Check Your Utility Bills
 

We received our SECO Energy bill on 12/31/22 for $327. In looking at the usage history shown on the bill, our usage was for 1000 kilowatts more than it usually is. While I realized we had some cold days in December, I didn't think the bill would have been that much more than the previous December bill. I looked at the box that showed the amount of kilowatts that was on the meter when it was read (77,895) and thought that it was pretty high. So I went to the meter to see what the number was. It was showing 77000! So my bill had been estimated at least 895 kilowatts more than we had actually used.

So, I called SECO and spoke with a rep (Kara) and she asked me to send a photo of the meter that was date and time stamped. I immediately did so and was told that someone would be out to re-read the meter and if an adjustment was needed that the the bill would be adjusted.

I waited a week and called them back (1/9/23) to see if the meter had been re-read and if an adjustment was going to be made. I spoke with Sandy who told me yes, an adjustment had been sent to the billing department to be processed. Our bill had overestimated by 1000 kilowatt hours. We would not receive a new bill, the amount would be adjusted in system. She suggested that I call back in the afternoon to see if it had been processed.

To give them ample time to adjust the bill, I waited until the morning of 1/10/23. I spoke with Brandy and she noted that the adjustment was still being processed and call back in the afternoon to see what my new amount would be.

I called in the afternoon and spoke with Natalia who noted that the adjustment was in the billing department awaiting processing and she felt sure it would be processed by the end of the week! I expressed a great deal of concern that the due date was 1/14 and I did not want a late penalty assessed due to something out of my control. She assured me that would not happen, but I still expressed concern (human error could definitely cause it to be considered late). She noted that she would reach out the billing department and call me back.

Fifteen minutes later she did call back and let me know the adjustment had been processed and our new amount was $179.

Long story short: Our electricity bill was overestimated by $148! I spoke with 4 different people to get this resolved and finally did. Everyone I spoke with was courteous and polite, but I had to be persistent. The bill states that if it is an estimated reading that will indicate it is estimated (ours did not).

Moral of the story: go out and check your meter reading on the days that the billing period ends to check against the bill you receive. You could be paying WAY more that you should be paying just because you trust they are doing the right thing.

To clarify, if you had paid the $327 bill, wouldn't you have gotten a credit for the incorrect amount the next time the meter was read? Just asking.

You can sure tell from this post who pays the bills in the household...LOL. I agree with OP, I too would have been all over that. Thanks OP for giving us the heads up on being aware if things appear to be off kilter.

Yes, I am one of those fools who balance the checkbook to the penny and if it is off 5 cents, will hunt it down to find out why and how vs just "accepting" things.

The next bill would be offset by the next reading.

Only if they actually read it.

For SECO customers using over 1000 KWH they pay an additional 18% for per KWH ($.02 additional) than they did for their first 1000 KWH. If they wait for the next bill to correct itself and they use less than a 1000 KWH, then then will not recoup the full over charged amount. It is advantageous for them to correct the current bill.

That’s the way we handled it

correcting an over read should have taken 15 seconds once you showed proof of the reading. Up north the utility companies call it dfs and rebill. It was a live transaction in the 70's.

Villages need to make complaints to the Florida attorney generals office concerning bill errors with water meters and electric meters. It’s a phone call or online form. Complaining on these websites accomplishes nothing.

I always check behind the meter reader's

I thought they used a reading device to read meter.

That’s why your a millionaire;) Me, my time is worth more than 5cents!

They use a device, but they still come to the house to use it.

Completely corrupt industry. We do not need utility companies charging extreme amounts of money. Research Nikola Tesla wireless electrical system. Ether (electricity) is as abundant as air. No need for coal, propane oil or any other mined resources. Do the research. Tesla's wireless tower was in Long Island, NY in the early 1900's. He charged his wireless electrical car. He live in the Manhattan at the time. We have many patents with similar technology.

They were informing, not complaining.