So recently my roommates and I received two large bills in quick succession totalling 900$. The first was relatively large given the weather, but it's the second bill that I can't wrap my head around. They claim that they'd been under-evaluating our usage up to this point, and now they're billing us for the difference in one shot. I asked them if it could be paid in increments and they say it's not possible. Am I wrong in thinking this is unfair? Has anybody else dealt with similar problems?
I have, I think we all deal with it. In the winter months our consumption is way higher than in the summer, I pay 3 or 4 times more and if they don't do the reading the following months are paid by estimate and the value continues high. The only solution to that is to give the reading every month.
Considering the fact that the 'under-evaluation' mistake was not of your making, the electricity company should have taken full responsibility for their mistake and permitted you to pay any arrears owed [as you knew nothing of them] in small bits. If they are right, and you were 'consuming' a lot of electricity, then it's time to start thinking about lowering your consumption by sacrificing on your comfort, plugging out appliances that are not in use, etc,. etc. That would at least lower the bill you'd have to pay.
Most companies will allow you to pay it in payments if the bill is unusually large. I would say call them back again. Tell them you are unable to pay all at once and ask for their payment options. You may have just gotten a bad rep that was trying to force you into paying at once, which isn't fair.
First thing to do is ensure you have a correct reading. I mistook a 1 for a a 7 once and that result in a bill £200 more than I was expecting. Although I just left it and the following bill was about £15. You could call the electricity company and tell them the reading is incorrect, if that is the case. If the reading was correct then you should contact them for two reasons, as others have stated they could help you work out a repayment plan. Also they will have dealt with other cases like this and may be able to advise you as to what is causing the abnormally high usage.
Wow, $900 for one month electricity bill is extremely huge. What are you doing in your room that your bill reaches that amount? With regards to the under-evaluation, I think that what the power company is asking is very unfair. They should allow you to pay for the under-evaluated bill in installments so as not to be too burdensome. Like the others have said, it is not your fault that you were under evaluated. Maybe you should try to speak to the admin once more and try to compromise.
Agreed. Sometimes I call a utility company and get an inflexible representative that won't help me at all and then I call back another time and get a super friendly rep that is willing to help and make arrangements for me. Sometimes you get a noobie trainee that doesn't know how to make a payment arrangement so they tell you that it can't be done. OP should keep calling back until they get a more helpful rep.
You need to start taking the initiative of recording the daily, weekly, and monthly usage off of what you electric meter is showing. If you break it down and remember what you were using at the time of irregular spikes, you can curve you usage of that appliance or whatever it may be.
$900 seem unusual indeed. I get to turn on aircondition, water heater, 2 computers thats on for 16 hours a day and TV which is almost on 24/7 and I don't get $900. Did you check whether someone else tap into your wire and use your electricity for them? The bill with $900 is not something that i will actually receive. I'd not sign to receive the bill, they have to do something.
