This isn't the kind of blog you think it's going to be. It's an apartment blog. It's a slumlord blog. It's a "Do not laugh at me, this is a nice apartment, and they are HARD to find in this city!", blog.
Once upon a time, oh a little more than five years ago I guess, I decided to rent this apartment. The utilities have always been a little steep, but that's utilities for you. I just pay the bill and continue on with life. Although my heart skips a beat every time I see that damn envelope in my mailbox. Did I budget enough money? I'm sure I budgeted enough money. Heck, I budgeted so much money that I'll have to figure out where to spend the extra! Not so much.
Every year in the spring I look forward to the bill coming down, way down. This year it didn't. My bills have all been resembling their January counterparts, and it made no sense. However, I don't deal with these issues very well, if at all. I just piss and moan about it, pay the bill, and move on. Two months ago I did finally look at the actual breakdown and saw that it is the electric part of my bill. There is nothing in my apartment that would draw that much electricity. Then the lightbulb comes on above my head. When did the electric go up? Curious. The same time the lady on continual oxygen got her power amped up to deal with the oxygen and the a/c that she wanted to put in. Then life got busy and I put it on the back burner, per usual.
August's bill arrived, and low and behold it was almost what an August bill should look like. I couldn't imagine what was going on, but paid the lower amount with a smile, and moved on with life. Then the bill arrived last Saterday. ONE HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE DOLLARS JUST FOR ELECTRIC! I wont write any more of what I said. Then I had to wait two days to call SWL&P, so I was all ready for the first snotty receptionist. "Your August bill was estimated that's why it was lower and this one is higher." Uh, be that as it may darling, I am a single person, living alone, no air conditioning, and I don't even run a fan in the summer because I hate them. Something is wrong here, and we need to get to the bottom of it. "I'm sorry, but our responsablity ends at the meter." OH honey. If you ever want to see another dime out of me you are going to make it your responsibility. That got me transfered to Peggy in "Residential." Peggy is a saint! When I explained the situation, and that I was reasonably sure that the electric meters for apartment #1 and #4 were switched she got right on the situation.
At eleven yesterday I had to race home to meet the electric dude. Long story short, after hearing the situation he agreed they meters were probably switched, but after playing the "turn everyone's power off" game he realized that they aren't. It's worse. Not only have I been paying my own electric bill for the last five years. I have also been paying MOST of apartment #1's. They will be working on unentangling us so that I get the correct bill.
I asked the dude (dang he was cute, but had work gloves on so I couldn't scope for a ring) if unentangling the apartments meant they were going to have to bring the (dum dum dum) landlord into the mix. He said probably, and I asked if THEY could handle that, because if I have to chances are he isn't going to fix it. Dude asked who my landlord was, and when I answered he literally burst out laughing. He got the hand, and I said "HEY! You can see how nice this apartment is. Just try and find one like this in this city, for this price, that allows pets!" He said "Yes, knowing who the landlord is, I'm surprised it's this nice actually." So he took my cell number, (hehehe, a girl can dream) and they'll be getting back to me. I'll call Peggy (the saint) on Friday if I haven't heard anything. I would really rather not pay them the electric portion of the bill until this is fixed.
As I was racing back to my car I did yell several thank you's over my shoulder, and sent one back for Peggy too. This is another one of those situations where I need "people" to handle the details. Although I really didn't realize something was wrong until June. The other apartment has always held a single person who wouldn't have used much electric........until now.
On a hopefully unrelated note, the FOR RENT sign is up in the yard today. Either the odd couple above me is moving........or SWL&P contacted the landlord........ :)
Once upon a time, oh a little more than five years ago I guess, I decided to rent this apartment. The utilities have always been a little steep, but that's utilities for you. I just pay the bill and continue on with life. Although my heart skips a beat every time I see that damn envelope in my mailbox. Did I budget enough money? I'm sure I budgeted enough money. Heck, I budgeted so much money that I'll have to figure out where to spend the extra! Not so much.
Every year in the spring I look forward to the bill coming down, way down. This year it didn't. My bills have all been resembling their January counterparts, and it made no sense. However, I don't deal with these issues very well, if at all. I just piss and moan about it, pay the bill, and move on. Two months ago I did finally look at the actual breakdown and saw that it is the electric part of my bill. There is nothing in my apartment that would draw that much electricity. Then the lightbulb comes on above my head. When did the electric go up? Curious. The same time the lady on continual oxygen got her power amped up to deal with the oxygen and the a/c that she wanted to put in. Then life got busy and I put it on the back burner, per usual.
August's bill arrived, and low and behold it was almost what an August bill should look like. I couldn't imagine what was going on, but paid the lower amount with a smile, and moved on with life. Then the bill arrived last Saterday. ONE HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE DOLLARS JUST FOR ELECTRIC! I wont write any more of what I said. Then I had to wait two days to call SWL&P, so I was all ready for the first snotty receptionist. "Your August bill was estimated that's why it was lower and this one is higher." Uh, be that as it may darling, I am a single person, living alone, no air conditioning, and I don't even run a fan in the summer because I hate them. Something is wrong here, and we need to get to the bottom of it. "I'm sorry, but our responsablity ends at the meter." OH honey. If you ever want to see another dime out of me you are going to make it your responsibility. That got me transfered to Peggy in "Residential." Peggy is a saint! When I explained the situation, and that I was reasonably sure that the electric meters for apartment #1 and #4 were switched she got right on the situation.
At eleven yesterday I had to race home to meet the electric dude. Long story short, after hearing the situation he agreed they meters were probably switched, but after playing the "turn everyone's power off" game he realized that they aren't. It's worse. Not only have I been paying my own electric bill for the last five years. I have also been paying MOST of apartment #1's. They will be working on unentangling us so that I get the correct bill.
I asked the dude (dang he was cute, but had work gloves on so I couldn't scope for a ring) if unentangling the apartments meant they were going to have to bring the (dum dum dum) landlord into the mix. He said probably, and I asked if THEY could handle that, because if I have to chances are he isn't going to fix it. Dude asked who my landlord was, and when I answered he literally burst out laughing. He got the hand, and I said "HEY! You can see how nice this apartment is. Just try and find one like this in this city, for this price, that allows pets!" He said "Yes, knowing who the landlord is, I'm surprised it's this nice actually." So he took my cell number, (hehehe, a girl can dream) and they'll be getting back to me. I'll call Peggy (the saint) on Friday if I haven't heard anything. I would really rather not pay them the electric portion of the bill until this is fixed.
As I was racing back to my car I did yell several thank you's over my shoulder, and sent one back for Peggy too. This is another one of those situations where I need "people" to handle the details. Although I really didn't realize something was wrong until June. The other apartment has always held a single person who wouldn't have used much electric........until now.
On a hopefully unrelated note, the FOR RENT sign is up in the yard today. Either the odd couple above me is moving........or SWL&P contacted the landlord........ :)
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