If you are considering cancelling your contract with your electronic communications service provider (i.e. mobile phones, residential phones, residential internet, subscription television), Consumer Affairs advises that you first review the terms and conditions of your service contract.
Depending on what stage you are at in a long-term contract (i.e. 6 months into a two-year contract) you will likely have to pay a cancellation fee or pay-out the remainder of the contract. When you enter into a long-term contract (i.e. a contract that lasts 12 months or more) depending on the service providers terms and conditions you may become liable for the lifetime of the service contract (i.e. the number of monthly payments expected to be made during the remainder of the service agreement).
If you face the possibility of having to pay the remainder of the contract (i.e. the remaining 18 months of a 2-year contract) Consumer Affairs advises that you to reconsider cancelling your contract. Cancellation fees can be expensive. In some circumstances it might be better to wait until your current contract ends prior to switching.
However, it is important to note that based on the performance and/or activities of your electronic communications service provider there may be circumstances where you might be legally entitled to cancel the contract without a cancellation fee. Such circumstances may include, but are not limited to:
If you are considering switching electronic communication service providers (i.e. mobile phones, residential phones, residential internet, subscription television), Consumer Affairs advises that you first talk to your current service provider and inform them that you are thinking of switching to a different service provider and the reason(s) why (i.e. to either obtain more reliable, improved services or to obtain a cheaper service plan, etc.)
In response your current service provider may: (i) offer to amend the terms and conditions of your contract; or (ii) have a service representative conduct a technical review of your existing services in order to identify any technical faults and improve your services.
If after speaking with your current service provider you decide you still want to switch, Consumer Affairs advises that you review the terms and conditions of your existing service contract to find out if you will be charged a “cancellation fee” for switching. Furthermore, Consumer Affairs advises consumers to consider the following when considering switching:
If after considering the potential impact of switching service providers you have decided that you want to switch electronic communications service providers, Consumer Affairs suggests that you consider the following prior to completing the switch:
Before signing your new service agreement contract with your new service provider, confirm whether you can consistently comply with the terms and conditions outlined in the new service provider’s service agreement.
If you fail to consistently comply with the terms and conditions of the service agreement (i.e. inconsistent/non-payment) your services may be cancelled by the service provider and your outstanding balance may be referred to a debt collection agency. In the event your outstanding balance is referred to a debt collection agency you will likely be subjected to legal and administrative.
If you have changed your mind about switching to a new service provider, and have already signed the new service agreement, Consumer Affairs advises that you review the terms and conditions of the new service agreement for a cancellation clause.
Your new service agreement may have a cancellation period which allows you to cancel your new service agreement without incurring cancellation fees within a prescribed period of time (i.e. within 30 days of signing the service agreement). However, if your service agreement contains a cancellation clause it is likely that you will be subjected to cancellation fees, even if you have not yet utilized the services of the new service provider.
If you receive a monthly bill from an old service provider, after having cancelled their services or switched to a new service provider, Consumer Affairs advises that you contact your old service provider to clarify why you have been sent the bill.
There may be instances where you have switched service providers and, in the process, have forgotten or failed to pay an outstanding bill. Alternatively, there may have been an administrative error on the part of your old service provider.
If you discover that you have an outstanding bill that was not paid in full at the time in which you switched service providers, Consumer Affairs advises that you review the bill and pay any portion of the bill that you do not dispute. It is important to note that if you dispute all or a portion of the bill, and do not have evidence in support, your old service provider may refer your bill to a debt collection agency and/or pursue legal proceedings against you for the outstanding amount.
If you have been subjected to an administrative error, contact your old service provider and request a full refund in the event your account has incorrectly been auto debited in conjunction with standing payment order. If your old service provider is not willing to provide a full refund, submit a formal complaint to your old service provider and contact your bank to cancel any future automatic direct debits.
Under the Electronic Communications Act 2011 and the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda’s Consumer Protection Principles, electronic communications service providers have 60 days to resolve any complaints received from consumers. If following the submission of a formal complaint you are unable to obtain a full refund/partial, it is advised that you submit a formal complaint with the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda.
If you are the sole person named on your bill and you fail to consistently pay your monthly bill, your service provider can chase you for the full amount outstanding; regardless of who else used the service (e.g. your name is on the account for a child/parent that uses the service, or someone gains access to and uses your electronic communications devices).
If you have signed a joint contract with someone else (e.g. the monthly bill for services rendered is under your name and your child’s), you are both responsible for paying the bill; regardless as to who has used the service. If you or the other person named on the monthly bill fail to consistently pay your monthly bill, both parties named on the monthly bill are liable for the monthly bill outstanding and may be subject to legal proceedings.
Alternatively, there may be circumstances where you are the recipient of services, and the account and monthly bill may be under the name of someone else (e.g. the monthly bill is under the name of a parent and their child is the beneficiary of services provided). It is worth noting that these types of arrangements are subject to administrative issues that may require open and transparent communication between the person named on the account, the beneficiary of the services and the service provider.
If your name is not on the bill and you receive services from a service provider (i.e. the bill is under the name of a parent and their child is the beneficiary of services provided) and you are contacted by your electronic communications service provider regarding payment of the outstanding bill, Consumer Affairs advises that you:
(a) Communicate with the person named on the bill that the monthly bill(s) has not been paid; and
(b) Formally write to the service provider and inform them that you are not a named account holder and are not legally responsible for the bill.
If your bill, whether it be under your name or under someone else’s, is referred to a debt collection agency, the person named on your bill will likely face additional costs that will be added to your outstanding bill (i.e. administrative costs and legal fees).
If you have been informed by your service provider that your outstanding bill has been referred to a debt collection, please refer to the Consumer Affairs Debt Management pages for further guidance on how to manage debt and debt collection agencies.
If you have discovered that you have lost your mobile phone, or suspect it has been stolen, if you have entered into post-paid service agreement with your service provider (i.e. you pay your monthly bills after the services have been provided) Consumer Affairs advises that you contact your service provider so they can stop the availability of their services to your phone. Failure to do so may result in someone using your mobile phone and you incurring overcharges (i.e. excessive use of mobile data, international phone calls, etc.).
If you fail to inform your service provider immediately upon discovery of your mobile phone being lost or stolen, and someone uses your phone and incurs additional charges against your account, you will likely be considered liable for the additional charges incurred up until the time you reported the phone lost or stolen.
If your electronic communications service provider tries to charge you for mobile phone usage after you reported the phone missing, Consumer Affairs advises that you dispute the additional charges and request your mobile services be suspended until the matter is resolved. If you require assistance in disputing a bill, please refer to the Consumer Affairs guidance on making a complaint.
If you have a pre-paid mobile phone service agreement (i.e. you pay in advance for a specified amount of services and top-up your account once your account credit has been used) you will not get a refund for any credit that has been used before you report the loss.
If you suspect that your mobile phone has been stolen Consumer Affairs recommends that you ask your service provider for the phone's identification number (IMEI). Once you are provided with your mobile phone’s IMEI, Consumer Affairs recommends that you contact the Bermuda Police Service as they may be able to assist in finding your stolen phone.
As a consumer you are responsible for understanding the mobile device you use, your mobile data usage (i.e. the mobile applications which utilize mobile data), the terms and conditions of your service agreement and the way in which in which you can incur additional charges (i.e. roaming fees while travelling abroad).
Before leaving Bermuda Consumer Affairs advises consumers to: (i) review the terms and conditions of their service agreement; and (ii) contact their service provider for full details on their roaming rates (i.e. the call rates that may be applied while you are at your intended destination and the locations you may stop at while on your way there).
In addition to understanding the international roaming fees your service provider may charge, consider adopting alternative ways to use your mobile phone while travelling abroad.
