has anyone encountered this issue?

my previous tenant left the premise with rm30k electricity outstanding and now TNB doesn't allow my new tenant to register a new account for the premise because of this.

they said despite the outstanding was incurred under the previous tenant's name, tnb will not supply or allow new registration because in their records, the outstanding is tied to the property.

is this how tnb has being doing things?

Get a lawyer

Commercial lot?

So ngam 30k was the amount which the recent commerrcial lot was lease to some dodgy people mining BITCOIN,...

Must be yours issit?..

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/07/...urrency-outlets

Maybe they want you to settle the bill ah, damn that's big amount

i think you can appeal. it is just a block and should be able to appeal on a case by case basis. it is true it is tied to the property but since it has the tenant's name it is less complicated. did you ask them what next to escalate the resolution?

TNB contracts are tag to the property and NEVER to an individual just like Syabas, Assessment and Quit Rent.

Most landlord have the misconception that the tenant is responsible for the bill when the contract is in the tenant's name. If that is the case, landlord can always create FAKE agreement and do illegal activity in his premise. Once bill reached the sky without paying, just open another account.

Same like assessment, the majlis will seize the assets in the property with outstanding bills irrespective if the asset belongs to the tenant or owner. They cannot be going around msia looking for the owner ! The action will prompt the owner to settle the bill.

So, if you want reconnection, someone has to settle the outstanding bill first or appeal to pay instalment.

Get it done so you can start collecting rental. Have the account in your name for minitoring and you instruct for disconnection if there is unpaid bills. You cant do it if is in tenant's name.

This post has been edited by mini orchard: Jul 11 2020, 08:53 AM

Many tenants have been renting shoplot units for mining.
And irresponsible landlord just leeching the rent but not doing monitoring.

Ended up TNB becoming more strict to everyone.

This is TNB SOP for long time.

Someone got to pay.

This post has been edited by mini orchard: Jul 11 2020, 07:49 AM

Thanks for sharing. Now I know

No choice but to pay lah.. already use, where can hide anymore.

You better hire ah long go pukul your previous tenant and extract money from him.

This is not TNB's fault

Thanks for sharing, thus landlord should understand their responsibilities before rent out their unit, no more innocent landlord !

Nothing much u can do except to pay TNB.

TNB like this, even if you complaint to them that the tenant is not paying and asking them to cut elec, they dont care cause they can always find the landlord. so nothing you can do much except paying

But TS followed what tnb suggestion that get the tenant to register and not under his name. And end up the tenant did not pay but tnb still chased him

Same as speeding summon caught on camera, even if the owner let his friend drive unless if have proof.

yupe, tnb always chase the landlord cause its easy target. the only adv to put under tenant name is at least there is a deposit to cover.

I think TNB is not chasing TS to pay the bill, just not allow anyone open new account using same unit address. Else same case might repeat again.

Yeah, either friend pay or owner pay it.

I wonder if telco companies also do this. Your tenant moved out with unpaid home internet bills and you cannot get new line for this address?

Deposit paid to tnb or landlord is no different. Infact landlord can collect higher deposit compare to tnb.

Normally telco bills are not high and they do auto disconnection after 1 month for unpaid bills. So owner can afford to pay to start collecting rental.

Question is, does the owner need to settle the arrears before the same telco allows a new registration?
Usually when tenant moves out, the landlord only checks water and electricity bills.

They can implement tnb rule, but I havent heard of it.

Tnb is common as the debt is high.

Many landlord fails to monitor on a regular basis and a big shock awaits them at the end of tenancy.

This post has been edited by mini orchard: Jul 11 2020, 10:00 AM

That's why i think it's a bit unfair for TNB to penalise owner for arrears under the account of tenants.
Usage >> deposit, potong lah.

Imagine you run a cybercafe and your landlord keeps pestering you about your electricity usage and whether you're paying on time - when the account is under your name.

1. Landlord can also be tenant by having a 'fake' tenancy agreement. Tnb action is also to prevent fraud.


2. All usage and payment on any property can be monitored using their tnb apps.

This post has been edited by mini orchard: Jul 11 2020, 10:15 AM

TNB allows the owner to change the account to tenant's name but this is a false sense of security.

If tenant doesn't pay TNB does not chase owner to pay the bill but refuse to re-connect supply to the property so what is owner to do?

No difference from requiring owner to pay.

Edit

This post has been edited by adamhzm90: Jul 11 2020, 10:36 AM

Technically tnb not chasing him.
Just not allowing him to register another tenant.
Which as others have said make total sense.
Since if not, landlord can just keep registering new tenants.

