Electricity and stupid landlords...

**WARNING: this post has turned into a big moany novel... you have been warned**

We moved house about two and a half months ago. Since then it feels like the world has been against us...

We got a power bill last week. For FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY DOLLARS!! Yup, $540. My eyeballs nearly fell out of my head, in our old place we averaged about $130.

We don't use oil heaters, in fact the only heating we use now is big ugly jumpers and lotsa socks. We don't have any major electricity sucking appliances, I bought my first drier about a week ago.

So after many phone calls to the power company and numerous checks etc we have kinda established that the water heater thingee is to blame. Apparently it sounds as tho the thermostat has gone and our water is being constantly heated to temperatures so high that you can't put your hands in the water while washing the dishes (yeah, i know REAL safe around littlies!)

So I phoned the landlord, who basically told me that the electrician who came over a month or so ago said that there is nothing wrong (he was checking something else) and it seems kinda like that is all she has to say about that. I whinged again and she sent her husband over to look (he is just your average joe, not an electrician or anything) he looked and fiddled and said he can't really tell if he has turned the water down or not and to "wait and see".

Well, that "wait and see" is currently costing us about $15 a day in power.

Sooooo... the point? If you have made it this far I am most impressed, how much on average would you pay in power for how many people? Surely $540 is not just the way it is gonna be from now on?

Ask another sparki

Did he replace anything?

Far 2 excessive for what you do i think...

There are 5 people in my house & we dont use wetback anymore & still dont pay over 100

Good luck on that mission

Wow! That's waaay too high! At the moment we put on our heat pump for at least 6-8 hours a day and we use the oil heater overnight (12-13 hours) in our room (with baby in it) and we pay around $200 per month.
I'd say if the electrition finds something wrong then the landlord should def pay the bill. Good luck.

Give your landlord a letter along with a copy of the power bill asking that this be fixed or at least addressed within 48 hours. She has to get this fixed. Call the tenancy tribunal to check but I'm sure you'll find that it's a repair and maintenance issue (unless you've gone and bashed it or something). The house has to be kept up to a certain standard. Even if you don't have a rental agreement it doesn't matter the tenancy tribunal would overturn that and order her to fix it should you come into any troubles.
She needs to get the nefa valve checked and that can be done by a plumber. The nefa valve controls the water pressure and if this goes then the hot water rises and comes out the little pipe on the roof ( you may be able to see water trickling down if you go out and have a look ). This means that the hot water is continually emptying, refilling and reheating.

Thanks guys! You made me feel like I wasn't mad!!

Aprilfools, you are full of fantastic info!! Have checked the overflow etc but can't see anything! I am pretty adamant that it is the water tho...

Andy is sick of me stressing bout this, doesn't help that I am prone to overreacting anyway!

And just checked the metre (yup, I am obsessed) and we have used the equiv of $150 of power in ten days!! Grr!

I recon its a thermostat prob or what aprilfools said about the pressure valve & HOT water slashing out onto the roof..
Hopefully its the later coz it easy to fix...

We have MAJOR landlord issues too....but we have to deal with a Property Manager (who is nice but as much use as a chocolate fireguard!!) We asked for the chimney to be swept when we moved in (2 years ago) and they discovered that the firebox was cracked, the landlord was supposed to get it fixed and we are now heading towards the end of our 2nd winter here without a working fireplace!! The same applies to the dishwasher that hasnt worked properly for months now and the back fence that blew over in the storm about 3 months ago!!!

We love living here though - so have to pretty much suck it up most of the time!

Just mention this is a Health and Safety issue and OSH and she might do something about it. Dunno if this is good advice.