A renter has been left thousands of dollars out of pocket after unknowingly paying her neighbour’s electricity bill for a decade due to an administrative error.
Nicole Niceforo, who lives in the New York borough of Queens, had spent years trying to reduce her power bill by rationing air-conditioning, hand washing her dishes to no avail.
She only found out this year that the reason for her concerningly high power bill was due to a mix-up by US energy company Con Edison, which had swapped her account details with the apartment one floor up.
“For 10 years, I was afraid to use my air conditioning,” Niceforo told Fox 5 NY last week.
Niceforo initially raised her concerns 10 years ago in September 2016. She had asked her provider for a meter check, but was referred to her building manager instead.
“I spent a lot of time and energy repeatedly calling them … it’s frustration beyond belief,” she said.
It took more than nine years for the mix-up to be cleared.
“In error, your account had been billed using readings from [a meter] which supplies services to a different location,” Con Edison wrote to Niceforo in a letter dated January this year.
“We sincerely apologise for this oversight.”
The letter, shared online by Fox 5 NY, stated Niceforo was refunded $US6020.71 (AU$8,585.44).
However, that sum only covers the past six years, with four years of potential overcharges and interest unpaid.
Niceforo contacted the New York State Department of Public Service, citing the six-year statute of limitations for Con Edison.
The energy provider has since shared a statement to the local news outlet saying: “Con Edison values its customers and works with them if they believe their energy use is not correctly reflected on their bill.”
Image: YouTube/Fox 5 NY
