Opinion | Editorials
The importance of being considerate
Cutting of electricity supply if bills are not paid must be the last resort.
- Gulf News
- Published: 23:41 July 25, 2008
Any utility company is fully entitled to be paid for the service it provides. The provision of electricity and water does not come cheaply and if customers do not pay then the entire system will be underfunded. The last, legitimate resort for non-payment of bills is cutting off supplies. However, there are many steps that can be taken before this resort is considered, especially in extreme weather. If a customer has difficulty paying a bill then some sort of accommodation can be made to help the person meet their financial responsibilities.
If families are living illegally in temporary structures within villas then they must be told to vacate.
There can be areas of confusion. Landlords, for instance, may not know that their property has more tenants than contracted for. But generally speaking, all reasonable efforts must be made to ensure that the suspension of utility services does not come as a surprise.
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