Utility Monopolies Treat Customers Poorly – Here’s What You Can Do to Stop the Dependency
Okay, I'll admit it. I screwed up. I forgot to pay my electric bill - to the local electric company. So, they shut my electricity off, in the middle of January. Now, I've been a "loyal" customer for about ten years now (and when I say "loyal" I mean I have no other choice) and I pay that bill every single month. But, during the holidays, paying the one bill I didn't have on autopay just slipped my mind. And, off it went. When I called, said electric company made me pay my due bill, next month's bill, a reconnect fee and a DEPOSIT! What the WAAA? And, I still had to pack up my dogs, my toddler and my house to go stay at my mother-in-law's house overnight. Even a frozen child didn't help my situation. I would have qualified for my electric bill to be turned on if I was in a medical situation or receiving help from the Energy Assistance Program. Again, regular hard-working people get no breaks.
I'm so fed up with our local utility companies and lots of other people are facing the same nightmare. They are all monopolies so they can charge what they want and treat customers as poorly as they choose. 14 News is reporting that local electric company Vectren announced that January bills will see a price spike.
But, through social media, residents are fighting back.
Local business owner Jean Carter felt the pain in a recent Facebook post:
OK, another venting post... Due to my stupidity (not that I'm a little crazy/busy) but it appears that I forgot to pay my water bill for the previous month. So.....I received my water bill in the mail from Boonville City Hall last Friday (1/30), to advise me that I now owe for 2 months DUE FEB 15TH. Ok... So I immediately check my check book thinking they were wrong, and they were right, I evidently forgot to pay my bill, so now I have to pay a larger bill. YAY ME!!
Then...... today they SHUT MY WATER OFF!!!! I am FURIOUS that they would shut my water off with NO notification that they would do so, plus according to THEM (my bill) we had until FEB. 15th.
Now I would understand if I were a repeat offender, but in over 30 years of Boonville living, have I EVER had ANY utilities shut off for non-payment!!! I know the girls at City Hall are just doing their jobs, but I even had to pay IN CASH to get it back on!!!! Does anyone know who I would need to talk to??
Rant Over and thanks for listening.
Respectfully yours, Stupid and Forgetful
Jean isn't stupid. She's a busy woman who is running a business and a family and simply forgot and there is NO shame in that. There is also NO reason to treat customers, especially ones who have been loyally paying their bill for years, in such a manner.
And, while we are on the subject, I'm sick of local utility companies funding charities - I can fund the charities I choose with MY money, thank you very much! We are treated like our monthly (very expensive) contribution doesn't matter (until I don't pay which is taken very seriously) and I am taking steps to no longer be under the thumb of these local monopolies.
First, I joined a social media group dedicated to standing up to the monopolies.
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