My laptop raising my light bill.

[Demonidze]

no way laptop consuming so much energy.

[Tribunal]

Don't they generally come by every once in a while and read your meter to make your bill stay in line with actual usage though?

They're supposed to, but sometimes the meter in unaccessible and they fail to notify you of that. They also tend to come by apartments where meters aren't out in the open very infrequently since they have to schedule access.

Some companies have also switched over to "check only on demand" models, where you schedule your checks every ____ interval they've set, especially, again, when people's meters are inaccessible and they need to schedule access. And if you don't schedule your checks, they aren't coming out there unless its in their favor.


They're also technically measuring/checking usage rates, not that your overall usage. So if his meter isn't checked soon/he doesn't point out that jump as unusual, it may be written off as long as the rest of the rate of consumption works out to be whatever they deem 'normal' for him (usually by house/household size or your past usage).

[edit]
I'm not explaining that super well but basically since it's in their favor and not completely over-the-top ridiculous (woman with a 50k electric bill when her meter broke or something) it may just be taken as a new normal, especially if it stays consistent.