Electricity Bill Complaint Deadlines in Pakistan: 7 Days for a Wrong Reading, 15 for a Detection Bill
NEPRA gives power companies 7 days to fix a wrong reading, 3 days for surcharge errors and 15 for detection bills. See each deadline and how to start the clock.
Short answer: NEPRA's Consumer Service Manual gives your electricity company fixed deadlines to fix a billing complaint. A wrong meter reading or wrong calculation must be answered within 7 days, a late payment surcharge error within 3 days, a detection bill complaint within 15 days and a tariff change within 30 days. A paid bill shown as unpaid and an arithmetic error are fixed on the same day.
Most people complain about a bill and then wait without knowing how long the company is allowed to take. The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) sets those limits in clause 10.3.1 of its Consumer Service Manual, which binds every distribution company (DISCO), from LESCO to QESCO. We read the revised 2025 manual on NEPRA's website on 20 October 2026, and every deadline below is quoted from it.
Wrong readings must be answered within 7 days
Clause 10.3.1(a) gives the DISCO 7 days from receiving your complaint to deal with errors from a wrong meter reading or a wrong calculation of charges. The clock starts on the day the complaint is received, so get a dated acknowledgement.
| Billing problem | Deadline in the manual | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong meter reading or wrong calculation | 7 days from the complaint | 10.3.1(a) |
| Change of tariff | 30 days from the complaint | 10.3.1(b), (l) |
| Defective meter replacement | As soon as possible, at most 2 billing cycles | 10.3.1(c) |
| Wrong late payment surcharge, such as a late bank scroll | 3 days from the complaint | 10.3.1(d) |
| Due date extension and surcharge waiver | 3 days from the complaint | 10.3.1(e) |
| Detection bill complaint | 15 days from the complaint | 10.3.1(g) |
| First bill of a new connection | Issued within 2 months, complaint settled in 15 days | 10.3.1(h) |
| Paid amount added to the next bill | Same day, with the original paid bill | 10.3.1(i) |
| Arithmetic error | Forthwith, meaning at once | 10.3.1(j) |
| Duplicate bill | Same day | 10.3.1(k) |
If you think the reading itself is wrong, a dated photo of your meter is the strongest proof. How to take one and match it with the company's own picture is in how to check your meter reading snapshot.
Surcharge mistakes get 3 days, and a late bill can move the due date
A late payment surcharge charged by mistake, for example because the bank sent its scroll late or lost it, must be dealt with within 3 days. Adjustments such as extending the due date or waiving the surcharge also get 3 days under clause 10.3.1(e).
Clause 10.3.1(f) protects you when the bill itself arrives late. If delivery is delayed so that you do not get seven clear days to pay, a competent DISCO officer can extend the due date without a surcharge. Ask for this in writing as soon as the bill reaches you, not after the due date has passed.
The surcharge rates themselves, and when they apply, are in the late payment surcharge on electricity bills.
Detection bills must be settled within 15 days
A detection bill charges you for units the company says were used but not recorded. Clause 10.3.1(g) says complaints about detection bills must be settled within 15 days of the complaint. For a theft detection bill, the manual names the DISCO's review committee as the forum, with a personal hearing.
Detection bills are the most expensive billing disputes, so do not pay and forget. Keep your complaint receipt and count the 15 days. The full process to dispute a detection bill covers the review committee and what to bring.
A related rule covers new connections. Clause 10.3.1(h) says the first bill must come within two months of connection. If it comes later, it should use the slab that matches the number of months it covers, so you are not pushed into a higher slab by one big bill.
Paid bills shown as unpaid are fixed on the same day
If a bill you paid shows up again as arrears, clause 10.3.1(i) lets the revenue officer, the bank manager or the post office in-charge where you paid correct it on the same day. You must show the original paid bill. Arithmetic errors are corrected forthwith under 10.3.1(j).
Duplicate bills are also a same day service under clause 10.3.1(k), and the manual notes you can download your bill from the company's website. That is the quickest fix when the paper bill never arrives.
For the full steps when a payment does not show, see a paid electricity bill showing as unpaid.
Register the complaint so the clock starts
Clause 10.3.2 says billing complaints are registered at the sub-divisional office, the consumer service centre or the one window office, and you must be given dates for the fix. The manual's general rule is that every complaint gets an acknowledgement with definite reply dates.
- Write the complaint with your reference number, the bill month and what is wrong.
- Attach copies of the bill, the paid bill or the meter photo.
- Submit it at the sub-divisional office, service centre or one window counter.
- Ask for a dated acknowledgement with the promised reply date.
- Count the days from the table above.
- If the deadline passes, escalate to NEPRA or your provincial electric inspector.
The manual also says DISCOs must run 24 hour complaint offices, even on holidays, and make special arrangements for women, senior citizens and people with disabilities. If the DISCO misses its deadline, you can go to NEPRA; the routes are in the NEPRA electricity complaint process. Billing disputes can also go to the provincial office of inspection.
Common questions about billing complaint deadlines
How many days does LESCO or any DISCO have to fix a wrong reading?
7 days from receiving the complaint, under clause 10.3.1(a) of NEPRA's Consumer Service Manual.
How long can a detection bill complaint take?
The manual says it must be settled within 15 days of the complaint.
How soon must a faulty meter be replaced?
As soon as possible, and not later than two billing cycles, under clause 10.3.1(c).
Do I pay the surcharge if my bill came late?
If you did not get seven clear days to pay, a competent DISCO officer can extend the due date without a surcharge under clause 10.3.1(f).
How long does a tariff change complaint take?
30 days from the complaint, under clauses 10.3.1(b) and (l).
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 20 October 2026. We read chapter 10 of the NEPRA Consumer Service Manual, revised 2025, including clauses 10.1, 10.3.1, 10.3.2, 10.4.4 and 10.4.5, and clause 9.2.4 on the review committee, on 20 October 2026. The covering letter in the file is dated 26 November 2025. NEPRA consulted on further amendments in September 2026; we have not seen a final version, so check NEPRA's website for any change. We did not test how quickly any company meets these deadlines.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
