Haunting Me...
So after nearly 14 months of moving out of my apartment in Berlin, guess what I receive? A bill for 330 euros for payment for water and electricity costs!!
In Germany I think it's pretty standard to pay a certain "flat rate" electricity and water bill each month, roughly calculated based on what appliances you have, how many people live there, etc. Then at the end of the year, the respective utility companies come check the your gauges for the actual amount you've used for the year. You either get charged for using more than that estimated amount, or get reimbursed if you've used less.
But 14 months later? Are the Germans really that insane? And slow?? Not that I'm surprised, but come on - even they must know it's excessive. To make matters even worse, if I do a wire transfer to Germany with this money, it will be exorbitantly higher than 330 euros. With the exchange rate as terrible as it is, it will come to almost $476. Plus, add another $50 to that with the international wiring charge from my bank. That means giving $526 of my very hard earned cash to a stupid apartment agency who thinks they can charge a former tenant who has moved to America over a year ago. Is that right??
Unfortunately, it seems, under German law, it is legal. I moved out on August 31, 2006. Apparently from the December after I moved out to this December, they are allowed to charge me. I also knew there was a possibility of being charged, but hello, I was present when the meter guy came to read the meter right before I moved out. It could be that he really did read it and let it sit for 14 months, or it's also possible they have added costs on from the guy who moved in after me.
So I'm facing a moral dilemma. I don't want to lie, but I would love to just to just ignore it and not pay it at all. I didn't even receive the bill personally. I was forced to give the apartment agency a German contact address since I was leaving the country, so I gave them Matthias' address, so he's the one who received the bill. He's being gracious enough to help take care of this, and it is tempting to have him call them and say he doesn't know where I live anymore. But I certainly don't want them to go after Matthias for the money if they don't get it from me! Like I said, I really don't want to lie (and possibly run the risk of getting arrested the next time I try to fly to Germany!). But, I also know how easy it is for businesses to take advantage of people by demanding unreasonable or inaccurate payments and many people just give in and pay it because it's just easier than fighting it. So the companies win and even though they were dishonest in the first place.
Believe me, I know this based on personal experience since this happened to me for a whole year with the leading German telephone company, Deutsche Telekom. I kept getting charged around 5.50 euros (around $7.75) a month for an Internet security package I did not have or want. So not only did I waste time and money on the phone with Deutsche Telekom (around $2 per minute for "customer service" calls), I also went into the Deutsche Telekom store every month and asked that the charge be removed and that I be reimbursed since they took the payment directly out of my bank account. Each time I talked to them, they reassured me it had been changed permanently in the system, but in actuality, it never was removed. So I, the poor college student, was helping to make it possible for top Telekom execs to live in greater luxury through the dishonest way they ran their company!
I will probably just pay the dumb utility bill, plus all the extra money with the wire transfer and exchange rate. I mean, I could just trust that it is legitimate, just annoyingly slow. It's just so depressing to think a huge chunk of my next paycheck will be going towards this when I'm struggling to get ahead as it is! How appropriate that it's almost Halloween and I'm being haunted by a utility bill ghost! Any suggestions on what I do?
In Germany I think it's pretty standard to pay a certain "flat rate" electricity and water bill each month, roughly calculated based on what appliances you have, how many people live there, etc. Then at the end of the year, the respective utility companies come check the your gauges for the actual amount you've used for the year. You either get charged for using more than that estimated amount, or get reimbursed if you've used less.
But 14 months later? Are the Germans really that insane? And slow?? Not that I'm surprised, but come on - even they must know it's excessive. To make matters even worse, if I do a wire transfer to Germany with this money, it will be exorbitantly higher than 330 euros. With the exchange rate as terrible as it is, it will come to almost $476. Plus, add another $50 to that with the international wiring charge from my bank. That means giving $526 of my very hard earned cash to a stupid apartment agency who thinks they can charge a former tenant who has moved to America over a year ago. Is that right??