For example, consider utilizing a pre-paid phone plan with a domestic electronic communications service providers operating within your intended destination. Until you are able to enter into a pre-paid phone plan with a domestic service provider, Consumer Affairs advises that:
a) You turn your mobile data roaming off;
b) Set your phone to airplane mode;
c) Disable mobile data for all of your apps;
d) Try to connect to Wi-Fi hot spots where available; and
e) Only use your Bermuda based mobile service provider when absolutely necessary.
When you receive your monthly bill from your electronic communications service provider make sure that you review your monthly bill carefully to determine if your bill is correct (e.g. whether you have been overcharged).
An electronic communications monthly bill should reflect the electronic communication services you have used for a specified period (e.g. a post-paid mobile phone plan which includes unlimited local texts, unlimited local minutes, 2 GBs of mobile data per month for a specified amount of money).
Consumer Affairs advises that you carefully review the terms and conditions of your service agreement, compare your current bill against prior monthly bills, and review your electronic communications service usage for the period of your current monthly bill (e.g. review Mobile Data and Apps usage in your phone for the specified period).
Some mobile phone applications can use up a lot of your monthly allocated mobile data either directly (i.e. downloading pictures and video files when using WhatsApp) or indirectly (i.e. Google Mail receiving e-mails while you are not actively using the app).
After reviewing your mobile usage for the period, you may discover that your monthly mobile data usage exceeds your monthly mobile data plan. If this is the case, Consumer Affairs advises that you contact your service provider to discuss the overcharge and amending your mobile data plan to better fit your current usage to avoid future overcharges.
Furthermore, in order to avoid future overcharges may want to consider:
(a) Turning off mobile data for non-essential mobile phone applications; and
(b) Greater utilization of Wi-Fi hotspots in order to avoid going beyond your mobile data plan.
If your bill has unexpectedly increased there may be a legitimate reason. The increase in your monthly bill may be due to an administrative error by your service provider, a previously communicated price increase that you have forgotten, or you have gone beyond your service agreement’s specified limits (i.e. used more than the allocated mobile data limit or international roaming charges while not having an international phone plan).
If after conducting your review of your service agreement terms conditions, historical bills and electronic communications service usage you are of the view that your current monthly bill is incorrect, contact your service provider immediately and ask to speak with a customer service representative. Communicate orally and in writing the nature of your complaint and how you would like the error to be amended.
As a consumer it is important to note that the Electronic Communications Act 2011and the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda’s Consumer Protection Principles obligates service providers to ensure that their customer’s monthly bills are accurate and reflects the services provided during the billable period.
When you contact your service provider it is suggested that you ask your service provider to:
(a) Explain the nature of the disputed charges (i.e. roaming charges, charges incurred after you reported the phone stolen/lost and requested suspension of services); and
(b) Explain how the disputed charges were calculated.
Upon completion of your conversation with a customer service representative, Consumer Affairs advises that you:
(a) Note the time and date when you contacted your service provider;
(b) Request the name of the customer service representative you spoke with; and
(c) Send a follow-up letter/e-mail to your service provider detailing what was discussed with the customer service representative.
The contact details and e-mail address of your service provider may be found either on the service provider’s website and/or your monthly bill. When writing your follow-up email/letter to your service provider make sure that your written correspondence contains the following information:
If you pay your monthly bill through an automatic direct debit, as part of your complaint communicate that you would like your service provider to return the money paid for the portion of the monthly bill that you dispute.
If after speaking with your service provider your service provider refuses to acknowledge that your monthly bill is incorrect, it is recommended that you:
(a) Submit a formal complaint to your service provider during the current billable period (i.e. prior to receiving your next monthly bill); and
(b) Pay the portion of your bill you do not dispute until a formal response is provided by your service provider.
