Citrus Heights Water District

Review: Got water turned off for deliquent water bill. Totally my fault, saw the bill on the counter and was planning on using my new checks coming in the mail from new account. I didn't recall seeing a warning letter for shutting off water like they said they sent. My next bill was due Aug. 18 with no warnings on it. Reguardless, my fault and I payed my bill completely over the phone on July 30 and get my water turned back on. While on the phone the rep mentioned an additional $165 fee until my account becomes in good standing. After talking with the rep, we decided the fee would be waved if I signed up for auto pay. Sounded great to me... new checks in hand. They couldn't set up auto pay over the phone for whatever reason and said I needed to come in person tomorrow or my water would be shut off again. I'm was a little irritated since I would have to take time off work possibly. Next day 7/31, I decided to work from home so that I could get off work early to run to their location. 3PM comes around and I get a knock on door... the water guys are shuting off my water again!!!! I call and they all of a sudden say I needed to be there by noon. I was home all day and could have went during lunch or even before work if this was told to me. They insist I was told. I ask them to bring up phone conversation tape... they don't have one. I go to office and have to pay an additional $225 to get my water turned back on and pay for this account good standing fee. Unreal... the insist they told me to be there by noon... then they change their story and say the told me to be there as soon as possible.... like that is a time or something... very subjective statement if they said that at all. I know they said to be there the next day which I was. Just sounds like they have too much power and horrible customer service; not to mention a complete lack of common sense.Desired Settlement: I want my $225 back. My bill was paid in full. To get my water turned off for not setting up auto pay is unreal. Especially when I was in their office the next business day as they specified.

Business

Response:

I have looked into your complaint regarding the shut-off of your water

service on July 30th and agree that there was some misunderstanding

between our Customer Service Administrator and our Customer Service

Representative as to what had been communicated to you regarding when

you were told to come in to sign up for the auto-pay service. The

Customer Service Administrator was following our District policies

regarding accounts that have had service disconnected due to

non-payment, which your account had gone into such status on July 29th.

However, I do understand that you called in and paid the past due

amounts and the disconnect fee on the 29th and had your water service

restored. And, I also understand that the problem on July 30th that

resulted in the second disconnection of your water service was due to

the breakdown in communication between our District employees and what

was communicated to you regarding timing for coming to the office to

sign up for the auto-pay service.

As part of my research, I looked at the payment history of your account

and found that since July 2012 your account has been assessed late

payment penalties on ten occasions. And six out of those ten times,

late payment resulted in you receiving a 3-day notice of intent to

terminate. This payment history was taken into account by the Customer

Service Administrator when she made the determination to require a

deposit on your account or, as an alternative, offered to waive the

deposit provided you signed up for auto-pay for a minimum of twelve

months.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.