Can anyone please help? Thanks. (Edison: how much, attorney, house)

[layton]

Dear Neighbors,

My family bought a house in Edison late in 2006 and moved in 01/07. We were shocked when we received the sewerage service charges. It’s $500/yr (in contrast my next door neighbor’s bill is only about $280/yr). We found out that it’s based on the consumption from last yr (from previous owner). I called Edison sewerage service office; they told me the fee has increased about $50 from yr without any explanations given.

To me, this is such a ridiculous policy that we basically been penalized by the big water users that previous owners were. I think whenever there is a transaction on the house; the fee should have been determined by how much water is used by the first yr of the new ownership, not based by the previous usage. Edison is the only town that I know that has this strange policy in place.
Is there any way that you can help me to resolve this issue? Who should I talk to about this strange policy?

I’ve contacted every associated person that I can think of (include mayor of Edison), but no one came forward to help.

If someone out there is willing to help me (i.e. who should I contact about this issue…) to fight with this unfair and unimaginable policy please respond.

Many thanks in advance for your help!

[kort677]

Originally Posted by layton

Dear Neighbors,

My family bought a house in Edison late in 2006 and moved in 01/07. We were shocked when we received the sewerage service charges. It’s $500/yr (in contrast my next door neighbor’s bill is only about $280/yr). We found out that it’s based on the consumption from last yr (from previous owner). I called Edison sewerage service office; they told me the fee has increased about $50 from yr without any explanations given.

To me, this is such a ridiculous policy that we basically been penalized by the big water users that previous owners were. I think whenever there is a transaction on the house; the fee should have been determined by how much water is used by the first yr of the new ownership, not based by the previous usage. Edison is the only town that I know that has this strange policy in place.
Is there any way that you can help me to resolve this issue? Who should I talk to about this strange policy?

I’ve contacted every associated person that I can think of (include mayor of Edison), but no one came forward to help.

If someone out there is willing to help me (i.e. who should I contact about this issue…) to fight with this unfair and unimaginable policy please respond.

Many thanks in advance for your help!

calm down, your rates will be adjusted to your usage pattern, it just takes time to establish a new pattern for them to base their charges on

[jersey2nm]

While it doesn't seem fair, I would have to agree with Kort to calm down, the rates will adjust especially if your water consumption is considerably less than the previous owners. Who knows, the high water consumption could have been as a result of a leak and they didn't know it. It doesn't make it right but it does happen. Of course, if you want to take it a step further, you can file a complaint online with the NJ Board of Public Utilities. http://www.state.nj.us/bpu/home/complaintForm.shtml (broken link)

[layton]

Thank you for your messages. Obviously, I know that the rate will adjust AFTER this yr. However, my point here is the ridiculous sewerage service fee policy. I’m not trying to elude the fee, but I just can’t get over the fact that I’m paying something that I did NOT consume. Can’t we just make it right that whenever there is a change of the ownership, the fee should have been determined by how much water is used by the first yr of the new ownership or some sort of baseline? I’ll file a complaint online. Thank you for your info.

[TracyG]

At closing your attorney should have gotten the final sewer and water reads from the city. Then they would have been prorated to the closing day. You should ask you attorney about this. But since I am not an attorney, I am not sure anything can be done after the fact.

Tracy