If you are of the view that your monthly bill is incorrect, you refuse to pay the portion of your monthly bill you do not dispute AND fail to formally communicate your concerns regarding an incorrect monthly bill, your service provider will likely charge a late fee.
If after filing a formal complaint with your service provider you are unsatisfied with your service provider’s response, Consumer Affairs advises that you submit a formal complaint to the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda. If you require further assistance in disputing a bill, please refer to the Consumer Affairs guidance on making a complaint.
If someone gains access to your personal information it is possible that an account with a service provider may be fraudulently opened in order to gain the benefit of services (i.e. a son that is a "junior", may utilize their personal information to portray themselves as the "senior father").
Alternatively, it is possible that you may become the victim of identity theft in the event you leave your phone unlocked and it is stolen or lost. In this instance the person that finds or stole your phone may use your existing service plan and subject you to fraudulent charges (i.e. roaming fees, online banking transactions, etc.)
If you lose your phone or suspect it has been stolen and pay your monthly bill through an automatic direct debit, Consumer Affairs advises that you immediately contact your service provider and communicate that you would like your services paused until your phone is retrieved or replaced in order to avoid fraudulent charges.
If you discover that someone has used your personal information to create a fraudulent account with an electronic communications service provider, and you receive a bill for electronic communications services that you did receive the benefit of, Consumer Affairs advises that you contact the electronic communications service provider immediately.
If you can prove that you did not open the account and did not receive the services bill for, you may not have to pay the bill. If you are unsatisfied with the service provider’s response, Consumer Affairs advises that you file a formal complaint disputing the bill and the unauthorized use of your personal information.
If after speaking with your service provider your service provider refuses to acknowledge your request to pause services and are subjected to the risk of being exposed to fraudulent charges, it is recommended that you:
If you are of the view that your monthly bill is incorrect following a request to pause services (i.e. identify theft has occurred) and you refuse to pay the portion of your monthly bill you do not dispute AND fail to formally communicate your concerns regarding identify theft, your service provider will likely charge a late fee.
Consumer Affairs understands that there may be circumstances where a consumer is unable to consistently pay their post-paid electronic communications monthly bill on time, whether it be partially or in full. In the event you find yourself consistently unable to pay your post-paid bill your electronic communications service provider may either:
The purpose of this section is to discuss the impact of non-payment and the steps that may need to be taken in order to mitigate the associated risks (i.e. facing legal proceedings and incurring debt collection fees).
Consumer Affairs appreciates the benefits associated with entering into a post-paid service agreement (i.e. paying your mobile phone plan at the end of the month after services have been provided), as opposed to pre-paid service agreements (i.e. paying in advance for service credits and service limits).
Post-paid service arrangements ensure consumers gain the benefit of:
However, it is important to note that post-paid service agreements expose consumers to the risk of:
In light of the associated risks of a post-paid service agreement and in consideration of your personal financial circumstances (i.e. unemployment or inconstant availability of full-time employment), a post-paid service agreement may not be feasible as post-paid service agreements are legally enforceable, long-term contractual agreements.
If you are considering entering in a post-paid service agreement with a social utility provider, Consumer Affairs advises that you first ask yourself the following questions:
Depending on your answers to the above questions you will be able to determine whether:
Consumer Affairs advises that you be truthful with yourself when considering the above listed questions. If you find yourself consistently facing financial uncertainty, it is recommended that you do not enter into a post-paid service agreement and that you utilize pre-paid service plans where available.
Although the quality of services provided pursuant to a pre-paid service agreement may be lower than the quality of service experienced pursuant to a post-paid service agreement (i.e. 3G mobile data as opposed to 4G or 5Gmobile data), a pre-paid service plan will: (i) prevent you from entering in a long-term financial commitment; and (ii) minimize your financial risk by limiting your electronic communications services to those that you can afford to pay in advance.
If you have entered into a post-paid service agreement with a social utility provider and find yourself unable to consistently pay your monthly bill, Consumer Affairs advises that you: (i) contact your service provider immediately; and (ii) try to negotiate a change, or cancellation, of your post-paid service agreement.
