To: LA County Weights & Measures, Los Angeles City Attorneys office, CA Attorney General, CPUC, and the Federal Trade Commission.
Aliso Apartments Tenants Demand Transparency for Water Utility Charges
ALISO APARTMENTS
950 E 3rd St Los Angeles, CA 90013
950 E 3rd St Los Angeles, CA 90013
Utility Billing Complaints: Frequently Asked Questions
What is this about?
Residents have identified serious concerns with how we are being billed for water usage. California law requires landlords to charge only what the utility company charges them, show tenants the actual calculations, and maintain accessible type-certified meters installed according to their type certification. These requirements do not appear to be met based on observations by residents. We are filing formal complaints with government agencies that have the authority to investigate.
Residents have identified serious concerns with how we are being billed for water usage. California law requires landlords to charge only what the utility company charges them, show tenants the actual calculations, and maintain accessible type-certified meters installed according to their type certification. These requirements do not appear to be met based on observations by residents. We are filing formal complaints with government agencies that have the authority to investigate.
It also appears that this property currently operates three simultaneous utility billing methods from a single master meter: commercial tenants billed through Common Area Maintenance fees, some residential tenants billed through a Ratio Utility Billing System, and other residential tenants billed through submeters. No tenant in any of these three groups has visibility into how the other groups are being charged. We request that each agency investigate how the master meter total is allocated across these three billing methods and whether the total collected from all three tenant groups exceeds the actual utility cost for the property as billed by the water purveyor.
One signature is easy to ignore. A community isn't.
We encourage all residents to review the attached LA County submetering requirements and make their own independent assessment of whether the billing practices at this property comply.
We encourage all residents to review the attached LA County submetering requirements and make their own independent assessment of whether the billing practices at this property comply.
Residents who wish to file their own individual complaint can do so directly with LA County Weights and Measures at https://acwm.lacounty.gov/scale-meter-label-complaint the more individual complaints on file, the harder they are to ignore.
Submetering Requirements: https://acwm.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Utility-Submetering-Requirements.pdf
Recommendation: Preserve copies of lease agreements, photographs, utility bills, billing statements, and any correspondence with management or the billing agent. These records may be relevant to regulatory investigations and any subsequent legal proceedings.
What agencies are we filing with?
LA County Weights and Measures (meter inspections and accuracy testing), LA City Attorney (consumer protection enforcement), California Attorney General, the California Public Utilities Commission (utility rate regulation and oversight), and the Federal Trade Commission (deceptive billing practices at the federal level).
LA County Weights and Measures (meter inspections and accuracy testing), LA City Attorney (consumer protection enforcement), California Attorney General, the California Public Utilities Commission (utility rate regulation and oversight), and the Federal Trade Commission (deceptive billing practices at the federal level).
Does this cost me anything?
No. Adding your name to the petition is free. Filing complaints with government agencies is free. If the matter proceeds to legal action, class action attorneys work on contingency they only get paid if they win. You will never be asked to pay out of pocket.
No. Adding your name to the petition is free. Filing complaints with government agencies is free. If the matter proceeds to legal action, class action attorneys work on contingency they only get paid if they win. You will never be asked to pay out of pocket.
Can I be evicted or retaliated against for adding my name?
No. California law prohibits landlords from retaliating against tenants who exercise their legal rights, including filing complaints and participating in tenant organizing.
No. California law prohibits landlords from retaliating against tenants who exercise their legal rights, including filing complaints and participating in tenant organizing.
What exactly am I adding my name to?
A digital petition supporting a formal complaint to be filed with the agencies listed above. Adding your name says: I am a resident of this property, I have concerns about the utility billing practices, and I support this investigation. That is all. Your personal information will not be shared publicly. Names will only be included in formal complaints filed with government agencies and or legal counsel.
A digital petition supporting a formal complaint to be filed with the agencies listed above. Adding your name says: I am a resident of this property, I have concerns about the utility billing practices, and I support this investigation. That is all. Your personal information will not be shared publicly. Names will only be included in formal complaints filed with government agencies and or legal counsel.
