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ISTA is a supposedly a "billing company" for apartment utilities; primarily water and sewer. There are lots of things to complain about this company, but I will focus on billing due dates.
My billing date for April is due on the 6th.
In March (last month) it was due on the 12th.
In February (the previous month) it was due on the 17th.
This means I am getting billed about every 3 weeks! When I called to complain about the due date, the rep told me they have no control over the due date. I said, "what do you mean you have no control? Aren't you the billing company?". She said yes they are but gave me some lame explanation about it depending on when the bills go out.
I proceeded to tell I could not pay it by the 6th and would pay it by the 12 like last month and to make a note of my account. She said she would but she never asked for my account number! And the automated system never asked for it so I am fairly sure there will no notation on my account.
No other company I deal with has such an erratic billing process. Even the electric company bills about the same time every other month. A regular billing cycle is the only way most people can plan for a bill such as ISTA (these are not small bills by the way). But with ever changing billing dates, it is impossible to plan for unless I plan a full month ahead.
I am filing a complaint with the state attorney general office about their billing practices as soon as I have about 8 months worth of billing copies showing these irregularities.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I totally agree with you.
I really hate their billing cycle.
I'm living in Atlanta, GA.
Keep me posted.
Thank you.
4400er@gmail.com
company information
ista
7825 Baymeadow way
suite 300b
Jacksonville, FL 32256
I completely agree, I have been with this company for a year now, in my household there are 3 of us, my husband, 4 year old son, and myself; our monthly bill is $180 and higher for water. Outrageous, we have no other choice but to pay the bill because, as renters through an apartment complex, you don't pay and they will have you evicted. I have spoke with some other fellow renters and they have established to me the same complaint. I have never had a water bill over $50 in prior rentals even a home rental. I have never received a bill on the same day, ever. My complaint is brought on by the fact that others are experiencing the same problems, and since we have brought our complaint to the landlord association; they have decide to just switch our water company without any consultation or any solution toward any sort of reimbursement. I have come to learn recently, that eight renters here (thus far) that have never received a water bill ever; one even stated they have been here for 8 months without a single statement. As I understand we don't pay for what is read off the meters but how much square foot we are renting and how many individuals are in our home. Well I am furious beyond belief, not by the billing amount procedure, because in our prior apartment building it was the same and our amount would be about $50, but I am furious for the fact that in the state of Florida if you are not being charged by your meter reading than it is illegal for them to charge any of us. So states in the Florida Section 8 housing, government or not housing. I am tired of feeling ripped off every month no way possible should my water be $80 dollars more than my electric, constantly; virtually impossible.
Thank you,
Tired & Stressed Water Company User
Ahernandez1073@mail.hodges.edu
Ista charges based on the amount of square feet in your home. Get a company that only charges you for the water that you use. Complain to your property manager and change the company. I use Fewtek and they have been great. No extra fees, easy billing cycle, no problems.
fewtekfl.com
I don't know if this board has been helping you guys, but I am desperately looking for some help. This company ISTA is the worst thing I ever experience in my life. They bill you late, they constantly increase the water and sewer rates without telling you, you have no control on what they bill you for (usage) and even worst, you have no other choice that shut your mouth up and pay. I live in New Jersey and my Water & Sewer charges are all over the place, their is no constant usage like with your cellphone or other utility bills. I have paid $30 and next bill $90, dropped to $50, then $125...what the heck is going on? Its like you shower every minute for 24 hours and then simply don't shower at all...
I have been trying to find somebody (entity, lawyer, etc) that can help me address this issue. The landlord does not care so I have no choice than to pay these ridiculous bills.
Any help? suggestion?
Thanks,
Omar
oferrer@me.com
Oh, I have more classic experience with ISTA. I live in Los Angeles, where can I file my complaint?
If you live in California and feel wronged by your submeter billing company/property management company regarding your water, gas, and electric bill, here are some laws that you need to know.
1. If you cannot walk to your meter and read it without the help of any tools or a ladder, this is an illegal installation.
2. If your meter does not have a Weights and Measures sticker or a lead seal with a date on one side and a county mark on the other, your meters have never been tested and they are being used illegally.
