What a bunch of B.S.

aprilann
aprilann Posts: 238
edited September 19 in Chit-Chat
I had the electric company at my door for a 203.95 bill. Are you kidding me! WTF is that crap. Seriously 203 dollars I didn't see a notice or anything. Makes me so mad. Jees I just wanted to yell at the guy for showing up here but he was sent here buy that stupid company.

Replies

  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
    They sent someone out? Like to cut your power? Or you are saying they sent him to collect the bill??

    Round here, they just cut your power. End of story.
  • aprilann
    aprilann Posts: 238
    Yah either pay or lose power right then and there. I couldn't believe it I told him I could only pay 100 buck nop all or nothing that's why I'm so pissed!
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
    They may have instituted a new policy to safeguard the elderly, since in the past, power companies have cut power and the weather (extreme heat or extreme cold) have killed elderly residents. This may be their way to ensure you aren't an elderly person whose death they could be blamed for, come high temps.

    Not that it helps you any.
    I'd be super pissed to have someone show up on my doorstep.
    A letter, an email, a nasty gram via the phone... those are fine.
    But showing up at my doorstep demanding money almost feels like a physical threat.
  • a_new_mii
    a_new_mii Posts: 53
    my sis once paid everything but the late charge and they shut off her gas anyway- I swear to God over $5.00 !!!!!!!!!!!!
  • TCASMEY
    TCASMEY Posts: 1,405 Member
    My husband works for an electric company and they don't usually send someone out to cut the power unless the bill has not been paid for several months and they have sent out several notices. If you have been paying your bills this may be a clerical error. I would contact the company to see what is going on. Most utilities are more than willing to set up a payment plan to help their customers out.
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
    I would look into that if I were you. I live in Michigan and use DTE (Detroit Edison) and they charge a super low late fee of just 2%. Once I changed emails and I thought I was good with just changing my email with the electric company so I'd still get my ebill....turns out I didn't realize I had to change my email with the separate ebilling company as well.

    So three or four months later I realized, hey, I haven't paid an electric bill in a really long time....sure enough my ebills were all in my old email inbox and my account was 4 months past due, with a past due fee of just $2.50 or something like that. So FOUR MONTHS past due and I had such a small late fee and my power was never cut. So I would be weary of anyone saying they'll cut your power for one late bill, especially when you were never notified of owing that much. Definitely call your electric company and verify that you gave money to their rep and that he was authorized to do so.....I wouldn't put it past people to just show up to people's doors demanding money or they'll power will be cut. That sucks that this happend to you, but hopefully it was legit and the money went toward your balance.
  • My husband works for an electric company and they don't usually send someone out to cut the power unless the bill has not been paid for several months and they have sent out several notices. If you have been paying your bills this may be a clerical error. I would contact the company to see what is going on. Most utilities are more than willing to set up a payment plan to help their customers out.



    Thats true, happened to me in January. I thought they couldn't turn off in winter, plus I have a 2 year old. They don't care anymore about any of that. But in all fairness, I was 3 months behind and there had been "shut off" notices on the bottom of the monthly bill for the previous 2 months. My bill was less then $300, don't remember exact, (we only have a small apt) but they shut off everyone who is 3 or more months behind.
  • TCASMEY
    TCASMEY Posts: 1,405 Member
    In MN they cannot turn it off between October and April. When there is problem paying the bill they are usually willing to work to set up a payment plan ( provided you call and tell them and discuss the problems with them) so you can catch up and not get behind. It costs them money to turn you off and then when you pay they have to come back and turn it back on.
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