LIPA...I posted on Home board but I am looking for opinions, please

I read some previous posts about them but I am looking for opinions before I call tomorrow.

We bought a colonial in Merrick in Sept. We just received a bill for 09/11-10/11 and it is $127.50 now here is the catch...We still don't live there yet. The only things running in the house right now are Dehumidifier, refrigerator, some power tools during the day when my DH and his dad are working and occasionally some lights. Does this bill sound right to you? Not to mention my power supply charges are more then delivery and system charges. I am scared to actually move in and see what the bill will be. Any opinions would be helpful. TIA

Re: LIPA...I posted on Home board but I am looking for opinions, please

Our bill is a little higher than that but we're really frugal with our usage so we don't run alot of stuff - no AC, just the two of us so lower usage on washer and dryer, etc. The dehumidifier will suck alot of power, especially if it's running alot. We notice that our bill goes up when ours runs. Do you have outdoor security lights on all night? Anything that generates heat also sucks power - is DH running a space heater or heating tools for stripping paint? If the refrigerator is really old it won't be energy efficient too.

Re: LIPA...I posted on Home board but I am looking for opinions, please

No outdoor lights, no heater things instead. Literally those are the only things we have running.

Re: LIPA...I posted on Home board but I am looking for opinions, please

Well, my surcharge is always like a gazillion dollars, and I am currently looking for a lawyer regarding my issues with LIPA They charged me over a thousand dollars for one months worth of electricity in a one bedroom apartment. HOW THE HELL IS THAT POSSIBLE?! They blamed it on the five days of 90 degree weather in August, yet, hmm, then wouldn't EVERYONE's bill be higher? Not just MINE? ARHG!
Is it an estimated bill or an actual reading? That makes a difference, too.

Re: LIPA...I posted on Home board but I am looking for opinions, please

I think it is estimated. It says;

Electric Usage
10/11 estiamated reading 40129
09/11 turn on reading -39513
KWH used in 30 days 616

Re: LIPA...I posted on Home board but I am looking for opinions, please

Posted by prncssrachel

Well, my surcharge is always like a gazillion dollars, and I am currently looking for a lawyer regarding my issues with LIPA They charged me over a thousand dollars for one months worth of electricity in a one bedroom apartment. HOW THE HELL IS THAT POSSIBLE?! They blamed it on the five days of 90 degree weather in August, yet, hmm, then wouldn't EVERYONE's bill be higher? Not just MINE? ARHG!
Is it an estimated bill or an actual reading? That makes a difference, too.

Re: LIPA...I posted on Home board but I am looking for opinions, please

Mine was $400 last month for a tiny 3 bedroom house

Last year, the same month, it was $127

I called and complained that something had to be wrong, but of course, they said my meter is fine

BTW, I have all new appliances, a gas stove, and CAC that is just over a year old

Re: LIPA...I posted on Home board but I am looking for opinions, please

I don't understand them. Mine is also a small 3 bedroom. How is that even possible to change like that in a year?

Re: LIPA...I posted on Home board but I am looking for opinions, please

So, should I call or not bother

Re: LIPA...I posted on Home board but I am looking for opinions, please

That seems high to me. Are they using the power tools and lights at peak hours? Even then, I wouldn't think it'd make that much difference. Maybe the dehumidifier is constantly running? It did rain a lot.

We used 658 KWH from 9/18-10/18 in our 2bdrm apt and our bill was $131.00. We used the a/c a couple times at night and never turned on the heat. We don't have a dehumidifier but I imagine they draw a lot of electricity in a house.

Re: LIPA...I posted on Home board but I am looking for opinions, please

You could call and inquire what they base the estimate on. Chances are it's based on the previous owners usage during that same time frame and that would of course be higher if they were living in the house. You might want to mark down the current reading on the dials so you can give that to them when you call. We had a $2800 bill one month and they asked us to read them the meter, confirmed that the meter reader had transposed some numbers and it was corrected. If they do next month on an actual reading you'll probably find it's very low because it will show the estimate overcharged.

Re: LIPA...I posted on Home board but I am looking for opinions, please

I personally think it's STUPID that they do a real reading and an estimated reading...our first bill in our house we thought, oh this isn't so bad, the next one was double!!!!!!! It was an estimated bill based on the actual usuage...ironically due to the a/c being used...but that has been off for a while [prior to that large bill] and we had nothing running [heat or a/c]. I had never heard of this system for charging for electricity until LI...

Re: LIPA...I posted on Home board but I am looking for opinions, please

Posted by snuggleupagus

I personally think it's STUPID that they do a real reading and an estimated reading...our first bill in our house we thought, oh this isn't so bad, the next one was double!!!!!!! It was an estimated bill based on the actual usuage...ironically due to the a/c being used...but that has been off for a while [prior to that large bill] and we had nothing running [heat or a/c]. I had never heard of this system for charging for electricity until LI...