[vharihar]

Originally Posted by ampere

Best alternative way to pay bill is to have an account in Bangalore One.
You can pay via credit card. Works very well.

Citibank had sent out a mail that some sub-sections would be active on their portal for bill payment.

For those having Citibank credit card:
Citibank cards online portal has an autopay feature for BESCOM, which is exactly what I want. But I'd like to set an upper limit too, and I wasn't able to find where/how to set an upper limit. Anyone knows how to set an upper limit in Citibank credit card online portal? (Upper limit meaning: Do not autopay if bill exceeds that limit)

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vharihar

For those having Citibank credit card:
Citibank cards online portal has an autopay feature for BESCOM, which is exactly what I want. But I'd like to set an upper limit too, and I wasn't able to find where/how to set an upper limit. Anyone knows how to set an upper limit in Citibank credit card online portal? (Upper limit meaning: Do not autopay if bill exceeds that limit)

That post for me was seven years back! Mechanisms may have changed and so have paradigms.

Most bills are auto-pay via bank with limits in place. Almost all banks support them now. BESCOM is one thing where somehow with regular billing I have had troubles. Paytm works much better for me in this regard.

[vharihar]

Originally Posted by ampere

That post for me was seven years back! Mechanisms may have changed and so have paradigms.

Most bills are auto-pay via bank with limits in place. Almost all banks support them now. BESCOM is one thing where somehow with regular billing I have had troubles. Paytm works much better for me in this regard.

I know it was many years ago. But I just checked today, and I couldn't find any way to set a limit, even though the FAQ talks about limits!

ICICI Bank has a way to pay one-off bills, but no way to *register* BESCOM as a regular autopay (what they call presentment mode) biller!

[aim120]

Originally Posted by NPV

On analysing the bill, I found that this is how the calculation has been made:
1.Bill Amount calculated based on Total units consumed from 1 March to 1 May (2 months)
2. Less amount paid in April (same as March bill)
3. Net Bill amount calculated based on No.2

This is not a fair way of calculation because unit charges are based on slabs, so in one billing cycle if you end up with units you usually consume in two months, you had it!!!

Ideally, they should have subtracted the number of units consumed in march since we paid the amount in April. Then, remaining units would be what should be billed for may bill.

Example : our bill is usually around Rs.1200 (very consistently over few years) but this time it has become Rs.2100 despite our usage being the same last month and paying Rs.1200.

@MuraliR, @NPV, @Storm2.0
I think you are confused, your bills will be more because you all are now in the house, more fans, AC, appliances etc

As far as the slabs check out the bill carefully, like you I thought the same.
On closer inspection, they have doubled each allotted slabs.
In bangalore the first slab normally is 30 units, 2nd slab is 70 units, 3rd slab is 100 units, 4th slab is 100 units.
Now for this months bill which is for the two months, the first slab is for 61 units, 2nd slab is for 142 units, third slab is for 200 units. So basically they have doubled the units for each slab, so you are paying the same.

[MuraliR]

^aim120 - Thanks, this is the same explanation/calculation Bescom also gave us.

[vharihar]

I don't buy that explanation. I have been working from home since past 8+ months. This recent employer-mandated WFH due to Covid, changes nothing for me. Yet my latest BESCOM bill is higher by atleast Rs 1500! It is exorbitant, definitely something is wrong.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by vharihar

I don't buy that explanation. I have been working from home since past 8+ months. This recent employer-mandated WFH due to Covid, changes nothing for me. Yet my latest BESCOM bill is higher by atleast Rs 1500! It is exorbitant, definitely something is wrong.

Log onto their excellent portal and check usage history. Mine is spot on over the last 6+ years.

Maybe some enterprising new WFH'er has tapped into your powerline.

[aim120]

Originally Posted by vharihar

I don't buy that explanation. I have been working from home since past 8+ months. This recent employer-mandated WFH due to Covid, changes nothing for me. Yet my latest BESCOM bill is higher by atleast Rs 1500! It is exorbitant, definitely something is wrong.

Did you factor in that it is summer your fridge and air conditioner compressor works harder, your ceiling fans will run more and probably at a faster speed.

[aim120]

So looks like BWSSB has not adjusted the slab proportional for two months. My bill due to this is more expensive by Rs500.

[raksrules]

I am Tata Power user in Mumbai and wanted to register on its website / app for my consumer number. I enter all the details and it always gives me this error..

User Request information verification failed.

Anyone know why this keeps coming? It asks for consumer# which when given populates the first and last name automatically. Then it asks for email address, phone number, password (twice) and then when i click "Register", I get the error.

[TorqueyTechie]

To avoid confusion, I pay off same amount as last bill or 2000rs (incase of no bill) for electricity which avoids confusion. And I have set this up through my SBI cc. For BWSSB I pay off through their portal which though is ancient but works.

[TorqueyTechie]

Seems like there was an issue with bill generation by Bescom. Company has admitted that over 900 bills have been erroneous.

More details in this TOI article.

[itwasntme]

Got this as a WA forward to help make sense of the BESCOM May bill. Looks like correct information.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by aim120

I think you are confused, your bills will be more because you all are now in the house, more fans, AC, appliances etc

As far as the slabs check out the bill carefully, like you I thought the same.
On closer inspection, they have doubled each allotted slabs.
In bangalore the first slab normally is 30 units, 2nd slab is 70 units, 3rd slab is 100 units, 4th slab is 100 units.

Yes, you were right, thanks!
I guess a lot of people in Bangalore were concerned about the bigger bills this month, and BESCOM has explained this in a notice in the newspapers today.

Source: Indian Express, Bangalore (17 May 2020)
Link

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by NPV

Yes, you were right, thanks!
I guess a lot of people in Bangalore were concerned about the bigger bills this month, and BESCOM has explained this in a notice in the newspapers today.

Source: Indian Express, Bangalore (17 May 2020)
Link

Thanks, very useful. People should put things into perspective. Most salaried folks have saved a ton of money by WFH and not going into office daily. For example, my daily commute cost is ~500 bucks in petrol cost only leave aside amortizing anything else.

I've absolutely no qualms in paying what BESCOM demand especially when the meter reading is correct!