By Chioma Obinagwam
Nigeria’s apex electricity regulator, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has warned that a landlord cannot enforce an outstanding electricity bill on a tenant.
Confiance News learnt from a tweet pinned by NERC on its official Twitter handle on Wednesday.
This is the outcome of a recent ruling by a judge on the matter.
“A Landlord’s outstanding electricity bills cannot be enforced on a tenant. A judge recently ruled that the bills of a previous tenant cannot be enforced on a new customer. Send us details if you are in such situations,” NERC’s Commissioner, Finance and Management Services, Nathan Shatti stated.
The electricity regulator further advised affected tenants to send details of their complaints to complaints@nerc.gov.ng .
Confiance News recalls that there have been a rise in incidents where landlords, particularly in Lagos State, mandate new tenants to offset outstanding electricty bills of previous tenants before they can move in or shortly after they have moved into these apartments.
Although feedbacks from the comment section of the NERC Twitter showed that some of the e-mails sent to the e-mail address provided above were neither acknowledged nor treated, the electricity regulator still maintained that affected persons should send their e-mails with evidence of payment.
A Landlord's outstanding electricity bills cannot be enforced on a tenant.
A judge recently ruled that the bills of a previous tenant cannot be enforced on a new customer.
Send us details if you are in such situations.
~Commissioner Nathan Shatti#NERCLive— NERC Nigeria (@NERCNG) September 16, 2020
Reacting to NERC’s tweet, Victoria Gbadamosi said, “I’m actually facing this problem as they want me to pay the outstanding bills of the previous tenant, which I refused . I requested for a prepaid meter, I was told I can’t get unless I pay the outstanding bills.
Replying to Gbadamosi, “Ma’am, kindly send a mail to complaints@nerc.gov.ng and ensure you attach a proof of payment. Thank you.”
Nigeria’s electricity sector has been adjudged one of the most corrupt in the country despite billions of naira injected into the sector and novel policies by the Federal Government to improve power supply and the experience of consumers in the country, the outcome is still an far cry from what is intended.
However, with the complaint mechanism in place, it is hoped that consumers would derive better experience.
