It's Not A Wonderful Life

| | Comments (11)





87 months.












I'm not George Bailey, i'm just Furey.




That only happens in the movies, not Hoboken.



That sucks. It's what we both got tagged with for not reading/paying attention to the bill and/or not wanting to stay at home/otherwise arrange for the PSEG guy to read the meters.

I got tagged with a $2600 adjustment. After I stopped rocking myself back and forth in the corner like the Rain Man, I called up PSE&G and asked them to put me on an Equal Payment Plan. That way they spread it out over a long time.

Fortunately, I live(d) alone. You have no stick to go after former roommates (I think), but I don't think it hurts to ask for their fair share, which you should be able to calculate. I would think that out of a sense of fairness at least some would pay their share, but then again, I am a socialist!

It has been another year since I've had my meter read; I'm never home when the meter man comes. I got the automated call last month too. I'm dreading my next read.

Good luck with BPU. I hadn't even thought about that.

Agreed. I never really read the bill, I just open it, read what I owe, write a check and mail it.

But I asked them in 7 years - 7! - PSE&G couldn't have written a seperate letter saying something a bit clearer rather than the small text on the side of the bill?

My only hope is that BPU is able to do something here. Other cases like these don't even make it to small claims court, they get settled early, from what my lawyer friend tells me.

Feel your pain on this. Who really reads there bill anyway, I see what I owe and I write the check.
Paying for other people's oversights seem to be more and more common.
7 is almost like something out of Goodfellas...
It took us 7 years to realize we hadn't read your meter...Fuck You Pay Me.

It didn't occur to OUR meterman to have someone contact you after a month of unsuccessful attempts...Fuck You Pay Me.

7 years...thats obscene!

I was wondering when you'd blog about this.

It surprised me that PSE&G doesn't have a policy in place. PECO, in Philly, has a rule that 6 months estimated readings = automatic shutoff. This is AWESOME until your apartment building (real apt, not brownstone) has their meters pulled, PECO fires the employee who pulled them, doesn't realize that the building never got new meters and you're the first person listed under the address. Yea, I had my power shutoff for 36 hours through no fault of my own. Luckily I resolved my dispute with them. And it was totally their fault and we all got new meters.

Anyway, good luck recouping from former roommates, if my ex-roommate called asking for a nickel I'd laugh after I hung up on her. But hey, that's just me.

Oh BTW, every month in work I have an automated call from ConEd that my meter is estimated and they need to do a reading. Since it's a recording I don't hear the name on the message, but I think it's classic. Someone in NYC is going to be living without electricity and gas very soon! :D

Yikes! I think that it's total BS that there's no statute of limitations on this. I had no idea that this kind of situation was even possible.

Seriously, the only thing I can think of is to call "Shame on You" or "Seven on Your Side" or one of those evening news investigative segments and get them to air it. The real angle is your being punished for being the responsible roommate for all those years. You've been put in an impossible situation. $8,000 is a SHITLOAD of money.

To me, PSE&G not checking a meter in 7 years and billing you, borders on criminal. The meter is in someone else's apartment, to boot. There's no way you would ever really be in a position to grant access to someone else's apartment.

When I first moved into Hoboken I heard about the estimated reading vs. actual. Now I'll make sure to double check!

Furey -
Place a donation link on here...a buck or two. I bet you will be surprised how many people donate.

Derek - if BPU isn't able to assist me, I will probably look to something like that. Good idea.

Shorts - That's an interesting idea. I was also thinking of a "Fureypalooza" night at the bar - to help those afflicted by poor meter readings.

furey, I think you should get a 2nd part-time job. the eagles need a runningback and quarterback and many other players- I am sure they could pay you by the game.

Here's a better idea than Kathleen's: (And less chance of serious injury)Bet $4000 on the Giants this week. Chances are they're gonna cover (this just in, the spread went up another point to 8). It's a win/win situation for you. You make double your bet back or an Eagle victory. Of course, they could cover but not win. In that case, you're totally screwed. However, you could take the tease bet. Giants would be giving 2 and drop the under to 27 or so, then you would obviously take the Over. The Giants will probably score that on their own. Think about it.......

I just told my gas company their meter was defective and had not moved in 5 months. I reported it 4 months ago and the meter man said it was not broken.
In 7 years, it is possible your meter went around several times, and so the correction would not be more than one cycle. Demand an explanation of their method of estimating your underpayment and argue it down to the wire. Don't make it easy on them. Also, in some states 3 years is as far back as billing can go.

What happened to the person who posted "It's Not A Wonderful Life" on December 6, 2005? If you are still out there somewhere, email me at cpabobxx on aol

Leave a comment


Powered by Movable Type 4.23-en

About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Furey published on December 6, 2005 12:26 AM.

Annapolis was the previous entry in this blog.

The Underaged Ones is the next entry in this blog.


Join Zipcar and get $25 in free driving!