A woman from Zhoukou, Henan Province, discovered that she was still being billed for the electricity of a house she sold 13 years ago, totaling over 3,000 RMB. The current owner refuses to reimburse her for the electricity fees she paid on his behalf. This news made headlines on Baidu’s hot search on January 19.
On January 17, Ms. Tang from Zhoukou shared a video showing the stack of electricity payment receipts she obtained from the power supply bureau.
In 2006, Ms. Tang chose to enable automatic electricity bill deduction for convenience and linked it to her bank account.
In 2012, Ms. Tang sold the house but forgot to cancel the automatic electricity bill deduction service.
At the beginning of 2025, when Ms. Tang tried to recharge her linked bank card for her child’s meal card, she noticed an incorrect balance. A bank check revealed a monthly electricity expense since the activation of the service in 2006, continuously deducted without interruption from 2012, amounting to 3,145 RMB over 13 years for a house that no longer belonged to her.
Upon investigation, staff from the electricity bureau accompanied Ms. Tang to communicate with the new homeowner.
After understanding the situation, the new homeowner initially appeared surprised but soon expressed understanding and agreed to reimburse Ms. Tang for the electricity fees she had paid over the years.
However, several days passed without any action from the new homeowner. When Ms. Tang called to inquire, the new homeowner started making various excuses, claiming tight finances or suggesting that the electricity fees may not have accrued entirely during his ownership and thus should not be solely his responsibility. Eventually, he even stopped answering Ms. Tang’s calls.
In the video, Ms. Tang stated, “Since July 2017, the electricity fees have been paid in advance by the other party. If he has an outstanding balance after using up the prepaid amount, it would be deducted from my card. This proves that he was aware of the requirement to pay the electricity bills.”
On January 18, a prominent analyst commented on this incident, stating that legal professionals believe the new homeowner’s initial promise to repay but subsequent refusal constitutes unjust enrichment under the law. If Ms. Tang chooses to seek legal recourse, her bank transaction records clearly document the history of the automatic electricity bill deduction, proving her continuous payment for the new homeowner’s electricity bills. Additionally, the record of the new homeowner agreeing to repay while in the presence of electricity bureau staff can support Ms. Tang’s claim. Based on previous similar cases’ legal outcomes, with solid evidence, Ms. Tang has a high probability of reclaiming the paid electricity fees.
Ms. Tang stated that she is now prepared to pursue legal action.