As a landlord TS should have kept track of the tenants bill.

No others can be responsible for the property other than the owner if one knows basic legal matters.

If the landlord have consulted a lawyer to prepare the TA instead of agent. Penny wise pound foolish if something like TS case. Lawyer charged 1 month rental as legal fee excluding disbursrment for TA which many landlords wont want to pay as they also need to pay the agent fees. That would be only 10 months rental collection for a year tenancy.

This post has been edited by mini orchard: Jul 11 2020, 10:57 AM

big different. tnb deposit is not utilities deposit.

As a landlord, I can collect any amount of utilities deposit based on tenant business activities. Is my property and I decide.

Tnb deposit is quite standard for type of building usage. They cant collect RM5k for house as example ! They have guidelines. And houses can rake up few thousands of unpaid bills !

This post has been edited by mini orchard: Jul 11 2020, 11:16 AM

ask bck tnb, how com previously owe so much u no go cut the electricity?

Same issue as well. TNB won't cut the electricity despite tenant not paying for 12 months, raking in more than RM 4k in electricity bills. What have they been doing? Any unit to handle this complaint?

Is like asking tenant to take care of the house. .. 1 out of 10 will only do it if the landlord is lucky.

utilities deposit usually based on rental and mostly one month. you sure can ask any amount, but most will not give.

Sometimes i feel tnb also another scammer

According to certain logic, it's landlord's responsibility to monitor and ensure tenant pay their bills on time, never mind that the account is under tenant's name.
And if your tenant's first month's usage bill is RM30k, you can demand they pay you RM30k utilities deposit, even though the account is under their name.

If you fail to do both, it's apparently your fault and not TNB for not disconnecting the supply.

Then dont rent. Why take risk ? Why do some owners only rent to certain race ?

Ask ts whether 30k is how many months' rental collection.

This post has been edited by mini orchard: Jul 11 2020, 12:05 PM

Just like car servicing ... owner cannot expect service centre to remind them to send the car for servicing even if is under warranty period. The onus is on the owner to do it according to to schedule in the service booklet.

You're comparing apples with durians.

TNB is really suck, they should have cut the electricity if the tenant didn’t pay the bill for such a long time. I think a lot of landlord also have the same problem. TNB so rich, don’t need to collect money one, they don’t bother to monitor those outstanding payments, just let the tenant drag the payment as long as they like. Stupid company.

how the heck outstanding can become 30k?

is never a durian with apple comparisons.

Who else can be responsible for your property other than yourself ?

Now I know it. Thank you for opening this post!

Typical victim blaming mindset.

Hopefully the smart meter tech can do it.

Someone thinks it's the landlord's responsibility to monitor and prevent this from happening, never mind that the account is under tenant's name.
Too high bill? Easy, collect more deposit from tenant.

3 months didnt pay or usage exceed deposit(with tnb) amount how come tnb didnt take notice and cut the electricity? Its their side that didnt do anything to prevent it. As landlord TS if knew beforehand cant even do anything cause meter is by tnb, he cant go and pull the fuse himself. Dont say he should had reported it to tnb cause account name is not under him just the property

This post has been edited by ihavenoidea: Jul 11 2020, 12:14 PM

You expect others to take responsibity of your inaction ?

Who is blaming who ?

If you read a proper ta, there is always a clause that the landlord reserves the right to demand an increase deposit / top up if the usage exceeds the original deposit.

You mean such a big company, the don’t need to worry their money collection for the company. They Should have a billing and collection system to monitor all the outstanding. To me they are not doing their fuxking job. All makan gaji buta.

TNB monopoly ma...so they tai sai...

consumers literally got no choice but to tolerate all of this..can only rant at LY

If TNB relies on chasing tenant than landlord, what happens if tenant runs to another state or country where TNB has no jurisdiction?

Its a bit funny how people complain why TNB take no actions, yet from the news few days ago when TNB did try to cut electricity of an illegal bitcoin farm, people complain they have no right to break in without police permit.

Cut or no cut also kena tiu.

