Previous month the wall heater wasn't working so I was using 2 electric space heaters. This month I used the gas heater.

Your apt is likely wired to pay for other apts. Does your landlord live in the building?

Call 311

This. I lived in a 3bd room apt, and we never paid over $300 in the summer when all ACs are running. In the winter, it was usually $100-160

He doesn't live there, no.

I also have no TV, no network, no computer. I turn my lights off when I leave every time. So I don't have much electricity. There have been a few days where I left the heater on when I was out, but it's a rare occurrence.

Did you have gas heater?

It's kind of hard to know if this is an unusual amount of usage without seeing the past couple of months usage.

Judging from just this month, they charged you a lot more after you used a certain amount of gas.

You're better off calling coned and asking them why this month was so much more expensive.

It's only my 2nd bill so I don't have much to compare it to. Last month it was $214 but I didn't use the gas heater cause it wasn't functional yet. I was using 2 electric space heaters instead. This bill I was using the gas heater.

Yup.

If you only started using the gas heater this month, then it’s likely inefficient. Scratch what I said earlier and just stick to the electric heaters.

Gas needed for hot water and radiators is considered part of the rent and is the landlord's responsibility, not yours. You only pay for cooking gas. If your gas bill is that high, there is something incorrect happening. My gas bill is usually like $30/month and I cook constantly.

I just checked the previous bill where I wasn't using gas heater and the gas total was still somehow $152. I dont really do a lot of cooking. Does this amount make sense for only a stove/oven? I think I might be paying for someone else's gas.

You are paying for all of your units in your building. Normal gas usage for a stove top is 20-30 per month.

Your land lord is shady and I would move out asap. It's just going to be continual problems.

How many apartments are in the building you live in?

8 residential units

i searched it up and it says its not true if the landlord explicitly states gas is not included https://www.brickunderground.com/rent/do-i-have-to-pay-for-heat-in-rental

they told me gas is not included

Yup likely you’re paying for other apartments. You still need to go on the 311 website and lodge a complaint. Another person mentioned contacting Coned, that’d also be wise.

Do you set your own thermostat or do you have radiators with a boiler in the basement? The boiler in the basement is for the entire building and there is no legal standing to have you pay for the cost of heating that. If your lease says gas is not included and you have radiators, it means cooking gas, not heating gas.

I have a gas heater on the wall that has a basic slider above it that goes from Off to High to control the heat.

I'm going to speak to my landlord first tonight.

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Hey, I dunno what your rental experience in NYC is, but I’d recommend being prepared to move out if you talk to your landlord first.

It’s a Slim chance they’ll be willing to spend the money to diagnose the problem if it wasn’t intentional (which is more likely the case) and you’ll have a target on your back when you do eventually relent and involve 311 or ConEd because they’ll know it was you and dislike you for it.

I’m going to leave it alone here. Good luck.

Honest question, what would 311 be able to do here?

Damn son, you’re living off the grid

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311 will assess & enforce building code for tenants. Given that this apt was a studio that got redone to be a 1 bedroom AND there’s this gas issue, there are likely many code violations in the building that 311 will log, follow-up on & fine the landlord for.

Ask a lot of questions about your apt and the building when they come, even questions you might think are dumb. They’ll let you know what’s what.

I had to call them after years consistent ceiling leaks that occurred every time it rained that landlord would minimize. When the guy came I found out one of the bedrooms was illegal because it didn’t have a window that opened to outdoors directly, and there was a LOT of paperwork that got posted in the lobby within a week after he left. They had contractors fix the ceiling leak issue within two weeks and never had that problem again.