The New Billing Company

As I wrote earlier today, we have a new billing company in this apartment complex.

The only variable in my utility bills previously was my electricity consumption, which — and you already know this if you have been following this blog — is prone to be rather high in the warm–weather months. And we've been rather lucky for the last few months. There have been a few extreme days, but mostly the highs have been in the 70s and the lows have been in the 50s — on average. Based on my observations, my average daily consumption has been well under 10 kWh, probably around 6 or 7 kWh.

About the same, actually, as my consumption in most months in 2013 so far — which brings me back to my latest billing statement.

Here are the highlights I intend to discuss with the apartment manager when I go in to pay my rent tomorrow:

1) Last month's utility bill was $83.87. This month’s utility bill is $144.45. That's a 72% increase.

I checked my electricity consumption. By their own figures (which closely matched mine), my consumption went DOWN by 10 kWh (nearly 5%). But the amount I am being billed for electricity went up by 43% (from $20.33 to $29.24). Why?

As I say, in the past, electricity has been the only real variable in my utility billing. Everything else has been constant.

2) I live alone. I take a shower most days. Unless I am sick — which is unusual — I use the toilet about the same number of times as I always have on any given day.

I have been consciously attempting to lower my water consumption by switching it on and off when I do things like brush my teeth or shave. I was doing that long before I got my latest bill, which encourages that as a "water conservation tip" when people wash their hands.

On my last bill, I was charged $39.71 for water and sewer service.

The bills are set up differently, but the items on my new bill that refer to water and sewer expenses total $81.60.

That is an increase of 78%. Again, why?

3) There is a category on the earlier statement that does not appear on the new statement. It is for "solid waste," which I assume is covered in one of the water or sewer categories on the new statement. On the old statement, it was for $3.82.

There are a couple of things on the new statement that were NOT on the older statement: One is $15.00 for an "intrusion alarm." I believe the alarm was installed in my apartment in January 2012 — at the request of the management, not at my own request. If this fee is going to be a monthly thing, I want to opt out of it.

The other charge is $6.00 for "trash collection."