Help me make sense of the gas bill

[Dodraugen]

The landlord is coming over tomorrow or Saturday evening, to collect this month's rent. I share this flat with one other guy, we've been living here for one month, so neither of us knew what to expect of the costs of electricity/gas/water.

The bill from Towngas came by mail today, and while I can't make out the writing (it's in Chinese), the numbers are alarming.

Image 1
Image 2

As for our gas usage, I use one of the stove tops 10 minutes every day (to cook meat), and my roommate use one stove top 5 minutes every day (to boil his noodles). Every other day I will use warm water (gas heated) for shaving, but by no means much (just for washing my face pre-shaving, I boil water for for the rest). When not shaving the gas is turned off in the bathroom (neither of us turn it on for showers).

So we're by no means heavy users. If the sum is what I think it is (3089 HKD) that means that I pay between 50 and 100 HKD every day to cook some meat, basically.

So, am I reading the bill completely wrong? (Sorry about the large image size)

[wtbhotia]

Holy crap, 3089$, that looks like its for 2 months but still thats way too much. sorry cant read the chicken squiggle so not much help. let me ask my mrs if she can decipher it for you.

[Dodraugen]

Thanks.

Yeah, for the first month it's less than 100 (nobody living here), so 3098 is more or less for the last month alone.

[bryant.english]

Hmmm......maybe it's a deposit. That makes sense.

[stanleyliving]

3459 is the "estimated reading of the meter".
3751 is the actual reading (not estimated, read by a human)

The $3xxx is for the 292 units of gas (3751 - 3459).

The thing you need to find out is when was the meter last read (e.g. ?10 months ago or even years ago?). Because the gas meter is not always read for the Gas company to calculate how many units have been used. After an actual reading is done, if there are no further actual readings of the meter (either by the gas company or by the flat occupier), the Gas company charges the account according to the pattern of consumption prior to the last reading. For example if the pattern of consumption prior to the last reading was on average 20 units per month, the Gas company will assume the pattern remains unchanged and bills the user accordingly. Only when the account is closed, will the gas man come to take a reading, and then adjustments will be made to the bill (e.g. refund overcharged amounts, or demand unpaid/undercharged amounts). Adjustments may also be made when someone (occupier or otherwise) reports an actual meter reading to the Gas Company.

It appears you may have agreed to take over someone else's account without having the meter read before you moved in a month ago. The last actual reading (by a person) appears to have been done on 22 September, and this probably threw up the great discrepancy in the no. of units consumed under that meter.

I suggest you bring this matter up with your landlord immediately.

[Dodraugen]

bryant: We did not. This apartment was not occupied for a couple of months before we moved in (landlord used to live here himself, then moved out some months ago, kept this place, and started looking for tenants for this apartment in late July), but he didn't cancel the gas/electricity/water or anything while the place was unoccupied. So we didn't have to set up anything ourselves.

Stanleylliving: Thanks. I've never had to pay for anything other than a fixed rent before, so this is Greek to me, but I'll contact the landlord and ask him about it ...

[drumbrake]

In your rental contract it should state what bills you are responsible for (usually gas, electric and water), and which the landlord pays (government rent and rates, maybe management fee). As a tenant, it is your responsibility (or the agent if you are paying for one) to make sure that all the bills you are responsible for are starting from zero before you move in, and they are all paid up when you leave (or the landlord can keep some of your deposit to cover them).

[Dodraugen]

3459 is the "estimated reading of the meter".
Because the gas meter is not always read for the Gas company to calculate how many units have been used. After an actual reading is done, if there are no further actual readings of the meter (either by the gas company or by the flat occupier), the Gas company charges the account according to the pattern of consumption prior to the last reading. For example if the pattern of consumption prior to the last reading was on average 20 units per month, the Gas company will assume the pattern remains unchanged and bills the user accordingly. Only when the account is closed, will the gas man come to take a reading, and then adjustments will be made to the bill (e.g. refund overcharged amounts, or demand unpaid/undercharged amounts).

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

Image

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. Called the landlord, he will be over Saturday morning to have a look at it.

[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.

[drumbrake]

Earlier months were just estimates. Seems that the reading has been under estimated for some time.