3. If your meter is not on the California Type Approved list (see link), It is illegal. http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/dms/programs/ctep/CTEPApprovals/caApprovals.pdf
4. If the meter reads on your monthly bill does not match your meter, it is Illegal
5. If you are paying to heat the hot water or are getting a heat preparation/energy charge, it is illegal.
6. If the rates on the bill differ from the local utility provider, it is illegal.
If any of these pertain to you or you feel wronged by the billing company, call your County Weights and Measures inspector. They will come out to your property and inspect the site. You can do this confidentially so the property manager cannot retaliate against you. Breaking the above mentioned laws is a criminal offense. Once you find out that you are being billed illegally, you can then take the billing company and the property management company to small claims court and sue for a complete refund of all monies paid for the utility.
Here is the link to find your local Weights and Measures inspector.
http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/exec/county/County_Contacts.html
With all of your help, we can get some fair water billing here in California.
I live in Kennesaw, GA and have Ista at my apartment complex, i live in a one bedroom. My bill is outrageous it's been 156.00 to 165.00 a month my lease is up and i'm not renewing i'm getting out of here this is a rip off.
I am also in a complex in Kennesaw and trying to get something changed with this ista bill. Im trying to start a petition or get a poll going to see how many would be interested in pursuing something against this company. My bill went from about 200 a month to this month being 513. I notice that there have been class action suits against this company in other states and wondering if any of my fellow kennesaw residents would like to pursue something as well
ista North America is everywhere like a plague. I'm in Arizona. I do not see meters at all, and since the bill is unrelated to water usage, I suspected the bills were based by just dividing the entire water cost for the complex, perhaps by square feet and number of occupants. With such a system, who would ever know that ista doesn't just pocket huge profits? The water bill here is double what it was before. There is obviously a profit being made beyond actual water usage and beyond a reasonable margin. It's crazy that properties use this company if for no other reason than incompetence and reputation, or that this company isn't under investigation by utilities commissions.
My ISTA water bill for one-bedroom apt went from around 50 dollars a month to the most recent more than 100 dollars a month. I would like to join any petition against this predatory scam of this company.
I have the same complaint as many of you. I live in an apt and its like in living like a caveman over here, yet being charged the same rate. I spoke you a superviser (cause we know trying to get questions answered by the person that picks up the phone is like talking to a tape recording) to see why was my bill so high. What she explained to me that my meter wasnt reading correctly, and they fixxed it right. She said that they fixxed it in oct, now in getting the correct bill. Well...its January of the following yr, if they fixxed it in oct then why was it that my bill gradually increased? It would seem like if they fixxed it well the next month bill wouldbe increased. Ok now the next excuse came to my usage right? yet i made her look at my usage and she found that it was pretty much consistant of my previous usage. People you can all walk by my apt and swear no one lives here. WHAT USAGE?!
She looks on a peice of paper to tell me how im living MY life in my apt. Oh and not to mention im paying water, sewage and trash like im living in a house. So people vote for the right people so these laws can be changed. I never seen anything like it where a company can do what they do and nothing be done about it. We have 3 choices...pay the bill, get as class action lawsuit, or get candles. if you choose candles, the next think you know the candle company will start giving lame excuses why candles went up like the type of wax they use or the wicker has improved so you can use a lighter instead of a MATCH...Smh
I agree that ISTA 's billing is out of wack. I live in Beaverton, Oregon. Our complex where I have been living 12 years now was taken over by a management company with an apartment manager that is clueless with every question being answered by "I will have to talk to my boss" We started having to pay water/sewer last year along with a lease agreement. When I inquired about the cost of the water/sewer, I was told it was based on square footage, # of bedrooms and # of people living in the apartment and she guessed it would be about $10-$15 a month and capping at $45 for a two bedroom; you can imagine my shock when I opened my first bill and it was $35! Querying other tenants with same apt configuration, but two occupants ( i am a single occupant), their bill is within $3 of mine consistently. Talking to management is like talking to a brick wall, talking to ISTA you get the same book answer, "based on square footage, # of bedrooms, # of people, yadada, yadada, yadada and when you query about the difference, they can't/won't explain why it is so out of wack, and they can't talk about other tenants' bills. I choose not to have a washer/dryer, use the dishwasher maybe twice a week, shower at the gym, low flow toilet and I have been doing this for years...not because I have to pay water/sewer. If there is an Oregon equivalent of California's Weights & Measures, I am going to check. I don't mind paying my fair share...but I can't wrap my head around the inequity ...AND I live next door to another two bedroom with a family of five. It makes no sense to me.
I live in Pennsylvania, and cannot figure this system out. We purposely did not use our heat in the month of March and were billed $71.44. The only explanation is that the complex divides the total amount to the residents in the complex... ridiculous cause ISTA claims it is a fair and accurate billing process. Time to call Cockran...