Why is my studio apartment using 15kWh a day when I'm not even there?

In older buildings, it is incredibly common for 'house' loads like hallway lighting, laundry room outlets, or even a neighbor's kitchen circuit to be accidentally or intentionally wired into a tenant's panel. You need to perform a **main breaker test** immediately. Go to your electrical panel and flip the main disconnect to the 'off' position. Leave it off for at least two to four hours. If your utility app shows that your usage dropped to zero during that specific window, then the draw is definitely coming from something wired into your specific panel.

If you flip that main breaker and suddenly a neighbor starts complaining that their lights are out or the building's common area goes dark, you've found your answer. However, if the smart meter keeps ticking up even while your main breaker is off, the issue is a **crossed meter** or a wiring fault between the meter and your panel. In that case, it is 100% the utility company's problem to solve because the leak is happening on their side of the service.

Don't let the landlord brush you off. If the test proves your panel is feeding other areas, tell them you'll be deducting the estimated overage from your rent or contacting the housing authority regarding an illegal utility setup. Most landlords suddenly find a way to fix 'impossible' wiring issues once the city gets involved or the rent money is at stake. You shouldn't be subsidizing the building's operating costs on a studio budget.

That definitely sounds high, but have you ruled out the gas appliances actually having electrical components? Even if the heating and hot water are gas, a lot of those units have electric blowers, control boards, or power vents that pull more than you'd think. Also, are you sure the utility app is showing live data? Sometimes those daily bars are just 'estimated' based on previous months until the actual meter read cycles trough. I'd double-check if there's a dehumidifier or a sump pump tucked away in a utility closet somewhere that you might have missed before assuming the neighbor is tapping your lines.

Seen this a hundred times in those old walk-ups. Back in the day, some 'handyman' probaly tapped your line to feed the hallway outlets or a basement sump pump during a renovation. If the breaker test doesn't shut it down, go look at your meter while that main is off. If that disc is still spinning—or the digital readout is climbing—you've got a 'ghost' load. I once found a whole neighbor's window AC unit pigtailed into a studio's circuit behind a baseboard. Grab a voltage tester and see if any of your dead circuits stay hot when the main is pulled.

I'm relly new to all this, but is it posible for a 'ghost load' to be somthing hidden behind the walls? If I try that main breaker test and the meter still shows usage, does that mean the utility company has to come out and physically inspect the wires? I'm worried they'll just tell me it's fine over the phone again. Also, if I flip the breaker and the hallway lights stay on, coud it still be something like a neighbor's hidden outlet that I just can't see?