Missouri American Water Co

We visited the property to investigate her high bill on 11/1/17.  The meter was showing registration indicating there is a possible leak of some kind.  The customer refused access to her home for any internal inspection.  The read of 95 was in line with the billed read.  The data...

from the meter shows usage of 7 gallons per hour pretty consistently.  A supervisor has tried to contact the customer but has gotten no answer.  He left his direct contact information to discuss any and all her concerns.  We are still awaiting the call to be returned.  If additional information is needed please contact mawc complaint group  [redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 12, 2015/05/27) */
The stop box is customer owned. The installation, maintenance, and repairs would be the customer responsibility. We did respond to the customer and our insurance company has handled her claim. If there are additional questions related to the...

claim please contact Travelers insurance. For any other information please contact [redacted] at XXX-XXX-XXXX or [redacted]@amwater.com
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 14, 2015/05/31) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
As I mentioned in my original complaint, I am also upset with the fact that Missouri American Water informed me that an emergency request was submitted, but a service technician never showed up to my house. I was told they would show up that night (3/25/2015) and they never did. Around 8am on 3/26/2015, when I called them to check on the status, they said it was downgraded to a non-emergency - even though I couldn't flush the toilet or take a shower. They then re-submitted the emergency request and informed me someone would be there that morning. I called later that morning to double check on the status and I was informed yet again that it was downgraded to a non-emergency and that the technician would be out the next day. Because of this, I was forced to call a plumber because I could not use my water. If Missouri American Water had shown up when I was told they would originally show up, I would not have had to pay $115 for a plumber. When I was dealing with their insurance company, their insurance agent ([redacted] informed me that there is nothing in their policy that says they have to respond to an emergency request in any time frame. I think that is unfair to paying customers. My fear is that if this happens again, I could be waiting days for Missouri American Water to address my issue, which means I could be going days without water. The failure of Missouri American Water to respond to my issue by neglecting to show up to my house when requested - and being told by their customer service that they would in fact be there that night - requires compensation for my inconvenience. Their policy, according to their insurance agent, clearly states that they don't have to address water emergencies in any time frame. How are customers to protect themselves against this approach?

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2015/12/03) */
We reviewed the complaint and proper notification was provided prior to discontinuance of service for non payment. As a courtesy to resolve this complaint a courtesy adjustment of $50 has been applied to the account. If additional information...

is needed please contact [redacted] at XXX-XXX-XXXX or [redacted]@amwater.com.

The customer called on 05.08.17 for a general billing inquiry. On 08.21.17, the customer called stating that they moved out 06.02.17. She requested EFT payment arrangements be stopped, updated her email address, and said she would fax closing documents. We received the closing papers the following day. On 09.07.17, we credited $252.41 from the account for service from 05.17.17 to 08.18.17 and billed the customer $31.16 for usage from 05.17.17 to 06.02.17.

The customer owns the valve and all plumbing that supplies water service to his residence.  As a condition of service his service line and other operational parts must be kept in working condition.  The repair is the customers responsiblity and we will not be making such repairs as...

previously communicated to the customer.  Also, when there is water running and no one is at the property our guidelines do not allow us to leave the disconnected service on.  This was the case for the customer for his reconnection after non payment.  We do hope this explanation resolves the customers concerns.  If additional information is needed please contact [redacted] at [redacted] or [redacted]@amwater.com

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

The customer must work with the insurance provider Travelers regarding this claim.  If additional information is needed regarding the claim please contact the insurance provider.  [redacted] is available at [redacted] or [redacted]@amwater.com

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/06/24) */
We mailed a discontinuance notice on 5/15/15 and placed two phone calls on 5/1915 to the customer regarding the pending disconnection for non payment. Payment was not received and the service were discontinued. The service have now been...

restored after a payment was made. The proper guidelines were followed for notification of pending discontinuance for non payment of services for $76.45. If addtional informaiton is needed please contact [redacted] at XXX-XXX-XXXX or [redacted]@amwater.com

Mr. [redacted], The account was activated when the water service was restored.  We mailed an invoice to you in May advising that the account was active for a total of $151.14.  I have issued a credit to care for this amount.  Please consider this communication as notification that the issue has been resolved by us.  If you need further information please do not hesitate to contact me directly at [redacted] or [redacted]@amwater.com.  Regards, [redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2015/09/29) */
We went out in August and verified customer was only billed for usage that went through the meter and reads were correct. As a courtesy to resolve complaint a credit of $40 was issued which is half of the higher usage from the previous bill. If...

additional information is needed please contact [redacted] @ XXX-XXX-XXXX or [redacted]@amwater.com

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: There has been no resolution. The last action from American Water was to cut off our water. I had to call up yet again to get the water put on. Since then no communication has been received from American Water and I am unaware of the current status. I was told I had to wait until July before a decision was made as to what is going on. If the account is active and everything is resolved then why have I not received any notifications?
Sincerely,
[redacted]

The customer stated that she mailed checks on 05.30.17 and 07.07.17 to American Water, [redacted] and both checks were returned to her. The customer received a...

disconnection notice. The customer stated that when she called the call center, the call handler had no record of the checks being returned. The address that the customer sent the checks to is a post office box that vendors mail their invoices to for Missouri American Water. Customer payments are not received or processed at this location. The address to remit payments to is on the invoice; for Missouri American Water customers, the address is [redacted]. I have processed a $5.00 courtesy adjustment on the customer's account to cover the cost of paying her bill online. I did not grant a $50.00 credit that the customer requested.

I have reviewed the complaint and did see the contacts regarding the issue.  I have issued a credit for $136.08 as a courtesy adjustment to resolve the complaint.  That includes $108.08 outstanding balance, $3.00 for fax, and $25.00 additional.  We do hope this resolves the...

customers complaint.  If additional information is needed please contact [redacted] at [redacted] or [redacted]@amwater.com

Final Consumer Response /* (1500, 10, 2015/12/01) */

Contact Name and Title: [redacted]
Contact Phone: [redacted]
Contact Email: [redacted]
The customer contacted the company after receiving a high bill. The company issued a service order to check the customer's concerns. On 10/29/2015 a leak was discovered at the customer's...

property. The company does not locate leaks. The customer was advised that if he repairs the leak he maybe be eligible for a leak adjustment. The customer was disagreeable to the suggestion. The customer's water was disconnected for nonpayment. After the customer repairs the leak we advise that he contacts the company to submit a leak adjustment request.

We reviewed the customers concerns and sent two letters advising that the customer was estimated for periods prior to the higher bill based on actual usage on the meter.  At the time the meter was removed for a periodic change the actual read of 745 was in line with the previously estimated...

read of 666.  I looked at previous years and this usage does appear to be higher than before.  I have issued a courtesy adjustment for $140.38 which is for 50% of the unexplained usage and 50% of the tax on the high bill.  We do hope that this resolves the customers issue.  If additional information is needed please contact [redacted] at [redacted] or [redacted]

We have reviewed the customers account and found that all of the invoices have been based on actual usage.  The account has not had any estimates in the last 2 years.  We added a read transmission device but the meter has been in place since January 2015.  The bills are correct as...

rendered.  If additional information is needed please contact [redacted]@amwater.com [redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: it does not make sense that the previous owners stopped paying two years before they moved and no one can say why. It also does not explain why no one at sewer company has approached this issue for 7 years. The company regulations say that we must follow their guidelines if we have a agreement for services but we did not so we should not be responsible for a service that they provided without our knowledge.  Our real estate contract never mentioned sewer service, only a septic tank.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me provided the work is completed in the time frame outlined in their response. Sincerely, [redacted]