Electric Bill

[Baltimore Guy]

Just thought I would let you know this, if you are a snowbird or someone who is not here all the time, make sure you pay your electric bill on time. We just had two house's that were a few days late and they turned off there power right away. We found about it a few days later, the people where up north and had all there food in there refrigerator go bad, this was SECO and they were on the phone for a hour with SECO to get it turned back on that day.:ohdear:

[KeepingItReal]

Just thought I would let you know this, if you are a snowbird or someone who is not here all the time, make sure you pay your electric bill on time. We just had two house's that were a few days late and they turned off there power right away. We found about it a few days later, the people where up north and had all there food in there refrigerator go bad, this was SECO and they were on the phone for a hour with SECO to get it turned back on that day.:ohdear:
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You can pay SECO online FREE (NO Surcharges) from anywhere. Bills (at least mine) posts every month on the same day and they will also send you an E Mail when it posts so you cannot loose.

You can sign up here:

https://secoenergy.smarthub.coop/

[keithwand]

Sign up for auto pay for this and as many bills as you can. Makes life easier.

[Bogie Shooter]

I wonder what the rest of the story is?

[asianthree]

our bill went to the flordia address by mistake...when i called to inquire where it was they gave me the total amount and resent to bill to the correct address..no disruption of service

[Roaddog53]

Why not just have the SECO bill automatically deducted for your account as we do. They send you an email saying the bill is due and a paper bill saying do not pay. Thus... No worries, no forgetting, no stamps, no hassles, and you have to pay it anyway.

[USSGompers]

Just thought I would let you know this, if you are a snowbird or someone who is not here all the time, make sure you pay your electric bill on time. We just had two house's that were a few days late and they turned off there power right away. We found about it a few days later, the people where up north and had all there food in there refrigerator go bad, this was SECO and they were on the phone for a hour with SECO to get it turned back on that day.:ohdear:

If you read the whole blog, you would see that it seems that this gentleman owns homes and rents them out. He is only letting you know what will happen.

[asianthree]

Why not just have the SECO bill automatically deducted for your account as we do. They send you an email saying the bill is due and a paper bill saying do not pay. Thus... No worries, no forgetting, no stamps, no hassles, and you have to pay it anyway.

because i like to have control of my bank account...had a company take $874. for a $87.40 payment..yep admitted it was their mistake but wanted to keep the money and just credit me every month...took three months to get the money back.. so i just control my own money and never worry about someone having a hand in my pocket

[KeepingItReal]

because i like to have control of my bank account...had a company take $874. for a $87.40 payment..yep admitted it was their mistake but wanted to keep the money and just credit me every month...took three months to get the money back.. so i just control my own money and never worry about someone having a hand in my pocket


I never would never let anyone have access to automatically debit my account for the reason you mentioned.
With this you go in and pay it when you decide to pay it. No automatic debiting of your account unless you choose to do so.

You can pay SECO online FREE (NO Surcharges) from anywhere. Bills (at least mine) posts every month on the same day and they will also send you an E Mail when it posts so you cannot loose.

You can sign up here:

https://secoenergy.smarthub.coop/

[KeepingItReal]

If you read the whole blog, you would see that it seems that this gentleman owns homes and rents them out. He is only letting you know what will happen.

I think this would be pretty much the routine anywhere if the bill is not paid and it depends on what a few days really means. If the renters are responsible for the bill and failed to pay it then there isn't much you can do. If they are paying the bill then it would be a good service for them as I have paid mine from California more than once. The E Mail they send you when it posts ready to pay gives you plenty of time..You can go in and pay it when you desire.

No automatic debiting your account unless you choose to sign up for that service

[Roaddog53]

I am sure we can all relate horror stories about everything. Mistakes will be made from companies and individuals. Sorry it took too long to get your money back. I have been doing it with every bill from mortgage to auto, insurance..etc.. And NEVER had an issue. Same with friends, wife's accounts, others. But to each their own.
Still the email should have been ample time to pay the account. Ummm, unless you are one down here that relies on a WIFI connection for email. Lol. JK!!

