The Vent and Rant Thread

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I did call Ameren this morning. They said they see nothing out of the ordinary. My bill is pretty average which is why they have so many assistance programs in place. She hinted there is some formula they use so the actually energy used is added with that forumla then you are charged. I kind of knew this as my mom's bill is Sky high and growing up here people always complain about the electric company being rip off artists So even if your bill says actual reading it's not.

Union Electric now Ameren has always baffled my mind.

Sent from my XT1528

Get yourself on the phone to your state's energy commission now.
Did someone come out and actually look or did the person on the phone say it looked normal?
I want to meet this person that can see physical wiring over the phone.
Do not put up with their bullshit. You ask for a supervisor. The person that answers the phone can't do anything.

If it was me, I would be asking my neighbor what their bills are running.

Now quick story,
Once my water bill was misread. I called. The woman that took the call said yes, I had to pay that amount and I had to pay it that day. Well I took the bill in, caught a person sitting at a desk because I wanted to make sure it was corrected. The person took one look at the bill, looked up the account, it had been fixed, and said that I would get a corrected bill and that it wasn't even due for 3 weeks. I did pay it that day since I was already there. They gave me credit on the next bill. Oh and the next time I had to call, I got much better phone service. Unfortunately, that one was not a misread but a water leak.
Now I check the meter every day.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

"We use some sort of formula and then add the energy you've used." That sounds ridiculous, as if they don't know themselves how their bills are calculated. I'd never accept that.

"Your bill looks quite average, ma'am." Yeah, and if there are "so many" people who need assistance in paying an average bill, it means you're hugely expensive; something that can only happen if you are either a monopolist or there are multiple companies forming a price cartel.

Bingo. She mentioned assistance programs before she saw I was already on one. She mentioned tiers and other things that went over my head.

Sent from my XT1528

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Bingo. She mentioned assistance programs before she saw I was already on one. She mentioned tiers and other things that went over my head.

Sent from my XT1528

That's idiotic. In the Netherlands, it's quite simple. You pay A cents for electricity used during the night, or B for electricity during the day. On top of that are service costs, and taxes. That's it, mostly. You can find all the rates at the company's websites, and it's often possible to choose energy and gas delivery between 3-5 companies.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Bingo. She mentioned assistance programs before she saw I was already on one. She mentioned tiers and other things that went over my head.

Sent from my XT1528

The second she said average, that caught my attention. Average for what size apartment? Did she ask? Did she even look at your account or just go by the numbers you gave her?
I am tempted to call your electric company and just ask what the average bill is for an upstairs 400 square foot apartment.

[Toxaris]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Bingo. She mentioned assistance programs before she saw I was already on one. She mentioned tiers and other things that went over my head.

Sent from my XT1528

It sounds very strange. I hope you have a meter, right? If so, you can monitor your usage and you should know the price per kWh. It should be a simple calculation and the numbers should reflect the one on the bill. How would you otherwise be able to see if the bill is correct?

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Toxaris

It sounds very strange. I hope you have a meter, right? If so, you can monitor your usage and you should know the price per kWh. It should be a simple calculation and the numbers should reflect the one on the bill. How would you otherwise be able to see if the bill is correct?

Some of us are worried because the usage is WAY HIGH for her size apartment and what she says she uses.

[covingtoncat73]

When I was living in a badly-insulated, converted barn in the country, my electric was around $300 a month during the summer months (this being the south and me liking AC). This was on a electric system that is one of the most expensive in my area. My little house in the city is half that.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by covingtoncat73

When I was living in a badly-insulated, converted barn in the country, my electric was around $300 a month during the summer months (this being the south and me liking AC). This was on a electric system that is one of the most expensive in my area. My little house in the city is half that.

