Woman pays property fees with 6,000 coins in protest against poor service, staff spends three hours counting

A woman in China made a bold statement against her property management company by settling her dues with thousands of coins after her electricity was cut of

For most people, paying bills is a straightforward task—either a quick bank transfer or a trip to the counter. But for a woman in Chin, Shandong Province, it became an opportunity to take a stand. Frustrated with her residential property management company, she decided to settle her outstanding fees in an unusual way—by handing over 6,000 coins, reported the South China Morning Post.

To make a point, she withdrew 6,000 coins worth 650 yuan ( ₹7,500).(Representational Image/Pexel)

The woman, identified as Pi, shared her ordeal online. On March 11, her electricity supply was abruptly cut off. When she contacted the management, she was told that power would only be restored once she cleared her overdue property fees. Outraged by what she saw as an unfair demand, Pi questioned, “Who gave them the right to urge me to pay the property management fees by restricting my use of electricity?”

Determined to make a point, Pi withdrew 6,000 coins amounting to 650 yuan ( ₹7,500) from a bank. To further inconvenience the staff, she removed the paper bands binding the coins together, ensuring they had to be counted one by one. Initially, the property management team refused to accept the payment and asked her to deposit the money in a bank instead. Pi stood her ground, even threatening to call the police. Eventually, the staff had no choice but to comply, spending over three hours counting the coins under Pi’s watchful eye. Once the payment was completed, her electricity was restored.

Sweet revenge

Pi admitted in her viral video that she had intentionally delayed the payment, not only because she forgot but also out of dissatisfaction with the company’s services. “Often when I asked them to deal with some problems in our community, they responded by saying it was beyond their extent of jurisdiction. But they are so proactive in asking us to pay the fees,” she remarked. She also revealed that other property owners had previously used similar tactics to retaliate against the management.

Legal expert Fu Jian from Henan Zejin Law Firm clarified that while Pi’s method of payment was not illegal, it was not entirely reasonable either. He explained that since coins are legal tender, businesses are obligated to accept them. However, he also pointed out that the property management company had violated Pi’s rights by cutting off her electricity as a means of coercion.

A similar incident in 2022 had a different outcome when a company in Hunan province attempted to pay a worker’s salary and compensation worth 10,000 yuan ( ₹1.15 lakh) in coins. The move backfired when the court fined the company 5,000 yuan ( ₹57,500) for wasting judicial resources, as court staff had to spend hours counting the money.