The bill is in the wrong person's name

The symptom: “The meter is still in the previous owner's — or a deceased relative's — name.”

Short answer. A change of name is a title transfer of the connection, applied for at the sub-divisional office with proof of ownership or tenancy, both parties' identity documents, a clear no-dues position on the account, and the transfer fee. Until it is done, the advance income tax on the bill belongs to the named person, not to you.

Urgency: Worth sorting out, not urgent. Expect: Two to eight weeks in practice, dominated by the inspection and by clearing any outstanding balance first.

Why this happens

Property purchased and never transferred: By far the most common. The sale completed, the keys changed hands, and the utility account was forgotten because the bills kept arriving and kept getting paid.
Inheritance: The named holder has died and the account continues in their name. This needs the succession documentation rather than a sale deed.
A tenancy that outlived the arrangement: A connection put in a tenant's name years ago, with the tenant long gone.
A misspelling from the original survey: Not a transfer at all — a correction, which is a simpler and cheaper application.

What to do, in order

Decide whether you need a correction or a transfer. A misspelt version of the correct person's name is a correction. A different person entirely is a transfer, and the document set is much larger.
Clear the account and obtain a no-dues position. Transfer is not sanctioned over an outstanding balance. Any arrears, instalments or assessed charges have to be settled or formally resolved first.
Assemble the documents. Proof of ownership or tenancy, CNIC copies of both outgoing and incoming holder, the latest paid bill, and the application on the company's prescribed form. Succession cases need the succession certificate or equivalent.
Submit at the sub-divisional office and pay the fee. Keep the stamped acknowledgement. The fee schedule is published and differs by category.
Expect a site verification. Most transfers involve an inspection confirming occupancy and that the connected load matches the record. An installation that has grown well beyond its sanction can turn a transfer into a load extension.
Verify the name on the next bill. And check that nothing else changed with it — tariff category and sanctioned load are sometimes revised at the same time as a by-product of the inspection.

What to take with you

Sale deed, allotment letter or registered tenancy agreement
CNIC of the incoming holder
CNIC of the outgoing holder, or succession documents where they are deceased
The latest paid bill and a clear no-dues position
The company's prescribed transfer application form

Why it is worth doing even when the bills get paid anyway

The advance income tax deducted on the bill is a credit belonging to the person the bill is issued to. If that is a previous owner or a deceased relative, you are paying it and they hold the claim — and in a deceased case nobody can claim it at all.

Ownership of the connection also matters for a net-metering application, for any load extension, and for establishing a no-dues position when you eventually sell.

And an account in a dead person's name is a slow-moving problem. It gets harder to resolve as the documentary trail ages, not easier.

If it stalls, escalate in this order

Sub-divisional officer
Executive engineer where an application sits beyond the published timeline

Attach the earlier stamped applications at each rung. Starting the story again from the beginning at every level is the slowest possible way to escalate.

Frequently asked questions

Can a tenant have the bill put in their own name?

With the owner's written consent and a registered tenancy agreement, yes, and it is common. The owner should understand that the connection's dues and its transfer thereafter involve the tenant, which is why many owners decline.

The previous owner has left the country and cannot sign anything.

Explain that at the counter with your ownership documents. Companies do process transfers on the strength of a registered sale deed and an indemnity where the outgoing holder is unreachable, though it takes longer.

Does a name change affect my protected consumer status?

The consumption history stays with the meter, so the protected or unprotected classification carries across the transfer with it.

Background reading

All 17 procedures are listed in the help centre index. For company contact details and helplines, see complaints.