If you fail to communicate your personal financial circumstances and continue to fail to pay your monthly post-paid service bill, in addition to the imposition of late fees it is likely that your service provider will contact you to warn you that continued non-payment will result in:
Open and transparent communication may result in your service provider being more willing to consider one of the following steps:
By amending your existing post-paid service agreement you be able to:
However, it is important to note that your service provider is not obligated to consider a request to amend your existing terms of service. If your service provider is willing to amend your terms of service and you continue to remain unable to consistently make monthly payments towards your amended post-paid electronic communications service plan, it is likely that your service provider will:
In order to have your cancelled services reconnected you will likely have to:
If you pay all the reconnection charges and your outstanding payments in full, your service provider may be willing to reconnect your services. Reconnection typically occurs within 24 hours of payment, or within 24 hours of the start of the next working day if you make payment out of working hours.
If your service provider reconnects your services, it is important to note that continued non-compliance of your post-paid service agreement will likely result in permanent cancellation.
If you are facing financial turmoil and your existing service provider permanently cancels your post-paid service agreement due to non-payment, Consumer Affairs advises that you do not enter into another post-paid service agreement with a new service provider. Instead of entering into another risky post-paid service plan, Consumer Affairs recommends consumers facing financial turmoil to use pre-paid services in order to avoid further damaging their personal credit score.
Consumer Affairs appreciates that there may be circumstances where consumers will consider switching electronic communications service providers following the permanent cancellation of their post-paid service agreement. It is important to note that if you do switch service providers, and have an outstanding debt with your old service provider, you are legally obligated to repay your outstanding bill; either in full or in accordance with a repayment plan.
Assuming you had an outstanding bill with your old service provider, in addition to having to remain compliant with the repayment plan entered into with your old service provider, if you fail to act in compliance with a new post-paid contract with a new service provider your matter will be referred to a debt collection agency and your personal credit score will likely be negatively impacted.
If you are considered a vulnerable consumer there may be circumstances where your service provider cannot disconnect you for non-payment. If you are considered a vulnerable consumer, Consumer Affairs advises that you review the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda’s “Consumer Protection Principles General Determination” for further guidance.
When you receive your monthly bill from the Bermuda Electric Light Company Ltd. (“BELCO”), Consumer Affairs advises that you review your monthly bill carefully to determine if your bill is correct (e.g. whether you have been overcharged).
Your monthly electricity bill should reflect the electricity you have used for a specified period of time. Under the Electricity Act 2016 and the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda’s Consumer Protection Principles BELCO is obligated to ensure that your monthly bill is accurate and reflects the services you have received during the billable period.
If your bill has unexpectedly increased, there may be circumstances where there is a legitimate reason for the monthly bill being higher than normal. The increase in your monthly bill may be due to an administrative error by BELCO (e.g. an incorrect or inaccurate smart meter reading), an amendment to Fuel Adjustment Rate, a previously communicated price increase or you have increased your monthly electricity usage (i.e. using air conditioning during the summer, the use of additional electronics in your household which use more electricity). If you are of the view that your monthly bill is incorrect Consumer Affairs advises that you carefully review the terms and conditions of your service agreement, compare your current bills against prior monthly bills and compare the meter readings reflected on your disputed monthly bill against your smart meter.
If there is a big difference in the amount charged and your usage has not significantly changed from month to month (i.e. same air conditioning use in June and July), it is possible that your supplier has made an error in your monthly bill. Smart Meter faults are rare, but there could be a problem with your meter if your bills suddenly go up and you haven’t changed how much electricity you use.
