Does anybody heat with natural gas?

[TNT]

Awhile back, my landlord came up with a bright idea... she'd lower my rent $40 a month, but I'd have to start paying for my own heat (natural gas). According to her, it would be a break even proposition, or I might even save a few bucks.

So, after a lot of problems with the gas company, we got everything straightened out and I had heat. All's well that ends well, right?

So, last night, I got my December gas bill for my small, one-bedroom, well insulated apartment: $325.

They cannot be serious.

Does that sound reasonable to anybody who heats with natural gas?

[crazylegs]

Thats excessive, our heating bill for a three bedroom house isn't that much, but then we only run the heating between 06;00-07;00 and 18;00-22;00 and we have an electric shower.

The heating is set to around 21C. I really think the bill should be challenged.

[ThePhoneGoddess]

That sounds really excessive. There's a couple of different things that might have happened.

Scenario #1: Your landlord is an unscrupulous tool, knew there was going to be some problem with gas, and put it in your name so she didn't have to deal with it and could leave you holding the bag. You'd know, of course, better than me, if your landlord is this kind of person. Not very likely, but it has happened before.

Scenario #2: Your landlord has multiple properties she manages, and somehow , multiple properties ended up in your name instead of just your particular abode. This would be a mistake by the gas company, but could be rememedied.

Scenario #3: The gas company has assigned either transfer fees or deposits to the account and added them to the first bill without you realizing they were going to do that. Did you have to pay them a deposit when you put it in your name?

My heating bill shows a small graph chart showing the amount of gas used for this month, the amount of gas used for last month, and the amount of gas used for the same month last year. Does your bill show this, if so then check it out. Has the usage spiked this month or something?

I'd take the bill down to the gas company and ask them to go over it with you. They should be more than happy to. Then I'd call the landlord and let her know about the bill.

[TNT]

Scenario #2: Your landlord has multiple properties she manages, and somehow , multiple properties ended up in your name instead of just your particular abode. This would be a mistake by the gas company, but could be rememedied.



My deposit, which I've already paid, was supposed to be estimated on two months of service... it came to $40. Alas, there aren't any charts comparing usage from year to year (my electric bill has them, but not the gas bill).

However, scenario 2 brings up something that may have happened. It may be an estimated bill (perhaps the meter reader couldn't get to basement). If that's the case the estimate may be based on last December, when the landlord was paying the heat for all three units in the building. (I know I'm not paying for the other units, since they've been converted to electric heat.) Unfortunately, the bill is ambiguous on the subject of "estimated" vs. "actual" readings.

I have to wait to Monday to find out what's going on. If the bill really is $325, I'm going to moving into a refrigerator carton under the bridge.

[chops]

While it's not exactly natural gas, we heat our house with propane by way of a Rinnai heater located in the living room.

Last month, our gas bill came to $350.

This is for a three-bedroom, not-so-well-insulated house. And natural gas can't cost that much more than propane...

What I'd do is, if you can get to the basement, see if it's a meter you can read yourself. Compare the meter reading to the reading on your bill (AFAIK, they're supposed to tell you what it says) and then you'll have a better idea of what's going on.

[blas87]

Um...it costed my parents $600some for this whole winter's worth (I mean several months!) of fuel oil for their house (to fill their tank, they got it filled right before New Year, since it doesn't start to get really cold until January).

That doesn't sound right at all....

[ThePhoneGoddess]

However, scenario 2 brings up something that may have happened. It may be an estimated bill (perhaps the meter reader couldn't get to basement). If that's the case the estimate may be based on last December, when the landlord was paying the heat for all three units in the building. (I know I'm not paying for the other units, since they've been converted to electric heat.) Unfortunately, the bill is ambiguous on the subject of "estimated" vs. "actual" readings.

Very good point, I forgot about the whole 'estimated' readings thing. I'd call and go over that with the gas company when you get a chance. Also let the landlord know; she could tell you if $325 was a normal bill for the place last winter.

[FormerCallingCardRep]

Our bill for last month for a three bedroom tri-level was only $115.00 and it was colder then normal.

[FuzzyKitten99]

I don't know what your rates are where you live, but we heat our house furnace and our dryer with natural gas. For our 3br 2ba house (1800sq ft rambler), in Minne-so-cold (Minnesota) our bill last month was $112. It has never gotten past $150 in winter.

What is the cost of natural gas per "therm" or unit where you are?

[TNT]

What is the cost of natural gas per "therm" or unit where you are?

My bill breaks down this way:

Charge just for being a customer: $10.81
Distribution charge per ccf: 37 cents [cost of getting the gas to me]
Gas supply charge per ccf: 86 cents [cost of gas itself]
Gas cost adjustment per ccf: 5 cents [and a little extra just for fun]

So, that's $1.28 per ccf. EDIT: apparently a ccf is 100 cubic feet which equals a therm.

All I use gas for is heat.

[FuzzyKitten99]

My bill breaks down this way:

Charge just for being a customer: $10.81
Distribution charge per ccf: 37 cents [cost of getting the gas to me]
Gas supply charge per ccf: 86 cents [cost of gas itself]
Gas cost adjustment per ccf: 5 cents [and a little extra just for fun]

So, that's $1.28 per ccf. EDIT: apparently a ccf is 100 cubic feet which equals a therm.

All I use gas for is heat.

You are charged not much than I am per unit of natural gas. I don't see how you are paying that much, since it is an apartment and I have a house. Is the bill maybe for a section of your building, not just your apartment?
here's a pic of my bill. My mistake, too, as my gas only, was 92.xx, but I have an appliance repair plan that runs me $19/month, but still.

I think you should really look into that bill and call the gas company.

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p298/FuzzyKitten1999/bill.jpg

[TNT]

There's got to be a problem somewhere... according to my bill, my little apartment used almost 3 times the amount of ccfs as your house. Either it's a lot warmer in Minnesota than I've been led to believe or something's really wrong.

[FuzzyKitten99]

There's got to be a problem somewhere... according to my bill, my little apartment used almost 3 times the amount of ccfs as your house. Either it's a lot warmer in Minnesota than I've been led to believe or something's really wrong.

Today's high was 1 deg farenheit.... it ain't warm, I can assure you.