LESCO Defaulters List: Check a Reference Number Before You Buy or Rent, and the Disconnection Rules
LESCO lists 957 disconnected consumers owing over Rs 1 million and 581 unpaid for 3 years. Check a reference number in 4 steps and see the disconnection rules.
LESCO publishes two live defaulter lists on lesco.gov.pk/Defaulter: 957 permanently disconnected private consumers who owe more than Rs 1 million, and 581 private consumers with bills unpaid for 3 years or more. You can search either one for a 14-digit reference number. That is worth doing before you buy, rent or take over a house, shop or tube well in Lahore, Kasur, Okara, Sheikhupura or Nankana.
We opened both lists on 5 November 2026 and added up what they show. Below: what each list covers, how to search it in under a minute, why the six PDF lists on the same page are years out of date, and the NEPRA rules on when LESCO can cut a connection for unpaid bills.
LESCO's defaulter page has two live lists and six old PDFs
The LESCO defaulter page opens with a notice. It asks the public to report any disconnected premises found running, or drawing power from another source, on 118 or 111-000-118. Below the notice are three web lists and six PDF files.
Two of the three web lists carry data. The third, for running consumers who owe over Rs 1 million, showed only column headings when we opened it, with no rows.
| List on lesco.gov.pk | What it showed on 5 November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Permanently disconnected private consumers above Rs 1,000,000 | 957 entries, about Rs 6.79 billion in total |
| Private consumers unpaid for 3 years and above | 581 entries, about Rs 4.17 billion in total |
| Running private consumers above Rs 1,000,000 | Headings only, no entries |
| Six PDF lists (active, disconnected, 1 to 3 months and others) | Files dated August 2019 |
Each web list gives the reference number, tariff, default amount, age of the default in months, name and address. The age column on the 3-year list starts at 36 months and runs to 482 months, which is over 40 years.
Factories and tube wells make up most of the big defaulters
Most entries are not homes. On the disconnected list, industrial connections lead, followed by agricultural tube wells. Homes are a small share on both lists.
| Tariff | Disconnected, above Rs 1 million | Unpaid 3 years and above |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial | 422 | 268 |
| Agricultural tube wells | 349 | 229 |
| Domestic | 118 | 49 |
| Commercial | 63 | 32 |
| Others | 5 | 3 |
The largest single amount on both lists is about Rs 352.6 million. The two lists overlap, so a connection can appear on both. Do not add the two totals together.
Check a reference number in four steps
The lists are long web pages, so use your browser's find tool. It takes under a minute on a phone or laptop.
- Get the 14-digit reference number from the seller's or landlord's latest LESCO bill. It sits at the top left of the bill.
- Open lesco.gov.pk/Defaulter, then open "LESCO's Permanently Disconnected Defaulters 1,000,000 & above".
- Use Find on page (Ctrl+F on a computer, or "Find in page" in the phone browser menu) and type the reference number without spaces.
- Repeat on "LESCO's Defaulters Unpaid Age 3 Years & Above".
If the number does not appear, that only means the dues are not above these limits. Smaller arrears still show on the bill itself. So also check the latest bill online with the same reference number; our guide to checking a LESCO bill online shows how, and the arrears line tells you what is owed.
Why the check matters before you buy or rent
Old dues can follow the premises. Under NEPRA's Consumer Service Manual, a person applying for a new connection signs an affidavit on Rs 50 stamp paper. It says no connection existed before, and that the owner will pay any outstanding dues of a previous connection at that premises if found later.
The same affidavit says the applicant is not a defaulter on any other connection. If that turns out to be false, the new connection can be cut after seven days' notice. And if one owner has several connections, LESCO may move the dues of a permanently disconnected one onto that owner's running connection.
So ask the seller to clear the arrears and show a paid final bill before you pay. For a rented house, put the bill position in the rent agreement.
NEPRA rules on when LESCO can disconnect for unpaid bills
LESCO cannot cut power for one missed bill. NEPRA's Consumer Service Manual, the November 2025 edition on LESCO's website, sets the order.
- One month unpaid: no disconnection for a single month's default.
- Second month: LESCO sends a clear seven-day notice with the second bill. It can be printed on the bill.
- Second due date missed: supply can be disconnected. It is restored only after full payment with late surcharge, or an instalment plan LESCO allows.
- Third month unpaid: LESCO can issue an equipment removal order, take out the meter and give a permanent disconnection code.
- Instalments missed: supply can be cut without more notice and is restored after at least 50 per cent of the dues.
- Billing dispute at NEPRA with a stay order: no disconnection, but current bills must still be paid.
A disconnected premises can be reconnected within 10 years, after clearing the dues. For homes and small shops on single phase, the manual sets minimum or fixed charges of Rs 200 for any period of disconnection. If you cannot pay in one go, see our guide to paying an electricity bill in instalments.
Common questions
How do I check if a house is on the LESCO defaulters list?
Take the 14-digit reference number from its bill, open lesco.gov.pk/Defaulter and search both live lists with Find on page.
How many LESCO defaulters are on the list?
On 5 November 2026, 957 disconnected consumers above Rs 1 million and 581 unpaid for 3 years or more. The lists overlap.
Are the LESCO defaulter PDFs up to date?
No. The six PDF files on the page are dated August 2019. Use the web lists and the latest bill instead.
Can LESCO cut my power for one unpaid bill?
No. NEPRA's manual bars disconnection for one month's default and requires a seven-day notice with the second bill.
Do old electricity dues pass to a new owner?
A new connection applicant signs an affidavit to pay any dues of a previous connection at the premises, so clear them before buying.
How do I report a disconnected premises using power?
Call LESCO on 118 or 042-111-000-118, as the defaulter page asks. Our guide to reporting electricity theft has other routes.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 5 November 2026. We read the LESCO defaulter page, the disconnected and 3-year web lists (counts and totals are our own sums of the amounts shown), the running defaulters list, and the file dates of the six PDFs. The rules are from NEPRA's Consumer Service Manual, November 2025, as posted by LESCO, sections 2.3.2, 8.2 and 8.5. The lists name private people, so we have not repeated any name or address here.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
