electricity theft / luz & fuerza

Jasper

Bronze
Jan 10, 2002
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my wife just returned to our restaurant a week or so ago after 6 months in montreal. we had the line from our meter to the main line in the back missing as though it were stolen. so we had no electricity. inspectors came along today and showed my wife photos that we had been stealing electricity. seems that a guy we had rented the restaurant to 2-3 years ago had played with the wiring on the roof. we had noticed that he changed 110's to 220's and had messed with the electricity box but we didn't think to look on the roof. and of course he left us with a telephone bill and electricity bill of over $1000 dollars before he left with 3 months of unpaid rent. we have been fined 80,000 pesos and have until wednesday to pay or my wife goes to jail. seems someone squealed. no doubt the same s.o.b. we rented the place to.

luz & fuerza doesn't give a crap about who did it. as owners, we're responsible and they won't discount the rate.

be forewarned: if you're knowingly stealing electricity you best fix it now. if you have rented out to somebody, then double check that connections are all perfectly legal.
 

Don Juan

Living Brain Donor
Dec 5, 2003
856
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Jasper, Terribly sorry about these awful things happening to you & your business.
It seems, often times, we pay dearly for trusting and thinking people have the same integrity many of us were taught to apply in our every-day dealings. Now the gov gets in your case? wow!
 

Jasper

Bronze
Jan 10, 2002
1,029
1
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Jasper, Terribly sorry about these awful things happening to you & your business.
It seems, often times, we pay dearly for trusting and thinking people have the same integrity many of us were taught to apply in our every-day dealings. Now the gov gets in your case? wow!

thanks. you live and learn. just trying to warn others so that they don't get burnt. i don't think that the govt is involved. luz y fuerza is a private electric company which gives good service. just a hell of alot to pay and very little warning.
 

Don Juan

Living Brain Donor
Dec 5, 2003
856
0
0
That's a lot of money!

Wow, 80,000 pesos translate to more than 2,300 dollars. How can they justify this Sum? I mean, wouldn't they have cut power after the second month of nonpayment? And what is this about your wife going to jail by Wednesday if you don't come up with the cash? Methinks they're trying to finagle/wheedle out of you, all these bucks. Are there any (yeah, right), honest lawyers, that can assist you? What has happened since?
 

Jasper

Bronze
Jan 10, 2002
1,029
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Wow, 80,000 pesos translate to more than 2,300 dollars. How can they justify this Sum? I mean, wouldn't they have cut power after the second month of nonpayment? And what is this about your wife going to jail by Wednesday if you don't come up with the cash? Methinks they're trying to finagle/wheedle out of you, all these bucks. Are there any (yeah, right), honest lawyers, that can assist you? What has happened since?

they started at +RD 200,000. how can they justify it? no idea. our restuarant has pretty much been closed for the last 6 years since we finished construction due to the arroyo barril-el catey airport saga. so there has been virtually little commercial use over those years. my biggest concern going forward is that they give us a new, rigged meter that cheats us. anybody know how to ensure we get a bonafide, fair meter?
 

Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
3,563
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...anybody know how to ensure we get a bonafide, fair meter?

Nope! get away from the grid, install you own independent energy source, say with an electric generator, connected to a windmill, solar cells, et al...
 

Jasper

Bronze
Jan 10, 2002
1,029
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Nope! get away from the grid, install you own independent energy source, say with an electric generator, connected to a windmill, solar cells, et al...

i think we'll do that long term once we build 2nd storey. short term will be to stay out of jail and get reconnected.