Persistence Really Does Pay Off...Sweet Revenge..LOL
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
November 12, 2008 5:18pm CST
Some months ago I did a discussion about my outrageously high electric bill. Yes, electric rates were to go up by some 22 percent but the rate hike wasn't effective until August, yet beginning in May my electric bill kept going up, up, up, by about $20.00 more each month, until I was getting bills for over $90.00
Now one has to realize, I live in a glorified studio apartment and don't use much electricity. I have, nor never had air conditioning, only one fan going during the hot months, so like how could my bill be so high?
So you better believe I was complaining about it to my electric company, I didn't give up and was very persistent knowing I was in the right and they were wrong. I mainly emailed them, and all I got back were emails back to me that was mumbo jumbo, double speak. They kept telling me that due to some hazardous condition in the building, the meter reader couldn't gain access to the meter room to read the meters...like huh? What hazardous condition? Even the super didn't know what the heck they meant by that.
I kept after them, and after them relentlessly, finally in a last email to me, the jerk indicated that if I wasn't happy with their explanation to take my complaint to the Public Service Commission and he gave me a phone number. Well I didn't want to call, since this would have been a very long-winded call to try and explain everything, so I guess the yahoo, didn't think I would have the smarts to see if the PSC had a website...they did, and I copied the address and wrote a very, very extensive letter, I included copies of my letters to my local Congressman that I had written to about it all, plus a copy of an itemized listing of my bills from December 2007 until present and mailed it off.
Well I guess that got things rattled a bit, as I'm guessing not too many people take it to a higher level like the Public Service Commission...the person I had addressed the issue to there at PSC was a judge no less and I got a letter back from her about a week ago stating an investigation would be conducted and was assigned a case number.
So today I go down to get the mail, and there's my new Con Ed electric bill. It indicated they were finally able to read the meter and were issuing me a credit for all the overcharges they had made to me from May until October...and guess what? Because the overcharges were so high, I won't have to be paying an electric bill for the next two months...heehee I WON my "cause"
So did you ever have the satisfaction of knowing, KNOWING you were right about something and money was due to you and credited to you if you were overcharged? Did you persist the matter relentlessly and didn't give up?
So did you ever have the satisfaction of knowing, KNOWING you were right about something and money was due to you and credited to you if you were overcharged? Did you persist the matter relentlessly and didn't give up?10 people like this
33 responses
@nanajanet (4436)
• United States
13 Nov 08
I will fight, and have, for such things. Sometimes I win, sometimes I do not.
A friend of mine, had a business, where her bills were double what they should be. Well, somehow, someone had the pizzeria next door attached to her electricity. Not all of it, mind you, just some of it. It took years and a lawyer but she finally won. But because she had to argue with the landlord, too, as it turns out he apparently was the one who did it, long before both businesses were there, he got into trouble. So she lost her lease.
She won but lost her business.
I am so glad that you won. These big companies do not really care about the little person. My husband worked for Con Ed and said the "hazardous conditions" can be many things like rodent droppings, asbestos and other such things, that maybe the superintendent may not be aware of but the owners might and never let him know so it could be fixed. They SHOULD have told you what the hazardous conditions were because then you, and maybe other tenants, could have put pressure on the landlord(s) to fix it.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
13 Nov 08
As a friend from here kidded me, since I was telling him all about this, he kidded saying maybe the hazardous condition was a piece of paper on the floor the meter reader didn't want to walk on...LOL
I'm surprised though that the landlord didn't fix up whatever hazardous condition it was right away...I was told that every time a meter reader wants to read the meters and can't the electric company charges the landlord $25.00.
As for your friend kind of an irony there, she won yet she lost at the same time, didn't she
3 people like this
@nanajanet (4436)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Not really. Con Ed workers are under strict rules. My husband, after he was injured at work, switched to collections. He was not a meter reader but would go to collect or turn off meters if they did not pay.
