Getting the Lowdown on High Water Bills

QUESTION: I am writing to you about a problem I am having in the North Hollywood, single-family dwelling in which I live. The Department of Water and Power is telling me that my family of five is using 686 gallons of water a day. That’s impossible.

We take showers very carefully and we water the landscaping with “gray” water only, from the bath and laundry. In short, we are doing our bit to conserve as much water as possible during California’s extended drought.

There are strange discrepancies in the bills and they have led me to wonder about who is responsible for the accuracy of the water metering system for public utilities like DWP. Is it the DWP, the landlord or the tenant/consumer?

Also, assuming I am responsible for inaccurate metering or water leaks, what can I do? Are there any reasonable solutions available to me for finding water leaks or fixing faulty meters?

There must be some specialists out there who can do this without bankrupting the consumer. Do you have any suggestions for coping with this quagmire?

ANSWER: According to the Metropolitan Water District, although the average household uses 300 to 500 gallons of water a day, most consumers are unaware they even use a fraction of that amount.

With the kind of care you appear to be demonstrating when using water, it seems unlikely that you are using almost 700 gallons a day. Here are some possible solutions to help you douse this seeping problem.

According to DWP spokesperson Dorothy Jensen, “One easy way to determine if there is a leak is to turn off all the water in and around the house. Then go look at the water meter. If it is still moving, then the problem is a water leak. If the leak is on the rental property, it is the owner’s responsibility to get it fixed.”

Jensen said, “If you think the problem is a faulty meter, you can call DWP at (213) 481-4211 (24 hours). We’ll send an inspector out to inspect the meter.”

Also, there is at least one independent utility auditing company, Pacific Utility Audit Inc. The company audits water, sewer, gas, electric and telephone bills.

According to the company’s president, Doug Hardy, “Not only do we obtain substantial refunds, rebates and savings for our customers, there is no fee for the service because we work on a contingency basis.” Pacific Utility Audit can be reached at (805) 252-4768.

Larger Mail Slot Not Worth the Bother

Q: I have written six letters to my Los Angeles landlord requesting permission to put a larger mail slot in the front door of my apartment. He only answered three of the letters, but the answer was the same each time, prompting this letter.

The owner says he wants the front of the building to look uniform, but three of the other tenants have larger mail slots. Also, two have wrought iron security gates and one has a peephole.

I am hoping that you can give me some advice on getting permission to put in the slightly larger mail slot without taking legal action. What do you think?

A: I think that it is virtually impossible, legally or otherwise, for you to compel your landlord to allow you to redesign his door.

Moreover, if you have a written rental agreement prohibiting alterations to the property (most do), you can be evicted for making the change.

You might be able to get the landlord’s consent to make your slot “uniform,” in writing, then make it the same size as the largest mail slot of one of our neighbors. I don’t recommend that approach as some judges may be willing to go along with his subsequent eviction agreement.

Perhaps the landlord will allow you to have a mail box of some kind installed on the property or building. Again, you must get his permission, in writing, before you do anything.

If he won’t allow you to put up a mail box, your only alternative may be to re-route some of your mail to a friend’s home or office.

Can’t Force Security Bars on Landlord

Q: I live in Los Angeles, near West Hollywood, in the lower half of a duplex. I am single and have lived here for the past 10 years. During this time, my apartment has been burgled three times. The last time it happened, I was at home sleeping.

I have repeatedly begged my landlady to let me put up bars, at least on the back of the house. She continually ignores my requests.

This has been going on for over two years. Now that I have a 7-month-old baby in the house, I have simply reached the end of my rope. I don’t know what to do.

Do I have any legal right to such security measures if I incur the expense and agree to remove the bars when I move out if she so wishes? If so, what can I do to get some action?

A: Landlords have a duty to act “reasonably” when it comes to security issues. The concept of just what is reasonable is very gray, meaning a jury could go either way in any particular case.

In general, unless the landlord promises security he need not provide it. There is no law that would compel your landlord to allow you to put up the security bars, even at your expense and with your promise to remove them.

Perhaps your time and money are better invested in other security measures, such as burglar alarms, deadbolts and the like.

Likewise, given the history of past burglaries, your landlord’s money would be well spent on increased liability insurance limits.