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Read the OP again, it sound like a labeling problem not a plumbing problem. At some point, probably when both units were vacant, someone called to initiate service and PSE&G assigned them the wrong meter. It may even predate the duplex tenant who has benefited.

Try calling the Jersey City Housing Code Authority (201) 547-4825 tell them everything and get an inspector out there. Perhaps someone at the apartment rigged the meters who may not be licensed to do the work.

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Wrong about the landlord. The lease clearly states which utilities are or are not included in the rent. Does it say that apartment #3 must pay the utilities for apartment #4? A complication is the tenant has a decent rent, and doesn't want to upset the landlord. The other tenant getting the reduced utility charges is very quiet - likely because they don't want to reimburse mdips. And PSE& G is less than helpful. Also, If you check the lease the Landlord has the right to enter the apartment if notice is provided.

The more that I think about this, work on the other tenant. Be nice and reasonable but persistent. If that doesn't work send a certified letter stating that you will be taking legal action (don't mention small claims court) since they are uncommunicative. Then if no response file a claim in small claims court. That will get their attention. And if the tenant moves out you will have to go after the landlord.

I also concur that unfortunately, the landlord's options are limited.

Legally, the landord can't enter an apartment without the consent of the tenant. In addition, each unit is responsible for its own utilities.

Realistically, the best thing you can do is demand that PSE&G credit you ASAP, and hammer on them to sort things out.

Unfortunately brewster is right on this. I've tried intervening with PSE&G when they've messed up bills before and if the utilities are under your name and not your landlord then there is absolutely no way of helping you with pse&g. They will not allow anyone to discuss the bills except the actual customer whose name is on the bill. Sorry.

Sorry, but this isn't the landlord fault, he has no control, and can't even intervene with PSE&G because he's not on the account. If he calls they won't even discuss the bills with him due to privacy rules. This is purely PSE&G being incompetent and lazy assholes. What may have been an innocent mistake about apt # they've turned Kafkaesque.

They know exactly how much you really owe, since they know what the meter reading of the correct meter was when you moved in, and they know the reading now, even if they changed the meters, meters are cumulative. You need to somehow escalate this to someone at PSE&G with both competence and power. Threaten to sue them for fraud?

Is the landlord and tenant related - could the other tenant be 'tapping' into your supply?

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I totally agree, why wouldn't the landlord handle this?

What I don't understand is this is absolutely a landlord issue. They should be handling all of this. If they aren't you have reason to withhold your rent, no? I recommend contacting whoever you can related to renting etc. and filing your complaints there. Keep good written records of everything in a bound book and date/time every encounter. This will come in handy in the future. Good luck!

Thanks for the reponses.

i have called the board of public utilities several times. Each time i have to explain the situation and each time they say they will contact PSEG to get things straightened out. It just seems like no matter who I talk to, either PSEG or the Board, no one seems to care much and it's been very frustrating having to waste a minimum of an hour each time I call.

The only person that really seems concerned is my superintendent. The landlord basically makes him do everything, from taking out the trash to fixing things in the building. He asked every time what's the situation like and I tell him nothing yet.

The super told me the previous tennant that lived in my apartment was there for at least 9 years. Based on the mail I still get, it looks like 3 people lived in the apartment. All that time those people lived there they never complained about the utilities, maybe because they were splitting the bills. I live on my own so the high bill was very noticable to me. Also the tennant below me who lives in the duplex has been there for over 10 years, so I don't blame him for not wanting to deal with this since there's never been a complaint from the previous tennant about paying the wrong meter.

Contact the Board of Public Utilities. Call, don't bother using the form.

link - note that State of NJ website doesn't work with Chrome browser...

I think you should talk to a lawyer at this point. The other tenant is forcing you to pay his bill. I think you could take him to court to force him to cooperate or refund the money you are forced to pay to PSE&G.

Hello all. I recently moved in to my apartment in DTJC in December 2012. The rent is reasonable for a 1 floor one bedroom and based on my lease, I am responsible for the utilities (gas and electricity).

In January '13 I received my first utility bill and was shocked by the amount I was being charged for gas considering I did not use heat at all of December. I had a hunch that I was paying for the wrong gas meter so I called PSEG regarding the situation. They sent a tech over to investigate the situation and found that the gas meter that is under my account is indeed wrong. The tech was also able to locate the correct gas meter that records the gas going to my apartment. Unfortuantely the tech was unable to determine where the gas meter that is under my account should go to, but we were 99% sure that it was for the apartment below me, which is a duplex. The tennant below me was not there at the time so the tech was unable to fix my account. The tech said that he needed access to the other apartment to make the correction so he tried several times after the first visit to get in touch with the other tennant.

Unfortunately the other tennant never responded to PSEG's notes left on his door. I tried to get my landlord to assist in this matter, but he doesn't want to be involved and said the meters belong to PSEG and that I'm responsible for the utilities, so I have to handle it. With that being said, since the tennant never responded, PSEG's recommendation was to request to turn off my gas on my account, so that when they shut off the gas, the other tennant would lose his gas forcing him to call PSEG to complain.

I followed with their recommendation and the other tennant did lose their gas and he complained. He called PSEG to get his fixed and when they came they tried to fix the gas meter under his account, which is supposed to be mine. PSEG thought it was a faulty meter, so they replaced it with a brand new meter. After the replacement I guess they noticed the tennant still did not have gas. So they turned on the meter that had been shut off (the one that is incorrectly under my account) and saw that it went to the other tennants apartment. Since they did not know where the brand new meter was going to, they shut of the gas service, which shut off my gas.

When this happened I was forced to call PSEG to turn back on my gas service. When the tech came, they assure me that once they turn it back on and record it, everything should be fixed because all the lines are traced now and that PSEG billing should be able to credit me now and bill me for the correct meters. I was assured this by the tech, a person in PSEG billing, and even the NJ state department in which i filed a complaint with.

This has been going on for months now and my account has yet to be fixed. PSEG is claiming that they still need access to the other persons apartment, but i don't understand why when everything should be traced now. I am paying for the bill because I don't want to ruin my credit and now i estimate that PSEG owes me at least $500 bucks. The other tennant doesn't want to cooperate, so approaching him seems impossible and it's not really my place to do so. My landlord is being a complete tool and everyone in PSEG just doesn't seem to really care.

Any of you have any advice on what I should do next.