He was in the company for 40 years and they could be fined or lose their job if they lie about getting into read or turn off the meter and stating hazardous conditions. They must state the condition, then the owner is contacted, immediately. They must fix it or be fined, and it not just $25. It all depends and if they continue to not fix it, the fines get bigger and they can eventually have legal problems.
I would make sure that the landlord knows that you had issues and see if he does anything. If you get an estimated bill again, contact the company and find out if the landlord was notified.
2 people like this
@nanajanet (4436)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Hmm, that is too bad. I have had not so good landlords, that is why we wound up struggling to buy our first house, a fixer upper, so we would not deal with landlords again.
I can understand landlords not being happy with bad tenants but some are just buttholes all of the time.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Mmmm..bulldog huh? Not a tiger or lion...something of the feline persuasion???
3 people like this
@rsa101 (40952)
• Philippines
13 Nov 08
Good for you that you will be free from electric bills for the next two months. I guess they could not make an excuse that they would just make a a guessing game for your consumption that is just not fair at all. I guess you were right to fight it out your right to be fairly billed for those two months you've been overbilled. Enjoy your two month free electric though I guess it was pretty paid in advance.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Yes, I can think of it that my electric bill was paid for in advance. And so glad I got it all settled as it was getting frustrating as I knew I was in the right while they were wrong.
2 people like this
@howard96h (11640)
• New York, New York
12 Nov 08
Way to go, congrats. All the hard work paid off and now maybe they will stop the estimated bill crap since they know you have the Judge's contact information. I just love it when these big companies get theirs!
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
12 Nov 08
Yup I have that Judge's contact info so if I run into problems again you better believe I'll contact her again
1 person likes this
@rowantree (1186)
• United States
16 Nov 08
Way to go, Pye! Yay! Awesome!
Yes, I just recently dealt with our water company only it wasn't over money. Our water smelled horrible and tasted even worse. I had two customer service reps tell me there was nothing wrong with our water. The first one said she'd send someone out to flush the hydrant. When they didn't show, I called back. The second one said there was nothing wrong with my water and both of them kept telling me that the water company hasn't been doing any work behind my home.
They've been working behind my home since the big flood in September. There's a barricade with the company initials on it.
I asked to speak to a supervisor and was placed on hold for 10 minutes. I was told there wasn't a supervisor available for me to speak with. I told her I would wait. Then she offered to put me through to a "specialist". I told her that was fine by me. I had to wait another 5 minutes on hold and explain everything all over again, but I did get through and got someone out here within the half hour to test our water and to flush the hydrant. While I was on hold, I fired off a letter to the corporate office through the website Planet Feedback so hopefully I'll be hearing from the corporate office.
I did get a phone call from someone from the water quality department that night and the next day, both times apologizing and assuring me that the water tested zero bacteria and the smell and taste are "pipe soap", which he explained is a food grade lubricant similar to crisco. He insisted it was harmless but all four of us had stomach cramps from it and our neighbor's grandson was taken to the hospital (but the water company says the kid ate too much candy).
It pays to be persistent when you know you aren't wrong! I'm very happy that you finally got this resolved!
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Nov 08
I hope you mentioned to the person that you all got sick and that your neighbor's son even had to be taken to the hospital...candy indeed..sheesh, what nonsense. I sometimes think it's so much better to deal with these companies by letter than by phone. Like you most times, you talk to one person, then another, then another...I've had the occasion several time, when talking on the phone and waiting to be connected to a supervisor that they hang up on me by "accident"--sure. How's the water now? Still taste and smell lousy?
@rowantree (1186)
• United States
18 Nov 08
I totally agree with you about it being better to write rather than talk on the phone. The water doesn't smell anymore, it seems better but we still aren't trusting it to drink, don't know if we ever will!
