“Dear PoPville,
I’m reaching out because I’ve been caught in a pretty frustrating situation with Washington Gas, and I’m curious if anyone has ever dealt with something similar.
I moved into a one-bedroom apartment (~650 sqft) about a year ago. For the first 7 months, my monthly gas bill was in the $30–40 range, which matched what the previous tenant had paid (they lived here for five years and never saw a bill over $40). The tenant below me (who has a larger apartment) also tracks that range similarly. Based on my past apartments and shared housing situations, that seemed totally normal.
Then, out of nowhere, my January bill jumped to $600. After a few calls,
customer service told me the previous bills were only an “estimate” and they had finally sent someone out to do an “actual” meter reading, so they were now retroactively charging me for usage from May through December.
I questioned the “actual” meter reading as the meters for the building are located in the basement and only accessible if a tenant gives access.
Following more back-and-forth, they sent a technician out to check the meter. He confirmed the battery was dead and said once it was replaced, I’d get accurate readings and that the charges would be adjusted to reflect more realistic, lower usage. But weeks later, nothing’s changed—not the usage and not the bills.
Despite repeated follow-ups, the only response I’m now getting is that the readings are “accurate,” and my bill is now $900.
As someone living alone in a one-bedroom, keeping the heat at 70 in the winter, and using gas pretty minimally, I just can’t wrap my head around how a bill that is $115+ a month could be considered reasonable—let alone $1200+ for just 11 months of service.
I’m currently working with DCPSC to file a complaint.
I’d really appreciate hearing if anyone has experienced something like this, and especially if there’s a successful way to push back against Washington Gas, or escalate it by other measures.“