Hawaii couple hit with $18,000 power bill for neighbourhood lighting after being told they owned the street

Hawaiian Electric said the couple would not have to pay the outstanding bill for all the streetlights

(Getty/iStock)

A couple from Hawaii was left shocked after receiving an $18,000 (£13,282) electric bill last month, with their electricity provider claiming they were responsible for paying for the entire neighbourhood’s streetlights.

Desha-Ann Kealoha and her husband Rashann Kealoha received a letter from the Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) on 27 January which stated they were the legal owners of the street in Oahu, and had not paid invoivces for the streetlights for years.

“Hawaiian Electric recently learned that you both own Halemaluhia Place,” the letter read. “Because you own the street upon which the streetlights are located, Hawaiian Electric believes that you are responsible for the payment of electric energy supplied to these streetlights.”

Ms Kealoha told ABC-affiliated news network WTEN-TV: “Yes, I was shocked, overwhelmed and confused, but still remained hopeful that there was some solution.”

The company provided documentation to show which of the street lights belonged to the couple, which were powered for several years without payment.

Ms Kealoha, however, said that when she signed her mortgage, it did not include anything about ownership of the entire street.

Ultimately, the electricity provider said it was not expecting the Kealohas to pay the whole amount.

“We’re working with all parties and have spoken with the Kealohas. We want to assure them that we don’t expect them to pay the outstanding bill,” the company said in a statement.

“Our goal is to determine who owns the street where the streetlights are located so that the bill can be paid going forward.”

Ms Kealoha said the couple shared the company’s goal and hoped the situation would “be resolved as well”.

“Failure for the developers to complete the dedication process should not be my issue. Not sure who dropped the ball here, but it’s out of my control,” she added.