Do I have to do anything else?
No. Adding your name to the petition is your only obligation. You do not need to attend hearings, write letters, or make phone calls. If the matter progresses to legal action, an attorney would contact you separately and your participation would be voluntary.
No. Adding your name to the petition is your only obligation. You do not need to attend hearings, write letters, or make phone calls. If the matter progresses to legal action, an attorney would contact you separately and your participation would be voluntary.
What are my rights regarding utility billing?
Your landlord can only charge you what the utility company charges them. They must provide the actual utility bills and calculations. Meters must be certified for accuracy.
Your landlord can only charge you what the utility company charges them. They must provide the actual utility bills and calculations. Meters must be certified for accuracy.
What if I already moved out?
Former tenants who paid improperly calculated utility charges may also have claims and may be entitled to a refund regardless of whether they still live here.
Former tenants who paid improperly calculated utility charges may also have claims and may be entitled to a refund regardless of whether they still live here.
What happens after enough people join?
The petition and formal complaint will be filed simultaneously with all agencies. Weights and Measures can inspect every submeter and remote readout on the property. The City Attorney and AG can open investigations. The complaint package may also be shared with attorneys for evaluation.
The petition and formal complaint will be filed simultaneously with all agencies. Weights and Measures can inspect every submeter and remote readout on the property. The City Attorney and AG can open investigations. The complaint package may also be shared with attorneys for evaluation.
This petition is organized by residents of Aliso Apartments. We are not attorneys and this is not legal advice.
Why is this important?
Formal Requests to Government Agencies
We request that all agencies inspect the master meter, submeters, and submeter remote readouts at this property, and review all billing methods currently in use.
We request that all agencies inspect the master meter, submeters, and submeter remote readouts at this property, and review all billing methods currently in use.
Los Angeles City Attorney's Office:
We request that the City Attorney's Office investigate the billing practices described herein for potential violations of consumer protection law, and consider enforcement action consistent with the authority exercised in similar cases.
We request that the City Attorney's Office investigate the billing practices described herein for potential violations of consumer protection law, and consider enforcement action consistent with the authority exercised in similar cases.
California Attorney General's Office:
We request that the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section review this complaint. We believe the practices at this property present an analogous pattern of conduct affecting a comparable or greater number of tenants.
We request that the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section review this complaint. We believe the practices at this property present an analogous pattern of conduct affecting a comparable or greater number of tenants.
California Public Utilities Commission:
We request that the CPUC review the utility billing and submetering practices at this property for compliance with applicable rate regulations and consumer protection standards governing the resale of utility services to residential tenants.
We request that the CPUC review the utility billing and submetering practices at this property for compliance with applicable rate regulations and consumer protection standards governing the resale of utility services to residential tenants.
To the Federal Trade Commission:
We request that the FTC review whether the billing practices of the third-party billing agent involved constitute deceptive trade practices under federal consumer protection law, particularly with respect to the systematic withholding of billing calculations and underlying utility records from consumers upon demand.
We request that the FTC review whether the billing practices of the third-party billing agent involved constitute deceptive trade practices under federal consumer protection law, particularly with respect to the systematic withholding of billing calculations and underlying utility records from consumers upon demand.
One voice gets ignored. A property full of signatures gets investigated.
All we need is your name, and your signature. You don't pay anything. You don't have to go anywhere or do anything else. You're just saying: I live here, and I want answers too.
We are aware that the billing practices at this property are not unique to Aliso Apartments and may reflect a pattern across properties managed by the same ownership group, and billing agent.
We're stronger together than any landlord, law firm, or billing company expects us to be.
We are aware that the billing practices at this property are not unique to Aliso Apartments and may reflect a pattern across properties managed by the same ownership group, and billing agent.
We're stronger together than any landlord, law firm, or billing company expects us to be.
How it will be delivered
Via USPS certified mail