Estimate meter reading not in my mom’s favor
By Lena Kovadlo
@lovebuglena (52201)
Staten Island, New York
September 16, 2024 10:36pm CST
The past two months the gas meter reading at my mom’s house was an estimate.
Current 7743 / Previous 7697 for July-August bill.
Current 7785 / Previous 7743 for August-September bill.
I came to her house 9/13 and checked her meter. Reading said 7690.
This means the two months’ current readings are way over than what it actually says on the meter, which means both bills she was overcharged.
I tried to submit the 7690 meter reading online but it wouldn’t work. Gave me an error message. Turns out it was because what I was entering was way below the last estimate reading. Luckily, I had taken a picture of the meter Friday so I just emailed the picture to them. I hope they will recalculate and credit her account accordingly.
Hopefully, she wasn’t overcharged on the bill before the last two. Interesting though that the estimate readings are way over the actual and not close to it or less.
6 people like this
6 responses
@kaylachan (84837)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
17 Sep 24
That's not unusal. Companies and people in general would over estimate then under. In either case, someone loses. Best case your mom can get a refund or credit. It would better then her owing more.
2 people like this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
17 Sep 24
If you submit a meter reading online it should accept the number you submit, even if it’s lower than the estimate reading. It’s puzzling that it doesn’t.
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
17 Sep 24
I forget what year it was but my mom kept getting bills with estimate readings and then one bill when a reading turned out to be actual the total was way higher than the estimate bills.
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
17 Sep 24
It is such a pain in the *ss these days to be billed correctly.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
19 Sep 24
@lovebuglena Here, I never know if my bill is correct..we do have smart meters.
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
20 Sep 24
@RebeccasFarm that ain’t good. You could be overpaying.
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
17 Sep 24
When meters are inside the house rather than outside it’s a bad thing when it comes to meter reading. If it is not equipped to be read remotely then if you are not home the day someone comes you are left with an estimate reading, which I’d assume would usually mean overpaying. But I could be wrong. Maybe it’s not always that way.
And when they come to read your meter you don’t know when they will actually come. You can’t just wait all day for someone to show up.
You can always submit your own meter reading but then you probably have to do it right away before the bill is generated.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
17 Sep 24
Sometimes it seems things can never be easy.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
17 Sep 24
I wonder how many times before my mom had overpaid because of estimate readings. I hope after this all readings will now be remote and hence actual.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
17 Sep 24
If they cannot get access to the meter and see what the reading is then they estimate it. In this case, you’re not paying for how much gas you actually used.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
18 Sep 24
@rakski yes. I hope from now on all readings will be remote, which should mean an accurate reading.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222726)
• United States
17 Sep 24
What a mess. I hope it gets straightened out. Have a good day.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
17 Sep 24
I hope so too. I sent an email with picture of meter reading and then later realized I forgot to include account number and service address in the email so had to send a new email.
1 person likes this
