Amusing Story about Gas Bill...

autolux on 19/06/2017 - 22:07
Last edited 20/06/2017 - 08:55

so have lived in an apartment for coming up to two years.

after moving in, i was not at all aware there was gas hot water. i signed up with a power company, then i was done and now here were are with apparently with some new facts that ive had gas hot water this whole time.

today i got 5 letters that included one notice of 'we are sorry, the billing delay we advised you of has been resolved' and a bunch of quarterly bills adding up to around $1000.

first of all, i was never advised of anything, in fact i dont even have a relationship with you. you dont even know my name, ive nearly moved out 2-3 times in the last 9 months.

what do i do?

thing is, how am i expected to have known? and not been able to monitor my usage. how can i trust that value? ive lived here solo for 2 years, $500/yr for just showering seems excessive.. but who knows.. also if i didnt pay why didnt they shut it off..

advice anyone? i'm going to have to pay this aren't i?

updates.. ive never contacted this supplier or agreed or signed anything. i was completely unaware and have received no contact.

just received 5 gas bills attentioned to 'dear cusotmer', totalling ~$1000

1 account overdue recovery commencing notice with a weird seemingly arbitrary amount of $200 + further $145.

bills kick in about 1.5 months after i moved in, until march this year.

average per day cost going backwards from most recent bill are: $1.50, $1.70, $3.40, $1.25, $1.70… musta been living it up jun-sept 2016…?!

first year here = 2 people. normal shower usage thats it. second year here = 1 person, me. normal shower usage, cold water washing machine. $1.50 per day average seems high for 5-7 showers per week + dishes…….. is that what gas costs?? i dunno off hand but seems almost as much as my electricity….

readings say "actual" so not estimate, and there are start/end date meter reads. looks like jun-sept includes some price change amounts, maybe this was a weird anomaly quarter? did some legislation change or something that was reverted? the $3.40 per day on hot water quarter strikes me as super weird. but all i can see is a different price structure for 77 days of the quarter.. the pricing structure continues but my usage drops back down to the consistent $1.50ish average across the bills.. not sure whats going on there.

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Comments

  • DisneyPrincess on 19/06/2017 - 22:11

    1.) have you actually confirmed your apartment has gas hot water? Seems odd you've gone this long with hot water & no bill…

    2.) have you called the number on the bills to querie the "billing delay" and why/how they got your details to just sign you up?

    • autolux on 19/06/2017 - 23:36

      they havent signed me up at all. they dont know who i am. ive had zero contact.

      i assume the previous tennants cancelled or maybe they didnt? either way its kept working and i have not known about it.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/06/2017 - 22:24

    energy companies can only back bill for up to 9 months, water bill is 12 months. Maybe look into it you may only owe up to 9 months max.

    • autolux on 19/06/2017 - 23:39

      good tip! thanks

  • PJC on 19/06/2017 - 23:16

    Are the bills based on actual readings or estimates instead?

    • autolux on 19/06/2017 - 23:39

      i have no idea. i can only assume.

      if theyre actual reads, and im overdue, why have they not turned off the connection…

      • bdl on 20/06/2017 - 00:05

        If it's a bulk hot water system they can't just turn you off I think…

        do the bills say,
        "AUTO LUX
        HOT WATER
        Autolux's address.." ?

        • autolux on 20/06/2017 - 00:12

          the bills say, "dear customer". my address, my hot water system meter ID. there are actual readings so they've been reading it. i can only assume as i dont even exist in their system their billing system had an issue.

          ive just looked at the physical meters, its one floor shared with 3 people, has my meter id. there seems to be taps per meter, so technically they could turn it off, and i could technically turn it back on unless it was locked.

        • bdl on 20/06/2017 - 02:33

          @autolux: I think you may not exist because your landlord/agent hasn't informed them that you moved in…

      • PJC on 20/06/2017 - 00:10
        +1

        Is there an E for Estimate, or a reading date? There must be a meter somewhere. Are the bills from the same energy company you signed up with? If they are not addressed to you, do not contact the sender.

        • autolux on 20/06/2017 - 00:13

          i have never signed or agreed to anything. they are providing a service i was never aware of. they are addressed to "dear customer". same company. actual meter reads.

        • PJC on 20/06/2017 - 00:16

          @autolux: Is there an account number? Don't the bills show a quantity of gas consumed?

        • autolux on 20/06/2017 - 00:20

          @PJC:

          there is 'dear customer' with account number and address. bills show meter reads for each period. so they look legit.

          missed a 6th leter includes second most recent quarter to march 2017 and an 'account overdue notice in red saying recovery action will commence' if they dont receive $200, and a further $145 is outstanding… lol

          the other bills state $1000 is owing. very confusing and amusing..

        • PJC on 20/06/2017 - 00:34

          @autolux: So where is your water heater and what is it connected to? https://www.hunker.com/12001542/how-to-tell-if-you-have-an-e…

        • autolux on 20/06/2017 - 00:35

          @PJC:

          its outside behind the middle of 3 apartments. i knew where it was, but just assumed it was electric and for my place. on actual inspection, its gas & its connected to all 3 apartments with taps and meters for each.

        • PJC on 20/06/2017 - 00:39

          @autolux: So read your meter and compare the reading with the latest bill.

        • autolux on 20/06/2017 - 00:42

          @PJC:

          beyond march is not billed so my meter is over the last bill. they've been reading it.

        • PJC on 20/06/2017 - 00:46

          @autolux: Check the meter and estimate whether the bill is for a credible amount.

