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I'm surprised not to find a topic on this

http://www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20...archID=7326824374788

Yesterday, Sheffield Utilities pulled the power on many of the people still trying to "catch up" from their (Sheffield Utilities) recent billing trouble. Any other business would have to eat the cost of such a mistake. But, Sheffield Utilities LOANED the money to the city instead. What a wonderful way to spend our money!

There were many solutions that would have been more fair, such as estimate a bill(s) from past bills. Yes, I was one of those people that got shafted, but was fortunate enough to be able to cover the almost 200% increase I recieved. Many were not so lucky, and are now in the dark because of this. I, myself have a lease clause stating failure to keep utilities for any period will void my lease. Hopefully, few if any of those without power have similar clauses.

I will not explain where the Whole of Sheffield Utilities can go. Nor will I say what they can do when they arrive there. God help anyone who were to threaten anyone at the Utilities, because then they'd be a "terrorist". Although I'm positive there are those that would like to.

Maybe next time we'll at least get a friendly kiss first....
"Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic."
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So this was just a billing error and was no fault of the customers'? How can the Utility department do this when it was their mistake.

This sounds like a class action lawsuit waiting to happen. Maybe they could somehow sic the ACLU on Sheffield Utilities? Someone should also try to get national exposure for this, maybe by calling the network morning shows or something. If this truly was an error on the part of the Utility, and people have actually had their power shut off, it is an outrage.
I just carefully re-read the article.

The people were undercharged all summer. Now it makes a little more sense. I initially thought that the high bills were strictly billing errors and the Utility was trying to make people pay an incorrect amount.

Still, I would never trust them again if I lived in Sheffield. People really do need to read their own meters, and as much as it would gripe us, if we find that we are undercharged, we should report that as well as any overcharges. As these poor people in Sheffield have found out, no government agency is going to eat their mistakes. We always end up paying.

There is no doubt that they could have made available ways for people to pay what was owed over time, adding a little to each bill until it was paid. And there should have been a very generous time frame in which to accomplish this.

This kind of thing makes people feel that the government, state or local or national, is out to get them.
"Payment schedules are being offered to customers over a three-month period, and late fees will not be assessed."
The previous statement is a quote from the article. I just paid my utility bill and was a couple days late, and yes I was charged a late fee. I would also like to get on that three-month payment schedule they mention in the article that nobody I know has heard of in Sheffield.
quote:
Originally posted by themax:
Jimbo, always remember these words " I would like to speak to your boss" even if you have to repeat it 10 times.


Sheffield Utilities makes a HUGE mistake like that then they "GIVE" the customers 3 months to catch up... Not enough time for people trying to make ends meet!!!

It was NOT the customer's fault, the customer did NOT get behind, SHEFFIELD got behind.

Some people live pay check to pay check, and had no clue they were being undercharged, and now they get the plug pulled...

I think a class action law suit just might settle all this... but that is just my opinion, and would make it hard for everyone involved, I guess...

I think it is just horrible that Sheffield didn't either eat the cost of their mistake, or give longer time to catch up, or give HUGE discounts to those affected by this inadequecy.
quote:
Originally posted by Shiroshi:
I'm surprised not to find a topic on this

http://www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20...archID=7326824374788

Yesterday, Sheffield Utilities pulled the power on many of the people still trying to "catch up" from their (Sheffield Utilities) recent billing trouble. Any other business would have to eat the cost of such a mistake. But, Sheffield Utilities LOANED the money to the city instead. What a wonderful way to spend our money!

There were many solutions that would have been more fair, such as estimate a bill(s) from past bills. Yes, I was one of those people that got shafted, but was fortunate enough to be able to cover the almost 200% increase I recieved. Many were not so lucky, and are now in the dark because of this. I, myself have a lease clause stating failure to keep utilities for any period will void my lease. Hopefully, few if any of those without power have similar clauses.

I will not explain where the Whole of Sheffield Utilities can go. Nor will I say what they can do when they arrive there. God help anyone who were to threaten anyone at the Utilities, because then they'd be a "terrorist". Although I'm positive there are those that would like to.

Maybe next time we'll at least get a friendly kiss first....


The topic was discussed and debated ad nauseam when it actually happened.....August 2006.
quote:
Originally posted by grease_lightning:
Did anyone complain those months that their bills were lower than they were supposed to be?

LOL....of course not! Actually, it was subtle. I didn't notice a reduction in usual/average monthly charges at all. Up until the August 2006 billing (the one on which Sheffield 'corrected' the billing), I had never been surprised when 1st seeing my bill. For 6 years in my current home, I have been able to guess my billing within $20-$30 based on the month/weather. I looked back over the last 5 years billing during May-July and all 5 years were similar charges....even with 2006 May-July being a little bit HIGHER than the previous 5 years! And then to get a bill that was well over $300 more than I have ever been billed??? Not a chance, I still believe they ripped me off. Being a realist though, I have yet to be pissed off enough to spend triple that to hire an attorney.....
quote:
Originally posted by grease_lightning:
Did anyone complain those months that their bills were lower than they were supposed to be?


Since most people do not know exactly what their bill is going to be every month, a few dollars less would make people think they might be using less, or just glad it was a little cheaper.... Heck, I have even done that myself... Unless you KNOW how to read your meters, and keep up with them on the same days the power companies do, then it could happen to you, me or anyone else.