Unfortunately, it seems, under German law, it is legal. I moved out on August 31, 2006. Apparently from the December after I moved out to this December, they are allowed to charge me. I also knew there was a possibility of being charged, but hello, I was present when the meter guy came to read the meter right before I moved out. It could be that he really did read it and let it sit for 14 months, or it's also possible they have added costs on from the guy who moved in after me.
So I'm facing a moral dilemma. I don't want to lie, but I would love to just to just ignore it and not pay it at all. I didn't even receive the bill personally. I was forced to give the apartment agency a German contact address since I was leaving the country, so I gave them Matthias' address, so he's the one who received the bill. He's being gracious enough to help take care of this, and it is tempting to have him call them and say he doesn't know where I live anymore. But I certainly don't want them to go after Matthias for the money if they don't get it from me! Like I said, I really don't want to lie (and possibly run the risk of getting arrested the next time I try to fly to Germany!). But, I also know how easy it is for businesses to take advantage of people by demanding unreasonable or inaccurate payments and many people just give in and pay it because it's just easier than fighting it. So the companies win and even though they were dishonest in the first place.
Believe me, I know this based on personal experience since this happened to me for a whole year with the leading German telephone company, Deutsche Telekom. I kept getting charged around 5.50 euros (around $7.75) a month for an Internet security package I did not have or want. So not only did I waste time and money on the phone with Deutsche Telekom (around $2 per minute for "customer service" calls), I also went into the Deutsche Telekom store every month and asked that the charge be removed and that I be reimbursed since they took the payment directly out of my bank account. Each time I talked to them, they reassured me it had been changed permanently in the system, but in actuality, it never was removed. So I, the poor college student, was helping to make it possible for top Telekom execs to live in greater luxury through the dishonest way they ran their company!
I will probably just pay the dumb utility bill, plus all the extra money with the wire transfer and exchange rate. I mean, I could just trust that it is legitimate, just annoyingly slow. It's just so depressing to think a huge chunk of my next paycheck will be going towards this when I'm struggling to get ahead as it is! How appropriate that it's almost Halloween and I'm being haunted by a utility bill ghost! Any suggestions on what I do?
posted by Heidi at 5:33 PM
5 Comments:
That really sucks, pooch. I hope you get things worked out, but you're probably going to have to pay that bill.
That totally sucks. sorry to hear that. let us know how it turns out.
Yeah, usually when you move out you do a Zwischenrechnung (so it's not just from Dec-Dec but more specific) so you only have to pay a Nachzahlung for the time you lived there. I think it still seems strange that they really did charge YOU for the time after you moved out - what is with that guy that lives there now? Maybe you could call them and try to prove that you didn't live there that whole time (by maybe mailing your old lease if you have it) or something?? And lastly, if you do have to pay, I could help you (you write my mom a check for the converted 330€, she deposits in my account, I withdrawal here for no fee and give Matthias an Überweisung for it to pay - that way the wiring fee is at least avoided!). Good luck, they really are crazy to send that 14mo. later!! ;)
Thanks guys. This may have actually worked itself out simply because I am so far away... Turns out, since they are a government subsidized apartment agency (Genossenschaft), when Matthias told them I was now in America, they said it was no problem. They will get it reimbursed, or a write-off, not exactly sure, from the goverment. The lady was really nice about it apparently, though that could just be b/c Matthias charmed her more than I could have. But, I'm still going to double check to make sure I don't still owe anything for my conscience.
Bethany, thanks a lot for the offer to send it through your mom. I actually should talk to you about which bank that is so I can switch since mine is just a local bank and charges so much for int'l wire transfers. I've just heard Wells Fargo might be good for that.
By the way, as far as I know, the apartment agency wasn't unfairly charging me from the Aug. I moved out till that December. They are apparently allowed, by law, to send out the bill from that December until the following December, which is why they could still charge me 14 months later legally. Doesn't make sense to me, but then, I don't understand the Germans often!
I was going to tell you not to pay it... so I am glad it all worked out in your favor! --ali
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