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Possible CON ED scam ?!?! — Brooklynian

Possible CON ED scam ?!?!

joshua
joshua
edited November -1 in Prospect Heights
Hi everyone,

I live in a one bedroom brownstone apartment, approx 800 sq ft on Park Pl b/t Underhill and Washington. I have been paying over $100 consistently for electricity since I moved here in October. For the amount of electricity I believe I use I just think this is next to impossible. I found out recently that my downstairs neighbors haven't been paying for electricity at all (though I know there are seperate meters in the basement). I am worried that perhaps somehow I am getting overcharged.

Maybe I'm just paranoid and not use to such high prices (though my last apartment was almost 2000 sq ft and I had 3 roommates and we didn't pay much more a month total).

How does this compare to others bills ? What does everyone think ?

Comments

  • sje
    sje
    It sounds too high, unless your running alot of electrical appliances. Someone may have tapped into your supply in the basement, that happened to me once. Call Con Ed and they will come and check it for you.
  • alafairnadia
    alafairnadia
    that sounds nuts. I live on washington and have a fridge from 1962 (well, maybe '63) and in the winter I pay around $30/month for energy. and I know this mostly the piece of shit fridge. so $100/month is totally absurd.
  • captain m
    captain m
    I have a two bedroom duplex and a roomate and I pay less than 100 some months, maybe in the summer with AC but not now.
  • brookfetish
    brookfetish
    I don't think they have a true way of pinpointing the usage in these old buildings.

    A couple of months, our bill has inexplicably almost doubled...and one of those months we were often out of town.

    My gas bill has done the same.
  • pete_c
    pete_c
    You should call ConEd and ask them; they might not be able to pinpoint w1ho has what but you should certainly bring it to their attention.

    I'd also call 311 and get in touch with the DEP or the Better Business Bureau or whatever the city has... (well, probably not DEP)
  • amyskittysitting
    amyskittysitting
    Didn't they also just almost double the KWH cost though? About three months ago ours jumped up and has stayed pretty level at this new higher rate...
  • jaha127
    jaha127
    I live in a 2-bedroom apartment, and I only pay like 60 a month for electricity. I think they just raised prices recently (maybe Jan), and since you've been paying over 100 since October, I'd definitely call them on that...
  • homeowner
    homeowner
    Had a friend that lived in a converted Brownstone apt in Bed Stuy. She had the same problem and called Con Ed to investigate. It turned out that the exterior lights and the lights in the common areas on two floors were wired into her meter. The landlord finally got an electrician out to sort the whole thing out.

    I'd talk to your landlord and call Con Ed. Even if everything is kosher, its better to know for sure than to keep guessing. Also, make sure that Con Ed is sending you bills that reflect actual readings and not estimates. It could be that you had a high summer bill because of an AC and they are continuing to bill you at the same rate because they can't read the meter.
  • sterling2000
    sterling2000
    Agreed with everyone above on getting your wiring checked.

    Another thing to drive up the cost would be electric baseboard heating (which I had in a Fort Greene apartment ten years ago). If you have that kind of heating, it could be a contributing culprit.
  • stacey
    stacey
    That sounds really high - I leave a light on all night in the common hallway and my bill is never that much a month ($80 for the hallway plus the whole 2nd floor). Also make sure that you are not getting an estimated bill. If you are either call Con Ed and read the numbers to them or have them come read the meter.
  • pitu
    pitu
    homeowner wrote: Had a friend that lived in a converted Brownstone apt in Bed Stuy. She had the same problem and called Con Ed to investigate. It turned out that the exterior lights and the lights in the common areas on two floors were wired into her meter. The landlord finally got an electrician out to sort the whole thing out.

    I'd talk to your landlord and call Con Ed. Even if everything is kosher, its better to know for sure than to keep guessing. Also, make sure that Con Ed is sending you bills that reflect actual readings and not estimates. It could be that you had a high summer bill because of an AC and they are continuing to bill you at the same rate because they can't read the meter.
    How about unplugging your fridge and *everything* else in your apt and seeing if the wheel on the meter stops rotating? It is entirely possible that the hall lights - or the washing machines in the basement if you have those - are plugged in to your meter. Then you have something to show the landlord.

    I had a downstairs neighbor who was convinced his electric was being 'stolen', but it turned out electricity just cost more than he wanted it to . . .
    :roll:

    pretty easy to check out tho. Old buildings can be funky.
  • joshua
    joshua

    Subject: Coned

    Thanks everyone. Just to clarify - I don't have electric baseboard heat. And I have unplugged all appliances once and checked the meter in the basement. It was dark, kinda scary, but it did appear not to be running.

    However, after talking to a couple people it just seemed like I was being charged way too much. Especially after I became very concerned about turning lights off and saving electricity but seeing little effect in the bill.

    j
  • armchair_warrior
    armchair_warrior

    Subject: Re: Coned

    joshua wrote: Thanks everyone. Just to clarify - I don't have electric baseboard heat. And I have unplugged all appliances once and checked the meter in the basement. It was dark, kinda scary, but it did appear not to be running.

    However, after talking to a couple people it just seemed like I was being charged way too much. Especially after I became very concerned about turning lights off and saving electricity but seeing little effect in the bill.

    j
    you should do it when everyones home. this way if they are connected to you. they'll use it :p.
  • vanilla
    vanilla
    maybe you could try running an extension cord to 323 st. marks and stealing some electricty of your own. :wink: :twisted: :P

    question: how come the downstairs neighbors don't pay electric, was this figured out yet?
  • armchair_warrior
    armchair_warrior
    vanilla wrote: maybe you could try running an extension cord to 323 st. marks and stealing some electricty of your own. :wink: :twisted: :P

    question: how come the downstairs neighbors don't pay electric, was this figured out yet?
    LOL hehe.
  • caaahyoko
    caaahyoko
    It might also be the guy that reads the meter.

    I had this problem once when I lived in Inwood. I called ConEd and they sent an inspector out. They discovered that the super had put a lot of debris in front of the meters. The lazy guy who had been reading the meters--instead of asking the super to move the stuff--just made up the meter readings which were waaaay off.

    They ended up crediting me more than a hundred dollars. Well worth it!
  • blksafyre
    blksafyre
    I know how you feel. I usually am like $40 or so for the most part per month but i recently got a bill for $80 I thought something was wrong. I called ConEd and they said they raised the rates recently.
  • vanilla
    vanilla
    lights and stuff add up, too... when my roomate started staying up to 5am on a regualr basis, the con ed bill when from $45/month to $80+. totally sucked.
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