Ask tenant use solar. Lol

How you know it's been 3 months?
If not mistaken after bill is out user allow to have 30 days to clear it.
Btw below is from TNB site:
Some owners are left with hefty bills after their tenants have moved out. How can owners protect their rights?
Property owners have two choices as below:

1. In the situation before a new tenant moves in, property owners could do a Change of Tenancy making the tenant fully responsible for any delinquent account. However, owners will lose the right to instruct a disconnection to TNB in the event the tenant defaults in his monthly electricity bills
2. Owners could register with myTNB and would then be able to monitor their tenant’s monthly usage and payment pattern

This post has been edited by apalexar: Jul 11 2020, 12:55 PM

After 3 months of default, TNB also took their sweet time to disconnect the power supply.

As a power monopoly, TNB don't need to improve or do anything because there no competitors to fight against.

How will getting a lawyer to prepare the TA make any difference to the outcome? If tenant runs off without paying the electric bill you are left holding a piece of paper whether it was prepared by a lawyer or you printed out from your PC. Either case you can still sue your ex-tenant if you want but getting justice from the courts is tough, expensive and time consuming. The point is, getting a lawyer to prepare your TA changes nothing.

If you choose no. 1, you also lose the ability to monitor whether tenant is paying his electric bills.

No lawyers can prevent a breach of an agreement. Is better to get advise from a legal person rather than a layman.

Lawyers give advise based on legal opinion. Layman ... only i think so is like this or like that.

Layman can also draft snp. Why need a lawyer ?

This post has been edited by mini orchard: Jul 11 2020, 01:14 PM

In TS' case, the account is under tenant's name and he's still facing the issue of being denied power connection.
I don't think Choice 1 makes any difference. End of the day, landlord still kena chase the tenant to pay or pay up if he wants to reconnect power supply.

after TNB meter put another privert meter that has remote cut off function , remian the TNB in your own name , u can monitor and execute power cut to the unit.

TNB can take 6 - 12 months to cut off supply for non-payment. That's why home owners can be saddled with thousands of ringgit in unpaid electric bills. Sad, but true.

I guess no use to use tenants name on rental property tnb account.

Just use our own name, at least we can always monitor it through mytnb app

You can monitor the usage if you have the account no. No restriction.

Because of this I ensure I monitor the tenant's usage regularly using the myTNB app. I don't even bother to change the accounts to my tenant's name anymore as I will be able to close the account or ask TNB to disconnect if my tolerance level has been exceeded.

TNB should be slammed for creating a system which gives landlords a false sense of security and then forces them to pay when the tenant defaults by refusing to re-connect back supply.

The landlord is in a worse position after changing the account to the tenant's name as he will be unable to monitor payments or request for disconnection the supply.

TNB could go after the tenant with blacklisting and legal action but they prefer to take the easy way out by forcing the the owner to pay.

Those who have been shortchanged by this practice should complain to Suruhanjaya Tenaga which oversees TNB. If enough people complain they will have to change the practice. In the meantime don't change your account to your tenant's name because this is worse than useless.

Did u know dat if d tnb meter is in a place tnb employees has no access, for example like a house n u padlock d gate, tnb crew has no rite to enter n cut d electricity

Seems like it's better if TNB could create a system, which it should direct cut off the electricity if the usage/payment due exceed the deposit placed, apply to all accounts, no more argue later.
Do the same for Syabas.

TS you can trt talk to the tnb there offering to tripple the tnb deposit.

I doubt offering more deposit to get his supply reconnected will work. TNB wants to collect the tenant's debt; they are not interested in more deposit.

thanks guys for all the useful (and some useless) inputs.

some of you wondered (and even blamed me as the "lazy landlord") on how have I neglected the fact that my tenant raked up the electricity bill outstanding up to RM30k.

the tenant has been with me for almost 4 years, running the place as a mamak. all payments were made swiftly and cleared without any issues during the entire tenure save for the period beginning from November 2019 - they started to fall behind on everything.

the account for supply is registered under my name because i want to monitor their usage. there were actually several occasions that I texted my tenant to remind them to pay the outstanding because I received notifications from TNB's smart phone application that TNB is going to terminate/suspend the supply but surprisingly enough, TNB never seems to carry out the termination/suspension.

it was partly my fault for going easy on the tenant (considering the fact that they have been a good paymaster) when they told me they were facing financial predicaments but when I started to realize something was amiss, i figured that I have to be "pro-active".

i emailed TNB, called them and even went up to their outlet to inquire why there was no termination/suspension (at the time, the outstanding was around RM20k) and TNB gave me the standard reply of "will lodge an official report for you". weeks passed and still nothing happened.

i even received a call one afternoon from TNB's technician claiming that he was there but the place was closed - feeling suspicious, I had my dad went over, the place was open but no one from TNB was seen present - that's when i suspected that TNB's people actually DID went to the place and threatened to terminate/suspend the supply but was somehow persuaded not to.

the tenant officially vacated during the CMCO period and the supply was terminated/suspended almost immediately.

i brought up the entire matter with the chronology to TNB and as usual, they don't care - their reply suggests that i should take care of my own property and they conveniently ignored the fact that i expressly requested for the supply to be terminated/suspended and implied that TNB does not "work for me".

so that's that.

