Home without power since Sandy still getting power bills
Posted:
Updated:
By LUKE FUNK, Senior Web Producer -
NEW YORK (MYFOXNY) -
Despite being without power since Superstorm Sandy in October, some people in the Breezy Point neighborhood are still getting power bills.
One woman says her bills are quadruple what they normally average. And this comes after LIPA cut the power off before the storm, at her request.
Marianne Scarino says the had the power cut off at the home the Saturday before the storm as a precaution.
The storm ravaged the neighborhood and Scarino says her home is still in shambles two months later. She lost everything inside the home her husband and her were planning to spend their retirement.
What she does have, despite not having power, are continuing power bills. The first post-Sandy bill was for $140, even though her monthly power bills average around $30.
"They're billing exorbitant amounts for a period when we had no power whatsoever," Scarino says.
Despite receiving another letter telling her to disregard that bill, she received another bill for $156 just days later.
They now owe over $300, because LIPA is estimating bills, even though the power lines are actually not even attached to the house.
Scarino says she called LIPA's customer service line. She says she was told to pay the bills or they would turn her over to a collections agency.
Frustrated, Scarino called Fox 5 News. A call to LIPA got an answer a few hours later in the way of a statement.
"We spoke with the customer today and have advised her to hold off on payment while we do a thorough review of the account in order to make sure we issue a bill that's consistent with the home's energy usage. We did apologize for any inconvenience," the statement read.
While it appears Scarino's issue will be resolved soon, it's still unclear if she is the only LIPA customer getting billed for power that's been disconnected.
Sunday, May 19 2013 10:57 PM EDT2013-05-20 02:57:40 GMT
The federal judge presiding over civil rights challenges to the stop-and-frisk practices of the New York Police Department has no doubt where she stands with the government.
The federal judge presiding over civil rights challenges to the stop-and-frisk practices of the New York Police Department has no doubt where she stands with the government.
Thursday, May 16 2013 6:47 PM EDT2013-05-16 22:47:54 GMT
The MTA and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the A train subway will run its route all the way to the Rockaways starting May 30, seven months after Superstorm Sandy washed away the track support bed.
The MTA and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the A train subway will run its route all the way to the Rockaways starting May 30, seven months after Superstorm Sandy washed away the track support bed.
Thursday, May 16 2013 6:06 PM EDT2013-05-16 22:06:34 GMT
A smuggling ring that made a fortune selling more than a million cartons of untaxed cigarettes in New York may have funneled some of the illicit proceeds to terrorist groups, authorities said.
A smuggling ring that made a fortune selling more than a million cartons of untaxed cigarettes in New York may have funneled some of the illicit proceeds to terrorist groups, authorities said.
Thursday, May 16 2013 1:17 PM EDT2013-05-16 17:17:42 GMT
Several New York lawmakers are sounding the alarm about security and safety lapses at day care centers across New York City.
Several New York lawmakers are sounding the alarm about security and safety lapses at day care centers across New York City. In a report released Thursday, dozens of daycares cited by the Dept. of Health for serious and critical health code violations since 2010, have not fixed the problems and continue to operate without penalty.
Wednesday, May 15 2013 11:08 PM EDT2013-05-16 03:08:35 GMT
A judge in Manhattan put the brakes on the so-called Taxi of Tomorrow because the Nissan-built minivan does not come in a hybrid version -- a violation of the city code.
A judge in Manhattan put the brakes on the so-called Taxi of Tomorrow because the Nissan-built minivan does not come in a hybrid version -- a violation of the city code.
Tuesday, May 14 2013 9:54 PM EDT2013-05-15 01:54:43 GMT
The FDNY must subject itself to court supervision for five years to ensure it does not discriminate against blacks and Hispanics in its hiring practices, a federal appeals court said.
The FDNY must subject itself to court supervision for five years to ensure it does not discriminate against blacks and Hispanics in its hiring practices, a federal appeals court said.
Tuesday, May 14 2013 3:59 PM EDT2013-05-14 19:59:22 GMT
USDA photo
The tree-killing Asian longhorned beetle has been eradicated from Manhattan and Staten Island, but remains a problem in Brooklyn, Queens, and parts of Long Island.
The tree-killing Asian longhorned beetle has been eradicated from Manhattan and Staten Island, but remains a problem in Brooklyn, Queens, and parts of Long Island, according to state agriculture officials.
