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Uninterrupted Fewa supply for elderly, disabled people

Fujairah - Fewa consumers may also cancel their service and have a move-out certificate issued without charge

The Federal Electricity and Water Authority (Fewa) will never cut the utilities supply for four categories of the population: the elderly, medical patients, people of determination and social assistance card holders.
The announcement was made by Fewa director general Mohammed Saleh, who urged consumers falling under any of these four categories to verify their case. "The documents required should be submitted to Fewa offices so that none of the consumers falling under the four categories have their power or water supply cut or suspended," Saleh said.
Fewa considers the consumers' accumulated consumption and their compliance with due payment, he added. "The amount of pending bills is also taken into consideration before taking any decision to disconnect service."
Certain payment counters have been specified for the above four categories to meet their needs and aid quick payment services for them, Saleh explained. "These include 5,700 social assistance card holders, besides the patients who need uninterrupted power to operate their life-saving medical devices."
Elaborating, he said that the Dh100 recently added to Fewa bills against untimely payment are only added to customers' consumption 24 days after the bills are issued. "The consumer is also alerted via SMS four days before service disconnection," he said, disclosing that Fewa subsidies Emirati nationals' power consumption by 75 per cent and water consumption by 60 per cent.
Fewa consumers will also enjoy a number of new electronic services soon, Saleh stated. "They can have a new service activated without the usual Dh50 charges, and pay the deposit when settling the first bill online as well."
Fewa consumers may also cancel their service and have a move-out certificate issued without charge. "Bills can be paid instantly online, and consumers can get their year-consumption readings."
Consumers can have bills automatically debited from their bank accounts from the second quarter of 2018, according to Sheikha Murad Al Balooshi, manager of Fewa's income and finance department. "Service supply fees can also be made in installments by simply submitting a request for the same on the Fewa website, and that shall be activated within two working days."
Fewa consumers may also pay their bills via Dubai Now, Samsung Pay and Apple Pay, she said. "Payments shall also be accessible via the authority website and smart app in 2018."
The new five per cent VAT will be added to the bill as per consumption from January. "Regarding the December-January bill, VAT shall only be added to the consumption days in January," she said.
Fewa bills "are issued on the 7th, 13th, 17th, 25th and 28th of every month" according to the user's geographical location, Al Balooshi noted. "Consumers are then given a grace period of 20 days to make a payment; otherwise, the Fewa e-system automatically sends an SMS to the consumer's mobile to alert them that an additional Dh100 shall be added to the bill if no payment is made four days from the first SMS alert."
Official records show that Fewa has updated the details of 286,000 out of its 327,000 consumers. "The details of the remaining consumers shall be updated by home-based freelance Emirati women who contact the consumers to update their facts."
Othman Al Ali, a finance department manager, said that over 80 per cent of Fewa consumers make bill payments on time. "Only 20 per cent others fail to make timely payment for different reasons."
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com

• Fujairah