We moved into our property the 1st of December and immediately signed up online - or tried to. I had to call the customer service center. Despite not receiving a bill, I made 2 electronic payments in anticipation of a bill arriving soon.
We were flooded out of our home in mid-March. When I called to have the electric turned off for safety reasons they assured me it was not a problem. I also asked for a final bill at that time as the house was destroyed and we could not move back in.
After still not receiving a bill after 10 days I called again only to be told they had never received payment so would not be closing my account until it was current AND the electricity was still LIVE. We had been walking around in 2 feet of water trying to save a few valueables with LIVE ELECTRICITY after asking it be disconnected. I complained loudly about that one but did not even receive an apology.
I explained two payments had been made electonically via my bank and could provide printouts showing how much and when. I had to fax it twice before someone responded saying my proof was not good enough and that it had to be from the bank itself.
I was also told there were 2 accounts with my name on it and my payments had been made to the wrong account. How can they go to the wrong account when I paid the only account I was aware of?
3 WEEKS later and I am STILL trying to get Duke to move the payments to the correct account. They keep misplacing the faxes. I cannot get the same person to deal with my query when I call so I have to explain EVERY time I call the situation and get told by each representative that it was MY FAULT the payments went to the wrong account. Sure. Uh huh.
I just had a conference call today with a manager from my bank, someone from the electonic payments department from the bank as well as the company that process the payments for the bank and Duke. Duke is STILL refusing to acknowledge my payment even though the bank and processing company have verbally agreed it was made as well as provided faxes several times to the effect.
Duke has VERY poor customer service. Accuses its customers of creating the problem and refuses to assist in rectifying the situation.
I am NOT holding my breath even though the rep today promised it would be resolved.
BEWARE OF DUKE ENERGY.
Other Details:
Duke Energy Billing
In December 2007 I vacated an apartment at 1102 Egan Court,Cincinnati Ohio 45229. At that time I requested Duke Energy to take the services out of my name. They told me that they that they needed someone to let them in to read the meter. I told them that I did not have a key and did they not have a key to read the meter. They told me their key was not for that purpose and that the landlord would have to let them in. I told them that I would try to reach the landlord but in any case I wanted the service removed from my name. I let the landlord know what they said. The landlord is a childhood friend of 40+ years so I thought that there was no problem.
This morning (July 30, 2008) I called Duke Energy because I thought there may have been a small balance from December and November of 2007(last period I occupied the apartment). Duke Energy told me that the service was still in my name and still on.During this period of time I was homeless and had no mailing address. The present bill for 8 months was $333.00. They said(very rudely) that they have no record of a request for service cutoff and that they would continue to bill me until I could get them into the building to read the meter.
I talked with the Landlord (my friend ) today (July 30, 2008). He told me that he had been in touch with Duke a number times to turn the service off because the apartment is unoccupied and has been from Dec 2007 .Each time they said that the service was off. Each time he check the service was still on. I have every confidence that my friend is telling the true. Duke Energy is telling me that they have a legal right to collect on the past bill and to continue to bill me until I can get them in the building to read the meter. All this begs the question of why did Duke Energy keep the service on without receiving payment?
I need help with this matter because I am getting my life back together with a new job and trying to get a place to live. Duke Energy is attempting to force me to pay this bill in order to get service on a new place.