Get all the record/conversation with tnb and lawyer up

But I suggest you bring all the evidence and request to talk to higher management. Give them a dateline.

If fails, lawyer up.

So you have already outright admit the account under your name regardless of the purpose. However based on the article below, you are encouraged to change the name so as to not be liable and can still monitor the usage and bill. I'm just basing all this on the article I found

https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news...iable-for-bills

I guess TS has to pay first and take legal action against his previous tenant for the unpaid electric bill.

You can take TNB to court but it may take a while to settle and meanwhile there is no electricity for your property while the case drags on.

Possible reason why tnb did not terminate supply during 1st visit ...

Tenant made some part payment of the bill and 'undertake' to settle balance by the agreed date.

Since bal payment not received, tnb proceed to terminate during cmco.

That is their approach as some people are genuinely facing cashflow problem. My old co have the same problem and settle the outstanding in 3 installment. They give the benefit of doubt to the tenant.

This post has been edited by mini orchard: Jul 14 2020, 05:24 PM

regardless whether the account for the supply is registered under the owner's or the tenant's name, based on TNB's current practice (whether official or not), they will not allow a new account for supply to be registered.

this effectively puts their right of action in rem rather than in personam. while you can avoid picking up unnecessary personal liabilities but it is not practical (at least from the business standpoint). what irked me is that i myself tried multiple times to get TNB to terminate/suspend the supply but yet, it fell on deaf ears.

this form of application is open to abuse and seems to favor TNB only and not their customers.

take for example, TNB could have easily allowed errant users (irrespective under tenant's or owner's name) to rake up the outstanding because at the end of the day, they know someone will pay (and that someone is the owner) so rather than terminating/suspend the supply (which will result in lower revenue), they happily allow it to continue.

this seems, illogical.

I did consider filing a suit against TNB regarding my matter and guess what, the entire legal proceeding may end up costing more than my current electricity arrears.

On top of that, by the time my matter is duly disposed off, i would have lost all prospective tenants.

I need to serve that tenant with the writ in order to initiate my civil suit but first I would have to locate him but he basically "disappeared".

TNB monopoly has to be stop la.

BN PN goons merata2... even with rampant corruption, masih untung berbillion billion.

See SG, such a small country at least competition exist, that way only company felt threaten to improve themselves, if not consumer lari.... but TNB, comeon la..... macam monyet

The tenant did not make any payment to TNB because no payment record showed up in the TNB's smart phone application OR maybe he did pay but it definitely wasn't to TNB for payment towards the outstanding.

I did check with TNB from time to time in respect of my request to have the supply terminated/suspended and it was confirmed to me that an order to "terminate/suspend" is "in motion" but it was "in motion" for months.

With all the facts that I have, I can only assume that the supply was not terminated/suspended because the TNB technician was persuaded one way or another to "look away" and come another day and when the tenant left, there's basically no more incentives for the TNB technician to not "do his/her job".

So at the end of the day, it felt like I was punished because of someone's failure (deliberately) to carry out their duty.

Such is the sad reality when you only have one company monopolizing the supply of one of the world's greatest resources, energy.

I do agreed on what you said and I know you are angry. But that is the reality that such things are happening.

If you have any proof of what is going on the ground, then is good that you write in officially.

Normally the men on the ground should have a b&w report on why no action has been taken and the no of attempts made. You can try to request for the report.

If you felt strongly that you have a case, then you can seek legal avenues against your tenant and tnb..

That is one risk a landlord has to take for letting outsiders to occupied their property and i NEVER want to be a landlord

This post has been edited by mini orchard: Jul 14 2020, 07:35 PM

If I understand correctly, you're saying regardless under whose name the account was whether yours or tenant, TNB will not allow for a new supply account unless the outstanding is settled. This has to be confirmed with TNB because I was in the opinion that TNB would allow a new supply if it was registered to the tenant in the first place. Perhaps you can ask your new tenant to sign up under his name now instead and maybe the application will go through.

