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Where is Erin Brokovich when I need her?

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Actingi

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA

Moved to a new apartment, where I was responsible for the electric bill, from Pacific Gas and Electric (same company Erin Brokovich sued in the movie).

I am single, live in a one-bedroom apartment, NEVER have anyone over, and for the first three weeks (while waiting for my belongings from overseas), I literally only had the fridge and overhead lights that came with the apartment.

First electric bill?

Two hundred bucks.

Of course, I just laughed. I assumed it was a typo, I didn't even worry about it. Once I confirmed other people in my apartment (including married couples with kids) were paying about 40 bucks a month, I figured everything was fine. I called the customer service that same day, explained I was being charged 200 bucks, and that was crazy. Guy said sorry about that, wait till the next bill comes and we'll figure it out. Great.

Next bill comes.

Two hundred bucks.

I call again. Go through two people who tell me 200 bucks a months is perfectly normal, until I explain that I have no air conditioning, etc etc. Finally get a guy who says it could be an electric leak, and if that's the case, get an electrician to find it and confirm it, and they'll fix my bill. Great.

Landlord calls electrician, he finds loose wire that says probably wouldn't cause the problem, but he fixes and reports it anyway.

Next bill comes.

Two hundred bucks.

I call again, say this is outrageous. They say they'll work on it.

I go out of town for three weeks, return home, I have no electricity. It's been turned off because I've never paid a dime.

Talk to an extremely rude woman who REFUSES to talk to me about my ongoing dispute until I send her the 600 bucks I owe...even though my dispute IS that I don't owe 600 bucks. She says the company can't do anything about that now, because I didn't call when I first noticed the problem. I inform her that I DID call when I first noticed the problem, and have called at least seven times, often with witnesses who I pass the phone off to (Landlord, electrician, etc). She says there is no record, so I must be LYING. Then she tries to HANG UP on me, until I tell her that I want transferred to the customer service feedback survey, at which point she finally gets me her supervisor.

Supervisor is no help, gets me HER suprevisor.

Finally, once I add the fact that I am being deployed to Iraq in two weeks and do not have TIME for this, she says there will be an investigation that should answer this within the week. In the meantime, to get electric turned back on, I have to pay the first bill, which was about 220 dollars. I refuse, insisting I don't owe 220 dollars for all three months, much less for one month. We finally negotiate to around 180 bucks, which I pay, and electric is turned back on.

Two weeks pass with no word on the investigation, then I receive a letter in my mail one day before I deploy to Iraq.

They need more information...including the "police report, detailing the vandalism to your apartment."

I call, telling them they are insane, there is no police report, no vandalism, this has nothing to do with my investigation.





They have never heard of me.



They say I've never called before.




This is INSANE...and no doubt reflecting on my credit report. To make matters worse, I am heading to Iraq in a couple of HOURS, where I will be for six months.




Any thoughts?
 


seniorjudge

Senior Member
Be very careful in Iraq.

They can't do anything to you till you get back.

Thank you for your service to the country.
 

Actingi

Junior Member
So, your advice would be...to stay in Iraq?

Hehe. Thanks for the well wishes!


But I wasn't specific...I'm thinking more along the lines of "what can I do to THEM?" As in suing. Given that I can prove my side of the story with witnesses and phone records and such, and the fact that I have tried for months to handle this out of court and literally had to start over every time...do you think that's the next step?
 

quincy

Senior Member
A couple of questions (actually three):

Could the former tenant in your apartment have left an outstanding bill? And could this tenant have been on a payment plan, $200 a month perhaps? Are the bills you are getting estimated readings or actual?

My advice is to continue to call the utility company, and to document all calls and correspondence as you have been doing. Continue to ask for whatever-person-you-talk-to's supervisor. Threaten legal action, if necessary (but I don't think court action in your situation is worth the time or expense). Send all documentation to the utility company, along with copies of all of your bills.

Utilities are required to refund overcharges, but I believe the problem you are having is trying to correct the faulty billing without paying the overcharges first. That's wise, of course, but utilities for some reason seem to have more difficulty operating that way.

If adjustments are not made (and I doubt they will be before you head to Iraq), you can visit PG & E's website and email a complaint. You can file a complaint with the California Public Utilities Commission. And you can notify the Attorney General's office that PG & E is overcharging you on your utility use and they are failing to correct the errors, even turning your service off at one time. Say that you are too busy serving our country in Iraq (for which we all thank you, by the way) to deal with the matter.

As a final resort, Erin Brockovich does have a website (www.erinbrockovich.com), she is located in California, and she promises to read (if not respond to) all emails sent. ;)

Stay safe.
 
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Actingi

Junior Member
Quincy,

Thank you for your very helpful reply! To answer your questions, I did look into the possibility of either the landlord or previous tenant owing the money, but this turned out to not be the case. And these are "actual" readings.

I will contact the Utilities Comission and Attorney General's office, as you suggested. Thanks again!
 

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