A friend shared the document below with me and I couldn’t contain my laughter, followed by irritation. Really Baltimore??? I kept scratching my head trying to make sense of it. I had way more questions that I had answers.
Let me first give you a little background. My friend bought a property to use as rental in Baltimore City. Things went good for the first 3 years, then the economy took a turn and the property became more of a hassle than it was worth. She still owns it, but it’s been vacant for almost 2 years. She’s optimistic that things will turn around, so she’s been holding on. She has an uncle that drops by at least once a week just to check on things, and every 2 weeks her cousins cut the grass and tidy the yard. So, imagine her surprise when she got this bill below in the mail:
I hope that y’all are able to see the scanned image. Total due? $16,799.99
Like REALLY???? 17 thousand dollars??? In water and sewer charges???
Shall we discuss?? This is a 3 level town home that’s been EMPTY as in UNOCCUPIED for almost 2 years. No occupants to use daily water. Might there be homeless persons or other squatters in the area who are pilfering the water? Well, I suppose, but at a rate of 3,229 gallons a day???? Are they stealing water to fill every swimming pool in a hundred mile radius? In the winter?? Hmm, maybe there’s a pipe somewhere that has burst. That many gallons should mean that the whole damn street is flooded. And don’t forget, her uncle goes inside once every two weeks and nothing is amiss.
But honestly, as many questions, as I have, one rises to the top of the heap – WHY IN THE HELL HASN’T THE CITY TURNED THE WATER OFF???? A 17 thousand dollar bill and the service is still connected??? Where dey do dat??? Clearly, they have never worked in customer service before. Last time I checked, every major utility and cell phone carrier will cut your service for non-payment. Get it together Baltimore, damn!
nah don’t get it together BMore, Stop trying to get over BMore is more like it! lmao. This is way too extra!
FLABERGASTED!! Da Hell. Ummm…like where are the interim bills? 6 months, no meter reading, no other bills, no shut off when it wasn’t paid in Aug? SERIOUSLY.
I hope your friend is fighting this. I for sure would not pay for this level of DUMB & INCOMPETENCE.
THAT is some bull! Clearly the billing department of the water company made a typo because no one’s water bill in the world should be that high.
Um, uh.. I’ve never seen such things! I know I’ve been a week late on our quarterly water bill and I’ve come home to a strong warning about a shutoff. Water companies do not play! This is some hot Baltimore mess!
Something in the water ain’t clean…….
See…I shoulda read your comment first. LOL!
I agree. It sounds like a ponzi scheme to me. Maybe Madoff is working from prison.
Speechless! I hope this gets resolved. And how does a bill get that high?!?!?
Wow! I hope you do a follow up post, I want to hear how this gets resolved. That is beyond CRAZY!
I have no words…I hope she gets that dealt with! Because I’m sure NOT even her mortgage payments were that much…crazy!!
WOW!! That is crazy!! Why isn’t the water company like the credit card companies? If the bill had been next to nothing for quite awhile, wouldn’t a flag be raised if it shoots up to $16,000?!!! This is craziness!!
One thing similar happened to us this past summer. Starting in Sepember we started getting bills for $1000 to $2000 a month! There was a leak, but everyone kept denying it was on their side. Finally after 3 months and a $5300 bill, we threatened to go public ( news, mayor etc) and it was magically fixed. BUT! It took them until last month to adjust the bill and take off the $5300 they thought we owed them. Atlanta is just as trifling
Something in the water ain’t clean.
WOW O_O
man, that made my head explode a little.
*blink* that is some bullshiggty.. I would definitely fight this..
And on a 1960s typewriter…smh
I’d write a check with “What the Fu**” in the dollar amount and send it right to them. Oh hell naw!
Ha!! I think that’s the best idea ever LOL
WHAT? Now your poor friend has a headache for nothing, because this has got to be a huge mistake.
that’s just straight up rid-donk-ulous! How in the world would any utility bill get that high before it’s straight cut off. City of Baltimore, we demand a re-count!
Considering Baltimore’s mayor was stealing gift cards, this shouldn’t surprise anyone….
Maybe Snoop, Wee-Bey, Barksdale and Stringer-Bell were having a pool party up in there…..
That is FLIPPING ridiculous!!! Not only did they not turn it off, but why wait until there is 17,000 worth of charges before sending a bill. Gotta love customer service. I hope she gets it resolved cause I’d be down at the water dept. telling the EXACTLY where they can shove that water bill. Lol
That is FLIPPING ridiculous!!! Not only did they not turn it off, but why wait until there is 17,000 worth of charges before sending a bill. Gotta love customer service. I hope she gets it resolved cause I’d be down at the water dept. telling the EXACTLY where they can shove that water bill. Lol
OMG. I can only imagine what a headache it will be to get this resolved. Pobrecita.