Arrears
Definition. Arrears is the unpaid balance carried forward from earlier billing cycles onto the current bill, shown as a separate line above the current month's charges.
Also called: Previous balance · Outstanding amount · بقایا جات
Where you see it: In the charges column, usually the line directly above 'current bill' and below the tariff breakdown.
Arrears you caused, and arrears you did not
The obvious case is a missed payment. The less obvious cases are more common: a payment credited to the wrong reference number, a reversed cheque, a detection bill added after an inspection, or an instalment plan that has begun charging.
Arrears also appear when a property changes hands and the previous occupant's balance was never cleared. The debt follows the meter, not the person, which is why a fresh occupant can inherit a five-figure balance.
How a payment is applied
DISCOs apply receipts oldest-first. Paying the exact current-month figure while arrears are outstanding clears part of the arrears and leaves the current month partly unpaid — which then attracts its own surcharge next cycle.
To settle cleanly, pay the total payable figure at the bottom of the bill rather than the current-month line.
Disputing an arrears line
Ask the sub-divisional office for a ledger statement, not a verbal explanation. The statement lists every debit and credit with dates and is what a complaint will be assessed against.
If the arrears originate from a detection bill, the challenge route is different — that is an assessment dispute, and it goes to the Electric Inspector rather than the billing clerk.
Frequently asked questions
Can arrears be paid in instalments?
Yes for large balances. The sub-divisional officer can sanction an instalment plan, typically three to twelve months, on written application. The instalment then appears as its own line on each subsequent bill.
I bought a house with arrears on the meter. Am I liable?
In practice yes, because supply to the premises is what gets disconnected. This is why a no-dues certificate should be obtained from the DISCO before a property transfer completes, not after.
Related terms
- Late payment surcharge — How much the late payment surcharge actually costs on a Pakistani electricity bill, when it can be reversed, and how it compounds if a cycle is skipped.
- Detection bill — How Pakistani DISCOs calculate detection charges, the notice and inspection rights that come with them, and the Electric Inspector route for challenging an assessment.
- Due date — How the two amounts on a Pakistani electricity bill relate to the due date, what happens on weekends and holidays, and how long a bank takes to post a payment.
Go further
Back to the full 44-term glossary, or open your own bill with the reference number lookup.