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Need some help for Wisconsin Electrical disconnect notices URGENT!

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Tcbys

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

I been having problems with the local power company in my town for sometime. I currently owe 800 dollars but Two weeks ago I paid off 1000 dollars trying to get that bill down. On friday they gave me a Two Day disconnect notice instead of 10. Thinking it was a typo or something because 10 days from Friday was monday. But at 4PM Local time they came and disconnected me. I called up the owner of the power company and tried to reason and said I paid off 1000 dollars in a span of 5 days but you are not giving me 10 day notice of disconnect. Also my power bills are much higher than my neighbors and I hardly use anything that consumes power other than my PC and appliances. Sence I lived at my location not once did I see anyone read my meter. About 30 mins after I called the owner of the power company using my cell the person said due to an error in the disconnect notice the owner said I have 24 hours to pay 400 dollars on my bill or be disconnected. Thats where I am now.

Am I entitled to a 10 day disconnect notice or what? Its quite hard to reason with the owner of this power company. Any help would be most appreciated.
 


Proserpina

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

I been having problems with the local power company in my town for sometime. I currently owe 800 dollars but Two weeks ago I paid off 1000 dollars trying to get that bill down. On friday they gave me a Two Day disconnect notice instead of 10. Thinking it was a typo or something because 10 days from Friday was monday. But at 4PM Local time they came and disconnected me. I called up the owner of the power company and tried to reason and said I paid off 1000 dollars in a span of 5 days but you are not giving me 10 day notice of disconnect. Also my power bills are much higher than my neighbors and I hardly use anything that consumes power other than my PC and appliances. Sence I lived at my location not once did I see anyone read my meter. About 30 mins after I called the owner of the power company using my cell the person said due to an error in the disconnect notice the owner said I have 24 hours to pay 400 dollars on my bill or be disconnected. Thats where I am now.

Am I entitled to a 10 day disconnect notice or what? Its quite hard to reason with the owner of this power company. Any help would be most appreciated.


According to this, 10 days is not a requirement.

http://psc.wi.gov/thelibrary/publications/general/consumer04.pdf
 

OHRoadwarrior

Senior Member
I suggest you cross reference your bill to the meter. I also suggest you consider shutting of your main box and seeing if power is still being drawn.
 

sandyclaus

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

I been having problems with the local power company in my town for sometime. I currently owe 800 dollars but Two weeks ago I paid off 1000 dollars trying to get that bill down. On friday they gave me a Two Day disconnect notice instead of 10. Thinking it was a typo or something because 10 days from Friday was monday. But at 4PM Local time they came and disconnected me. I called up the owner of the power company and tried to reason and said I paid off 1000 dollars in a span of 5 days but you are not giving me 10 day notice of disconnect. Also my power bills are much higher than my neighbors and I hardly use anything that consumes power other than my PC and appliances. Sence I lived at my location not once did I see anyone read my meter. About 30 mins after I called the owner of the power company using my cell the person said due to an error in the disconnect notice the owner said I have 24 hours to pay 400 dollars on my bill or be disconnected. Thats where I am now.

Am I entitled to a 10 day disconnect notice or what? Its quite hard to reason with the owner of this power company. Any help would be most appreciated.
It doesn't sound like a problem with the power company. It sounds like an "I want to pay what I want to pay when I decide to pay it, and let the power company kiss my behind if they don't like it" problem.

Anyone who has an outstanding bill of $1800 to begin with means that the bill hasn't been paid in full for some time. Sure, you paid off $1000 of that, but there's still $800 outstanding that needs to be paid. I don't know how much your monthly bill is, but if it's that high, you either have a issues with power leakage or crossed wiring, or someone is siphoning power from you that you don't know about, or you are just consuming an unusually high amount of electricity on a regular basis and conservation is seriously in order.

It appears your local power company has waited too patiently for too long and has finally decided to get serious about cutting you off unless you make another significant payment SOON. This is not about reasoning with the power company. Their threats of disconnection for nonpayment are in line with the regulations of your local Public Service Commission. They want their money, and they no longer want to let you continue to accumulate more unpaid bills for service until you've taken responsibility and paid for the service you've already used. That's not only fair, but quite appropriate under the circumstances.
 

CSO286

Senior Member
Wisconsin happens to be one of those states where they cannot disconnect in winter (generally November-April).
Can I offer some clarification of the cold weather rule in most of our fine northern states???

The power companies can still shut you off for failure to pay in winter--UNLESS the customer invokes the cold weather rule, enters into and complies with a payment plan. These payment agreements are usually for a significantly reduced monthly payment, but the difference between that and the regular monthly billing gets added to the balance and come April 15 or so, the power companies get rather antsy about getting paid.....
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
Surely I'm not the only one to have noticed that currently, it is August and not considered winter in any part of the US?
 

mmmagique

Member
Surely I'm not the only one to have noticed that currently, it is August and not considered winter in any part of the US?
They are mentioning that because they believe the power company is doing this now, so as to avoid an issue of not being able to later in the year.
 

CSO286

Senior Member
Exactly.

The cold weather rule--in most northern states--is available to be utilized by customers from October-April.

Our OP should have his meter evaluated for accuracy if he truly beleives his bills are much higher than they should be and pay his bill in full.
 

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