Question about CPS (San Antonio, Anton: 2014, apartment complex, leasing)

[lizzy596]

Hello All,

So my lease ended at my old apartment on Dec. 31st 2013, and I didn't think to disconnect services (which was stupid of me---this was my first time living out on my own)

Anyway, so now I have a bill for January and some of February which really sucks (especially because I just paid a $100 utility bill to my new landlord).


I called CPS and was told "too bad, you're still responsible for the bill" but I'm just wondering (this is more a legal question)


Once my lease ended---my lease of that meter also ended. I was no longer authorized to have 'active service' there whether I terminated it or not right?

So provided I demonstrated that after Dec 31st I was no longer leasing the apartment, how can the bill still belong to me.

I couldn't just activate or terminate services in some random residence in San Antonio I don't own or rent.

I also couldn't pay the mortgage of some random house that doesn't belong to me (I could give money to the people that own it to help them pay), but I wouldn't be allowed to pay it for them.


CPS is a monopoly that doesn't have to make customers happy, so to some extent, I'm asking more out of curiosity as to how that could still be legal more than I am because I plan use this defense.

Any thoughts?

Thank-you


'

[ggeorgie]

You still owe CPS the past bill, no matter what. It has nothing to do with your lease agreement with your old apartment unit. It will follow you. You hasve an agreement with CPS to pay. Make payment arrangements..

[geargrinder70]

Good luck with that. Your contract with CPS has nothing to do with your lease on your apt. Sorry you messed up by not calling CPS and stopping your service. Just pay your bill and call it a lesson learned.

[lizzy596]

I tried in my OP to make it clear that I'm asking out of matter of sheer legal curiosity...I'm not using this forum to gripe about having to pay this bill... essentially, I'm submitting to you all a 'logic problem' and just asking where and in what way my logic here is flawed.

Because it has absolutely everything to do with my lease agreement...

It was the lease of that meter, that allowed me to activate services and use that meter in the first place. The second my lease ended I lost my authorization to use it or to have the meter active.

Thus whether I terminated services with CPS or not, my ability to have that meter's services were terminated automatically the moment my lease expired.

My contract with CPS always necessitates that I have legal authority over a meter. I no longer have that.

How is any of this wrong? That's all I'm asking...

[need4speed2012]

You're still responsible for the bill and that's it !!!!

[dpantle]

I think you're getting accurate answers here legally speaking. Neither you or the property owner owns the meter, or had any kind of "authority" it. That's the reason it's sealed. CPS owns it. They use it to measure service provided to the customer on the account associated with it. In this case, it looks like that's you.

And yes, your logic is flawed.

[Paka]

Hon, I understand this was a "newbie" oversight...but legally once you connect service, you are responsible for it until you "disconnect", which you apparently forgot/did not understand you needed to do. Tough life lesson, but perhaps by sharing your issue, you have saved another "newbie" from having to learn the hard way as well.

I PROMISE you it will not be forgotten again as you move....I learned the hard way one year when we moved back into our house from Hawaii and it was the middle of a HUGE drought, our renters had NOT watered the lawn/trees, and was trying to "save" them from total disaster. Dripper hoses were permissible....yeah, right. When I got the $400 water bill I cried (really did!!!) and when I called SAWS they told me "yeah, they ARE permissible, but you will still pay the DROUGHT RATES that double and triple based on your use..... Trust me, I learned the HARD way!!!! We are talking a $400 water bill in 2000.....NOT 2014!!!!

[dpantle]

On the bright side, you could have had a pool.

[lizzy596]

Huh...I'm truly puzzled as to why these responses have such tone of irritation to them...

Why would they? It's not like I'm asking any of you to pay the bill...

It's absolutely MY problem---that's rather obvious isn't it? I thought so...

This anger is very odd to me. Maybe you all own stock in CPS or something

Anyway, dpantle, at least your response actually offered a valid point to consider...

It is a good point that technically no one owns the meter but CPS. But I think, even removing the issue of 'meter ownership' from the equation doesn't make a difference.

Because, even if everyone is essentially leasing their meter from CPS, only one person/household/etc can be authorized to 'use' a meter at any given time. My authorization ended when my lease ended and went back to the apartment complex.

And saying "your logic is flawed" is kind of pointless, I was asking "how it is flawed"

Now, if you don't care to answer that query that's totally fine...but then why respond to this thread at all?

I don't get it.

I don't think I've insulted anyone's mother or kicked their dog.

No need to take out your bad day on me.

[lizzy596]

Originally Posted by Paka

Hon, I understand this was a "newbie" oversight...but legally once you connect service, you are responsible for it until you "disconnect", which you apparently forgot/did not understand you needed to do. Tough life lesson, but perhaps by sharing your issue, you have saved another "newbie" from having to learn the hard way as well.

I PROMISE you it will not be forgotten again as you move....I learned the hard way one year when we moved back into our house from Hawaii and it was the middle of a HUGE drought, our renters had NOT watered the lawn/trees, and was trying to "save" them from total disaster. Dripper hoses were permissible....yeah, right. When I got the $400 water bill I cried (really did!!!) and when I called SAWS they told me "yeah, they ARE permissible, but you will still pay the DROUGHT RATES that double and triple based on your use..... Trust me, I learned the HARD way!!!! We are talking a $400 water bill in 2000.....NOT 2014!!!!

Hey, thanks for your kindness Paka. I would've cried too.

The string of angry responses was bumming me out...and I've always had good experiences with citydata

I'm sure this will end up being a $ lesson learned...

And I am mad at myself...I did think that maybe I should call and find out if there was something I should do. I don't know why I didn't. Irresponsible of me.

The bill is like $50...which sucks but isn't devastating

I really was just asking out of sheer 'legal' curiosity...somehow I can't seem to convey that.

Oh well