Thursday, November 03, 2011

Unclear On the Concept, In Two Parts

That would be me, for item Numbah One.  Which, specifically, involves my defective Kindle I wrote about here.  I mentioned that Amazon was MOST responsive to my complaint and had put a replacement Kindle in the mail (well, UPS... mo betta) on the very same day I informed them of my issue.  I received the replacement in two days time, fired it up, transferred my content, and was Good To Go.  Oh, and I mailed the broken Kindle back to Amazon, too.

I was under the impression that my replacement Kindle was a loaner until such time as my device was (a) repaired and (b) returned to me.  Not true, that.  I just got off the phone with Amazon and was informed that my new Kindle is mine to keep... we're done now that I returned the broken Kindle.

How about that?  Ya just GOTTA love service like that.

Unclear On the Concept, Part Two, involves the City of Portales, specifically the city's water department.  I'll make this as quick as possible: I received my first water bill day before yesterday and was literally shocked at the amount: 121 Yankee Dollars, 75 of which was for water and the rest for garbage collection, sewer, and various service fees and taxes.  "This CAN'T be right" thinks I, so I hie myself off to City Hall and protest mightily.  The very nice lady (no sarcasm intended, she was very NICE) agreed the water charge seemed excessive for a guy who lives alone and filed a trouble ticket with the Public Works people, instructing me to phone back the next day to see about the outcome.  So, I called back yesterday and was informed there are no leaks in my water line but my meter had been misread and the revised bill was ONLY $108 (and change).  Happy now?

Well, no.

I called my landlord, explained the situation and inquired if the landscaping watering system might be hooked up to my meter, perhaps?  Amanda, the (once again) very nice lady at Homespot Properties said she didn't think so but she would look into the situation.  Further investigation on Amanda's part reveals the landscaping water meter is reading zero at this point in time, which kinda-sorta indicates things ain't exactly right.  I learned this when Amanda rang me back yesterday, she further informed me that there would be a four-way discussion today between the contractors who built the apartments, the landscapers, the city, and Homespot.  Further information should be forthcoming this afternoon.

So my water bill hangs in the balance... and I don't have any ideer how much I actually owe the city.  Just for comparison's sake, my neighbor's bill was around 40 Yankee Dollars, and there are three people living in HER apartment... herself, her roomie, and her baby girl.  You just know two wimmen and a baby consume more water than an old geezer, that much should be indisputable.  Sumthin' ain't right here.

Update, 1500 hrs:  Fixd, bill paid.  It turns out the landscaping contractors broke a water line during construction and the resulting spill was billed to me.  Homespot and I are splitting the difference; my bill is now $53.98 instead of $108.00.  I think that's still a bit high but I can live with it.  BIG kudos and thanks to Amanda at Homespot for running this issue to ground.  Quickly, too.  I think I'm gonna like livin' here.

12 comments:

  1. I don't think I will tell you what my water bill is. Suffice it to say that if I water the lawn every day it isn't $40.

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  2. The City of Calgary charges me MORE for sewage than it does for the incoming water. Go figger on that one.

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  3. I'm thinking two women and a baby use lots more water than you - toilet paper too.

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  4. I get a water bill every 3 months. The most I ever paid for it was $100, and that was during the summer when I had to fill the pool with 6 inches of water twice (this due to vacuuming out the pool to waste).

    I have a full house, 5 people living here, though I don't water the lawn.

    The normal bill is around $50.

    I think you are still over paying, but with no history involved it would be difficult to argue your case. For all they know, you might be someone who showers for hours at a time, flushes the toilet 60 times a day, and cleans off those flamingos hourly. ;)

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  5. Skip: Water is only part of my bill; the city also bills me for garbage and sewer services. The water portion of this month's bill was about $30.00... still high, methinks.

    Deb: Ah, there ya go: SERVICES!

    Lou: I think you're right on both counts.

    Anon: See the above. As I said to Skip: still high. But your point about no prior history is well-taken. Ya can't fight City Hall... but ya can shit on their steps when they're not looking. Or so The Ol' Man said.

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  6. I thought maybe you'd turned in to a water buffalo now that you're no longer living in the moho.

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  7. Last month I got a $325 water bill. Usually, it runs close to $100 (About half of that is sewer usage/ambulance service/trash collection).

    I went out and read my meter, and I immediately knew what had happened. The meter reader had read a "6" as an "8." No biggie, unless it's way over in the "thousands column." A quick call to a giggling city worker gal (who sounded quite attractive)...a re-read by the department...two days later a revised bill for $106.

    Dontcha just love competent service?

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  8. My water bill, for the priviledge of drinking Cumberland River water, is with in reason, BUT, the sewerage bill is always double the water bill!
    Remember, if it's yellow, let it mello, if it's brown, flush it down!

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  9. Dave: Heh.

    Andy: Yeah, I LOVES me some service! Most of what I've received in the last few has been very good, though.

    Ed: Water is pretty pricey here on The High Plains o' NM. Supply & demand.

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  10. Holy poop, Buck! Glad you got it straightened out. That was some overcharge!

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  11. Are you sure it wasn't from the pool you had installed out behind the complex? You know, like the one at Moogie's Mansion that's cloaked with Klingon technology.

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  12. You moved? Oh, my, I have missed a lot around here haven't I?

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Just be polite... that's all I ask.