Complaint Review: Conservice (and Avalon Newcastle Commons/ AvalonBay Communities) - Logan Utah

When I moved in, I was told my sewer bill will be 2X the water, that each unit had meters that were read and charged according to their actual water usage, per apartment.

I just found out from the billing company, Conservice, that the propety management requested the flat rate charge for the sewer service which they in turn charge the tenant/myself.  This rate went from a flat rate of $58.52 for the first two months I have lived here to $71.07 per billing period/month for the past and current four months. I was told by the onsite sales manager as well as the maintenance manager there were meters on the pipes that had numbers on them and that's how the water was measured that was coming into each unit, and they were read electronically by Conservice, the billing company they hired.

When I asked the onsite sales manager, he told me that Conservice increased the rate to a flat $70/month and they did not know why, but were looking into it because it was nothing they agreed to.  I called AvalonBay billing, 1-877-282-6246 and they said they did not know why the sewer bill increased to a flat rate of &70/month and I would have to ask the onsite management.  I called the utility company, Coal Creek Utility District 425-235-9200 and they told me they had nothing to do with what the property charged for the water and sewer to the individual tenants, that they charged the entire property and the property charged the tenants individually.

I called and spoke to a representative at Conservice and was told differently.  They said the Coal Creek Utility District read the meters and inturn that information was sent to Conservice, and the property then charged the tenants the flat rate for the sewer and whatever they charged for the water.  Conservice charges each tenant a service charge as well of $3.28 per month for doing the billing for the property.  They contacted the property management responsible for billing the tenants and was told, they were looking into it, but that the rates for the service to the property went up and that's why the increase in rates to the tenants.  None of this was communicated to myself as a tenant, in advance of the increase nor since the increase.

The property I live at is Avalon Newcastle Commons, 13398 Newcastle Commons Dr, Newcastle, WA 98059; 425-0970-3946.  I live in an affordable rent apartment, and in order for the rent to fall within the parameters of affordable rent - the ARCH program, I was given what Avalon Newcastle Commons call an utilty allowance; as well rather than calling it an administratie fee, they charge what they call an amenities fee, which is non-refundable. All of this makes rent to be not affordable at all!

Tenants are not allowed to make any notes on the lease contract except for their signature, because I was told it was a legal contract, however they can make any changes they choose, with out it being indicated in the contract.