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The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission has ordered Unitech Realty Pvt Ltd and the resident welfare association of Uniworld Gardens II in Gurugram to refund excess electricity charges collected from residents and revise billing practices in line with regulatory tariffs. The directive follows a complaint filed by a resident alleging overcharging under the single point supply system used in the housing society. The commission found that residents had been billed at higher tariffs than those charged by the distribution utility and that additional charges inconsistent with regulations were imposed. The regulator has also imposed a penalty of INR 50,000 on the RWA and warned of an additional INR 6,000 daily fine if compliance is not achieved within the stipulated period.
The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission has directed Unitech Realty Pvt Ltd and the resident welfare association (RWA) of the Uniworld Gardens II housing society in Gurugram to refund excess electricity charges collected from residents and ensure future billing complies with regulatory tariff rules. The order was issued following a petition filed by a resident alleging irregularities in electricity billing practices within the residential complex. Advertisement
The dispute relates to the single point supply electricity arrangement in the housing society, where power is supplied in bulk by Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) and then distributed internally to individual residents. Under this system, the developer or association must follow the tariff structure prescribed by the regulator when issuing electricity bills to consumers.
According to the complaint, residents were charged higher rates than the approved tariff for domestic consumers. While DHBVN billed bulk supply electricity at approximately INR 5.25 per unit, the developer reportedly billed residents around INR 6.1 per unit, along with additional charges that were not consistent with the tariff framework. These included a daily standing charge of INR 139 and certain fixed charges linked to prepaid meter operations.
The petitioner also alleged that the developer collected connection charges of about INR 58,683 and retained approximately INR 60 lakh that should have been returned to residents. Earlier, the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF) had directed that electricity bills be recalculated using the telescopic tariff applicable to individual consumers and that excess amounts collected be refunded. The petition before the commission sought enforcement of that order after it was allegedly not implemented.
In its ruling, the commission directed the developer and the RWA to comply with the earlier CGRF decision, refund excess amounts collected from residents and issue electricity bills strictly in accordance with the Single Point Supply Regulations, 2020. The regulator also imposed a penalty of INR 50,000 on the RWA for non-compliance and warned that a further INR 6,000 per day penalty would apply if the directions are not followed within 30 days.
During the proceedings, the developer argued that a moratorium ordered by the Supreme Court in the broader Unitech case should shield it from such proceedings. The commission rejected this contention, stating that compliance with electricity tariff regulations cannot be avoided on that basis and that consumer protection obligations remain enforceable.
The ruling reinforces regulatory oversight over electricity billing practices in residential complexes operating under single-point supply arrangements and underscores the responsibility of developers and RWAs to adhere to approved tariff structures.
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