Also what isin't practical from business standpoint to change the account to be under the tenant? You are still able to add the account in the app and monitor usage and payment.

legal proceedings would be too costly and too time consuming.

i guess that's how TNB always gets away with it.

It's a little bit more complex than that but you got the idea.

My tenant raked up the electricity bill to RM30k and then left and although the tenancy agreement showed that I was not the one using, TNB said I may be able to convince TNB of not suing me to recover that RM30k but as for any electricity to be supplied to the property, the RM30k has to be first settled, TNB don't care by who.

So, there are 2 parts to it:-

1) having the tenant registered an account for the supply effectively ONLY absolve you from any legal liabilities in terms of recovery of debt but this would put you in a position of having no control whatsoever over the account (eg: no knowledge about any outstanding owing, if any); and

2) whether the account is registered under the owner's name or the tenant's name, there will be no further supply to the property if the supply was previously terminated/suspended because of unpaid outstanding unless they are first cleared in full/partially.

... therefore my new tenant will not be able to register an account for the supply of electricity to the property.

In this arrangement, TNB will not be bothered in attempting to find the tenant and sue them (which by right they should, legally speaking) because they know eventually the owners will pay up because no owners will leave their property untenanted for years which is the reason why I lamented earlier that this "rule" that TNB relies on is abusive in nature (literally holding owners/landlords by the balls) - it is also potentially highly exploitable as well in the sense that TNB could easily let the tenant continue raking up the charges, pretend to be ignorant and then put the owners/landlords in a position where it leaves them with no choice.

To your question; do you know that you have no power/control whatsoever over an account that is not registered under your name?

Imagine this, you see from your mobile app that your tenant is piling up the electricity charges every month and your demands are not being heeded. Naturally, you would want to do something (like asking TNB to terminate/suspend supply) but sadly you cannot because you are not the owner of the account and TNB probably won't entertain you.

So, in this circumstance - you will be at the mercy of your tenant.

This post has been edited by shaniandras2787: Jul 14 2020, 09:27 PM

Hi I'm quite interested in your case. How did you resolve it in the end?

paid the outstanding left behind by the errant tenant from my own pocket - not worth arguing with TNB when i'm losing the opportunity to rent my property out.

moral of the story is, take care of your own property whether the account for the supplies of utilities are registered under your name or not because at the end of the day, tenants gets off scot free (especially more so with the Temporary Measures For Reducing The Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 2020 Act.

This post has been edited by shaniandras2787: Jun 27 2022, 03:08 PM

This was what I told someone in one of the threads on how to avoid tenant owing lots of money to TNB. But he die2 insisted TNB should chase the tenant if meter is registered in tenant's name.

I tried to enquire the same thing and TNB insist the arrears will be held responsible by the tenant, possible that the law has been changed? Just wondering hmm....

meaning all this while TNB tu talking rubbish la?
if no register tenant, "why never register tenant?"
if registered tenant, "nope, property still yours"

There is no standard treatment. In some cases TNB connect back the supply when there is tenant's debts, in other cases they force the owner to pay. Maybe the criteria they use is how much the amount owing if there is any criteria at all. Or it could be just different TNB offices having different practices.

Yes, it's true that the arrears will be the tenant's responsibility meaning that TNB cannot legally chase the owner for payment. But they have other ways to twist the owner's arm to pay.

This post has been edited by Azzqech: Jun 27 2022, 04:14 PM

Dam is this even legal though especially for commercial properties the electricity bill can go really high. I have a property tenant has not been paying for their rental for 3 months and about 2 months of TNB Bill. I'm trying to get a court order but it will take at least 3 months by that time they will be owing 6 months rental already X-x. Can't imagine totaling another 5 months of TNB Bill. (Now I'm not even sure if I'm paying or they are paying) The TNB account is under their company name. If I based on what TNB replied I should not be held responsible for their TNB Bill. (Hopefully X-x)

Not wrong though, TNB "should" chase the person owing the charges BUT that doesn't mean that TNB will allow new account to be registered for the Property.

The liability to pay rests on the person registered to the account BUT that does not automatically mean that TNB will allow supply until the outstanding has been settled.

2 different matters altogether.

Not rubbish - having the tenant holding the registered account absolves the landlord/owner's the liability to pay the outstanding raked up by the tenant. This means TNB will not issue summons to the landlord/owner for the supplies used by the tenant.

If the account is registered under the landlord/owner however, there is nothing to stop TNB from going after the landlord/owner.

The benefit is that landlord/owners can sleep well at night knowing they won't be forced to pay what their tenant is using.