Apartment dwellers question

palindrome

palindrome

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2006
Messages
2,267
Reaction score
118
Hi,

I have been living in my apartment since September 2007. During that entire time, i haven't received a single gas bill, so i figured it was included under heat/hot water.

Today i got a call from NationalGrid saying i owed $95 or so bucks.

I am confused on the following:
A.)How they got my information--I never signed up for gas/never was in contact once with NG.
B.)Out of the 6 people on the lease, why did they call me? Like i said, i never gave them any information.
C.)Why did they wait this long to contact me? Again like i said, i never received a single bill in the mail. I don't mind paying, i just have no idea how they got my info. Why i am the only one responsible, and why did it take 7 months for them to contact me.

I am sorry to sound like a dumb ass, but i am only 21, and this has been my (as well as the other 5 guys') first apartment. Any answers would be greatly appreciated.
 
They find that information pretty easily. When you register to get mail at that address the gas company uses that I believe.

The real question is how in the hell do you only have a $95 bill after 9 months?
 
i don't know man. don't even know how to contact them if i wanted to pay. It was weird, because when i spoke to the woman on the phone, she told me the billing started in January.

Thats fine and all if they want to bill me, but i would like them to actually let me know i am being charged and maybe, ya know, send me a bill in the mail!!!!

I think it's only $95, because heat and hot water are included in the rent, so i believe it is just cooking gas. Does that sound right?

Will this hurt my credit?

Conveniently, their US website is down now.

Thanks for the reply suffolk.
 
^Were you contacted by NG directly, or by a collection agency? The question of whether or not it'll hurt your credit really depends on how many time's they've tried to contact you and how many "pay periods" have you "missed payment" (how many bills they've "sent") and how they've gone about billing you (either directly, or through a collection agency). If they billed you directly, it shouldn't hurt your credit, but I would call and ask just to be sure. If they went through a collection agency, there's a good chance your credit will take the hit.

I would call and make sure they haven't sent your information to a collection agency (they're always bad news). My guess is that they haven't yet. Usually for a utility, you'll get a bunch of warnings about service being canceled and your gas would be cut off long before debt collectors start chasing you down (You'd be amazed at how easily they obtain your home, cell, parents home, and work numbers). I'd still call and make sure though.

I had a similar situation last year with Central Maine Power where I terminated service and moved out of the apartment. three months later some collection agency called from Central Ohio claiming that I owed CMP $150 for June, July, and August. Turns out the brilliant rep who I spoke with at CMP forgot to end my account when I asked and whoever moved into the apartment after me didn't mention that statements kept showing up in my name (of course, they weren't paying for power). I went through the run around, but finally got it fixed with no damage to my credit (thankfully). My point is, don't stop asking questions until you're POSITIVE about what you're paying for (so call your landlord... they like to leave out details of extra payments to sell you on the place more quickly) and that your credit score isn't plummeting in the mean time. Good luck figuring it out.
 
Thanks for the helpful advice! I think it was NG, but it came up as a private number.

I am still perplexed as to why i was chosen out of the rest of the roommates. It seems really unfair actually, especially if it hurts my credit. I will try and call them on monday and see what the deal is.

Thanks again though.
 
$95 for 9 months of cooking gas sounds reasonable, especially if you don't actually use it much.

Pay the bill, get your 5 roommates to chip in equal shares, and make sure you get regularly billed from here on.
 
Count your blessings and pay the bill brother, I have to pay about $2000 to National Grid every year...
 
I plan on paying it. It just pisses me off that i was the one who got the call about it after not receiving a mailed bill all year.

Thanks for the replies.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top