Thai landlord’s electricity bill skyrockets as Chinese tenants remodel property

In a shocking occurrence, a Thai landlord experienced an unexpected surge in electricity bills after his property was rented by a group of Chinese occupants. His rented-out townhouse, featuring three air conditioning units running non-stop with windows firmly shut to prevent daylight from entering, eventually led to a drastic transformation of the rental property.

It all started when Vorravit Kaveewat, the property owner, shared a video on TikTok revealing the unusual state of his house post-rental, the key point being his electricity bill rocketing to a staggering 30,000 baht (US$853) per month.

@irisvenice #เช่าบ้าน คือผู้หญิงไทยนี่แหละทำมาเช่าบ้านแล้วบอกสามีเป็นคนจีน อารมณ์เป็นนายหน้ารึป่าวไม่รู้ แต่ออกไปคือเละมาก #คนจีนสีเทา ♬ เสียงต้นฉบับ – P – วริส

Last January, Vorravit leased his parents’ four-storey townhouse to three Chinese individuals, who were around 30 years old, via a Thai woman acting as their representative. The agreed-upon rent was 15,000 baht (US$426) for a six-month lease period. It was during the second month when he began to notice a gradual increase in electricity charges, from an initial 5,000 baht suddenly leaping to 15,000 baht, and then soaring to a whopping 30,000 baht in the final three months. However, despite the suspicious electricity consumption, the tenants paid their bills regularly without any arrears.

When Vorravit proposed an electricity checkup due to the unusually high charges, the tenants declined, assuring him not to worry. Later on, Vorravit was informed by his tenants about their decision to vacate the property by early July.

Upon their departure, they allowed him to access the house for inspection, and to his surprise, he found the place unkempt, dirty, and most strikingly, electrical systems and property interiors were altered without prior permission, reported KhaoSod.

Apart from the general cleaning needed post-tenancy, what stood out was the tenants’ modification of electrical systems, and two additional air conditioners installed, thereby raising the count to five. They also filled entire rooms with soil for plantation, covered windows to block sunlight, and changed the house locks, adding more to their list of alterations.

Vorravit stated that the tenants had previously explained about keeping air conditioners running for 24 hours, but none of this led him to suspect anything amiss. He treated it as a cultural difference since he had previously rented properties to Chinese tenants having a similar usage pattern. He was shocked, however, by the magnitude of the electricity bill.

After Vorravit shared his experience, netizens suggested that the Chinese occupants may have been growing cannabis. He researched the suggestion but found nothing indicative during his inspection. Nevertheless, Vorravit believes his story should serve as a warning for other landlords regarding potential tenant-related issues, particularly with foreign occupants. Following the incident, he decided to engage an electrician to inspect the property’s electricity system, relocate the air conditioning units, and tidy up the mess left behind.