We once lived in a trailer where some brainiac had put the thermostat right over a vent. Needless to say high bills and it wouldn't get hot or cold.
Though for a trip, the heater went out one November. I called the repair place and the receptionist told me over the phone that it wasn't broken. (I guess she was planning a party while the boss was going to be away.) I asked for her hvac license number. She went and told the boss what I had asked. He got on the phone. I told him my name and the problem. He asked what time do you need to leave your house. He then apologized for his receptionist, and I had two guys at my house within 10 minutes. The boss said he would have done it himself but he needed to go home and shower and that he would see me later that afternoon.
My father had been in HVAC until the day he died. The boss was going to my father's funeral. We both found the timing amusing.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Toxaris

It sounds very strange. I hope you have a meter, right? If so, you can monitor your usage and you should know the price per kWh. It should be a simple calculation and the numbers should reflect the one on the bill. How would you otherwise be able to see if the bill is correct?

We do it's in the other side of the building I think. There are a whole bunch of them there.

I don't think it's too off. We have an air conditioner we run 24/7 in the summer. It's also on economy mode in the fall/Spring. Normally Winter is supposed to be cold. It's been warm. So we had to run it several times. I have no idea how much electric baseboards pull. I imagine alot. We have our fridge, hot water heater and my desktop computer. We are home 24/7 so it makes sense more energy being used then when he was working.

Sent from my Nexus 7

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Blossom

We do it's in the other side of the building I think. There are a whole bunch of them there.

Find your meter. See how fast it's clocking up. Turn off everything (just for 10 mins while you check). Go and look again while everything you have is turned off. If the meter is still moving at all, then something is running off your meter that you don't own.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Find your meter. See how fast it's clocking up. Turn off everything (just for 10 mins while you check). Go and look again while everything you have is turned off. If the meter is still moving at all, then something is running off your meter that you don't own.

That's a good idea. Thanks Paul.

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Hitch. From a wife of a Vet. Thank you for helping our Veterans. I would think if they can work from home. There would be many applying for the job. I hope you find the perfect person for the position.

Sent from my XT1528

Blossom:

Thanks, but completely unneeded. I'd be a pretty crappy vet myself, if I didn't. We (the biz) also support all the vet-help places that we can. We're small, so it's not a lot, but we try.

ALSO: your fridge won't do that. Even if you have an icebox being run by brontosauruses harnessed to a power-wheel. It's almost always something that pushes HEAT, or A/C. But it's WINTER. Sure, you've run it a few times, but not 24/7. I live in Phoenix, AZ (home of the 122F day...) and MY bills are about what yours are, for a house that's nearly 6x the size, and doesn't have other units insulating it side-to-side, top-bottom, etc. I think Paul may be on to something--check to make sure some scumbag isn't stealing your power someplace.

Also...I agree that you should force Ameren to send out someone to do an energy assessment on your apartment, and yes, ask your neighbors. My "next-door" neighbor, whose house is similar to ours (the same custom builder did both), but smaller, was shocked to learn that her power bills were twice ours--and she lived alone. She was running her AC a LOT lower than ours, but an assessment discovered that she had leaks EVERY-where. We'd made sure that all our double-panes were uber-caulked, had the a/c checked and optimized annually, etc. It really paid off.

Lastly: howcum none of you geniuses proffered a solution to my hair suit / hirsute question??? Hmmmmm????

Hitch

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Lastly: howcum none of you geniuses proffered a solution to my hair suit / hirsute question??? Hmmmmm????

Hitch

Because we are more concerned with Blossom being hurt financially than your uncomfortable shirt.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Because we are more concerned with Blossom being hurt financially than your uncomfortable shirt.

Ny hirsute hair shirt was BEFORE Blossom was doing battle with that corrupt utility (or neighbor, or leaky window, or...).

I mean, poor Blossom can probably only take so much advice from the folks here, anyway. :-)

Go get 'em, Blossom.

Hitch

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Find your meter. See how fast it's clocking up. Turn off everything (just for 10 mins while you check). Go and look again while everything you have is turned off. If the meter is still moving at all, then something is running off your meter that you don't own.

You'll have to remember to pull all the plugs, including TV (on standby), fridge, freezer, etc...