I just moved into an apartment for college. It is a single bedroom. When i was getting information on the lease, they gave me a sheet of rent, and how much utilities normally cost. they said electricity could be expected to be around $30 bucks, and in the summer with a/c it could get up higher like $50/60 bucks. I moved in on August 1st. got my first electric bill at the end of the month It was for 21 days, and it was $120 bucks!!!!! May not sound bad for the guy who owns the 4 bedroom/2 bath with a full family, but for a 1 bedroom apt, that is around 500sq ft, that is horrible. I figured that, okay, just a hot month, just running the a/c alot. Well we just got our 2nd electric bill at the end of this month, this time it was for 30 days, and it was still like $98 bucks. For that billing cycle i dont think we even ran the a/c for more than 1 day out of it. What can I do? They said it would be around 30-50, not 100-120. Also, what would be causing this? Could it be the refridgerator or something? We do have alot of electrical junk, but its stuff like computer/tv that is off 99 percent of the time. So i am at a loss here? Thanks for any help on this!

 

Keep going out to the meter and wtahc how fast the meter disc spins (if you have that type)

The answer is is the total usage for the time period.
Check the figures out.

Q: Was the first bill just usage or were there added administration fees?

Q: Did you personally make a reading of the meter the day you moved in to get an actual confirmed START point for billing or are they asking you for a carry over amount as well?

Q: Does the fridge have a rating sticker on it for consumption?

There is a web site that can help you tabulate the average monthly power usage.
I'll see if I can find it again.

 

how much are they charging per KWH?

i also live in a one bedroom, and average bill is usually around 50-60 bucks, and that is keeping the place a comfortable temp and the TV on most of the time just for background noise.

i just go my electric bill in the mail, it was for $53.42 for 647 KWH used.

 

490 sq ft appartment... electric, stove, fridge, Ac, and hot water, 2 computers literally on all the time, no tv..... $37.53 last month...

 

Some apartment buildings are wired odd - make sure you don't have an outlet outside your unit that might be running an electric dryer or electric hot water heater and that you're paying for.

 

1000 sqft house Last bill was 120 ive got a couple pc's running 24x7

 

IS the electric bill in your name or the landlords ? If it is in your name, you are entitled to call the Electric Co-op and have a meter accuracy check done. Watch your KWH used monthly. Andy hit the nail dead on...

I wired apartments for years and performed service on many I did not wire. Sometimes I found peoples a/c units being powered from the adjaecent apartment. Not fun to pay some one elses bill. To test for that problem , get a flashlight and go turn off your main breaker at the breaker box. Then go look to see if your meter still turns. If it does, oh boy, good luck

 

Were the readings actual or estimates? Here they only take a reading every 3 months and base the other billings on averages.

 

first bill was an average for the start day. And the end day was an actual reading, the next month both were actual. The problem with the meter test is that i think the electric meter is in the basement in a locked utility room. The meter for water is a radio read, with a keypad outside, and the gas meters are outside, but no electric meter outside. I think the first bill was 985 kwh and the second was 819kwh. The first month we ran the a/c alot. and we pretty much never ran the a/c the second month. and that only saved 150 kwh roughly. there has got to be something else draining on the system. we get charged .082744 cents per kwh. and yes, the first month had a 10$ activation fee.

Also a totally unrelated question. my bathroom doesnt have a locking door **** on it. I live with my girlfriend and we would like one put on. The management says i would have to do it myself. Now okay, a door **** is like 6 bucks and takes like 10 min to install, but its the principal of the thing here. Most houses/apartments should come standard with a locking ****. I mean, on move in day, my bro walked in on my GF's mom. Not a good sight. And if we have some friends over or something?

The point is, we allready pay them 560$ per month, i think they can use some of that money twards it or something. It just makes me mad how cheap someone can be. Now do i have any like legal say in this? Its not a big deal and if push comes to shove i'll just do it myself. I just think that for 560$ month they could install a door **** to just make me happy.

 

I don't think a locking bathroom door is required by law, but I could be wrong.

It's not required by law here, just a courtesy.

If I were you, I'd just go out and get a bathroom door lockset and when you're ready to move, take it off and re-install the original door ****; just incase this problem comes up again.

You don't want to have any issues with your landlord over something this trivial.

Good luck.

 

2000 sq. ft. house, 2 ac units, elec hot water, elec. stove, elec. dryer plus all other normal elec. items (only thing not elec. is the down stairs heat and it of course is not on right now) last months bill $150 this includes $10 fee for exterior lighting.

I agree with what was said above, you need to check some things or have them checked.

Good luck.

 

Just put a hook and eye lock on the door. Pull it out and patch the holes when you move out.

 

Check your hot water heater...Ours was set at 145degrees turned it down to 110 saved about 40 bucks a month. Why do you leave your pc's on. They use more electricity than you think. years ago I had the same problem, my electric bill for a one bedroom apt was over 100 bucks. I shut off the main and went and looked at the meters. My landlords meter had stopped while mine was turning a mile a minute. I brought it to their attention, she said "so what" I left. Easier to leave than fight it. If the weather is good we hang the laundry outside. That is saving about 30 bucks a month. Anything I can do to keep the rich from getting richer off of me I'll do!

Duncan

 

Yeah, i figured that they would just put one on to shut me up. I even asked one of the leasing managers and he was like "It doesnt have a locking **** on it?" I thought it was just standard practice to put one on. By the way, i really dont think anyone likes the management around here. After i moved in, i started finding reviews on the internet about my apt and they're really bad.

Okay, so it sounds like something is definantly burning up my electric bill. I just need to track it down.

 

maybe the refridgerator?

i know the one in our flat is an electric hog, its an older one plus, the thing is huge!!!! its like made for a house that has 5 family members in it, not for a one bedroom flat.