help me

Please help me.
These two months I really feel bad. I live in an appartment near N.LBJ. There is a water leaking problem in the whole building. The manager repaired twice but didnt solve the problem. So we have been overcharged for the water bill. Several of us mad a complain to the manager last month. But this month we again are asked to pay more( almost twice). Since I have been in San Marcos for a short time, I dont know how to deal with it.
I really appreciate if you could give me some suggestions, comments.

[A2]

I have a couple of questions.

1. Is it a large apartment complex?

2. Is it owned by a company or a person ( landlord )?


...I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that it's owned by a large company based out of the midwest, or some other bull**** place.
I've delt with many, many apartment complex's all over san marcos. What's the one thing they all have in common? The managers ( usually stuck up sority chicks ) will do ANYTHING to stay out of trouble with the corp. They will lie and cheat, so that they look good when the owners come down once a month.

I'm gonna guess that the owners of teh apartment complex have no idea whats going on, and the manager would rather pass the heat on to y'all.


Now...I don't know you from adam, and I'm not trying to flame every apartment complex here in town. It's early in teh morning, I haven't had a lot of coffee yet, and it seems to me, by the little bit of info your provided, that you shouldn't be responsible for the water bill.

...Check you lease...read ALL the fine print, it MAY say in there that YOU ARE responsible for leaks.

...Contact the owners of the complex or the company that owns it. Don't go through apartment managers...they can NOT be trusted. Renters come and go and a managers job is more important to them than some college kids water bill, ya dig?

Good Luck and keep us posted,
A2

Ok, I first answer the questions.
1. Is it a large apartment complex? Yes

2. Is it owned by a company or a person ( landlord )? company

Last night, we talked to other persons living in the apartment. We think most of us will go to complain again.

The bill really sucks. The reason for this month they gave is that water bill decrease a little bit but gas increase. So the total bill is same as last month.

Honestly, their rent is cheap (2/2 asked for 475), but their attitude sucks( The cash can is full for a long time), the bills sucks( 100 bucks/permonth). They said the normal bill is about 50$.

Anyway, We will argue with the manager and post what
will happen.

[semi-native]

I think the utility company will do an audit to see if you are wasting water or electricity, although I never had them do it when I was renting.

$50 per month seems very unlikely unless you are French and never bathe and are renting a very well insulated 100 square foot box. My utilities run $200-300 per month for a very efficient 2000 square foot house. They were about the same when I rented a far less efficient 900 square foot house.

I never rented an apartment where utilities were paid separately, but I've lived in houses and duplexes ranging from 500 square feet on up and I've never seen a $50 utility bill in my life. We don't even water our lawn and our water bill alone is over $50 for the two of us.

[A2]

Well put, Semi....lol

I complained to the leasing office. What they try to tell me is they can not find the problem even they knew the water bill is not normal, so we have to pay for it.
It sucks. Now I have a reason to doubt why they change the apt name from sun ray apt to monarch court apt and why there a lot of units are empty.

I cannot believe they did not care about the security. Since our storage room have been broken and some stuffs were stolen for several times, I just want them to take a watch when we are out of the town for several weeks. But they refused. Is their secure responsibility merely to keep the windows and locks well? Their attitude really made me mad.

As I know, none of our friends renting apartments in San Marcos pay more than 60 bucks/m for the water bill. I made a decision to live here is because the rent fee is cheaper and the utility bill is affordable. I don?t think I will pay for 100~200 $ for water bill in such apartment since I spend most of time on the campus.

How I can I do? Is there other place can hear our complains? Is there any way can let me stop the lease now?

[semi-native]

You must be misunderstanding something. Go to the city utility page.

http://www.ci.san-marcos.tx.us/depar...ilityrates.htm

The minimum residential electric bill is $8.50. That's before you even turn on a light. The first 8,000 gallon of water is $18.98. The minimum wastewater charge is $22.42 (for 2000 gallons used).

So, if you use 2000 gallons of water and no electricity whatsoever, the bill would be $49.90 and that does not include your gas, which is a different company.

I know the rates will be a little different for an apartment complex, but they won't be that different. What is the thermostat set to? Do you leave lights on? Computers? I would really be surprised to find that someone had a $50 utility bill around here.