2 replies to this topic

[concernedrenter_5971]

I live at ****** Austin Tx. We have over 500 apartments on this property. We have 1 water meter. Management reads it and prorates the bill to all of us according to square footage and occupancy. This has worked great for the 8 years that I have lived here. Today I received my water bill. At the bottom of the normal itemized listings was a new listing called charge adjustment. The amount was for $60.36. I immediately went to the manager in person and asked what this new charge was all about. She said that starting last June and lasting 6 months a mistake was made where all 500 apartments were undercharged for water each month. So management wanted to correct the error to start out the new year with an accurate measurement. My prorated portion of the management error was $60.36. They charged me my normal water bill of approximately $18 plus this huge adjustment of $60.36. I have paid all my bills on time. Whatever the prorated amount was I paid it. Now they what to charge me 6 month later an extra bill of $60.36. All other residents on this property are being charged an extra prorated bill on their accounts. What are our rights here?
Should we all just meekly say Oh thats ok here is $60.36
Should we not pay the $60.36 and continue to protest.
Should we pay the $60.36 and continue to protest.

Edited by FindLaw_AHK, 30 November 2012 - 07:47 AM.
This post has been edited to remove personal or identifying information. -Moderator

[adjusterjack]

When you say "we" are you speaking for all 500 tenants?

Or just yourself?

Obviously, if you can get a lot of tenants to stand together, you might get the apartment management to back down.

But if it's just a few of you, you run the risk of getting evicted for non-payment (depending on the terms of your lease).

Read the TX landlord tenant statutes to see if there is any help in there for you.

http://law.justia.co...ord-and-tenant/

[FindLaw_AHK]

To learn more about this subject matter, you may wish to visit the Real Estate Law Center and read Landlord-Tenant Law as a good resource. For further clariifcaiton, you may consult with a local Texas Landlord-Tenant Lawyer.