[Cobh521]

According to the collection practices by SECO, if you do not pay by the due date, you will receive a second notice. If not paid, a final notice is sent with a due date and warning that the electric service will be subject to being turned off. I believe that all utilities do give final notices as this would fall under the Fair Debt Collection Act

[Bogie Shooter]

Just thought I would let you know this, if you are a snowbird or someone who is not here all the time, make sure you pay your electric bill on time. We just had two house's that were a few days late and they turned off there power right away. We found about it a few days later, the people where up north and had all there food in there refrigerator go bad, this was SECO and they were on the phone for a hour with SECO to get it turned back on that day.:ohdear:

According to the collection practices by SECO, if you do not pay by the due date, you will receive a second notice. If not paid, a final notice is sent with a due date and warning that the electric service will be subject to being turned off. I believe that all utilities do give final notices as this would fall under the Fair Debt Collection Act

I guess the question is which date did they miss. The due date, second notice or final notice. Somebody dropped the ball...............I doubt it was SECO.

[downeaster]

I guess the question is which date did they miss. The due date, second notice or final notice. Somebody dropped the ball...............I doubt it was SECO.

I doubt it was SECO too. Consider the implications if utilities could stop service when the bill was "a couple of days late". There could be life threatening situations.

I purchased a rental property (in another county) that had been vacant for in excess of six months. The electric power had never been turned off. There was no payment due from me. I asked why they had not turned it off. They said it wasn't worth sending a lineman out to do it. It isn't as simple as tripping a switch.

[Bill32]

I completely missed my SECO bill one month and the amount was added to the next months bill. I highly doubt that SECO would turn off your elec. being a few days or weeks past due............

[Baltimore Guy]

We have homes we watch, one man lost his wife and she paid all the bills, while he went up north to take care of her funeral SICO turned of his electric.Another man went north and changed his bank acount and in two days they turned him off. I am not saying SICO was wrong but it took over a hour to talk to someone on the phone at SICO. I am just saying make sure you have your bills paid before you go north.:rant-rave:

[Bogie Shooter]

We have homes we watch, one man lost his wife and she paid all the bills, while he went up north to take care of her funeral SICO turned of his electric.Another man went north and changed his bank acount and in two days they turned him off. I am not saying SICO was wrong but it took over a hour to talk to someone on the phone at SICO. I am just saying make sure you have your bills paid before you go north.:rant-rave:

Both of these examples are very hard to believe.

[CFrance]

I never would never let anyone have access to automatically debit my account for the reason you mentioned.
With this you go in and pay it when you decide to pay it. No automatic debiting of your account unless you choose to do so.

You can pay SECO online FREE (NO Surcharges) from anywhere. Bills (at least mine) posts every month on the same day and they will also send you an E Mail when it posts so you cannot loose.

You can sign up here:

https://secoenergy.smarthub.coop/

I agree with you and asianthree. I don't want anyone accessing my checking account. For one thing, it's a royal pain to change all those automatic deductions if you change checking accounts, which we just did because our bank decided to start charging for our checking account.

Most businesses will e-bill you nowadays, and then you click on the link they provide and go to their site to pay your bill. There are only a few Byzantines who won't provide this service, or charge extra. VCDD utilities is one.

You have total control and can spot any problems before paying with e-billing.

[Quixote]

It is inconceivable that SECO would turn off anyone’s power because of payment of a bill being “a couple of days late”—unless, of course, it was a number of days more than “a couple,” and it was following the third/final notice! I also once missed a bill completely at a time when my mail was “wandering,” and they simply sent a two-month bill the following month, as another poster pointed out.

The only mistakes ever made with my paying bills were made by ME! I have automatic payment in place, either from my checking account or from my credit card, on just about every bill possible, and since I did this, there have NEVER AGAIN been any mistakes.

At the same time I can accept that others prefer not to relinquish control and would not do it the way I do. And that's fine.