Condo Choice: All-electric building v. gas?

[UC18]

Originally Posted by SandyJet

Illegal in NY State

Well, I can certainly see why it can't be done in Chicago or anywhere else, then.

Originally Posted by SandyJet

I think highly likely. That is personal data.

Meh. Evidently NY State has decided that it is, but none of the four states I've rented in have. Given how much information about you is readily available to anyone-- your marital status, your relatives, your past addresses, the price you pay when you buy a house, your arrest record, your employer, even your salary if you work in the public sector or for a non profit, etc.-- I don't think many people would rank their home energy costs very highly on the list of things they care about keeping private. A possible exception might be someone running an illegal indoor growing operation, I suppose.

Originally Posted by knitgirl

I just called ComEd and gave them an address, she had no problem giving me the average bill for the condo unit.

And there you have it.

I always thought gathering this info. was a normal part of the decision-making process when choosing a place to rent. I had no idea there are so many people who don't do it, let alone who think it can't be done.

[SandyJet]

PSEG/LIPA wont do it. I tried a few times. Honestly, who much electric I use is none of my neighbors business. Why doesnt mastercard or visa give out my credit card averages.

Also what if I have a couple who works from home likes the heat at 72 vs a working couple who are gone 12 hours a day and go away on weekends.

If I was buyer based on utility bills I would choose the coupe with low bills.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by SandyJet

PSEG/LIPA wont do it. I tried a few times. Honestly, who much electric I use is none of my neighbors business. Why doesnt mastercard or visa give out my credit card averages.

Also what if I have a couple who works from home likes the heat at 72 vs a working couple who are gone 12 hours a day and go away on weekends.

If I was buyer based on utility bills I would choose the coupe with low bills.

This is a Chicago forum, not NY. The unit in question is in Chicago, not NY.

[myrc60]

Originally Posted by knitgirl

I just called ComEd and gave them an address, she had no problem giving me the average bill for the condo unit.

Thank you knitgirl! I was the first one to suggest a call to the utilities, because I have done it with both ComEd and People's Gas, on about 2 dozen different addresses. I have done it in SC where I now live! Utilities are governed by state law so what happens in NY or SC isn't important.

[UC18]

Originally Posted by SandyJet

PSEG/LIPA wont do it. I tried a few times. Honestly, who much electric I use is none of my neighbors business.

Well, I guess living in NY works out well for you, then, and living in one of the other 49 states works out well for the rest of us. Win/win!

This is a forum for a city in one of those other 49 states, though, so we're operating under the assumption that NY state law doesn't apply to the OP's situation.

Originally Posted by SandyJet

Also what if I have a couple who works from home likes the heat at 72 vs a working couple who are gone 12 hours a day and go away on weekends.

You have to be smart enough to allow for a range due to unusual circumstances. You also have to allow for what month it was, how extreme the weather was that month, if the unit may have been unoccupied, etc. It's not an exact science, but it gives you a rough idea, particularly if you see patterns of really high bills. You can also look at the rates for other units in a building to see a larger pattern, and the landlord will usually answer questions about if a unit was vacant, or inhabited by someone who was there all the time, or frequently absent, etc.

Again, I really thought this was common sense stuff. I've always done this as part of my research when renting. (I've never rented in New York, clearly.)

[SandyJet]

NY is so strict on not giving out info that I own a condo that is all electric. I have it rented out and the electric bill is not in my name. LIPA/PSEG would not give me the electric bill amounts of tenant. I have no clue what their electric bills are. I need the tenants to sign a whole big release form or for me to ask tenant for copy of their bill. Which I was just curious as we had a really cold winter last winter and tenant pays electric so wanted to factor the cost into if I should cut her rent, raise her rent or keep it the same.

[oddstray]

Have you ever tried to use an electric stove vs. a gas stove? I would never again accept to have to use an electric stove, having had to use both.

[SandyJet]

Originally Posted by oddstray

Have you ever tried to use an electric stove vs. a gas stove? I would never again accept to have to use an electric stove, having had to use both.

Electric stoves in 2015 are so much better than Electric Stoves from even 2005. Some now prefer than to Gas.

Electric Dryers and Electric How water heaters well they still suck

[ChiGuy2.5]

Originally Posted by oddstray

Have you ever tried to use an electric stove vs. a gas stove? I would never again accept to have to use an electric stove, having had to use both.

Originally Posted by SandyJet

Electric stoves in 2015 are so much better than Electric Stoves from even 2005. Some now prefer than to Gas.

Electric Dryers and Electric How water heaters well they still suck

I have a new electric stove and I really don't like it. Its probably only 2 years old and it still sucks to cook with. It looks nice and it heats up very quick however trying to cook with it is hard. I am still getting used to cooking with it but I typically burn everything or don't cook fast enough because I am worried I will burn it. It sucks honestly.