        • autolux on 20/06/2017 - 08:51

          @PJC:

          the reads all seem credible except for the quarter that is nearly 3 times all the others.

          i just dont know what a credible daily average is for gas hot water for one person. i mean the daily supply cost is 0.54

  • thatonethere on 19/06/2017 - 23:33

    Another good "scam" for utilities is to sign you up automatically for the most expensive plan:

    1. hit you up for expensive "supply charges" - even if little/no gas used
    2. higher than normal usage charges

    If you are staying - then make sure you are on an appropriate plan.

    If the costs are genuine - you could claim hardship and propose a payment plan (eg $100/month). According to EWON if they took 24 months to bill you then you get 24 months to pay them back. You could stall them longer by asking for all 2 years of billing info - eg claim you didn't get all their letters.

    However if they say your meter was obstructed then out of luck. In ACT a work colleague received outrageous gas bills and when he rang them they said "oh that's how we tell you if we can't get to your meter" (WTF).

    • autolux on 19/06/2017 - 23:50

      ok so the bills make zero sense.

      ive lived here for ~8 quarters. the bills actually only deal with quarter 3, 4, 5 & 6

      first 1.something are missing and 7-8 maybe coming..

      the readings appear to be meter. says "actual and theres monthly start and end read amounts.

      its not really a money problem, but this is kinda bullshit. i have not agreed to anything and i certainly wouldnt have maintained a relationship with this particular provider. i find the prices are pretty wonky let alone high consider its $1000 with 2 quarters to go.

      its basically on par with my electricity bill… its one person, shower n washing machine. i handwash most things.

      per day cost averages for some of the quarters are $1.50, $1.60, $1.63, $1.16, $3.20!! seems to have been a price change for 77 days on that quarter, but it reverted next quarter, go figure!

      • bdl on 20/06/2017 - 02:36

        As a tenant you don't need to agree to anything with bulk hot water, the owners decide what provider is used via the owners' corporation.

        Basically if you want hot water you pay, if you don't, you don't :)

  • bdl on 20/06/2017 - 00:03

    It may be a bulk hot water system - which is shared between different tenants in a building. Basically - think of a big hot water system that everyone shares. There's a meter measuring how much hot water each unit is using from this hot water system. The hot water bill will cover both water and gas used when supplying hot water to your unit.

    I've seem some terrible real estate agents that have NFI about this, so they don't tell the tenant and then the tenant gets a nasty shock. I'm pretty sure it's up to the agent to inform the hot water supplier but some agents are hopeless and don't pass on the tenants details. Definitely chase this up with your agent if your renting.

    If you own, chase up with whoever you settled with (lawyer, conveyancer) to find out why your bulk hot water supplier wasn't notified of your details.

    • autolux on 20/06/2017 - 00:09

      im renting but its weird, the agent basically handed off to the landlord immediately and ive never even spoken to the technical landlord. her "uncle" and only a couple times via phone, as i dont think the owner actually lives in aus..

      • bdl on 20/06/2017 - 02:35

        What do you mean handed off? The owners will be paying the agent to manage the property so your agent is your first port of call. Your agent sounds negligent not telling you about the bulk hot water so take it up with them. Check what your lease says too.

        • autolux on 20/06/2017 - 08:53

          nope. its handed off. the agent was only there to let the property, then the landlords were managing things directly.

          its a thing just not super common, it usually means the landlords are super tightasses, but what do agents really do anyway so who can blame them..

        • bdl on 20/06/2017 - 08:53

          @autolux: OK in that case then bother your landlords, say you'll pay from now on but not previously because they hadn't informed you of the bulk hot water :)

  • Euphemistic on 20/06/2017 - 07:26

    That interesting. My mother in law recently moved out of her town house. The utility companies were advised and she was removed from billing for elect and gas. Since she still owns the property she is collecting the mail and has received three energy bills to 'the occupier' with service and (very low) usage charges. The gas and elect company apparently just sent a bill to whoever was there because they did not actually disconnect the service and wanted to charge someone.

  • ThithLord on 20/06/2017 - 08:25
    +1

    Something very similar happened to a friend of mine - I think he was quote around $1500. They tried billing him for two years worth. He ended up only paying around $250, thankfully. Know your rights and fight tooth and nail, mate!

  • try2bhelpful on 20/06/2017 - 09:38

    We had something similar; we had to pay the 9 months but we then went to a different supplier (that confuses them). You only need to pay the 9 months. This site might help.

    https://www.ewon.com.au/page/suppliers/supplier-responsibili…

    Personally I think that energy companies that try to backbill more than 9 months should be fined.

  • [Deactivated] on 20/06/2017 - 10:33
    +1

    i'm going to have to pay this aren't i?

    Only when they figure out your name and the date you moved in. The "dear customer" letters are useless for collection purposes. In fact, you shouldn't even open them (since they're not addressed to you) unless your name happens to be "customer"

  • autolux on 20/06/2017 - 11:38

    im pretty sure they were personally delivered. had someone buzz me to get in the other day which never happens and heard someone at the water heater.

  • pjetson on 20/06/2017 - 16:24
    +1

    i'm going to have to pay this aren't i?

    I'm not sure I'd go that far, but you did use the gas, didn't you?

    They're not allowed to back bill for more than nine months, and they have to offer you at least as long as the back bill period to pay them. If the first bill you received was today, it's nine months back from today. You don't have to pay for the whole two years.

    Imagine that someone in your position did a runner, and someone else moved in and signed up with a different gas company. Unless they were able to find out who the "previous" tenant was, I suspect that they might have to write the debt off.

    Just wondering out loud here.

  • Drifta on 20/06/2017 - 20:06

    not sure about legality but yes gas costs a fair bit in just servicing costs - that is before you've used any gas at all! Electricity is about 1.5x as there are greater infrastructure upkeep costs but nevertheless, gas is no longer the cheaper option for everyone when this is factored in. One of my mates recently removed his gas hot water and switched it with an electric hot water system with a timing system and he is already saving money.

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