By MelMayle - 05/01/2010 16:32 - United States
I agree, your life sucks
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You deserved it
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MelMayle tells us more.
I recently graduated from college and moved in this brand new unit / my first apartment, which is in a different state. I figured the rates were just low and the apartment was energy efficient. Come to find out, my bills actually exceeded $100 and $200 some months... I just don't understand how the customer service reps at the utility company, nor the complex--who was paying my actual bill the entire time--did not catch it sooner, especially considering they would be more familiar with how the rates run. But my biggest problem: They taking so long to catch it, drove my bill up. Had I been aware of my actual usage, I could have easily reduced my usage.
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if they were billing you for an UNOCCUPIED unit wouldn't your bills be close to zero? There wouldn't be any lights on, water used, heat/air. It would be VERY low. Assuming you use all of the above--wouldn't you have suspected that things were off? Why shouldn't you be responsible for what you used? You were paying close to nothing for close to 15 months & now you have to pay what you rightfully owed. YDI.
fretforyerlatte
0
agree. it does suck but you would have to notice that your bills were almost nonexistent. i'm sure they will put you on some kind of payment plan anyway.
jry0318
0
The unoccupied units in my complex for some reason, the lights are constantly on and i'm sure the a/c is running. I'm also sure when it gets really cold in the winter time, they go into the units and put the heaters on. So I can see how that could have happened. I would fight this bill if I were you.
fretforyerlatte
0
if OP was actually paying out money for the other unit, they would have counted what he paid against his bill. they're not going to charge him for both.
janise
2
If the utilities company can't even read the correct meter I doubt they're smart enough to credit his account for what he's already paid.
Chances are, they did read the correct meter and the OP had actually switched the meter boxes. Go look at yours. It has an ID number on it that the electric company enters with the meter reading for billing. If he switched it with one from an empty house, then the one with his billing number wasn't being used and the one for the empty house that he stole was getting billed to the other landlord. So, YDI for being a thief.
mrjorgejones
0
That's a pretty presumptuous statement. How cynical do you have to be assume the OP is a thief? Hell, I never thought about switching meters like that until just this moment.
honestly roughly 1100 in bills for 15 months isnt bad depending on where you live js
I don't think he could win a lawsuit in court. It's like if your job accidentally pays you too much over the course of several months and then realizes their mistake, you have to pay them back all the money they accidentally gave you. Didn't you notice that you were being billed way less than normal? Even though it's their mistake, you still have to pay for the utilities you used.
SarahMarie83
0
How exactly did you fail to notice that your utilities magically became free and/or greatly reduced? Go ahead and take them to court but good luck explaining that to a judge. You knew there was a problem and chose to ignore it. Now you have to pay, quite literally it would seem, for your negligence.
For 15 months, that's a very low power bill, only $74 a month (assuming OP was paying close to $0 each month because the unit was unoccupied).
dudeitsdanny
9
Chances are he's single and lives alone. My whole family of 4, before we installed the central AC/heater, paid $30-$40 for electricity, 30-50 for gas, and we still pay only about $30-$40 in water. He's probably only paying for one from what I understand, though.
MakeupBurn
0
Screw them, that's their fault they've billed the wrong place. I don't think you should pay them. I'm so sorry.
Uh, he wouldnt be paying zero. it's 1000-something EXTRA he has to pay back. Even unoccupied houses need heat.
Yeah, because with no heat, pipes freeze. Also sounds like it's an apartment building (it does say unit, but I'm just assuming) so there could have been a landlord in there using lights and such, checking on it sometimes, or showing it off to potential buyers.. If you're using it, you should have to pay, yes, but not when they 'spring' it on you like this. They ****** up, they need to fix it. $1000 lesson.
ItFuckinHurt
0
Sew them, if it was their fault they have no right to take your money. Also, if it was unoccupied you can state "IF so, take the money i payed for the unoccupied one and wave my fees"
dudeitsdanny
9
I think sewing people is illegal and a little psycho.. Unless you're at work.. And you're a doctor..
A stitch in time, saves nine.
MermaidSongXOXO
6
#21 I see what you did there :) +5 Internets
Hermyoni
0
I'd fight it. If you were paying your bill on time for 15 months and now magically catch the mistake it is all on them. Especially because someone had to come out once a month to read that meter. Sounds like they need to fire the meter reader. He should of noticed that mistake right away. FYL and I hope you don't have to pay.
allen20
0
Hey dude its danny.? you live in LA?
dudeitsdanny
9
Yes, i do :) 15-20 minutes from downtown. Not gonna kill me, are you? :O
go to court and have it sorted.
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Something like that happened to me, except they billed me for the correct unit.
So take them to court and fight it.