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Help me make sense of the gas bill

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  1. #11

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    Just out of curiosity, we've never had gas in Hong Kong, we've always had to pay deposits for water/electricity.......do you need to pay a deposit for gas?


  2. #12

    Join Date
    Jul 2012
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    Quote Originally Posted by araucaria:
    The bill is in Chinese, but how about the address? Is it addressed to you or the landlord? He may have closed the account, resulting in a refund of the deposit as on the first bill (mine was $600, not $800, but that might vary). You haven't shown the whole October bill, but check to see if the account number at the top is the same on both - if not, it's a new account for you presumably to take over - but the unpaid balance is still carried over. Gas bills are not ordinarily calculated in advance in my experience.

    I'm sure your landlord will explain that when you see him, but if the meter wasn't read when you moved in, you'll have no way of figuring out with him how much of that bill is yours to pay.
    Thanks.

    The bill is addressed to the landlord (as are all our bills).

    What do you mean by "the whole October bill"? I won't get that until next month, right?

    Not sure where the account number would be, but here's a better picture, that covers almost the whole document, with the text being more clear. Sorry about the less than excellent quality of the previous:

    Image

    True, we won't be able to find out just how much we spent this last month...

  3. #13
    If I understood your explanation, and if I interpret the specifications from last month correctly, there was a manual reading last month as well? If so, that means that all the 292 units of gas are from the last month, which based on our usage makes absolutely no sense.
    Dodraugen, you misunderstood my explanation. The first reading of 3459 is stated under the date 23 August 2012 and is an "estimated reading". The second reading 3751 (under the date 22 September 2012) is the actual "read" reading.

    Hope it all makes sense now!

  4. #14

    Join Date
    Feb 2006
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    In the top right hand corner there's a ten digit number, something like XXXX-XXXX-XX - mine begins with '7'. I can't see it on your pics, it's right at the top. Compare the two - if the October one is not the same, it's a new account.

    Gas bills are bi-monthly, so you shouldn't be getting another so soon after the September one, which is why I suspect it's a new account. Each bill should also show two months' consumption.Gas bills come AFTER the two months, but yours is in advance, so something has happened there.

    Ah, looking at the post above I'd say the landlord has just had the meter read.

    Last edited by araucaria; 27-09-2012 at 09:54 PM.

  5. #15
    Here's a picture that includes more of the bill, the specifications for both months (23/7-23/8 + 23/8-23/9)

    Image
    Dodraugen, both the readings 3455 and 3459 under the July and August dates are "estimated" readings. It appears the Gas Company is taking a monthly usage of 4 units as the consumption pattern for each month since the last actual reading when in fact the usage was much more.

  6. #16

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    Jul 2012
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    stanleyliving: Thanks. Valuable information.

    araucaria: I've probably not expressed myself very well. I've just received this one bill, which covers the last two months. So only one account number, no change of anything.

    Actually, the landlord did not know about the reading. I told him on the phone, that the gas company had been here last Saturday to do a reading, and that I had not messaged him about it because I thought this was something they did every month ...

    Last edited by Dodraugen; 27-09-2012 at 10:03 PM.

  7. #17

    Join Date
    Feb 2006
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    434

    Right - the October date is a pay-by date on your September bill.

    BTW the landlord should request for the billing to be in English for you in future


  8. #18

    By the way Dodraugen, even if you sort out this bill with your landlord, it is possible that the Gas Co may now take 292 units per month as the "pattern" of your monthly usage and bill accordingly UNLESS you give them the actual meter reading each month. Simply ring the Gas Co up around the 20th of each month to tell them the reading.

    To avoid arguments with your landlord over utility bills, if I were you, I would tell the Landlord to close his account with the Gas Co and you open an account in your own name. It is quite a simple process, here are the instructions I give to all my tenants:

    Towngas
    Telephone: 2880 6988
    Phone Towngas (or go to any Towngas shop) to make an appointment. They will need to enter the apartment to check that all gas appliances are in good working order and to make the connection. They do that for every new account. This service is free of charge. A deposit of HK$600 is required but is only included in your first bill - in other words you do not have to pay upfront. My understanding is that the deposit is refunded when you close your account if you pay your bills on time.


    The gas technician needs to physically enter the premises to close/open the account. You could co-ordinate with your landlord so that the closing and opening of account could be done at the same time on the same day. It is also a good thing to have the appliances checked for leaks. A minor leak (from aging pipes, old/faulty equipment) is difficult to detect sometimes, but poses a danger all the same!! You may be required to provide the Gas Co with a copy of your tenancy agreement to prove you are indeed the tenant of the premises.

    Hope this helps and all goes well!

    Dodraugen likes this.

  9. #19

    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Kent, England
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    Quote Originally Posted by araucaria:
    BTW the landlord should request for the billing to be in English for you in future
    I did this very easily myself when we first arrived, I'm sure there were details on the reverse of the bill on how to do this.

  10. #20

    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    1,107
    Quote Originally Posted by stanleyliving:
    ...Simply ring the Gas Co up around the 20th of each month...
    they have an app for submitting your reading as well...with reminders and ebills

    Sent from my GT-I9000 using GeoClicks Mobile
    Last edited by anothercanuck; 28-09-2012 at 07:11 AM.