Detection Bills: What They Are and Your Rights
A detection bill can feel sudden and unfair, but NEPRA's rules put firm limits on it and give you the right to challenge it. Here is how they work and what you can do.
Open your billWhat Is a Detection Bill?
A detection bill is an extra charge your electricity company adds when it believes you used electricity that the meter did not record. It is not based on your normal monthly reading, so it can be large and feel sudden.
A company usually issues one when it finds a problem such as a tampered meter, a slow or stopped meter, or a connection that bypasses the meter. The amount is an estimate of the units it believes were missed. The key thing to know is that NEPRA's consumer service rules limit detection bills and give you the right to challenge one. This guide covers:
How Far Back a Detection Bill Can Go
This is the most important protection: a detection bill cannot reach back as far as the company likes. NEPRA's consumer service rules set firm limits.
The general limits
Under NEPRA's consumer service rules, a detection bill for a registered consumer, meaning a connection that is properly registered, is limited to six months. For an unregistered consumer it can go back up to twelve months.
Homes and shops have a tighter limit
For everyday consumers, which NEPRA groups as general supply (categories A-1 and A-2) and general services (A-3), and which covers most homes and small shops, a detection bill is restricted to three billing cycles, usually about three months. It can be stretched to a maximum of six months only with the written approval of the company's Chief Executive Officer.
Why this matters
Check the period your detection bill covers against these limits. If it reaches back further than the rules allow, that is a strong ground to have it reduced.
How the Amount Is Worked Out
A detection bill is an estimate, not a meter reading. NEPRA's consumer service rules set the exact formula the company must use, so the amount is not just a guess.
The formula
The number of detection units is your load, multiplied by a load factor, multiplied by 730, multiplied by the number of months.
Detection units = Load x Load Factor x 730 x Months. Load is your sanctioned load, 730 is the average number of hours in a month, and the load factor reflects how much of that load is actually used.
Units you already paid for are removed
Under NEPRA's consumer service rules, the units you were already charged for in your normal bills during the detection period are adjusted, which means they are taken off the detection bill. So you are not charged twice for the same months.
Your Right to Dispute a Detection Bill
If you do not agree with a detection bill, you do not have to simply pay it. NEPRA's consumer service rules give you a clear way to challenge it.
The review committee
If you object to or dispute a detection bill, the forum to get it revised is the company's review committee. This is the body that looks again at a detection bill.
You have a right to a personal hearing
Under NEPRA's consumer service rules, you must be given a personal hearing by the review committee. So you can go in person and explain your side before any decision is made.
It must be settled quickly
A complaint about a detection bill must be settled by the company within fifteen days, under NEPRA's consumer service rules.
What to Do If You Get a Detection Bill
If a detection bill lands on you, do not panic, and do not ignore it either. Here is how to handle it.
Ask how it was worked out
Go to your subdivision office and ask for the basis of the detection bill: why it was issued, the exact period it covers, and the load and figures used. Check the period against the limits above.
File a complaint and ask for a review
Lodge a complaint and ask for your case to go to the review committee, with a personal hearing. You can complain at your subdivision office, on the official PITC portal at ccms.pitc.com.pk, or by calling 118.
Keep paying your current bills
While the detection bill is under review, keep paying your normal current bills on time. Under NEPRA's consumer service rules, if you have a complaint with NEPRA and a restraining order is in place, your supply cannot be cut over the disputed amount, as long as your current bills are paid.
Escalate if it is not resolved
If the company does not put it right, you can take it higher, to the Electric Inspector and then NEPRA. Our guide to complaints and helplines lays out the full process and the numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a detection bill?
How far back can a detection bill go in Pakistan?
How is a detection bill calculated?
Can I dispute or refuse a detection bill?
Can my electricity be disconnected over a detection bill?
Is a detection bill the same as my normal bill?
A detection bill is not the last word
Check the period and the figures against the rules above, ask for the review committee and a personal hearing, and keep your current bills paid. Open your bill to see the detection charge for yourself.
More Guides
Keep going with our other simple guides to your electricity bill.
- Payment Methods Easypaisa, JazzCash, banks Read guide
- Read Your Bill What every line means Read guide
- Why Is the Bill So High? High bill, explained Read guide
- Complaints & Helplines How to complain, who to call Read guide
- Due Dates & Late Payment Due date, LPS, installments Read guide
- Faulty Meter Replacement, testing, your rights Read guide
- Reduce Your Bill Proven ways to use less Read guide
- Peak Hours When power costs more Read guide