1 person likes this
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
12 Nov 08
Hi pye,
I am so glad that you won, these electric companies are a disgrace, they also trying to get money out of customers by overcharging and getting away with it as there are not many people like you go through all that to get what is your right. We don't have problems with problems like that as we pay direct debit and we read our own meter, and when our electric company increases their rates, then we find onother company that is cheaper, we are always changing companies so we don't have any problems. Glad it worked your way with all your hard work, good for you. Bright Blessings.
Tamara
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
13 Nov 08
The problem is, is that there is no other electric company in my area. ConEd has a monopoly and stranglehold on us folks, so yup so glad I got the upper hand on them and they finally realized their error. Now I'll have extra money for Christmas time...what a nice present, right?
2 people like this
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
17 Nov 08
Actually, MY electric company (Austin Energy) has been VERY nice. They do a lot of help for those who can't make their bills, & for me, they have done what they cal a "levelized" account. That's just a yearly average of what one's bill has been, charged straight rate the next year. At the moment, I'm paying $60 a month, but it was such a scorcher I'm pretty sure it'll be more next time. Still, it really helps ME out!
They do a lot of "green" stuff, too, like installing water heaters that don't run so hot all the time, just when you NEED water. They also come out & help you weatherproof your home, e.g.
Sorry if yours aren't like that. I'm thinking ours is a pretty nice company.
Maggiepie
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
13 Nov 08
I cannot say that I have for anything like that. I have with things for my son and had to keep after them forever, but finally got what needed done after about 9 months.
2 people like this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
13 Nov 08
It was more having to get people to wake up and get my son away from a teacher that would not listen and my son was learning nothing with. We had conferences and meetings and she would pull the wool over their eyes. He did not even want to go to school. He is nonverbal, in a wheelchair, and there was absolutely no communication. She was offended if I asked anything and just kept telling me I had to trust her, that she had a Masters Degree and knew what to do. She was not even willing to see how his equipment worked, or anything, it was quite a year.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Wow 9 months? That was a long time to wait, but at least you finally got it...was it disability benefits or something like that??
1 person likes this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
13 Nov 08
I used to pay higher electric and gas bills in my apartment than in my house.
The reason? old air conditioners and older furnace is taking much more than energy saving new equipment. Compare 900 sf to 2100 sf and pay less for 2100 sf.
Technically it doesn't make sense, but it is true.
In addition to energy prices are up compare to year 2000...looks like it is much harder to keep old apartment buildings warm. Same with wall air conditioners.
I compared using central air conditioner to wall unit, my bills were almost the same.
I am glad you the winner!!!
We pay way too much for electricity....
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
13 Nov 08
That really doesn't make sense you paid less for your home than apartment. My apartment building is rather old too and our landlord is rather cheap with his heating...
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51811)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
13 Nov 08
Well, congratulations... are you sure you're not part Rottweiler?
2 people like this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
24 Nov 08
Hurray for you. I am proud of you I am glad your persistence got you some actions. I think the electric person did not want to do his job. I am glad you know what to do and how to do it. Good job pack yourself on the back.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
24 Nov 08
Thank you teapot..yup, the electric guy probably didn't want to do his job right. hope you're doing all right..I'm so far behind here it's not funny
1 person likes this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
4 Dec 08
I am two weeks behind I now have decided to just answer the comments for tonight. I still have not been doing well. I have been spending a lot of time on the couch sleeping. I have been walking the dogs almost daily and some house keeping but not much after that.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
13 Nov 08
The real stumbling block was that they kept insisting they were in the right and I was in the wrong, that's why it dragged out so long. But least I won in the end that's all that counts.
1 person likes this
@irishmist (3814)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Wow that is awesome news, I'm glad you won your case!! I don't know if I would have had that much patience to do all that. Thats really cool that you won't have to pay your electric bill for a few months.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
13 Nov 08
That "extra" money will come in handy for the Christmas season...heck with the money I would normally pay for my electric bill next month I can get my own Christmas tree now...LOL
1 person likes this
@irishmist (3814)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Oh yes, I know how much you love christmas trees!! :)
2 people like this
@jerzgirl (9384)
• United States
12 Nov 08
WOO HOO!!! You WON!!!!! 
