Ultility meters

[gonefishie]

Have anyone noticed the "estimated reading" on your ultility bills? This had happened to me several times over the years but this past month I have TWO "estimated" readings. One is a water bill and the other is the gas bill. Both of them was doubled from previous month. I can understand the gas being higher since it's colder in December then November but it shouldn't doubled. The freaking water should definetely be less. I called the ultility companies and they explained that because of weather condition they couldn't take an actual meter reading so they estimated it. Next month they will take an actual reading and adjust the bill accordingly. My question is how do I know if they will actually walk up to the side of my house, take a reading, or would they just sit in the truck, write down a number and call it "actual reading" ? If they make up a number then I will be screw again. Are there any ultility worker in the house that can shed some light on this "estimated reading" practice? How about any lawyer? is a class action law suit do-able?

 

[tommays]

Re: Ultility meters

You can read the meter yourself and compare it to the bill



Tommays

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Ultility meters

Look at your bills and get an idea as to what day they will be using as the read day.
On that day, read the meters and then compare your read to their read.

Most utilities doing the estimated useage billing use the monthly average over the past year or historical useage for that month.
Not just bill double useage so that they are sure to bill enough.

If you think your estimated useage is too high, make an averaged payment.
Then when you get a real useage bill, pay the difference.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Ultility meters

If you have the meters that actually have to be looked at you can always make the spot "tamperproof".

Like the water meter in the lawn, place a shovel of dirt ontop and smooth it out. Or hang a bucket over the glass elec. meter dome.
Something that the meter reader has to move or disturb but won't both to put back like he found it.

Of course there are now modern, remote read meters that allow the reader to stay in the truck.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Ultility meters

They do the same thing here in VT but in the winter it is obvious when there are footprints in the snow.

My electric company has me on a budget plan and I pay an even amount every month even though the rates vary from summer to winter. I just keep an eye on my useage and compare it from year to year.

Yes there are areas that use "remote" systems to read the meter but they must be tuned to that specific meter so it is not confused with a neighbor.

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: Ultility meters

I'd be mad if they did that to me. In my area we read our own meters and every once and awhile someone comes out to check to make sure your not lying. I use the reading to calculate out the next months usage. That way I know how much the bill is going to be and can plan for that. Also, if there is a leak I can tell from the higher then normal reading.

I think you should complain, If your next months reading is less are the going to pay you interest on the amount they over charged you????

I bet if you were late on a payment they would charge you interest wouldn't they?

Think about how much extra money there making in a years time by "estimating" every ones reading.

 

[newbie4life]

Re: Ultility meters

I wouldn't get my underbritches in a knot over it. If there's 2 feet of snow, and it's more than a little difficult to get to the meter, I don't blame them... They do it here once or twice a year (depending on the weather.)

The easiest way to fix this (without a lawsuit ) is to read the meter yourself. Do it even when they can get to the thing. This makes you aware of your usage for the month. If it's less than what they estimated, give them a call, and tell them you want to pay only what the meter says. Either way, you're gonna end up straightening up with them next month, aren't you?

 

[achris]

Re: Ultility meters

This is what I do... It's a bit up and down because I'm away a lot. I do it for Electricity, gas, water and phone. After a couple of years it's really easy to see any trends. I also only graph unit usage, that eliminates the continual price rises and I get a more accurate picture of what's happening. Whenever there is a spike or a rise in usage I think about why... I installed another air conditioner or it was a cold winter and I ran the heater more etc, etc....

Excel is great for these sorts of jobs.....

Chris.............

 

[HyperFox]

Re: Ultility meters

Well. Im in a bit of a tiff after getting another $240 gas bill this season.. However my furnace is designed to heat a double wide trailer, and I rent a two story townhouse so the poor thing is running its butt off. Military housing for ya.

Our meters here are just the old glass type ones. I haven't had a reading in a while.. Once every 3 months or so they will read it. The hydro company is bringing in these new "Smart" meters that send the reading electronically to the hydro company, and of course we have to rent them at a cost. Im just hoping that they actually save me money..

