I bought a Indian restaurant (new business) and after couple of months hydro sent me the estimated bill which I paid in time and after 3 months all of a sudden they sent me a bill of $4,000. Can anybody guide me what to do and how to proceed with this issue.

I called so many times but there is no proper response from them.

Can I go to consumer directly?

Any advise will be of great help. you can also email me at

Thanks in advance

You are the current owner of the Restaurant. You pay the bills promptly.

Did you buy the business through a Lawyer?

Did the Lawyer ask the previous owner to settle all of his bills prior to YOUR taking over the business?
Did the previous owner PAY all of his dues and settle his account with 'HYDRO'? If he did, then Did the Hydro take and write down the reading on the day of transfer of title and possession? Do you have a copy? OR alternately can you GET a copy?

Same thing with Water Meter and sewer Bills.

Same thing with the Natural Gas Utility and their bill.

Same thing with City Taxes and City Dues.

SEE YOUR LAWYER OR ALTERNATELY YOUR ACCOUNTANT.

First find all of these meters and READ the CURRENT Reading of all of these meters. Note down the date and time together with it. If you do not know how, then ask the Utilities to help you while you are on a cell phone.(OR a Portable hand set from your wall mounted phone.) They not only know the location of the meter and they can tell you and show you how to read the same.

There are NEW TYPE of meters currently installed all over GTA and surrounding areas, on the Electrical lines. They are called SMART METERS. They are remotely read. I do not know the commercial rates charged per KWH of your consumption, also the line charges for transmission and the Power factor corrections and the Debt retrieval charge to the Restaurant. Please note that the rates change according to the usage and the time of the day. It is a lot cheaper to use between 10:00 p.m. and 07:00 a.m. 2.7c/kwh. SEE 'TOU' Rates. Also note the MID HIGH and LOW rates. : See the back of the bill http://www.torontohydro.com/electricsystem/residential/smart_meter/faq/index.cfm
If the Smart Meter System is currently in use, then the HYDRO will provide you with a breakdown of the TOU's hours and the consumption and the rates that they charge according to the TOU.

If you have the Electricity meter reading at the time of take over from the previous owner and the current reading, then you can work the total costs, without taking into consideration of the TOU. You still need the breakdown to get
the exact costs that you have to pay. (If the smart system is in usage).

After you do a thorough investigation and analysis, protest the charges and the demand notice. (Invoice) You have to do that in writing. Keep a record of all of the names and conversations with time and dates.

Hope this helps you a little.

Freddie.

ftfl,
The Smart Meters though have been installed, are not yet implemented.
See http://www.energy.gov.on.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=electricity.smartmeters

Also, the Toronto Hydro's web-site \"http://www.torontohydro.com/electricsystem/residential/smart_meter/faq/index.cfm\" says that - \"The Ontario government's target is to have smart meters installed in all homes by 2010\".

Very typical of any govt / minister that is pushing its pet agenda, the bureaucrats projected a lower dollar value to the cost of installation of Smart Meters - just to keep the energy minister in good humour.