# Electric counter



## veraison (Sep 25, 2010)

hello can someone please help me, I bought an apartment in dahab sth sinai, 2 years ago, it is in a complex with a number oif other apartments, we all had electric counters, but were receiving the electricity via the owners of the complex, apparently this was illegal as they were making money from this by overcharging and have been told they can no longer do this, we now have to get electric counters by our own names, I went to the electric company with a letter from the complex owners giving their permission for the meter, but the electric company say I cannot have a meter in my name unless \I have a government stamp on my contract and I have not, also as there is no longer any apartments here being registered I feel like I am at my wits end about this, 
y contract tates that any legal matters arrising over the contract must be dealt with in sth sinai area, but now have been told they no longer deal with foreigners there and I must apply in cairo, but as it is in my contract they say I need to make a new contract without this wording. Everyone I speak to about this seem to have a different story and with money they can sort out the problem, but I know they just want to make money and not going to help really. Has anyone any ideas about this please.


----------



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

veraison said:


> hello can someone please help me, I bought an apartment in dahab sth sinai, 2 years ago, it is in a complex with a number oif other apartments, we all had electric counters, but were receiving the electricity via the owners of the complex, apparently this was illegal as they were making money from this by overcharging and have been told they can no longer do this, we now have to get electric counters by our own names, I went to the electric company with a letter from the complex owners giving their permission for the meter, but the electric company say I cannot have a meter in my name unless \I have a government stamp on my contract and I have not, also as there is no longer any apartments here being registered I feel like I am at my wits end about this,
> y contract tates that any legal matters arrising over the contract must be dealt with in sth sinai area, but now have been told they no longer deal with foreigners there and I must apply in cairo, but as it is in my contract they say I need to make a new contract without this wording. Everyone I speak to about this seem to have a different story and with money they can sort out the problem, but I know they just want to make money and not going to help really. Has anyone any ideas about this please.




Hi and Welcome to the forum

The best person to answer this will be Sam and I am sure when she pops in she will have a good look and come up with an answer

Maiden


----------



## Sam (Aug 27, 2009)

veraison said:


> hello can someone please help me, I bought an apartment in dahab sth sinai, 2 years ago, it is in a complex with a number oif other apartments, we all had electric counters, but were receiving the electricity via the owners of the complex, apparently this was illegal as they were making money from this by overcharging and have been told they can no longer do this, we now have to get electric counters by our own names, I went to the electric company with a letter from the complex owners giving their permission for the meter, but the electric company say I cannot have a meter in my name unless \I have a government stamp on my contract and I have not, also as there is no longer any apartments here being registered I feel like I am at my wits end about this,
> y contract tates that any legal matters arrising over the contract must be dealt with in sth sinai area, but now have been told they no longer deal with foreigners there and I must apply in cairo, but as it is in my contract they say I need to make a new contract without this wording. Everyone I speak to about this seem to have a different story and with money they can sort out the problem, but I know they just want to make money and not going to help really. Has anyone any ideas about this please.



Hi and welcome,

I would have to ask about the ins and out of the electric meters as I am sure there are still many resorts in Sharm who pay electricity charges to the resorts management, who inevitably do charge more than the government. Where I live I pay the management, and where I used to live the electricity was on a meter you charged by a pre-paid card. I have not been aware of a law counteracting this, but can find out. In any case, you are much better off getting the electricity from the government since you would not pay the surcharges.

My understanding of what you have explained is that you need to "authenticate" your contract in court, which is most commonly done via the signature validity suit. This can be done in any court in Egypt, and can still be done in El Tur.

What you are having problems with and have been told you will need to go to Cairo for is to appoint your lawyer Power of Attorney. A new law has been passed which has made is imperative for a "qualified translator" to counter sign the Power of Attorney. As yet there are none in El Tur, hence the need to travel to Cairo to appoint PoA. The case can still be done in the courts in El Tur though.

If you are not a permanent resident of Egypt and will be going home soon it may be possible to appoint your lawyer PoA from your home country. 

I am not sure about your point of making a new contract though.
I will try to find out more about this case specifically with regards to electric meters and get back to you, but if all you need to do is the Signature Validity it is very simple, although the process can take around 6-8 months.

Sam


----------



## veraison (Sep 25, 2010)

*thank you*



Sam said:


> Hi and welcome,
> 
> I would have to ask about the ins and out of the electric meters as I am sure there are still many resorts in Sharm who pay electricity charges to the resorts management, who inevitably do charge more than the government. Where I live I pay the management, and where I used to live the electricity was on a meter you charged by a pre-paid card. I have not been aware of a law counteracting this, but can find out. In any case, you are much better off getting the electricity from the government since you would not pay the surcharges.
> 
> ...


Thank ou so much for your help. I was told I would need to make a new contract as El Tur were no longer dealing wih any issues regarding foreigners so I would need to make this via cairo, and as my contract stipulates sth sinai I would have to change this. but lawyers here are not always truthful or honest and it is so hard to find an honest one never mind one that actually speaks english. I live here full time, and have a year visa, so it is possible for me to go to Ciro and do the power of attorney, its just that I am not sure if they will accept the signature of validity for the electic meter, some people say yes and sioe say no I need to have a registered paper. either way looks like I will have no electricity to my apartment after 1st Dec.


----------



## Sam (Aug 27, 2009)

veraison said:


> Thank ou so much for your help. I was told I would need to make a new contract as El Tur were no longer dealing wih any issues regarding foreigners so I would need to make this via cairo, and as my contract stipulates sth sinai I would have to change this. but lawyers here are not always truthful or honest and it is so hard to find an honest one never mind one that actually speaks english. I live here full time, and have a year visa, so it is possible for me to go to Ciro and do the power of attorney, its just that I am not sure if they will accept the signature of validity for the electic meter, some people say yes and sioe say no I need to have a registered paper. either way looks like I will have no electricity to my apartment after 1st Dec.


I have asked to find out more about what is going on and what you really need to do specifically in this case... so when I get answers I'll let you know


----------

