[net.consumers] A Gas meter problem. HELP!

robison@eosp1.UUCP (Tobias D. Robison) (10/24/84)

References:
Sender: 
Reply-To: robison@eosp1.UUCP (Tobias D. Robison)
Followup-To: 
Distribution: 
Organization: Exxon Office Systems, Princeton
Keywords: 

Our gas meter bill for last month was four times larger than any
previous bill in ten years.  It is not an estimated bill, and the
meter reading on the bill for the end of the billing period is correct.

We have the following gas appliances:

	- oven and stove
	- clothes drier
	- hot water heater

The hot water heater heats only tap water used in the two bathrooms
and kitchen.  We do not have a swimming pool or sauna, or anything
like that.  Our gas meter has not been changed or fixed in many
years.

The gas company is coming next week to try to figure out what
happened.  WHAT DID HAPPEN?  Do I have a chance to avoid paying
the extra $120 on the bill?

We have run our oven, stove, drier, and water heater since receiving
the bill.  It would take hundreds of hours of continuous use to run
up a bill like this.  I don't think we did anything negligent to
cause the high bill.  On the other hand, I can't imagine what caused
the meter to run.

I am a private homeowner, so I think there is no chance that someone
tapped into my gas supply.  We haven't smelled gas, either, and we
haven't been on vacation.

I will be glad to summarize private responses to the net.

	- Toby Robison (not Robinson!)
	allegra!eosp1!robison
	or: decvax!ittvax!eosp1!robison
	or (emergency): princeton!eosp1!robison