Hydro bill...?

Question

I live in an apartment in Ontario with 2 other people. Our bill normally fluctuates around $40 (or less) per month. We just received our bill for december and it is $140. We dont have our wall heaters on and we are just baffled by the price. We cannot figure out why it is said we are using 3 times the amount of energy. Even more odd is we weren't even at our apartment for 2 of the weeks in december. Anyways, does anyone have an suggestions of what it could be? Is it possible that I am paying someone else's bill? Management is not being very helpful but they have said that our meter is going up fast again this month.

Answer 1

One thing you could do (If you felt up to it and if you're mechanically inclined) is to trace the path of your supply water line and see if it branches to anywhere else downstream of the meter.  

Also, water bills charge based on water consumption. "...3 times the amount of energy..." doesn't apply because water consumption is not the same as energy consumption for gas or electricity.

But the solution is either that your consumption truely has risen or someone is consuming water on your side of the meter.  Thus you're paying for their dime.. er, liter.

This could be messed up because if more than one party is consuming the $140 worth of water, there is little way to discern who's consuming how much.  Since the building owner isn't going to be helpful (probably doesn't want to get involved), you need to take it up on your own.  But be warned, that if you get into the position of claiming that other people consumed water and need to pony up money (or repay you), you need to be ready to take the party(ies) to court.

I've seen many instances where other tenants and bld managment just didn't want to get involved and ignore everything, except when being called in a law suit do they jump.

So here's the first step.  Find out what the responsibilities are with the utility company, the building owner, and the tenant.  If you still think that your consumption is too high, check the water lines as I said before.  This might require the owner's cooperation to allow access to other places.  If they still don't cooperate, then tell the utility company that you won't pay the bill because you suspect other people outside your unit are consuming your water.  You refuse to pay for other people's water.  They might say "Oh well, you pay or you don't get water," which I'd then recommend to start looking for a new place.  You should not have to endure a split utility like that, the building is messed up, and the landlord is not being professional.

However, if you can visually see that the supply pipe comes only into your unit (after the meter), then get meter verification w/ the water company to make sure they have the right number that the meter says.  If nothing else, then maybe there are leaky pipes or there is true consumption that the two other people are lying about.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Turn off or unplug everything in your apartment. do not turn off breakers. as you might turn off tapped outlets

then check the meter.

it should not be moving. if it is them turn off breakers till the meter stops. and find out what is feed by that breaker.

then plug in a 30 watt lightbulb/load and check that the meter is showing a 30 watt usage.

it is not uncommon for apartments next to each other to have wall outlets back to back and some times people tap there neighbor's power

it is also not uncommon for the electrician when the building was built to mix up the wires to outlets feeding your apartments power to your neighbors outlet and neighbor to yours.

i have also seen where the manager/owner in a apartment complex that tapped  3 or 4 renters power so they did not have to pay for power.

i have also seen where the owners of a complex wired the outside public area and parking lots lights to there renters power.

Answer 3

my DEC bill is usually $80.00 {i keep my previous year bills on file} this past DEC my bill was $240.00 after reviving my heart I called Ontario Hydro fought with them for 2 weeks have no choice but to pay the bill,they said it stemmed from a problem with my bill in July???????try what others have said unplug,unscrew every electrical item then check the meter also see if you have an exterior block heater plug for your unit and see if it is on and if someone is plugged into it and turn it off from the breaker if possible or have the management disconnect it

Answer 4

Well I am confused. It is a water bill or an electric bill? The word "Hydro" implies a water bill, but everything else is talking about electricity.

If it is the electric bill, turn off ALL the power in your unit. Shut off all your circuit breakers if you can. Or unplug everything plugged in and make sure everything else, like the oven or heater or whatever you have built in, is off. Then look at your meter. If you can't find it, ask the manager. If necessary, have the manager look at it for you. It should be stopped. If it is not, you need to get the manager or power company to come out and find where the power is going. If the meter is stopped as it should be, start plugging stuff back in one by one, checking the meter each time, until you can identify what is using the power.