Strafford City Hall

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 9, 2016/05/02) */ Contact Name and Title: [redacted] , City Clerk Contact Phone: XXXXXXXXXX Contact Email: ***@straffordmo.net We are aware the customer had a leak in and we replaced the water meterThe pipe from the meter to the house was not repaired by the city however as that is the responsibility of the homeownerAn adjustment was made in March once the leak was repaired to lower the sewer billing and the sewer averaging which determines the billing for the remainder of the year The customer came to us with the complaint that his neighbor's bill is lower than theirsWe sat down and attempted to explain that his neighbor uses the minimum gallons of water each month and the customer uses a large volume of water each monthBilling is based on actual water usage and sewer is based on an averageSince their usage is so much higher on water, the sewer average is also higherWe have seen no occurance of the same amount of water being used on any monthly bills We have reviewed the billing for this customer for the last years and find no errors in the billing and therefore cannot issue further credits or refunds at this time as water and sewer billing is strictly based on City Ordinances We are sorry to see unhappy customers and our only suggestion is a practice of water conservation will greatly reduce their monthly billing Initial Consumer Rebuttal / [redacted] (3000, 12, 2016/05/03) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) When we got our water leak fixed they never readjusted for our wasteMy husband went up there last month to have them explain how they figure the amounts being chargedShe first figured my neighbors and it came out rightShe then figured ours and said o no yours is not rightShe sat there and told my husband last month that the way it was being figured was wrongSomething needs to be done about thisWe are not the only ones that deal with this problem in StraffordThey are over charging people and know they are Final Business Response / [redacted] (4000, 17, 2016/05/10) */ Our Utility Clerk did not tell the customer that their billing was incorrectShe reviewed the billing with him and explained how it is calculatedWe were not notified of a leak in the averaging period for The customer's usage has high usage for several monthsWe have reviewed the account again and find no errors in billingWe also reviewed usage prior to the averaging period and looked at alternatives to their average sewer rateThe average for was set at gallons and the cheapest alternative we were able to arrive at for them was using the month period PRIOR to the averaging period and came up with an average of gallonsWe are willing to credit them the difference using the new calculation which would create a refund of $for the month period the average was set at gallonsUsing other months ended with the average being much higherWe have no other alternative as we have to bill according to actual usageI will mail the customer a copy of the spreadsheet showing their actual usage Final Consumer Response / [redacted] (4200, 20, 2016/05/12) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I just now received their billing statement in the mailNo I do not agree with the $they want to refund meThey made a statement that they were not informed of the water leak in the averaging period in That statement is not true because of the fact that the plumber requested that the city come out and replace the meter because it was leaking as wellAt that time I had the plumber replace all the pipes from the meter to the house that was all taken care of with in weeks of the leakSo them saying I didn't fix the leak within a appropriate time I do believe that is also a statementNow as for them charging me for a $sewer average for months does not make sense to meWhy should my average be based on water that was never sewageIt never went into the sewage to be sent to Springfield it went in my yardI paid for the high water bill while it was leaking why should I be punished for the the 16months when it was never sewage? Now as for their $refund I will not except that when they want to base it off months I didn't have a water leak nor months that should be their averaging monthsIt clearly states on my bill that the water usage I used for the last months does not make for being charged $worth of wasteWith the way they do the billing the best I can figure would be about $a month I should have been charged on wasteIn simple math they over charged me around $a month x months which is $Now last month when I went up there and complained again the lady got rude with me but actually sat down to show me how they come up with their averageThat's when she told me it had been wronge and my next month bill should be cheaperI have received my next month bill and imagine that it's about $cheaperI am sorry that I seem upset but it's very frustrating

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2016/05/02) */
Contact Name and Title: [redacted], City Clerk
Contact Phone: XXXXXXXXXX
Contact Email: [redacted]@straffordmo.net
We are aware the customer had a leak in 2014 and we replaced the water meter. The pipe from the meter to the house was not...

repaired by the city however as that is the responsibility of the homeowner. An adjustment was made in March 2014 once the leak was repaired to lower the sewer billing and the sewer averaging which determines the billing for the remainder of the year.
The customer came to us with the complaint that his neighbor's bill is lower than theirs. We sat down and attempted to explain that his neighbor uses the minimum gallons of water each month and the customer uses a large volume of water each month. Billing is based on actual water usage and sewer is based on an average. Since their usage is so much higher on water, the sewer average is also higher. We have seen no occurance of the same amount of water being used on any monthly bills.
We have reviewed the billing for this customer for the last 2 years and find no errors in the billing and therefore cannot issue further credits or refunds at this time as water and sewer billing is strictly based on City Ordinances.
We are sorry to see unhappy customers and our only suggestion is a practice of water conservation will greatly reduce their monthly billing.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 12, 2016/05/03) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
When we got our water leak fixed they never readjusted for our waste. My husband went up there last month to have them explain how they figure the amounts being charged. She first figured my neighbors and it came out right. She then figured ours and said o no yours is not right. She sat there and told my husband last month that the way it was being figured was wrong. Something needs to be done about this. We are not the only ones that deal with this problem in Strafford. They are over charging people and know they are.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 17, 2016/05/10) */
Our Utility Clerk did not tell the customer that their billing was incorrect. She reviewed the billing with him and explained how it is calculated. We were not notified of a leak in the averaging period for 2015. The customer's usage has high usage for several months. We have reviewed the account again and find no errors in billing. We also reviewed usage prior to the averaging period and looked at alternatives to their average sewer rate. The average for 2015 was set at 8900 gallons and the cheapest alternative we were able to arrive at for them was using the 5 month period PRIOR to the averaging period and came up with an average of 8760 gallons. We are willing to credit them the difference using the new calculation which would create a refund of $13.09 for the 12 month period the average was set at 8900 gallons. Using other months ended with the average being much higher. We have no other alternative as we have to bill according to actual usage. I will mail the customer a copy of the spreadsheet showing their actual usage.
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 20, 2016/05/12) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I just now received their billing statement in the mail. No I do not agree with the $13.09 they want to refund me. They made a statement that they were not informed of the water leak in the averaging period in 2015. That statement is not true because of the fact that the plumber requested that the city come out and replace the meter because it was leaking as well. At that time I had the plumber replace all the pipes from the meter to the house that was all taken care of with in 2 weeks of the leak. So them saying I didn't fix the leak within a appropriate time I do believe that is also a false statement. Now as for them charging me for a $92 sewer average for 16 months does not make sense to me. Why should my average be based on water that was never sewage. It never went into the sewage to be sent to Springfield it went in my yard. I paid for the high water bill while it was leaking why should I be punished for the the 16months when it was never sewage? Now as for their $13.09 refund I will not except that when they want to base it off months I didn't have a water leak nor months that should be their averaging months. It clearly states on my bill that the water usage I used for the last 16 months does not make for being charged $92 worth of waste. With the way they do the billing the best I can figure would be about $60 a month I should have been charged on waste. In simple math they over charged me around $30 a month x 16 months which is $480. Now last month when I went up there and complained again the lady got rude with me but actually sat down to show me how they come up with their average. That's when she told me it had been wronge and my next month bill should be cheaper. I have received my next month bill and imagine that it's about $30 cheaper. I am sorry that I seem upset but it's very frustrating.