No one knew they were being charged less, THAT was Sheffield's huge mistake, not the people... The people I know that live in Sheffield is appalled at all this.

I think they need to all see a lawyer, but that's my opinion...

And yes, you CAN fight city hall, if you have enough names on the list.
quote:
Originally posted by REDNEVEDNAV:
quote:
Originally posted by grease_lightning:
Did anyone complain those months that their bills were lower than they were supposed to be?

LOL....of course not! Actually, it was subtle. I didn't notice a reduction in usual/average monthly charges at all. Up until the August 2006 billing (the one on which Sheffield 'corrected' the billing), I had never been surprised when 1st seeing my bill. For 6 years in my current home, I have been able to guess my billing within $20-$30 based on the month/weather. I looked back over the last 5 years billing during May-July and all 5 years were similar charges....even with 2006 May-July being a little bit HIGHER than the previous 5 years! And then to get a bill that was well over $300 more than I have ever been billed??? Not a chance, I still believe they ripped me off. Being a realist though, I have yet to be pissed off enough to spend triple that to hire an attorney.....


Red, even I believe you were ripped off... I think some of my other friends were too... it was not the RESIDENTS fault, but the COMPANY... Now it is time for the company to suck it up and leave people alone about it... or the people should really talk to a lawyer because they did NOTHING wrong.
quote:
Originally posted by REDNEVEDNAV:
quote:
Originally posted by grease_lightning:
Did anyone complain those months that their bills were lower than they were supposed to be?

LOL....of course not! Actually, it was subtle. I didn't notice a reduction in usual/average monthly charges at all. Up until the August 2006 billing (the one on which Sheffield 'corrected' the billing), I had never been surprised when 1st seeing my bill. For 6 years in my current home, I have been able to guess my billing within $20-$30 based on the month/weather. I looked back over the last 5 years billing during May-July and all 5 years were similar charges....even with 2006 May-July being a little bit HIGHER than the previous 5 years! And then to get a bill that was well over $300 more than I have ever been billed??? Not a chance, I still believe they ripped me off. Being a realist though, I have yet to be pissed off enough to spend triple that to hire an attorney.....


I know one resident in the Village who had a $87 bill and didn't mind that at all. They also never called to enquire why. My brother also had a low bill and stated, "this is the lowest bill I have ever had". He also knew they had made a mistake, but didn't take any action. So when these two residents rec'd the high bill to make up for the 3 months of misreadings...they kind of said, well I figured they'd catch up sooner or later. I am fortunate enough that I live in an area where someone else reads my meter and that lazy bum didn't. If I'm charged for something I didn't use then I'm ticked...but if I've used it, then I'm going to pay for it.
quote:
Originally posted by grease_lightning:
I know one resident in the Village who had a $87 bill and didn't mind that at all. They also never called to enquire why. My brother also had a low bill and stated, "this is the lowest bill I have ever had". He also knew they had made a mistake, but didn't take any action. So when these two residents rec'd the high bill to make up for the 3 months of misreadings...they kind of said, well I figured they'd catch up sooner or later. I am fortunate enough that I live in an area where someone else reads my meter and that lazy bum didn't. If I'm charged for something I didn't use then I'm ticked...but if I've used it, then I'm going to pay for it.


True. Despite the mistake on SU's part in not reading the meters, the service was still used. I found it funny that people seemed to be using the mishap to attempt to get something for nothing. My only complaint was that my billing in the disputed month's was HIGHER than the average over the last 5 years for the same time period....even with my house shut down completely for 3 weeks in July....everything was off except for hot water heater and clocks....and it still billed out higher than any of the other summer months. I would have never had a problem if I had been billed much less than usual and then corrected later.
I too was once a victim of Sheffield Utilities neglegence.. In 1993 I moved into a trailer in Spring Valley, provided that the meter was on another structure right next to the trailer I moved into. It was legal, and no one had said other wise. Sheffield Utilities provided the service. In 1999, the structure was torn down and a utility pole was to be placed on the other side of the yard, so as not to lose electricity, my father did so for me, we contacted Sheffield Utilities, they said they would charge $50.00 to move the meter from one end of the yard to the other, not even 60 feet from the orignial placement of the meter. So we did as told, they came out within the next few days, moved the meter and that was that.. So we thought.. Among all the craziness of being a single mother and working 2 jobs, I had noticed that for some reason or another, I couldn't remember if I had paid my light bill or not, well I hadn't because I had NOT received one, for 3 1/2 month's I had not received nothing from Sheffield Utilities. So, I did the right thing, I called them and spoke to the "lady in charge", she ask's for my name and looks it up and say's, well, It shows here that you don't have utilities with us, you had it turned off back 3 month's ago. I explained to her the situation about the moving of the meter and all, she had told me that she would get back with me ASAP. 4 hours later I get a call back, she say's, I found out what happened and I'm sorry that this has happened to you, I found your paper work out on the dash of one of the work trucks, and I can calculate your bill for you and when you receive it, We will give you an extra 2 weeks to pay your bill. 2 WEEKS? well needless to say I came home one night from work, and yep, no lights. Sheffield Utilities had cut me off, no notice, no phone call, nothing. My 2 weeks had ran out.. I was just thankful it was in the middle of July and the weather wasn't too bad that year.

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