Complex residents in Midrand cry foul over alleged exorbitant charges by metering company.
Residents claim the managing agent and trustees should have considered the consequences and consulted them first before appointing the new company.
About 20 concerned residents from an affluent suburb in Midrand picketed outside their complex on November 28.
The residents allege that a newly appointed metering company is charging them more compared to the previous service provider.
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They claimed this started around September and that no consultation was held with residents before the change.
The metering company allegedly introduced a prepaid payment method for water, sanitation, and electricity, while residents had previously used a smart metering system.
Residents further allege that the company was appointed by the managing agents and the board of trustees without their input.
According to residents who spoke on condition of anonymity, the new system is affecting them financially. They claimed that if a resident falls behind on payments, they are charged a reconnection fee of R750.00 for electricity.
A representative of the complex, who also requested anonymity, alleged that there are several new fees residents are now required to pay.
@caxtonjoburgnorth Watch: Residents of a Midrand complex are up in arms over a new metering company. Video: Sphiwe Masilela #Midrand #Waterfall ♬ original sound Caxton Joburg North
The representative explained that some of the new fees arise because the company is not using a smart system. He added that any new system introduced to residents should ensure efficiency, affordability, convenience, and value for money. According to him, if a proper comparison had been done between the old and new companies, it would have been obvious which system truly benefits the residents.
He further claimed that in the trustees’ and managing agents’ decision-making, they should have considered the impact on different stakeholders, including tenants, owners, trustees, the body corporate, the City of Johannesburg, and the metering service provider.
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