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Updated 07/03/2012 06:34 PM

NY1 For You: New Gas Meter Cools Down Con Ed Charges For Bronx Couple

By: Susan Jhun

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After receiving a gas bill larger than a mortgage bill, a Bronx couple turned to NY1 For You for help and got hopefully lasting results. NY1's Susan Jhun filed this follow-up report.

A Consolidated Edison bill almost broke the bank for homeowners Robert Estren and Ruth Riviere of the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx.

"We freaked out. We assumed there must have been some kind of mistake," says Estren.

The bill for $18,215 for gas and electric shocked the couple, who normally pay a monthly charge of $400.

NY1 For You first reported last month on the homeowners' unexplained and astronomical bill.

"We have had no change in our habits, we didn't put in a new dishwasher. We haven't changed our heating or washing or showering habits," says Estren.

"To actually generate such a bill, almost $20,000 and not question it themselves is shocking," says Riviere.

The couple called Con Ed and had the company check their meter, but still Con Ed claimed the $18,215 bill was accurate. So the outraged couple contacted NY1 For You.

NY1 called Con Ed and after a bit of back and forth, the utility admitted there was a serious mistake and a new meter was installed.

"With the great help of NY1 and their intervention, we've had a savings of $13,500 we might otherwise would have been forced to pay," says Estren.

It's the end of a ghastly situation.

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