I just received the water bill for my work address. Enclosed in the envelope was a letter stating that the handling of past due amounts had been changed. Altough these changes don't affect us(I have the bill direct drafted each month), I thought the condition seemed a little unjust.
The bill is due on the 20th of the month. Afer that there will be a fee of 10% added to the bill. If it isn't paid by the 28th, it will be disconnected, without further notice, no exceptions. If disconnected, there will be a $25 disconnection fee added to the account. Before the account will be turned back there, the account balance plus a $50 reconnection fee must be paid. If it is after hours, there will be a $100 reconnection fee. This just seems a little brutal to me.
If someone doesn't have the money to pay their water bill, how are they going to come up with the additional fees required? I would think that in this day and time, when the unemployment rate is so high, that a local utility would work with people a little bit more. I am not talking about the homes that are months and months behind and don't communicate with the utilities at all. I am talking about the one that are doing the best they can, call to communicate what is going on and keeps promised pay dates. It is no wonder that people are becoming more desperate!
I am so thankful that I am learning to not have to put myself in that situation anymore!
My Rant: heartless utility companies
January 6th, 2009 at 05:10 pm
January 6th, 2009 at 05:28 pm 1231262898
The disconnect/reconnect fees are very reasonable if someone actually needs to go to the area in order to do that.
Do you think that everyone is entitled to utilities irrespective of their ability to pay? If so, than it should be socialized (which would lead to a bigger waste of natural resources since people won't have incentive to conserve). But as long as it is a business, it needs to try to survive and get paid so it can pay its workers, develop new infrastructure.... to operate.
January 6th, 2009 at 05:37 pm 1231263455
January 6th, 2009 at 05:46 pm 1231264007
Maybe they are just trying to place themselves a bit higher on people's "to pay" list.
January 6th, 2009 at 05:57 pm 1231264622
January 6th, 2009 at 06:46 pm 1231267610
Here, if you are one month late you'll be charged like $1.40 and they would only threaten after 3 month. So while we don't have any problems paying it, it is just so easy to forget about it (since it carries almost no consequence).
January 6th, 2009 at 07:26 pm 1231269992
January 6th, 2009 at 08:22 pm 1231273359
February 20th, 2009 at 12:28 am 1235089705