Fantastic - you came out on top - you beat "the man"!!! Did you also include the last email from the "yahoo" who said if you didn't like it, take it a step higher? I'd love to see his face when they approached him. I'm betting the meter reader just didn't want to be bothered reading the meter and created the excuse to get out of it. I hope he is no longer working. He deserves to be where I am, looking and not finding employment.
Congratulations!! And, right at Christmas when you can use those few extra dollars!! Super!! 
Fantastic - you came out on top - you beat "the man"!!! Did you also include the last email from the "yahoo" who said if you didn't like it, take it a step higher? I'd love to see his face when they approached him. I'm betting the meter reader just didn't want to be bothered reading the meter and created the excuse to get out of it. I hope he is no longer working. He deserves to be where I am, looking and not finding employment.
Congratulations!! And, right at Christmas when you can use those few extra dollars!! Super!! 2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
12 Nov 08
Are you kidding, I included everything with my letter to that Public Service Commission Judge...I had to get an extra large sized envelope to mail everything and mailed it certified so I could track it and get proof of when it was delivered to them. Oh, yup--this extra money will come sooooo handy for Christmastime
1 person likes this
@jerzgirl (9384)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Russell and Tinker were the cats I lost. I got them both in 1978. Russell I got in a pet shop and Tinker I rescued from some boys who were tormenting him. I still had them when I got married and had my son. Both of them would follow me when I walked around the block - I didn't have to put leashes on them or anything, but Russell was the more skittish of the two. Tinker was so cool - he LOVED riding in the car and would sit in my lap while I drove looking out the windows. I'd take him grocery shopping with me and he'd sit in the shopping cart like a little kid, never once trying to jump out or get away. And, he loved my son. There is a picture of the two of them in my profile....Tinker and my son, that is.
My mother-in-law hated that my son's name was also Russell. I named my son after my dad who was named after HIS dad. The cat was named after another cat named Russell who belonged to my cousin, but who was marked the same as him....gray with a bit of white on his face. My mother-in-law ran Russell off with a broom because she didn't want him around. She didn't chase off Tinker, but then she didn't think my son was named after Tinker. I found Russell 6 months later living in the lumberyard across the highway. I was able to get him to come to me, but someone honked their horn as I was walking back with him and he completely freaked and ran away, never to come to me again.
Tinker was supposed to come with me when I left my husband, but my step daughter took him the night before and we couldn't find him OR her. She brought him home the next day after I was out of state. My ex said that Tinker roamed the house looking for us, meowing meowing meowing and never really settled down. About a week later, he vanished. My ex was supposed to send him to me by plane, but didn't get that chance. I don't know if he took off to find us or if Tina took him again knowing her father would send him to me. I loved that cat - it was like he was part human. He loved peanuts and peanut butter. He would climb on my shoulder from behind and snag peanuts out of the can if I was eating them. He'd eat peanut butter off a spoon.
1 person likes this
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Hey pye! Nice going! I wish that I could get somewhere with
Con Ed, but I don't seem to be able to because Social Services
takes $25 out of what they give me per month, hold on to the
money forever, don't give it to Con Ed, cause me to get
cancellation notices on my electric, end up paying a portion
of the way past dues bills and I'm not supposed to contact
Con Ed on my own! So I just don't get anwwhere! Now the Con Ed
bill says I owe them over $200 when my Social Service case
closes! I have contacted my case worker who totally ignores
my letters so I am totally upset because my case will be
closing and where do they expect this $200 to come from?
This is just another stressful thing that I have to deal with
that I have no idea how to do without causing a problem for
myself. I don't want to go over my case worker's head because
that will cause me more problems. If I piss her off she will
make more grief for me. So I am stuck with no answers and am
at the mercy of the State and the will be stuck with this
Con Ed bill that I shouldn't be owing!