If after conducting your review of your service agreement terms conditions, your historical bills and Smart Meter readings you are of the view your currently monthly bill is incorrect, Consumer Affairs advises that you contact BELCO and ask to speak with a customer service representative. When you contact BELCO it is suggested that you ask them to:
(a) Explain the nature of the disputed charges; and
(b) Explain how the disputed charges were calculated(i.e. when price increases were first communicated to the public and when they took effect); and
(c) Explain how you would like the error to be amended (i.e. that you would like your Smart Meter to be re-read, a refund for auto-debited payments, send a new bill, etc.)
(c) Send a follow-up letter/e-mail to your service provider.
The contact details and e-mail address of BELCO may either be found on their website and/or your monthly bill. When writing your follow-up email/letter to BELCO, Consumer Affairs advises that your e-mail/letter contain the following information:
In addition to contacting BELCO for an explanation as to why your monthly bill increased, Consumer Affairs advises that you review the electrical appliances in your household. Some electrical appliances can costa lot to run. You might be getting a higher bill if you recently started using a new energy intensive electrical appliance. Examples of energy intensive household appliances include, but are not limited to:
If after reviewing the usage of your house appliances for the billable period and speaking with your service provider, your service provider refuses to acknowledge that your monthly bill is incorrect, it is recommended that you:
a) Submit a formal complaint to BELCO during the current billable period(i.e. prior to receiving your next monthly bill); and
b) Pay the portion of your bill you do not dispute until a formal response is provided by BELCO.
Although you may be of the view that your monthly bill is incorrect, if you refuse to pay the portion of your monthly bill you do not dispute AND fail to formally communicate your concerns, BELCO will likely charge a late fee.
If you pay your monthly bill through an automatic direct debit, Consumer Affairs advises that as part of your complaint you communicate that you would like BELCO to return money paid for the portion of the monthly bill that you dispute.
If after filing a formal complaint with BELCO you are unsatisfied with BELCO’s response, Consumer Affairs advises that you submit a formal complaint to the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda. If you require assistance in disputing a bill, please refer to the Consumer Affairs guidance on making a complaint.
There may be circumstances where your landlord and tenant agreement states that your monthly rent includes the cost of electricity. Alternatively, there may be circumstances where your residential unit is part of a block of residential units that sharing the same Smart Meter.
If you find yourself in a landlord and tenant agreement where your tenancy agreement includes sharing a Smart Meter with other residential units, you will likely have to pay a proportionate amount for electricity you have used even if you haven’t signed a contract with BELCO. It is important to understand what is meant by “proportionate”.
When a number of residential units share the same Smart Meter the monthly bill sent from BELCO will likely be under the name of your landlord and will be sent to your landlord. Under a shared electricity arrangement your landlord has the responsibility to assign each residential unit sharing the Smart Meter a proportionate amount of the monthly bill.
With respect to the principle of proportionality, if there are 4 residential units sharing a Smart Meter it is considered fair and proportionate that the residential unit with four occupants pay more towards the shared monthly bill than a residential unit with one occupant. The reason for this is that it may be argued that the single occupant residence uses far less electricity. Furthermore, under the principle of proportionality if there are 4 residential units sharing one Smart Meter the monthly electricity bill should NOT be equally divided by the number of residential units.
If your landlord elects to allocate electricity usage evenly amongst the number of units sharing the Smart Meter and fails to consider the number of tenants in each unit in their calculation, Consumer Affairs recommends that you speak with your landlord immediately.
If you are a tenant t of a residential unit which shares a Smart Meter with other residential units and the cost of electricity does not form part of your monthly rent, Consumer Affairs recommends that you contact your landlord and ask how for the methodology used in assigned the monthly electrical bill to each of the tenants sharing the Smart Meter.
If when speaking with your landlord you discover that the allocation of monthly electrical usage runs contrary to the principle of proportionality, Consumer Affairs advises that you inform your landlord that: (i) their calculation of the proportionate amount of rent per unit is incorrect; and (ii) that the monthly electricity bill should be divided by the total number of occupants across all shared residential units and a bill assigned to each residential unit in accordance with the number of occupants in each unit.
