‘They will get a shock’: apartment resident decries eight months of Hydro estimated billing By: Kevin Rollason Posted: 7:00 PM CDT Tuesday, Apr. 18, 2023

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This article was published 18/04/2023 (873 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg apartment resident is calling for a jolt of change to Manitoba Hydro’s meter reading system, saying tenants could soon be faced with a sudden jump in their monthly bill.

Holly Bertram said even though the property management company that oversees her downtown residence has offered to give the Crown utility’s readers keys and pass codes to get into the building and basement room where dozens of meters for individual sites are housed, no one from Hydro has come for them.

As well, Bertram said no meter reader has called the property manager at the phone number on a large sign attached to the outside of the building for months.

“Our last actual bill was at the beginning of October,” she said. “That’s almost eight months with only estimated bills. It is supposed to be every two months they read the meters.

“Most tenants won’t realize their bills are being estimated until the meter is finally read and they will get a shock when they see how much it really was over the winter… Students, seniors and others on fixed incomes won’t be able to afford it.”

Bertram said when she phoned Hydro about the issue, call centre staff told her to tell the landlord to read the meters so she could call in the number herself.

She fears the problem could exist at every apartment and condominium building in the city which has a locked door at the front.

“I pointed out there are 81 tenants at this property alone,” Bertram said. “It is time for some major changes at this public utility.”

“Our last actual bill was at the beginning of October. That’s almost eight months with only estimated bills. It is supposed to be every two months they read the meters.”–Holly Bertram

Byron Williams, who serves as legal counsel to the Consumers’ Association of Canada’s (Manitoba), said the organization has been told meter reading backlogs have been a problem “for quite some time.”

“The consequence for Hydro ratepayers who are not on the monthly budget plan can be significant,” he said.

“It is incumbent on Manitoba Hydro to address these concerns on a proactive basis by reminding ratepayers of the equal payment plan option and by materially reducing the backlog in a fiscally sustainable way.”

Kate Kehler, executive director of the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, said sudden jumps in bills can be a big problem.

“Anyone on low income or a fixed income, any unexpected expense can really do damage,” Kehler said.

“You can arrange payment plans with Hydro, so you can pay it off over time, but it’s Hydro’s responsibility to provide these readings. I don’t know why it would be the user who gets punished.

“If you don’t know how much it is costing, you could get hit.”

Hydro spokesman Bruce Owen said meter readers do carry keys or fobs if given permission to come inside buildings, but sometimes locks are changed and the utility isn’t notified.

Owen said meter readers are trained to contact a caretaker if the number is posted. However, he admitted there have been other problems getting meters read.

“You can arrange payment plans with Hydro, so you can pay it off over time, but it’s Hydro’s responsibility to provide these readings. I don’t know why it would be the user who gets punished.”–Kate Kehler, Social Planning Council of Winnipeg

“Staff shortages, over the past two years, have primarily been due to higher numbers of sick calls, longer duration of time off for each sick call as per our COVID procedures and policies,” he said.

“We have recently modified our COVID protocols, allowing less time to be off sick, and we have recently completed a major recruitment initiative over the last three months to add 15 more employees. These measures will help ensure we are able to complete our meter reading work to the best of our ability.”

Bertram said, while she worries about other tenants, she doesn’t have to worry because “I no longer trust Manitoba Hydro, I always run a large credit balance.”

“I put a minimum of $50 extra per month during summer or $75, and I put $100 more in winter. That way, when the meter is read, and Manitoba Hydro has not charged enough on the bill, I have enough of a credit to cover it. But this would not work for many customers.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

Kevin Rollason
Reporter

Kevin Rollason is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He graduated from Western University with a Masters of Journalism in 1985 and worked at the Winnipeg Sun until 1988, when he joined the Free Press. He has served as the Free Press’s city hall and law courts reporter and has won several awards, including a National Newspaper Award. Read more about Kevin.

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