Speaking of the hydro company.. Mine is a rip-off man.. I could strangle them...
I pay a debt retirement charge of $10 a month because the previous company went under.. Then a $30 delivery fee.. Then the hydro charge itself.. to the tune of 140 bucks. Im a hydro freak.. Every light in my house is one of those coily fluorescent ones, even the little one in the fridge. Everything in my house is energy star certified, and still I pay through the nose for hydro.. I throw the master breaker in the house, and the meter still spins.. Apparently the meter isnt thier responsibility..

Now i used to be on equal billing for the utils.. But after 3 $400+ "catch up" bills, I decided to pay for what I use every month...

Hey.. Can you email me that spreadsheet?

 

[rwise]

Re: Ultility meters

What I did for the electric co when they started estimating my bill I started estimating my payment! When the bill came in I would go out and read the meter, if it was less than they said then I pad less, if it was more then I payed more. And I put a *E* by the payment. After 3or 4 months they called me and wanted to know why I was paying a different amount than was billed, so I told em, *You estimated my bill and I estimated the payment!* and *I paid for someone to come out and read it!* (here there is a monthly charge for reading) They have never estimated my bill again!! Of course as the new meters come into play you will be able to see what your bill is at any time on-line.

 

[joed]

Re: Ultility meters

If they are over estimating your bill it will eventually cath up. You will get a bill that is very low when they make an actual catchup reading. It can work to your advantage if the rates go up. You prepaid at the lower rate.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Ultility meters

I understand they will "catch up" granted that there will be an honest ACTUAL "actual reading". My problem is that I'm not so sure that the next reading won't be a made up one.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Ultility meters

Heck I am in Pensacola, FL and the water meter is only read every other month.

Many utilities now have online account access. You can see past monthly use history, etc. If you have any history, then send them and averaged payment. They can't shut you off if your making payments that are the average monthly charge on time.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Ultility meters

HyperFox,
The glass meter is the hydro companies property and responsibility.
The metal box and everything downstream is yours (usually).
Unless your old meter is way out of calibration, you won't save one dime.
But the hydro company will cause they can layoff some meter readers now.

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: Ultility meters

Hyperfox. If you throw the main breaker off and th meter is still spinning you have a short somewhere that you need to get fixed. If you have buried lines they can go bad and start "leaking" energy to the ground. Time to call a electrician and have it checked out.

Why do you call you electric company a hydro company?

 

[muskyone]

Re: Ultility meters

thay toke a reading when you moved in and will take one when you move out you can ask them for the first reading and then your last if your est is higher thay will pay you the diff

 

[HyperFox]

Re: Ultility meters

Hyperfox. If you throw the main breaker off and th meter is still spinning you have a short somewhere that you need to get fixed. If you have buried lines they can go bad and start "leaking" energy to the ground. Time to call a electrician and have it checked out.

Why do you call you electric company a hydro company?

Oh I believe it. They hydro company blames the military housing.. the housing blames the hydro company. I think a 5 lb sledge on the meter will quickly identify the owner... And now that you mention it.. All of our lines are underground.

As for hydro? I don't know honestly... My parents used to call it that.. Everyone calls it that around here.. Most of our electricity comes from hydroelectric plants and dams.. The remainder is nuke and coal... I think that's where the name comes from. It also used to be called Ontario Hydro, now its Hyrdro One...

 

[achris]

Re: Ultility meters

HyperFox,

Are the lines in your house after the meter underground? I doubt it, so any 'leaking' in underground lines would be before the meter, so wouldn't show as electricity used on the meter. If you shut off the main breaker and the meter is still showing usage, then your meter is faulty. If it were me, I'd video the meter box, complete with the breaker off and the meter still moving, nice and clear! I would leave it off for exactly one hour and record how much is being recorded as used. Multiply that by 24 and then by the number of days in a cycle and deduct that amount for the next, and all subsequent bills, until the meter is replaced. Then I would employ the '5lb adjustment tool'. When the owner of the meter turns up, I would show him the video.... See what he says then!!!

Cheers,

Chris........

 

[rwise]

Re: Ultility meters

My brother had a problem with a meter, the electric co said *meters don't go bad* well friends he stepped out with his 45 and made an air vent from the front to the back, well they replaced the meter and were going to charge him for it but as the repairman was putting the new one in a round whizzed by from outa the woods
anyway his bill went way down and they refunded a nice chunk of change back to me bro.

 

[rwise]

Re: Ultility meters

No I was not the one in the woods