be given to new owners to register an account with Sesco, failing which electricity supply will be subject to disconnection because the contract of supply was with the previous owner.

For rented premises, Sesco advised the owners to make a change of name in the account to that of the tenant.

“Otherwise it will be the responsibility of the owner to ensure the account is in order since it remains under his name,” it said.

The company also reminded consumers who sell their property or terminate their tenancy to immediately close their electricity account.

The tightened procedures came following the outcome of a consumer claims tribunal case brought by one Chai Kun Seng against Sesco recently.

Chai claimed RM9,045 from Sesco which he paid in outstanding arrears for a house he had bought in an auction although the bill was not incurred by him.

It transpired that the electricity account for the house was still registered under the name of its previous owner, one N.P. Ting.

When Chai resold the property, he paid the outstanding account as he was required to get electricity supply reconnected under his sale-and-purchase agreement.

Tribunal president Rungit Singh ordered Sesco to refund the amount to Chai and advised that the electricity account for the house should be changed to that of the new owner.

Sesco said the amount claimed by Chai would be charged back to Ting, who did not terminate his account when he sold the house.