What are the quick red flags you look for when you first get bills and supporting docs? Things that immediately tell you there's money on the table without diving deep into calculations. Trying to train my eye to spot the obvious stuff faster.
Red flags that indicate billing errors in first 30 minutes of review
Donna, first thing I look at: demand charges that are perfectly flat month after month. Real facilities have demand variation. If I see 12 months of identical demand billing, that's usually a rate schedule problem or stuck demand register. Also, round numbers on usage - 10,000 kWh every month screams estimated reads.
Great points. I'd add: Check if the rate schedule on the bill matches what's in the contract. You'd be shocked how often they don't align. Also look for seasonal rate periods that seem off - if you're paying summer rates in December, something's wrong. And always verify CT ratios match the actual transformers installed.
Chad's got good ones. I also look for: tax rates that don't match current local rates, power factor penalties on accounts that should be exempt, and fuel adjustment charges during months they were supposed to be suspended. Also any line items that are abbreviated or unclear - utilities love to hide questionable charges in cryptic codes.