If you are not sure whether your rent covers your electricity usage, or whether your residential unit shares a Smart Meter with other residential units, Consumer Affairs advises that you review the terms and conditions of your tenancy agreement. If you do not have a copy of the tenancy agreement Consumer Affairs advises that you contact your landlord and request a copy and/or confirmation of how electricity usage on the shared Smart Meter is accounted for and paid by each tenant connected to the Smart Meter.
Furthermore, as a tenant forming part of the shared electricity arrangement you would be expected to pay your landlord directly and would not be expected to pay BELCO. If BELCO sends you a monthly bill, Consumer Affairs advises that you inform BELCO that you are not responsible for paying the bill and provide BELCO with your landlord’s contact details.
If you discover that someone has used your personal information to create a fraudulent account with BELCO and you receive a bill for electricity you did use, Consumer Affairs advises that you contact BELCO immediately.
If you are unsatisfied with BELCO’s response to a potential case of identify fraud, Consumer Affairs advises that you file a formal complaint with BELCO disputing the bill and the unauthorized use of your personal information.
If BELCO denies your claim, submit a follow-up formal complaint with the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda and the Bermuda Police Service. If you require further assistance, please refer to the Consumer Affairs guidance on making a complaint.
If you have recently moved into a new residential unit and have received a bill from BELCO regarding the previous tenant’s electricity usage, or receive a bill for electricity used at a residential address where you no longer live, contact BELCO immediately. As a consumer it is important to note that you do not have to pay for electricity that you have not used. However, if you are intending on moving contact BELCO and provide them with at least 1 month's notice of your change in residential address.
If you receive an electricity bill for electricity used at your residential address before you gained rights of occupation (i.e. a previous tenant’s monthly electricity bill), contact BELCO and provide a copy of your lease agreement indicating when you moved into the residential unit (i.e. proof that the monthly bill in dispute belongs to the prior tenant of the residential unit).
If you receive an electricity bill for electricity used at your previous residential address, and the billable period is for electricity used after you vacated the premises (i.e. being billed for the electricity used by the new tenants), contact BELCO and inform them of the date that you vacated the premises and request BELCO to send the bill to the person who now lives at your old residence.
However, if you receive an electricity bill for electricity used at your previous residential address after you vacated the premises, and no one else has moved into your old residential address immediately after you vacated the premises, if you fail to provide BELCO adequate notice of your intention to change residential addresses this may result in you having to pay for electricity supplied to your old residential address for up to 2 days after leaving your old residential address.
Consumer Affairs cannot understate the importance of providing BELCO with adequate advance notice. If you contact BELCO the day before you move, or the day after you moved out, this will likely result in you having to pay for electricity provided to your old residential address after you have moved out (i.e. up to 2days after leaving your old residential address). Consequently, Consumer Affairs advises consumers to provide BELCO with as much advance notice as possible.
When providing BELCO with notice of your intention to change residential addresses, inform BELCO in writing (i.e. e-mail or a physical letter) and keep a copy of the formal notice for your own records. In your formal advance notice letter, include: (i) the date you are moving from your current address; (ii) your new residential address; and (iii) when you will be moving into your new residential address. By providing BELCO with advance notice they will be able to update your personal account and avoid sending you bills belonging to someone else.
If you receive an electricity bill connected to your prior residential address, even though you provided BELCO with adequate advance notice that you were changing your residential address (i.e. 30 days' notice), contact BELCO immediately. When you contact BELCO inform them of the date you notified them of your change in residential address and ask them to explain why they have charged you for electricity used at your old residential address after the date that you vacated the premises.
If following your discussion with BELCO it is communicated that BELCO is of the view that you are liable for an electricity bill attached to your old residential address, and you provided formal advance notice, file a formal complaint with BELCO. If you are unsatisfied with BELCO’s response to your formal complaint it is advised that you file a formal complaint with the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda.
