Lipa (apartment, houses, water heater)

[omigawd]

I've been on the "budgeted billing" with LIPA since we moved into our new apartment in August. I have a 2BR apartment and they budgeted me at $77/mo. Well, my usage has been less than that and they averaged my usage at around $50/mo so they're going to change my budgeted billing to reflect the $50/mo.

Of course, I'm glad my bill is going to be less (and am going to find ways to get it even lower!) but what I'm wondering is, with winter coming upon us, is my usage going to go higher? The thermostat in our apartment is electric.... does that mean I'm using electricity alll the time the heat is on? Or is it just when I adjust the thermostat when I go out, come home, go to bed? (I turn it down to 60 when I go out, 70 when I come home, and 60-65 when I go to bed, depending on the weather)

Please forgive me for not having a clue here..... At our old apartment, we didn't pay electric and didn't control the heat and when I lived in NYC, I never really paid attention to this type of thing and my Con Ed bill was maybe $30/month.

[Danielle Westbury]

As far as what I understand about their budget billing.. They take the 3 previous months and average it out and thats the amount you pay. They do this every 3 months to get to the average
(well at least thats what I was told).
Also i think their budget billin is on a 9 month rotion and if you happen to owe them money by lets say
in month # 4 ur bill is $70 but they have you billed at $50 because ur on a budget that means in the end you still owe them $20 but I was told this will be factored in at the end of the 9 months. So the last 3 months ur bill may be a lot higher

[Kbinspections]

IMO, just pay what you owe. I did that program for two years and they were fast to move the monthly rate higher and slow to lower it.

[RKW517]

Same here, with Keyspan we now pay for what we use monthly!

[omigawd]

I'm also wondering about the electric thermostat.... Does that mean I'm using electricity whenever the heat is on? Or only when I turn it up or down?

[Kbinspections]

Originally Posted by omigawd

I'm also wondering about the electric thermostat.... Does that mean I'm using electricity whenever the heat is on? Or only when I turn it up or down?

Its using electricity whenever it produces heat. It will turn on when the room temp falls below the setting.

[omigawd]

Thank you

[Mighty__Quinn]

Electric heat can be very expensive!

I had electric heat in an apt once when I lived in CT. Our electric bill would triple during the winter months.

You can call LIPA and ask them what the average bill, for the last tenant, was last winter or ask your landlord.

I would put some money aside each month so you aren't caught with your pants down in a few months.
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]

[omigawd]

I keep my heat pretty low and when I go out and at night, I turn it almost all the way down. I'm hoping that will save me on electric cost.

I'll give LIPA a call and see what they say.

Thank you!

[I_Love_LI_but]

Originally Posted by omigawd

I keep my heat pretty low and when I go out and at night, I turn it almost all the way down. I'm hoping that will save me on electric cost.

I'll give LIPA a call and see what they say.

Thank you!

Are you sure it's electric HEAT you are talking about or just the electricity the thermostat itself uses?

Electric heat is pretty rare on Long Island (anybody: correct me if I am mistaken about this). I have heard electric heat is common in other areas of the country though.

Usually heat in houses and apartment buildings on Long Island are oil or gas.

The only LEGAL way a tenant is responsible to pay their own is if they have their own separate oil or gas burner and hot water heater.