Good morning,
I am a tenant in a multi-family residence in Orange County, NY. The owner has maintained the gas bills in her name, but requires us to reimburse her based on the Orange & Rockland bills. I have recently become aware that the bills she is presenting us are for a "shared meter," and she is charging us in full for a meter that covers not only our leased unit, but a second leased unit, her private space, and the common areas.
I am neither the utility customer nor the owner, but I can prove that she has required me to reimburse her directly for the gas bill with copies of her correspondence and cancelled checks.
I will need to determine the correct usage by my unit, in order to request a refund from the owner. The owner/customer has refused to request a shared meter investigation. As a "third party" rather than customer or owner, am I allowed by law to request a shared meter investigation to determine the correct usage I should be paying for?