Apartment Ratings :: Question - Who's responsible to pay the water bill after a fire?

Who's responsible to pay the water bill after a fire?

Asked 163 days ago

During Christmas our apartments had a fire that totally destroyed one building. Normally our water bill runs about $15-$20, but the next billing cycle after the fire our bill was $32. To back track a bit, when we first moved in 5 years ago, they billed individually, but now bill per unit divided by heads in each apartment which I think that's unfair in itself. Also when we first moved in our bill was at about $8-$10 but coincidentally our bill went up after the apartments installed sprinklers that they swear up and down we don't pay for. So to go back to my question, who is responsible to pay for the water the fire department used? No matter what the office says, we were obviously charged for the water used.

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One Answer

Answer by tonestar on Apr 01, 2008 at 11:18AM

Keep this in mind: You may be sure that you are paying for the water that the fire dept. used but that doesn't make it so. I have personally seen water bills jump 45% in a single month due to the water company raising their rates. Sounds like your are on a RUBS system and I do believe they can charge you for that water. However, I would check with your local real estate commission to be sure. You might want to call the water company as well.

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