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That isn't a landlord issue. Call your utility and have them figure it out. Unless you are filling an underground well up that amount of water would be noticeable after a few hours and overflowing the street in no time.
Definitely call the water company first, tell them there seems to be a leak because there is no way you can use that much water, especially since you've only been there one month (and I would assume you started service about that time)
Ask them to check to see if it's a leak on their side or yours. If it's on their side of the meter, they will fix it. If it's on your side, it's on the owner's dime. He needs to fix it asap.
Have had a couple of irregular high bills due to busted pipes and a leaking toilet (on two properties and with two different water companies). Both times both companies were willing to adjust the bill once I showed them a repair invoice. The adjustment was based on past usage and history, so not sure how this would work in your case since you just moved in not too long ago...GL
A leak on the utility companies side of the meter would not be passing through the meter so it would not be billed. If they are being billed properly and their is a leak, it has to be downstream of the meter.
Depending on soil conditions, you would be amazed how much water can soak down into the ground before it shows on top, I have experienced exactly this scenario.
The good new is most utilities will offer some relief if you show proof of repairs, but it won't likely all be dismissed.
A good landlord would take responsibility. My incident was on my rental property and I wouldn't dream of requiring a tenant to pay exorbitant water bills because of my failing infrastructure. You may want to see if there is some local tenant's council and get some advice.
Could be you are being charged for all water use since the bill was last paid... this has happened here... the water company says someone used the water so pay up and you are the unlucky one caught in the middle.
When this happened I contacted the local Director on the water board and asked to speak at the next commission meeting... that got his interest.
So I explained my tenant of 3 weeks had a huge bill... the property had been vacant and the water company left the service on for a long time according to a neighbor... there was a house going to foreclosure and they were running a hose from the vacant house... all before me.
Anyway... working from the top down is the only way I was able to get it resolved...
Also noted the bill you quote says estimated... this is always problematic as it is a guess.
You need to grab the bull by horns and take it to the top... sooner the better.
Get water Co to come ck meter. Then have landlord fix leak if one is found, which sounds likely. Many water companies will reduce bill if you prove there was a leak and it is repaired. They did on a house we bought that was leaking 90 gal an hr. Had a 600.00 Water bill they reduced to 314.
The bill reads, billing cycle 12/1-12/21. Actual read (526), estimated read previous (202 estimated), actual usage 324 or 247,000 gallons of water.
Something is wrong with what you are posting. When they started service under your name there should have been a meter reading (ACTUAL). At the end of the cycle there should be a meter reading (ACTUAL or ESTIMATED). If the initial meter reading when you stated service was an ESTIMATE, or the ending cycle was an ESTIMATE, that's the problem. Call the utility and have them explain the readings to you asking specifically if it was an actual read or an estimate.
We suspected a small leak when we moved in and informed the landlord as such. He said it was not the case.
What did the landlord do to determine if there was a leak or not? If you asked him to check for a leak and he decided there wasn't one, it sounds like he bears some responsibility for all this water that leaked out.
It sounds like the water could still be leaking and if it isn't fixed you will have another huge bill next month. You can determine if there is a leak by following these instructions: 6 Ways to Find a Water Leak in Your House - wikiHow
Where I live the water company will forgive some of the water usage from a leak, if you provide them with proof that you have paid someone to repair the leak.
I would definitely ask the water company to share with you their records of the previous months water usage the last time the meter was used and what was the meter reading when the water was turned off? If the water has been turned off for 5 months, what was the water usage the last month that it was turned on? I'm wondering if the leak existed before the water was turned off?
The landlord basically just said their were some drainage and sewer issues and that is why we had some standing water (3" deep 8x5 area. I don't know much about these issues and that along with all the rain we had I just believed him. Also, the water level has not rose at all, but stayed exactly the same.
The water company has now said that the bill mistakenly says {estimated} for the original reading and was an actual reading, don't know if they are being honest or not. It is hard to work with them, they are 100's of miles away and use independent contractors to do the readings/repairs.
I'm guessing that the house has had a slow leak since July when someone last live here. I moved in on December 1st (still with an underground leak) and I'm being hit with that entire bill because they never did an actual reading, but I'm just speculating.
We have a plumber coming Monday after the snow storm. They said they'd do a 40% reduction if I can prove it was fixed, I don't even know if I'd be willing to do that. But we'll see.
Also, I think that has been an issue before with this property. Our lease states that the water should be in the Owners name and gas/electric in tenants. However, we put the water in our name because our Landlord said he'd prefer it that way because he's been stuck with a big water bill in the past by people that left, I didn't know what that meant exactly. It was tough though because we didn't sign an actually lease until we had lived there for a week, but we needed the water turned on in our name to move in. So, I did not know the lease stated that prior to.
Does the lease say the landlord pays the water or that the water is in his name and you reimburse? If it is a leak it is the landlords bill not yours, that's way more water than what you are describing though. My meter is outside I can access it, what does it read right now?
I tried to upload a picture but it isn't working, it is a basic dial meter out near the street that will have numbers that notch up like an odometer in your car.
Last edited by AZ Manager; 01-22-2016 at 02:01 PM..
Does the lease say the landlord pays the water or that the water is in his name and you reimburse? If it is a leak it is the landlords bill not yours, that's way more water than what you are describing though. My meter is outside I can access it, what does it read right now?
I tried to upload a picture but it isn't working, it is a basic dial meter out near the street that will have numbers that notch up like an odometer in your car.
The actual lease says "Water in owners name" however it is in mine. I won't ever move in before signing an actual lease again. I will check the meter when I get home. Thanks all.
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