HORROR STORIES #2

There are at least 5 complaint treads started at www.complaintsboard.com

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I have lived the past 20 years with a husband who has bi-polar, and a severe anger problem. I have lived very afraid of most things when it comes to him. I have not paid my Hydro bill since I have been off on long-term disability for depression and Acute Stress/Anxiety Disorder. I have always been brought up to NEVER be on disability let alone claim bankruptcy. However, here I am feeling like a terrible failure. In December, my husband and I separated, shortly after, my father passed away very suddenly. In January, Hydro cut off my services, and my children and I have not had a place to live since. I have tried to make several arrangements with them to no avail. I have had United Way and the Winter Warmth Program try to negotiate something but again no. I had called several times to Hydro to see their proticol on bankruptcy and have been informed EVERYTIME that they disconnect your account and reconnect the same day. I have tried to come up with the funds that I need to pay this and I just can't, they are charging me approx 300.00/monthly in late fees alone this on top of the security deposit. I telephoned them lastweek (after making a total of 9 calls to make sure of their protocol as I would be losing my job in results of claiming bankruptcy), to inform them that I would be claiming bankruptcy that day as my children and I have no where to live. They instructed me to have the Trustee fax the docments to them and if they received them before 2 that afternoon they would be able to connect my hydro the same day. I would have loved this. My son's only wish for Easter was to be back in his own home. A manager phoned the Trustee and stated that she would give me until 2:45 to get the documents in. I went down immediately to sign the papers with many tears. While I was there the same manager called to tell the Trustee to make sure she faxed the docs A.S.A.P, which she did. I left and by the time I arrived back home which took about 5 minutes, the same manager from Hydro one called me and said she would not be hooking my power back up as she didn't notice but my husbands name appeared first on the bill and mine name appeared second. I had just claimed bankruptcy for this but also I had to give up my career. She stated that my ex-husband who doesn't live at the residence would have to claim bankruptcy. After fighting with him for a week over this he finally called back this manager today and she told him that he would have to claim bankruptcy and then she would look at it again but doesn't know whether she will ever turn the power on again or not. I am so frustrated and sad for my children, how am I supposed to make all of this work? I made huge life altering changes, and now I can't undo any of them, as a result of being lied to by Hydro One. Please any advice would be grately appreciated. Thanks.

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Hydro One put a smart metor on our lake property south of Parry Sound. Keep in mind this is a cottage and we are not there all the time. One month in January the metor read 45 the next month it read 141. Nothing was left on there was no reason it should have jumped so much. They did an inquiry and told us that the reading was down the month they took another reading so we would have to pay the legal robbers 3 times the previous bill. If this is not legal robbery what is it. The consumer is treated like dirt.

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Almost everyone in Noelville has received astronomical Hydro billings for the month of January, 2010.Hydro One is not willing to listen to this complaint. The whole community is in an uproar. Hydro says "Pay it or face disconnection". There's something wrong here. Normal monthly bill is $300.00 - $400.00 maximum. This one is $1400.00. Some in the community receive some as high as $1800.00.Please tell us how to proceed. This is insane. They make mistakes like this all the time and threathen us with disconnection if we dont pay. In Nov. 2009, we received a credit of $737.37 in over payment that they billed us, prior!!!Then for January 2010, they send us a bill for $1400.00 !!! Please investigate !!

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Hi, my name is Mrs. Shirley Noel i have a big issue with these new hydro meters that they are putting on our homes. The bills have doubled since then, even when we cut back on everything still the bills go up. I haved spoken to someone who works with meter readings in Mississauga that i know and he has told me that those meters have a defect in them. When faced to the sun they spin more causing us to pay for more electricity. They have been removed in some areas because people knew were to complained. What can we do. Any adviced would be appriciated. Thanks

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I agree 100%, Ever since my new meter was put in my hydro has almost doubled...even though we have been watching our hydro consumption! I believe we are being cheated, I have called and they have assured that everything is fine but it is not adding up!

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We are walking in to Hydro One's corporate office tomorrow to complain - Shirley Noel's comments have shown us there IS a defect in the new Smart Meters - our cottage Hydro One bill has tripled during the winter months when NO ONE IS THERE and the heat is sitting at 10 degrees C...and since the new meters were installed.And the same for our cottage neighbors - their bill has gone up 7-fold over this winter and they are not there either. And it is because the leaves are gone on the trees, the smart meters are exposed to the sun, it's been a sunny warm winter, and we are being billed for a sunny winter.OUTRAGEOUS - the press needs to know this. Who else has evidence - this is NOT right and our government needs to fix this asap.

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What Jack Booted monopolists they are.Today was my wake up call. I just heard from my wife that Hydro showed up at my door with and order to collect $1442.00 or disconnect. I was also informed that my neighbor was also disconnected in very much the same fashion moments later. No advance warning, no "notice to disconnect" in the mail and not a soul at Hydro will listen. Hydro One has delt with us with the knowledge that each winter it's been the same, in that we wait for the income tax returns to come in to pay the balance of the winter Hydro bills off. However high they were I never complained about Hydro costs although I did every thing I could to explore why my costs were so high. I requested a billing history to look for a pattern to no avail, I've Relamped to CFL's, upgraded my appliances, turned myself into a "electrical waste Nazi"- turning every light in the house off other than one in the room we were in. Heating only the room we occupy with a small cost effective space heater, washing clothes in cold, hanging them to dry, I even turn the shower off when I lather up. There appears to be no way to tame this dragon we call Hydro One. Why do I have to pay for cost recovery? I've been living in Ontario and a client of Ontario Hydro in one incarnation or another for 28 years, seems to me I have never been allowed to escape a payment in all that time, yet the Ontario Government allows that priviledge to be bestowed on Hydro One Networks. (Therefor the need for "Cost Recovery")I'm going to explore my legal rights as it seems unfair that they can take such action without prior notice. Really, do you keep $1500.00 on hand? Of COURSE YOU DON'T.