Homeowner receives refund after $14,000 overcharge tied to electricity meter mistake — how to avoid it

A homeowner received a large refund after years of unexpectedly high electricity bills.

He now hopes his experience will help others spot a similar problem before it becomes costly.

In Houston, Texas, one man found that a meter error was causing him to pay more on his electric bill each month.

Peter Yang said his bills often ran between $200 and $400 even though he tried to keep his electricity use low, CBS Houston affiliate KHOU reported.

He became suspicious when he compared his bill with the number shown on his own electricity meter.

“I see a meter reading that’s completely off compared with my invoice, and also the meter number is totally different,” Yang said.

At first, CenterPoint Energy rejected his claim.

“They keep saying they don’t believe me because they’ve been using that number so long,” he said.

Later, a CenterPoint Energy technician visited Yang’s home and determined that he had been overcharged for the past 14 years.

The company then issued him a refund check for about $14,000.

“We apologize for the inconvenience this issue has caused and remain committed to working with the customer until it is fully resolved,” CenterPoint Energy said in a statement.

Yang’s case offers a reminder for other homeowners to verify that their electricity bills match the meter number on their home.

They should also watch for unexplained jumps in monthly bills.

Keeping a record of monthly usage and comparing it with each bill can help prevent a costly mistake.

If anything looks wrong, homeowners should contact their energy company right away.