How Can I Beat Equitable Gas? (Pittsburgh, Harrisburg: for sale, rentals, houses)

[HarryRSpooner]

Good chilly mid-September summer evening,

Currently, I control three (3) different sized single family residential properties on the same exact street in Pittsburgh's North Side 15214. The monthly Equitable Gas budget plans were all reasonable but have been escalating dramatically and are now approaching $200.00 per month per house. Oddly enough, the monthly budget plans are almost dollar for dollar the same even though the largest house is more than twice the size of the smallest one.

I have tried contacting Equitable Gas, I have tried shopping for a different Gas supplier and I've even contacted the PUC in Harrisburg. But I'm still baffled and I still find the monthly budget plans to be shockingly high. Yes, I know you pay more in summer time for it offsets what would normally be much higher winter bills but this seems exorbitant compared to last year. It wouldn't be cost effective to pay to add insulation to the houses since the resale prices in the 'hood aren't strong enough yet.

What else can I do to minimize my Equitable Gas bills other than pray extra hard at night?

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by PB&J O'Rourke2

You have your answer, you just don't like it.

Indeed. In concert with your other thread lamenting that you cannot find habitable houses for sale for under $25,000, you're giving a distinct slumlord vibe.

My own advice would be, if you don't think you can pass along the cost of insulation in terms of higher rent (you should be able to, since it would be more attractive to tenants) you work on a total flip of the houses for higher-class rentals, starting with the largest, if you have the capital.

[Tinare]

The utilities have to pad the estimates a little to make sure that they don't end up shorting themselves, so you're always paying extra for the convenience. (You get it back at the end of the relationship, but that can be years.). Personally, I've always planned my own budget so that I can just pay the exact bill every month. I'd rather bank my own money during the lighter use months than basically pay someone else to do it for me.

[HarryRSpooner]

No, I live on the street too and in one of the houses. Hardly,a slum lord. Actually, my family lived next door and a close friend of 17 years in the 3rd house. But probably to an outside, my street does look slummy. I've thought about paying a private contractor to repave my road and if I got in trouble from the City so be it. Routinely, in the past I've paid money to clear out empty vacant lots or tend to abandoned houses on the block. So bottom line - insulation.