- Report: #745377
Complaint Review: Consumers Energy - mount pleasant Michigan
Reported By:
col redman -
Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
Consumers Energy
mount pleasant, 48858 Michigan, United States of America
Phone:
Web:
www.consumersenergy.com
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Consumers Energy misreported type of billing tool used mount pleasant, Michigan
Last month I received a bill from consumers energy for a 30 day period of electrical usage. The bill was for $140.00 and was detailed as being obtained through an "actual" meter reading. Interestingly, I was at home the entire day that the alleged reading took place.
My most recent bill was another "actual" report that was used to bill me nearly $900.00 for the most recent 30 day electrical use period. I have since added up all of my appliances and have discovered that it would be absolutely impossible for the bill of $140.00 to be an 'actual' reading. My average consumption based on my appliances and the increased over-rates during the months of June-Sept., should average between $350-$450 per month.
Because an actual reading was not taken, but was reported to be actual on the bill, not only was my budget destroyed by this deception, but the majority of my electrical usage from the previous period (May) was forwarded to a billing period (June) that doubles the kwh fee for every kwh above 600kwh. In addition to this overcharging, I was charged some 180 dollars for using more than 5kwh in the 30 day period, which would not have taken place if they had actually done an "actual" meter reading as they reported they had.
Can anyone help me track down the liability laws that require consumers energy to accurately report how determination of electrical usage was obtained? (i.e. actual reading or through an estimate) And also does their (consumers) statement of an "actual" reading constitute fraud, when an estimation was actually used, or vise-versa?
My most recent bill was another "actual" report that was used to bill me nearly $900.00 for the most recent 30 day electrical use period. I have since added up all of my appliances and have discovered that it would be absolutely impossible for the bill of $140.00 to be an 'actual' reading. My average consumption based on my appliances and the increased over-rates during the months of June-Sept., should average between $350-$450 per month.
Because an actual reading was not taken, but was reported to be actual on the bill, not only was my budget destroyed by this deception, but the majority of my electrical usage from the previous period (May) was forwarded to a billing period (June) that doubles the kwh fee for every kwh above 600kwh. In addition to this overcharging, I was charged some 180 dollars for using more than 5kwh in the 30 day period, which would not have taken place if they had actually done an "actual" meter reading as they reported they had.
Can anyone help me track down the liability laws that require consumers energy to accurately report how determination of electrical usage was obtained? (i.e. actual reading or through an estimate) And also does their (consumers) statement of an "actual" reading constitute fraud, when an estimation was actually used, or vise-versa?
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Josh
Rolla,Missouri,
U.S.A.
Have you tried calling them?
#2Consumer Suggestion
Sun, June 26, 2011
Have you tried calling them? Sounds like what happened is the meter reader misread the meter. So it probably is an actual reading, just not a correct one. Call them and tell them what you think happened; usually, if you are persistent, they will do something. Obviously, the best you can hope for is to redistribute the usage between the two months (thereby reducing the rate you are paying) -- they aren't going to give you free electricity just because they misread the meter one time, and it doesn't constitute fraud. If they refuse to do anything, contact your state's public utility commission and make a formal complaint. Be prepared to submit copies of a few months of previous bills that show consistent usage.
