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First Choice Power Complaint - First Choice Power is NO CHOICE - Utilities - Electricity Provider
Utilities - Electricity Provider - Complaint
ALVIN, TEXAS -- We moved into our new trailer on 9/1/08 and were connected with FCP no problems. Our electricity was off due to Hurricane Ike from 9/13-20 and when we got our first bill on 10/10 it was for $540 for 3003 kwh. $540 for a month we were never home, have energy efficient light bulbs everywhere, rarely run appliances, AND power off for 8 days due to hurricane?!?! The landlord said that the highest it had EVER been was $240.
When we called to ask about it, a very nice lady said that the bill was due in 30 days and if we made payments it was fine, as long as we were paying. The next day, we got a pink disconnect notice and said that the bill was due on the 23rd of October, so we called back and a disgruntled man said that if its not paid in FULL by 11/3 it will be disconnected, no questions asked. Well, we didn't have the Full amount of money and no way to come up with it, so we switched our service to Spark Energy which is .04 cents cheaper anyways. Our power got switched over just fine and now that we are with Spark, I got a "Final Bill" in the mail from FCP yesterday saying that our account had been credited the $540 and that we really had only used 810 kwh that month and 723 for Oct... S
o our 2 months COMBINED Plus the $150 disconnect fee was still $100 less than they were harassing us to pay for just one month. It also states that "It appears that you overlooked paying last months bill" and that "Due to Hurricane Ike, we are not charging late fees and you may be qualified for deferred billing." Where were these advantages when we were dealing with the aftermath of the Hurricane??? How is it ok and LEGAL for that matter for them to harass us for a bill that was so OBVIOUSLY WRONG??? I am filing a complaint with the BBB and will never recommend anyone to use FCP. I will also pay the sum of the 2 months bills, but I will never pay the disconnect fee.
Seems to me that they were trying to scam us out of $400 initially and now that we disconnected, they are taking $150... either way, they get money that belongs to us that they are not entitled to.
When we called to ask about it, a very nice lady said that the bill was due in 30 days and if we made payments it was fine, as long as we were paying. The next day, we got a pink disconnect notice and said that the bill was due on the 23rd of October, so we called back and a disgruntled man said that if its not paid in FULL by 11/3 it will be disconnected, no questions asked. Well, we didn't have the Full amount of money and no way to come up with it, so we switched our service to Spark Energy which is .04 cents cheaper anyways. Our power got switched over just fine and now that we are with Spark, I got a "Final Bill" in the mail from FCP yesterday saying that our account had been credited the $540 and that we really had only used 810 kwh that month and 723 for Oct... S
o our 2 months COMBINED Plus the $150 disconnect fee was still $100 less than they were harassing us to pay for just one month. It also states that "It appears that you overlooked paying last months bill" and that "Due to Hurricane Ike, we are not charging late fees and you may be qualified for deferred billing." Where were these advantages when we were dealing with the aftermath of the Hurricane??? How is it ok and LEGAL for that matter for them to harass us for a bill that was so OBVIOUSLY WRONG??? I am filing a complaint with the BBB and will never recommend anyone to use FCP. I will also pay the sum of the 2 months bills, but I will never pay the disconnect fee.
Seems to me that they were trying to scam us out of $400 initially and now that we disconnected, they are taking $150... either way, they get money that belongs to us that they are not entitled to.
Comments:
Posted by Ponie on 2008-11-11:
What a bummer! But it's a good thing you have more than one power company. Where I live, I have to hook up to DTE--or sit in the dark, can't use the microwave, and it gets quite hot here in the summer.
Posted by Robf on 2008-11-11:
You may also wish to file a complaint with the Texas Public Utilities Commission.
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