Hydro One billing, customer service to be investigated

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Hydro One billing, customer service to be investigated
Topic Started: Feb 5 2014, 02:27 PM (236 Views)
Darcie	Feb 5 2014, 02:27 PM Post #1
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	Quote: The billing and customer service practices of Hydro One will be the subject of an investigation by the Ontario ombudsman, following a growing number of complaints from its customers. Ombudsman Andre Marin announced the details of the investigation at a news conference on Tuesday morning. "This investigation is the results of years of behind-the-scenes efforts by my staff to resolve hundreds of complaints, one case at a time," he told reporters at Queen’s Park. "We’ve helped many people sort out egregious errors and baffling bills. We’ve worked with senior Hydro One officials to ensure they credit people who are overbilled and don’t cut off power to people in need." But the ombudsman said the complaints continue to mount. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/hydro-one-billing-customer-service-to-be-investigated-1.2522575?cmp=rss&cid=news-digests-toronto Finally, this happened in QC a long time ago and after the investigation things got a lot better.



margaret	Feb 5 2014, 02:36 PM Post #2
Red Star Member Posts: 2,276 Group: Member Member #1,032 Joined: October 3, 2013	Yes a strange one that has happened to people in our area is not getting their bill, some for over 2 years. When they notify hydro they are assured it will be looked at but nothing seems to happen.



wildie	Feb 5 2014, 05:02 PM Post #3
Veteran Member Posts: 12,173 Group: Member Member #442 Joined: October 11, 2006	Darcie Feb 5 2014, 02:27 PM Quote: The billing and customer service practices of Hydro One will be the subject of an investigation by the Ontario ombudsman, following a growing number of complaints from its customers. Ombudsman Andre Marin announced the details of the investigation at a news conference on Tuesday morning. "This investigation is the results of years of behind-the-scenes efforts by my staff to resolve hundreds of complaints, one case at a time," he told reporters at Queen’s Park. "We’ve helped many people sort out egregious errors and baffling bills. We’ve worked with senior Hydro One officials to ensure they credit people who are overbilled and don’t cut off power to people in need." But the ombudsman said the complaints continue to mount. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/hydro-one-billing-customer-service-to-be-investigated-1.2522575?cmp=rss&cid=news-digests-toronto Finally, this happened in QC a long time ago and after the investigation things got a lot better. Before smart meters estimated readings were common in the rural area where I lived. However, estimates do not happen anymore as consumption is transmitted on a continuous basis over the internet to the Hydro One servers. Looking into estimated billing is rather akin to closing the barn door after the horse has run away!



friendshipgal	Feb 6 2014, 02:55 AM Post #4
Guess everyone wants their own Trudashians Posts: 12,815 Group: Member Member #241 Joined: February 12, 2006	Our meter up north is still estimated because there are no cell phone towers to transmit the info. I have a beef with them right now about an incorrect bill. They say they underestimated the usage then at the end of the season I was dinged for over $200.00 so they read it wrong, because last summer we were not using the place. The kids had it for a week but they couldn't have used that much, no heat and mostly bbq.. etc. I spent a lot of time at my brother's place on the Madawaska, a beautiful area.



wildie	Feb 6 2014, 06:26 AM Post #5
Veteran Member Posts: 12,173 Group: Member Member #442 Joined: October 11, 2006	friendshipgal Feb 6 2014, 02:55 AM Our meter up north is still estimated because there are no cell phone towers to transmit the info. I have a beef with them right now about an incorrect bill. They say they underestimated the usage then at the end of the season I was dinged for over $200.00 so they read it wrong, because last summer we were not using the place. The kids had it for a week but they couldn't have used that much, no heat and mostly bbq.. etc. I spent a lot of time at my brother's place on the Madawaska, a beautiful area. I can check my usage on a daily basis if necessary and when my grandkids are there the usage is out of sight. Its morning showers, after swim showers and after camp fire showers that run up my tab. And the TV on all night!



friendshipgal	Feb 6 2014, 01:47 PM Post #6
Guess everyone wants their own Trudashians Posts: 12,815 Group: Member Member #241 Joined: February 12, 2006	wildie Feb 6 2014, 06:26 AM friendshipgal Feb 6 2014, 02:55 AM Our meter up north is still estimated because there are no cell phone towers to transmit the info. I have a beef with them right now about an incorrect bill. They say they underestimated the usage then at the end of the season I was dinged for over $200.00 so they read it wrong, because last summer we were not using the place. The kids had it for a week but they couldn't have used that much, no heat and mostly bbq.. etc. I spent a lot of time at my brother's place on the Madawaska, a beautiful area. I can check my usage on a daily basis if necessary and when my grandkids are there the usage is out of sight. Its morning showers, after swim showers and after camp fire showers that run up my tab. And the TV on all night! Yup, but when there's no smart meter we can't do that, although I'm no fan of them. They only read the meter once a year up there, and estimate about twice a year I think. We pay an equalized billing amount which usually is pretty close, last year it was way off the mark. One of week of the kids and 4 days of hubby up there in the spring wouldn't amount to what they billed us for. There has been some talk about new cell towers coming but objectionss are being raised, not sure why.. If we had cell service I could get rid of the land line.



margaret	Feb 6 2014, 02:54 PM Post #7
Red Star Member Posts: 2,276 Group: Member Member #1,032 Joined: October 3, 2013	We live in the Almaguin area, much further north than the rest of you and we were the first to get smart metres. We read them everyday for about the first year and figured out where our hydro was used. I don't understand how people who are so close to Ottawa would not have towers and such



wildie	Feb 6 2014, 04:35 PM Post #8
Veteran Member Posts: 12,173 Group: Member Member #442 Joined: October 11, 2006	margaret Feb 6 2014, 02:54 PM We live in the Almaguin area, much further north than the rest of you and we were the first to get smart metres. We read them everyday for about the first year and figured out where our hydro was used. I don't understand how people who are so close to Ottawa would not have towers and such Are you aware that you can read your consumption over the internet? Here's a link to the site, incase you are unaware! https://www.myaccount.hydroone.com/unsecure/EC/ecustomer/en/user/ECCustomerSignInPage.html



margaret	Feb 7 2014, 01:12 AM Post #9
Red Star Member Posts: 2,276 Group: Member Member #1,032 Joined: October 3, 2013	Yes thanks wildie .



friendshipgal	Feb 7 2014, 04:14 AM Post #10
Guess everyone wants their own Trudashians Posts: 12,815 Group: Member Member #241 Joined: February 12, 2006	We are not that close to Ottawa, maybe a 3 hour drive. We've only had a phone line for about 12 years or so maybe 14, I don't recall exactly, and that cost us all a $1,000. each. The phone cable is under the lake and service is practically unusable for dial up internet. We have no cell phone service for a wide radius - about a 40 min. drive to town. The area is under serviced but Bell isn't willing to build more towers I guess. It's not the only area with poor or not cell service.



reactivate	Feb 7 2014, 04:29 AM Post #11
Gold Star Member Posts: 3,897 Group: Member Member #769 Joined: May 18, 2010	We used to have a cottage on Centennial Lake and I seem to recall we had cell service there. Mind, that was a lot of years ago and the cell system was analog which gave much wider coverage.



wildie	Feb 7 2014, 01:59 PM Post #12
Veteran Member Posts: 12,173 Group: Member Member #442 Joined: October 11, 2006	Ironically, when I lived at the lake, cell service was great, as the tower could be seen across the river. When I moved to London cell service stunk, in my area. It was bad for about five years then Bell installed a tower at the end of my street and the problem was resolved. Edited by wildie, Feb 7 2014, 02:01 PM.



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