A Surrey man91裸聊视频檚 jaw dropped when he opened his condo91裸聊视频檚 water bill this year.
It was a whopping $14,000.
91裸聊视频淚t was just shocking to me.91裸聊视频�
The number seemed extremely high, so James Nicholson ventured down to the building91裸聊视频檚 basement to find out their actual water usage.
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Nicholson discovered his 57-unit condo91裸聊视频檚 actual running grand total on the metre was 76,175 cubic metres. That was in late April.
The bill issued by the City of Surrey in February was for 79,086.
91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 2.9 million litres of water they were off,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e not talking a small percentage.91裸聊视频�
It turns out they were overcharged more than $4,500 and the city has since corrected the error.
An April 21 email from the city says the bill was adjusted 91裸聊视频渁s per the reread,91裸聊视频� which Nicholson said is in reference to the picture he took of their meter.
91裸聊视频淲e had to do our own investigation to discover this area,91裸聊视频� he noted. 91裸聊视频淥f concern is that they did not send anyone to our residence to read the meter and verify the readings when we raised our concerns. They ended up coming in late June or early July to read it for our most recent bill.91裸聊视频�
But here91裸聊视频檚 the kicker 91裸聊视频� the strata paid the inflated bill one day late and were on the hook for a fine of nearly $460 on the correct amount as a result.
91裸聊视频淲e had to take out a loan to pay the $14,000 water bill,91裸聊视频� Nicholson told the Surrey Now-Leader Thursday morning. 91裸聊视频淲e just couldn91裸聊视频檛 afford that. If it was the proper amount to begin with we would91裸聊视频檝e been able to pay that bill.
91裸聊视频淐harging us a penalty because we didn91裸聊视频檛 pay their inaccurate amount?91裸聊视频� he questioned. 91裸聊视频淎nd we paid the inaccurate only one day late.91裸聊视频�
Nicholson said the strata called city hall repeatedly asking for the penalty to be waived, and were shot down every time.
91裸聊视频淭hey say, 91裸聊视频楴othing we can do, nothing we can do. We almost never refund any penalties.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�
After the Now-Leader inquired to the city about the penalty, it was revealed they had just decided to waive it.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 been escalated to our management just as of yesterday,91裸聊视频� Kam Grewal, Surrey91裸聊视频檚 manager of finance, told the Now-Leader Thursday afternoon. 91裸聊视频淚t just came to my attention in the last couple of hours.91裸聊视频�
The city will be 91裸聊视频渞eversing the penalty,91裸聊视频� he assured.
Grewal said the original meter error was made by a former contractor.
91裸聊视频淚 know there were some issues with the former contractor,91裸聊视频� he noted.
Typically, the city will refer to the meters instead of estimating, said Grewal, but explained there are exceptions.
91裸聊视频淪ometimes we will estimate if the weather91裸聊视频檚 bad or the contractor cannot read the meter,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淯sually they are checked, as long as they91裸聊视频檙e accessible and visible and weather permitting.91裸聊视频�
The decision to reverse the late charge was welcome news to Nicholson.
But Nicholson wonders if other buildings are being billed in the same way and urges everyone to 91裸聊视频渃heck their meters themselves and compare it to their bill.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淗ow many other condos are just paying and not looking at their reading?91裸聊视频�
He added: 91裸聊视频淚t would91裸聊视频檝e been great to just get an apology,91裸聊视频� for the 91裸聊视频済rossly inaccurate bill.91裸聊视频�
