ConEd Billing Backlash
We moved into our brownstone about 6 months ago and were receiving electric bills that approximated $60 per month. We had one actual reading in February and then another earlier this month. Last week we received a corrected bill from ConEd for usage since February notifying us that we owed over $400 in back payments….
We moved into our brownstone about 6 months ago and were receiving electric bills that approximated $60 per month. We had one actual reading in February and then another earlier this month. Last week we received a corrected bill from ConEd for usage since February notifying us that we owed over $400 in back payments. When I called to inquire I was told that all of our previous readings had been estimated, as the previous owners had never granted ConEd access to the meter explaining why our estimated readings were so wildly off the mark. While I do not have a problem paying for my actual electricty usage, I do have a problem being charged retroactively for their own faulty billing practices. Does anyone have any experience with this type of situation and/or appealing to the Public Services Commission?
If you used the electricity, pay for it.
If not, then go through the motions with Con Ed, but if you want to get things moving, you will probably end up calling the PSC anyway so I would call them concurrently to get the ball rolling.
None of the utilities do anything unless they absolutely have to. It’s not like you can take your business elsewhere.
I think OP needs to take it up the food chain at ConEd first before going to PSC. The problem may be that ConEd is assuming that it had an accurate record of where the meter stood when you took over the account. If true, you are, in fact, being asked to pay their electric bill. On the other hand, perhaps Con Ed is looking at two consecutive readings that are truly on your dime and estimating backwards based on your usage to when you took over. But one month isn’t sufficient to establish your average usage. You need to understand more fully the basis for what they are doing and you should pay for the electricity you used, but not that which the previous owner used but was never billed for. Stick to that principle and you should be able to work this out. And keep a good record of the names, positions and phone numbers of who you speak with and when and what they said.
You can also do the reading yourself and submit via their site.
Yes, I had the same exact experience with my Mother/Daughter limestone in E. New York – we were never home when the meter man came, our meter is located in the basement, so every month we only recieved estimated reading which was low, then one day they came and we were home to let them in and they recieved an actual reading, a month later we got slugged with a $600 bill.
There was no issue with their billing practices, the issue was them having access to get an actual reading.
If the retroactive start date is when you switched over the service to your name then in the end your just paying for what you used.
IF you think you’re being billed for electricity yoy DIDN’T use, complain to the Public Service Commission. If not, just pay the bill. Would you rather that your estimated readings have been too high, resulting in a refund. I personally would rathedr have an interest-free loan FROM Con Ed, rather than making such a loan to them.