Will the utility companies bill more than one person?

[Metspitzer]

Will the utility companies bill more than one person? I googled it. I didn't find the answer right away.

Instead of halving the bills each month, would the utility company send two bills?

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Sure if you have two separate meters for each of you.

[homeowner]

I know a guy who has 3 meters on his place. 1. his house 2. his barn and well 3. a rental trailer house on the same land. Three meters, three bills. However, he has to pay a monthly meter rental for EACH meter, which is $25 per meter. The tenant pays the bill in the rental, but he wants to put his house and the barn on the same meter to save $25 a month. That's saving $300 a month. He said the tenants use the well too, but he will just add $10 to their rent. That makes a lot of sense. I would have already changed it, if it was my place. $300 a year is nothing to laugh at.

[mike]

Why would you ask a newsgroup when the ONLY people who can give you that answer have their phone number printed on your bill???

Sounds like a lot of unnecessary work. Just cut it in half and pay it twice.

[Bill]

No they will not do that, can't do that, and do not know how to do that!

i.e. This will not be an option on the computer screen of the person you call and talk to at the electric company.

You CAN get electronic billing (sent to email), then you can forward a copy of the bill to the other person's email. Or set up auto forwarding of all emails sent from that email address.

Or when you receive your bill via email, print out a copy for the other person.

Or when you receive your bill via regular mail, scan it on your computer scanner, then print a copy.

Etc.

[Wes Groleau]

Forward the e-mail to procmail.

Write a rule that recognizes its a bill and forwards it to a program.

Write the program to scan the bill and replace all dollar amounts with half their values and then mail a copy to each person.

Be sure you round up so you don't get a late fee for being one penny short. Don't worry about going over, because they'll take the extra penny off the next bill.

[mike]

It wasn't stated, but I'd bet that the reason they want this is that the deadbeat roommate isn't paying and they think the electric company won't turn off rooms of people who pay their half. The solution is a new roommate. Get "first and last" on the utilities as well as the rent.

[Metspitzer]

Actually, it is more motivated by me being lazy. I have had my bills on auto pay for a decade. I am used to getting the bill, looking at it and shredding it.

[Bill]

This may go in one ear and out the other... but I save ALL receipts, bills, instruction manuals, etc. I stick all the bills/receipts in a

9x12 box, then at the end of the year I seal it and write the year on it. Then start a new box.

Every once and awhile I need to return something and need the receipt. Or someone will want "proof of residence" via showing them a bill. Or for credit they may want to see this statement or a series of bills showing I paid on time, whatever!

Anyway I can always dig through that box and find what is needed.

[Metspitzer]

I just rely on bank statements and credit card statements. I keep those two in the folder I close out at the end of the year with taxes papers.

[chaniarts]

your kids cleaning out the house for your estate sale will just love that...

[homeowner]

Why not just send a copy of your electric bill to everyone on the internet. Ask every person to pay one cent. Be sure to tell them that you are very poor, you're wife is pregnant, and has cancer, and your grandma needs surgery on her vagina, and you need to have penis surgery to make it longer, because it dont work. Almost everyone can afford a penny, and will bite. So your bill will be paid off in no time.

While you're at it, turn it into a pyramid scam. The person who pays the most pennys gets to the top of the pyramid, and the ones below have to pay more pennys, and soon you will be wealthy and everyone below you will make big money fast. Learn how to use the internet to make you rich. Spammers have been doing it for years, now it's your turn.

[Bill]

Actually 7 years worth of receipts (7 9x12 boxes stacked) is the size of one large stereo speaker. Does not take up much room at all.

Also if someone dies, it can be quite handy for those handling the estate to be able to look at recent bills and statements - if the person did not leave a list of bank accounts for example. Also if you cancel some things like car insurance, you get a refund. Helps to know what all the deceased was signed up for as well as debts.

[trader4]

Heard another example of the intelligence of America's media. Geraldo Rivera was on the radio complaining about how awful the electric company is in NY because they sent out bills to people whose homes were destroyed by the hurricane. Unless the electric company billing computer is really God, how would it know who's home was destroyed and whose wasn't? And even if the home was destroyed, you'd still owe any outstanding balance, for usage up until it was, etc.

[dennisgauge]

How does that explain why you want the bill split and sent to two different people?

If the other guy doesn't pay his half, they're still going to cut power to the

*WHOLE* house eventually.

[dpb]

Indeed it seemingly has nothing to do w/ the original question and why the request for two bills. Obviously, there must be shared either in a single house or perhaps a second house on the property that is a rental or somesuch.

Obviously, there's not going to be a second billing w/o a second meter. If it's a single shared residence, ain't feasible; other is if wants to pay for the changes required.

Probably better off if there's an issue getting paid of dealing w/ that rather than risk the cutoff if the other party doesn't follow through anyway...

--

[Larry Fishel]

They're not going to want to do that. Aside from the minor extra expense fo= r them, the fact that you're asking almost guarantees (in their minds) that= eventually one party will fail to pay and the other will say they're not r= esponsible and their only recourse will be shutting off the power for both,= which you will say is unfair because you paid your half, etc., etc., etc..= . There's zero benefit in it for them in the best possible case and a fair = amount of hassle in the average case...