Accounts

(1) All electricity consumed shall be paid for at the appropriate tariff rate prescribed in the Second Schedule.

(2) Accounts shall, as far as practicable, be rendered monthly and shall be paid within 21 days from the date of the account. Where a consumer fails to pay the account within such period, the Engineer or the City Treasurer may cut off the supply. A consumer whose supply of electricity has been disconnected in terms of this section shall not be entitled to be reconnected to the Council's supply main until the amount of the account and the prescribed reconnection fees have been paid in full.

(3) Meters will, as far as practicable, be read at intervals not exceeding six months and electricity consumed between meter readings shall be deemed to have been consumed evenly between such meter reading dates. No reduction of or addition to the prescribed monthly fixed or minimum charges will be made unless the date of reading is at least five days before or after a full period of one month or a multiple thereof from the previous reading. Where a meter is read less than or more than one month or a multiple thereof after the commencement of an account or where an account is terminated less than or more than one month or a multiple thereof after the preceding reading of the meter, the monthly fixed or minimum charge will be proportioned accordingly. For the purpose of assessing fixed or minimum charges 'one month' shall be reckoned as 30 days.

(4) (i) In those months in which any meter is not read the City Treasurer shall render an account for a provisional sum for electricity, such provisional sum to be assessed by him with due regard, wherever possible, to the average monthly value of fixed or minimum charges and of electricity consumed upon the premises served by the meter and to any tariff changes that may have occurred, provided that where there has been no previous consumption the City Treasurer may determine the amount of the said provisional sum by reference to such consumption on other similar premises as he considers would constitute a reasonable guide.

(ii) In those months in which any meter is read the City Treasurer shall render an account for the total quantity of electricity consumed since the previous reading, together with the appropriate fixed or minimum charges and shall deduct therefrom the total amount of provisional sums (if any) which may have been charged in terms of paragraph (i) since such previous meter reading.

(iii) The provisions of subsection (2) shall apply to accounts rendered in terms of this subsection.

(5) Where any meter is found to have ceased to register or to have registered inaccurately to an extent of more than 2 and a half % the quantity of electricity to be paid for by the consumer from the date of reading of the meter prior to its failure to register or becoming faulty up to the time of its repair or replacement shall, unless the consumer is able to establish to the satisfaction of the Engineer that a lesser or greater quantity of electricity was in fact consumed, be estimated by the City Treasurer on the basis of:

(a) the average monthly consumption of electricity upon the premises served by the meter during a period of up to twelve months prior to the last registration, or the date on which it ceased to register accurately or, if this is not possible;

(b) the quantity of electricity consumed upon such premises during the corresponding month or months of the previous year or, if this also is not possible;

(c) the average monthly consumption upon the premises served by the meter over a period of up to twelve months after its repair, where consumption is measured using a credit meter; or on the average consumption of similar consumers within the same area, where supply is via an electricity dispenser.

(6) The record given by any meter installed on any premises by the Council shall be conclusive proof of the quantity of electricity consumed provided that where such meter is tested as hereinafter provided and found to be more than 2 and a half % inaccurate, the City Treasurer shall correct the consumer's account to conform to the result of the test and shall refund to the consumer any amount paid by him in excess of the amount due. No such adjustment shall, however, be made in respect of any period prior to the last metered period for which an account is rendered to the consumer unless the consumer is able to establish to the satisfaction of the Engineer that the meter was inaccurate during such prior period.

(7) The Engineer may and shall at the request of any consumer and upon the payment of the fee prescribed in Item 10 of the First Schedule, test the accuracy of any meter installed by the Council. Where any such test is carried out at the request of the consumer, the fee paid by him shall be refunded if the meter is found to be more than 2 and a half % inaccurate.

(8) Deleted.

(9) Where portions of any premises which are separately let or occupied are separately metered, and the owner of the premises accepts responsibility for the payment of all or some of the accounts of the tenants or occupiers, he shall not be permitted to summate the current consumed by such tenants or occupiers in order to obtain any benefits under the tariffs.

(10) Cheques drawn on any branch bank situated within the area of supply need not include bank exchange.