Legal question? ? ?

One question that I haven't seen asked that could be the key. Have you tracked the other meters to see if any of them agree with your bill? You may know your meter number but the meters may be numbered incorrectly.

Reply to
Gordon Shumway
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Another question:

Does the drive-by meter reader, over wireless have a faulty software?

The company will not admit that fault. They fix one bug and introduce three more?!

Reply to
Oren

I agree. If this has been going on for a year and they are getting billed for 1/3 what their own meter readings indicate, then the actual meter reading numbers reported on the bill and their own reading must be miles apart. I don't understand how a gas company can be just saying everything looks ok from their standpoint when you have a customer saying I read the meter on the same date you did, Mine says

13456 yours says 9780. Last month mine said 13005, yours said 9900. It would seem if you really want this resolved, all you have to do is be firm with the gas company and insist on escalating it.

I agree that's a possibility. But to have the bills reduced by 2/3 overall from what they were expecting seems a bit extreme. Plus there is the mystery of how in some summer months they are getting billed for more usage than in winter months. If somehow their account is tied to someone else's meter, or the meter piping is crossed with another nearby meter, that would explain the whole thing.

Reply to
trader4

It appears (so far) that no one has yet verified which meter is connected to which household. (This was the problem among water meters at my sister's new house, one of six. The installer erred in recording which numbered meter measured which residence -- easily verifiable by observing which meter suddenly accelerated when a water tap was opened.)

Reply to
Don Phillipson

ide quoted text -

Thats obviously what it is, the equipment is sometimes reading another meter with this new remote reading system he has. He should just read it himself and send in what is correct and pay it, then complain.

Reply to
ransley

[...]

What part of the first sentence did you find confusing?

Reply to
Doug Miller

I don't know what kind of gadget is used to read meters electronically, but...is it possible there is some interference or obstacle that would cause the reader to pick up the signal for the wrong meter?

Reply to
norminn

snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net wrote: ...

Highly unlikely; these devices use a communications protocol including ID, etc., that makes confusion between devices themselves unlikely.

As others noted, it's possible there's a mixup in the records/database/elsewhere about who's meter is whose, of course. (Although you'd think somebody w/ 3X their normal usage to compensate for the under-usage of OP would also be complaining if were that simple a problem.)

Hard to believe a utility company would fail to check up pretty seriously w/ a customer who's complaining there billings are _significantly_ low... :)

I'd as others have mentioned suggest the OP escalate the discussion up the food chain and follow up w/ written correspondence rather than just the phone call if can't receive actual satisfaction or still think is real cause for concern.

Also as others noted there's the uncertainty in what OP is reporting vis a vis what the billing statement actually is stating.

And, of course, the other issue of not only did they upgrade the boiler they switched from oil to gas -- we have no information on whether the rate conversion comparison OP is expecting is based on correct assumptions of $/therm for each fuel and relative efficiencies, etc., etc., etc., ...

NG is typically cheaper than oil in most markets but no indications here of any of that.

Reply to
dpb

If the gas company's reading was 9900 one month and 9780 the next month, that means the customer put more into the gas line than he took out.

Do gas companies, like electric power providers, give you credit for generating more gas than you use?

Someone should look into this.

Reply to
HeyBub

Ray,

You haven't replied to my post.

Are you read>>

Reply to
Jay-T

Why dont you believe the gas company in that "all is right?" Some reason to not trust the gas company? If you owe a large sum they will most likely work it out over a time period to fit your budget with carrying charges added. With your scenario there may be a class action law suit. The real trouble begins when you don't pay your gas bill "in full" when it is due. I find natural gas a real bargain.

Reply to
Phisherman

Sometimes, depending on my diet, I produce a lot of gas. No leak revealing odorous compound needs to be added to it.

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

I'd say that his visual reading of the meter giving a usage that is 3X that of the gas company and the gas company being unable to explain it is reason enough.

How about they come looking for the money 5 years from now after 2 of the 4 units in the building which has one common gas meter for heating have changed hands? Who's gonna pay then?

I seriously doubt a condo type situation with 4 units qualifies as a class action lawsuit.

The real trouble begins when you don't pay your gas

de quoted text -

Reply to
trader4

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