As others have mentioned, WashGas in particular implemented some "improvements" to their billing system that were an absolute disaster, even for customers who had had online billing set up for years. I can't remember when it started and stopped, but there was definitely a stretch of 6 months-1 year when I got bills erratically or not at all.

So: I could totally see how they might have failed to get your account set up properly. I would strenuously resist paying any late fees.
As for usage--for my smallish brick SFH, my bills run about $100-$150 in winter months and $20-$40 in summer months--last 2 years were in the $800 range for the year as a whole.

So, WashGas tech person did not show up to read my meter (to start my account rolling). Phone agent promised that the tech will come back this coming Wednesday. So, I wont know anything until afterwards. Ouch.

My gas and electric are the same bill, also

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly you got 3 years of gas for free. Just enjoy the savings you have had over the years and pay your bill now.

If he pays it, there were no "savings", just a deferral.

Well you got to invest / save the gas bill money for 3 years.

because I'm sure OP invested it. LOL

Holy crap OP, I can't believe they never turned the gas off. You're very lucky you are in a 1 bed condo instead of a large single family. My gas bill is as low as $30 during hot months, but can be over $500 on cold months.

I can't believe they didn't turn it off after three years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly you got 3 years of gas for free. Just enjoy the savings you have had over the years and pay your bill now.

If he pays it, there were no "savings", just a deferral.

Well you got to invest / save the gas bill money for 3 years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly you got 3 years of gas for free. Just enjoy the savings you have had over the years and pay your bill now.

If he pays it, there were no "savings", just a deferral.

No way OP is a guy.

Anonymous wrote:Honestly you got 3 years of gas for free. Just enjoy the savings you have had over the years and pay your bill now.

If he pays it, there were no "savings", just a deferral.

Anonymous wrote:

I bet you don't think that the magic gas fairy is bringing you free gas or that somehow the electric company is doing it.

To be fair to the OP, I've lived in places where the electric and gas are combined on one bill, so it is not completely unheard of.

Yep. This is common and the Dominion electricity bill does mention natural gas and "fuel" charges. (I assume they mean it's a natural gas power plant, but who knows?)

I bet you don't think that the magic gas fairy is bringing you free gas or that somehow the electric company is doing it.

To be fair to the OP, I've lived in places where the electric and gas are combined on one bill, so it is not completely unheard of.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This OP and the EZpass OP need to meet up and together find a crash course in "adulting."

I mean I am just speechless that someone can hold a job, afford to buy a condo, shop and close for said condo, and still not have ANY common sense whatsoever.

It makes me realize that in this crazy thing called life I'm doing better than I thought.

I wouldn't be as hard on this OP as the EZ Pass one. At least the EZ Pass OP was getting notifications that something was amiss. When you move into a place, you set up automatic withdrawals. I never even look at the paper bills anymore unless something goes up dramatically, so I can see how if you receive multiple auto-pay utility bills that you might not notice that one is missing.

I bet you don't think that the magic gas fairy is bringing you free gas or that somehow the electric company is doing it. Come on.

Here's a PSA for you OP. Whatever you have lumped into your mortgage payment (property taxes, home insurance, condo fees, etc.) - YOU are still responsible if these don't get paid. So you'll want to periodically check that you are current on all of these accounts. Our bank paid our property taxes late two times in a row, and we were charged late fees, WHICH the bank was just going to pay out of our escrow account until we balked and said the late fees were on them. We also got the bank to agree that we no longer needed an escrow. Now we simply pay principal and interest and pay the taxes and insurance directly ourselves.

Anonymous wrote:This OP and the EZpass OP need to meet up and together find a crash course in "adulting."

I mean I am just speechless that someone can hold a job, afford to buy a condo, shop and close for said condo, and still not have ANY common sense whatsoever.

It makes me realize that in this crazy thing called life I'm doing better than I thought.

I wouldn't be as hard on this OP as the EZ Pass one. At least the EZ Pass OP was getting notifications that something was amiss. When you move into a place, you set up automatic withdrawals. I never even look at the paper bills anymore unless something goes up dramatically, so I can see how if you receive multiple auto-pay utility bills that you might not notice that one is missing.

This OP and the EZpass OP need to meet up and together find a crash course in "adulting."

I mean I am just speechless that someone can hold a job, afford to buy a condo, shop and close for said condo, and still not have ANY common sense whatsoever.

It makes me realize that in this crazy thing called life I'm doing better than I thought.

Anonymous wrote:OP please update when you get the bill. I'm curious what the cost is! Mine is like $100 in the winter and $25 in the summer months when I don't use the heat (just hot water and stove).

This!!! I am dying to know what's my numbers are. I will def report back to complete my saga. Right now I am killing myself waiting for this bill. Awww...
Learned the lesson hard way. Really.....