If you experience an electricity outage Consumer Affairs advises that you contact BELCO and immediately report the outage. It is important to note that BELCO has an obligation to inform its consumers in advance (i.e. 2 days advance notice) of any planned power outages that are necessary to conduct system maintenance.
However, if you are subjected to an unplanned power outage for an extended period of time (i.e. 48+ hours) you might be able to get compensation if you are charged by BELCO during the outage period.
The amount of compensation you may be eligible to receive will depend on whether it was caused by reasons outside of the control of BELCO (e.g. a hurricane causes damages to power lines, act of God, etc.) or is the result of BELCO’s failure to exercise reasonable care and skill in providing electricity services.
If you are subjected to a planned or unplanned power outage, Consumer Affairs advises that you review your monthly bill to see how your bill reflects the outage (i.e. number of days of usage during the period and whether you were billed during the outage).
If you discover that you were billed during the outage period, it is advised that you contact BELCO and request a fund for the period during which outage occurred and yet you were billed. If BELCO communicates an unwillingness to provide such a refund follow-up with a written formal complaint.
If following receipt of a formal complaint BELCO remains unwilling to provide a formal complaint, Consumer Affairs advises that you submit a formal complaint with the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda.
However, if an unplanned power outage was due to reasons outside of BELCO’s control (i.e. a hurricane or tropical storm) you will not likely be entitled to compensation for the outage.
If you have not paid a bill and BELCO has sent you notifications reminding you of your outstanding debt, BELCO may further contact you to inform you that your residential electricity will be disconnected if you continue to withhold payment.
If you are behind on your monthly bills, and have not yet contacted BELCO, Consumer Affairs advises that you take a pro-active approach and contact BELCO about your repayment options. By adopting a pro-active approach BELCO may be willing to offer you support, particularly if you are disabled, have long-term health problems or are experiencing financial issues.
If you are considered a vulnerable consumer (i.e. you are reliant on home electricity to operate lifesaving medical equipment), there may be circumstances where BELCO cannot disconnect you for non-payment. Consumer Affairs advises consumers to confirm whether they are considered a vulnerable consumer by reviewing the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda’s “Consumer Protection Principles”.
If BELCO has informed you that they are considering disconnecting your electricity services due to non-payment, and you are of the view that you should not be disconnected due to being a "vulnerable consumer" (i.e. you or a family member are dependent on life-supporting medical equipment that must have consistent and reliable access to electricity), contact BELCO immediately and inform them of your circumstances.
If your personal circumstances require leniency in repaying your outstanding bills, BELCO will likely require supporting evidence (i.e. a medical certificate/doctor’s letter) in order to justify not disconnecting your electricity.
However, if BELCO decides that your personal circumstances do not justify non-payment and elect to disconnect your residential electricity, if you have a reasonable claim that you are dependent on consistent residential electricity (i.e. at home respiration medical devices) submit a formal written complaint to BELCO and request reconnection. In order to make a credible claim regarding your dependency on residential electricity, BELCO will likely require you to provide supporting documentation (i.e. a medical or doctor’s note communicating your reliance on respiratory devices).
When communicating your on-going dependency on consistent residential electricity, Consumer Affairs advises that you include in your written formal complaint an express willingness to enter into a repayment plan to repay your outstanding monthly bills and pay any reconnection fees.
If BELCO accepts your request to enter into a repayment plan, once you have paid all of the associated reconnection fees BELCO must reconnect you within a reasonable amount of time (i.e. within 24 hours or within 24 hours of the start of the next working day if you make payment outside of working hours).
If you are unable pay all the reconnection fees at once, Consumer Affairs advises that you ask BELCO if they are willing to agree to include the reconnection fees as part of an agreed repayment plan to repay your outstanding monthly bills. If they do agree to allow you to enter into a repayment plan BELCO should reconnect you within a reasonable amount of time.
