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Abnormal heating bill - help!
Hi all - I received a 1700 euro heating bill covering ten months of heating my small 35 sq. meter apartment over the last winter.
Can anyone provide advise? I've asked my landlord about it - who issued the bill - and showed me the invoices of all other flats in my building. My bill is 4x as high as other flats, with the only explanation that my ceilings are higher than theirs.
I suspect there may be some mistake with the meters or the invoice. But none the less, I'm looking for answers if someone else has also received a large bill and what the solution is?
As with all things in Belgium, my landlord is completely inflexible.
Thanks!!
we had a similar problem. We called up the company and in our case there was a mistake but they were even less flexible. We had to pay the amount and then they deducted the surplus from the next bills. This still didn't work as they kept forgetting to deduct the amounts, what a surprise! It was a year long nightmare. Good luck! Sorry I don't have any advice to offer, just wanted to let you know you are not alone and they will surly try your patience. all the best!
did you take note of the number in the meters when you moved in? if you did an etat des lieux with an expert he/she probably took note of them; compare them to the present number in your meter and check if everything is reported correctly in the bill that your landlord submitted to you. you could probably even go to the supplier company and check if everything was reported correctly.
Do you also pay monthly provisions to your landlord? Are you an energy saver or a careless consumer? I know people that keep their apartment incredibly warm and happily keep lights on at all time, they also get quite high bills at the end of the year.
Nonetheless some landlords try to screw tenants, so if in doubt you can ask help to the Association des locataires or something like that (google it)
forgot to mention: you are entitled by law to receive copies of all the bills/invoices that your landlord charges to you. if he is reluctant then get suspicious...
happened to me a few years back.
make sure that all your heaters are not leaking. unfortunately for me, the one that was leaking was in the room i never use. even if the knob was physically/fully off there was still some hot water leaking through (had to change the valve).
You also have to be inflexible if you think that you have a case.
Do you have it? Well, it's up to you to do your homework and figure out where the mistake is. Simple, huh?
Then don't pay the bill. The landlord will have to take you to the local court. Then you can state your case.
@neocon666
Great logic until 'Then don't pay the bill.'
Then the landlord will get the bailiffs involved.
Then you either pay the bill or lose your possessions.
Then you get a bill from the bailiffs.
Then you either pay THAT bill or lose your possessions.
Only then can you take the landlord to court and state your case.
I speak from bitter experience even though I was totally in the right and, after a mere 10 months, was refunded the full amount in dispute as well as the bailiff's bill.
In Belgium the rule of thumb is that, if you get a bill which you dispute and cannot come to an agreement, you pay up and argue afterwards.
