CFE - GRACE PERIOD?

My CFE bill is due 10/16 and I will not be in Mexico until 10/18, when I can go to Chapala and pay it. I'm wondering if it's likely the service will be discontinued on the day the payment is due, or might there be a bit of a grace period??? Thanks!!

What kind of meter do you  have?

I don't recall. I think it's a standard meter - not digital.

I think you'll probably be ok. If you had a digital meter they will cut service soon as a payment is missed.

With a standard meter the billing is every 2 months. The next billing cycle is for September/October and due mid-November.

My bill is for August and September, due Oct. 16. I print it out from the CFE website, but of course, can't pay online. I had hoped to arrive before then.

Oh sorry......I didn't realize people could have different billing cycles.

Do you have a friend that can go pay it for you?
 If not, I still think you'll be fine for a couple days if you pay it asap upon your arrival.

You should be OK for at least 2 to 3 weeks, but I wouldn't gamble much on anything after the 1st of the month (noviembre).
Being Mexico, there isn't any guarantee, just my knowledge of how it was in the past.

Nobody knows grace.

I would bet it paid earlier somehow.

CanuckBob wrote:With a standard meter the billing is every 2 months. The next billing cycle is for September/October and due mid-November.

I'm nearby in the village with a standard meter. Last year CFE changed my billing to monthly. This about the same time that many solar
folks were changed to billing every two months. I was told that eventually all non solar accounts would be changed to monthly and they
had started with some in Ajijic and also a few neighborhoods in Chapala.

I sure wouldn't count on a 2-3 week grace period for paying your bill. A few years ago when Banamex neglected to pay CFE, the crew was quickly
out to remove the meter. Luckily I saw them in the process and they held off and I immediately paid the bill.
I now pay my own as CFE is none too speedy to reconnect.

I heard they were changing to monthly 3 years ago............

Pay in advance...no worries then.

Good suggestion.

If it should be cut off. they will have come and removed your meter. Have your gardener or someone he knows throw some wires up and get reconnected. Don't go and pay right away as they will charge a reconnect fee. Make sure you get a few hundred pesos worth of juice before paying up. Has worked like a charm for us twice in the past. When in Rome........

And put a cage around it.

Good news. I was two days late, but the service was not cut off. Probably won't do that again.

I heard that some people had been cut off after two or three days. Glad it worked out for you. I have known snowbirds who would pay in advance making sure that they overestimated the amount that they would owe. It usually worked out quite well. When not, they would learn about it when the bill was sent out on line and would then have to make other arrangements or be cut off.

CanuckBob wrote:I heard they were changing to monthly 3 years ago............

I was changed to monthly a year ago. Just recently I was back at every other month. One meter is digital and one is the regular type. I always prepay my electric if I'm going to be away. There is a way to pay your electric with a company called "Simple Pay" and use a US or Canadian credit card on line by putting your billing info for CFE in the account.

Well it would appear that there is no rhyme or reason as to how CFE bills their customers. Some are monthly, some are bi-monthly, some have digital meters, some have standard meters, etc., etc..........

I have a standard meter and have been paying bimonthly for the past 6 years.

We have been on a one month billing cycle for over a year. After not receiving a bill for 6 weeks we checked with CFE Chapala. They have put us back on a 2 month billing cycle. No reason given.

I'm intrigued by the "Simple Pay" system. Has anyone been using it?

Yep, we too were changed over to a big-monthly billing. Found out by going to CFE.....

My understanding is that if you are solar you are billed every 2 months, otherwise you are billed monthly.