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Maybe you should contact your local Congressman about all this. When I was having a problem last year when my SSI was suddenly cut off out of the blue (and I had $5.71 to my name) don't ask all the forms I was filling out like crazy. Then somehow I got the inspiration to contact my local Congressman (Crowley) and it turned out they had a representative that handled disability/SSI issues...if it hadn't been for her intervention I still might be waiting to hear from Social Security (they're real speedy..LOL) It sounds to me like something crooked and fishy is going on with the Social Services you're dealing with
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
14 Nov 08
well in my case I really did know I was in the right. I think they were hoping I'd give up on the issue...heehee..they sure don't know me well.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
16 Nov 08
Brava. I am so happy for you.Power to the people! I haven't had to go to a higher level but I would. It is a wonderful feeling when you Know you are right and it is proven.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Nov 08
Believe I'm happy about it to..persistence really DOES pay off
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
16 Nov 08
Good for you!! I always love it when someone fights one of the big companies and actually WINS for once! I don't have anything as big as yours but several years ago - when I still had a good job and good credit...lol - I got my one credit card statement and I didn't even notice it at first, but there was a little insert in the envelope saying that "due to derogatory changes in my credit history with them my interest rate had been changed from 10.9% to 29.9%". I flipped because I'd never once been late with them and while I didn't normally carry much of a balance but this time we'd just come back from vacation and then something else came up so it was one of the rare times when I did. I remembered hearing on some show that sometimes if you called a credit card company or bank and requested a rate reduction they'd give it to you so I thought it was worth a shot. I guess I got really lucky because when I called the guy who answered happened to be a supervisor and he instantly reduced my rate down to lower than it had been. It seems that my payment, which I'd made online, had been credited after 8 am on the due date. What kind of BS is that? If someone mails their payment to get their on the due date they'd still be charged a late charge and have their rate increased simply because nobody gets their mail before 8 am! I felt so empowered when that happened. I'm very happy for you, going without an electric bill for two months has to be a big help right now!
Annie
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Nov 08
That's great how you got your credit interest rate changed since wow, a jump from 10.9% to 29.9% is outrageous. Sheesh, these credit cards have a nerve. I'm going to be hit with a late fee myself. I always pay off my credit card bill on-line also, but didn't realize that when I decided to pay it, it would be posted a day late, so it comes up to ensure the money is posted right away I could do so by being charged an express fee as they call it....kind of dumb as the fee would be the same near amount as the late fee...sheesh. So I just opted for the regular posting of my funds and payment
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
16 Nov 08
oh yea,i'll jump right up there if they overcharge me.
i caught my ...favorite... utility 
trying to do that to ma not too long ago for over $60 dollars.there was no way they were getting away with that after what the rest of the bill was.
trying to do that to ma not too long ago for over $60 dollars.there was no way they were getting away with that after what the rest of the bill was.1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Nov 08
Seems all these utility companies love to rip us off and unfortunately most don't complain about it. Glad to hear you complained over your mom's utility bill
@msmell (1378)
• Australia
14 Nov 08
Hey that is a bonus so your persistence worked in the end and rightly so it should! They think just coz they are big company that you are not going to fight them and they can tell you what ever they like and you just have to put up with it so i am glad that someone stood up to them for a change!
and rightly so it should! They think just coz they are big company that you are not going to fight them and they can tell you what ever they like and you just have to put up with it so i am glad that someone stood up to them for a change!1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
14 Nov 08
I guess they weren't expecting me to go to a higher level of authority about this issue. I knew I was in the right and they were wrong so I wasn't about to let the issue go without a fight of some kind...LOL
@kunking (1118)
• China
17 Nov 08
wooo.., you really set an good example and encourage us with the similar probelm. i know some people are afraid of lots of troubling procedures and accept it or give up. but if we are absolutly right and they are wrong, why should we give up?
Persistence does really pay off:)
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Nov 08
Yes, one should never give up and be persistent especially when one is right about any issue
1 person likes this
