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Complaint Details
Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. See details.
Initial Complaint
06/26/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
SMUD has been charging me duplicate charges. Once i caught it i tried to call them and they said i could not put a complaint in and that i had to wait even after acknowledging that the charge was duplicative and improper. So i called my bank and disputed the charge. My bank refunded the duplicative charge and then SMUD charged me 18$ for the bank reimbursing me. I called SMUD about this and they refused to give me the 18$ back and then notified me about another duplicative charge but offered no solution. They are charging me twice then charging me money for fixing the problem after they refuse to fix it!
Business response
06/27/2024
Thank you for forwarding our customer's concerns with the billing. ********************** has contacted this customer to work directly with them for a resolution.Initial Complaint
05/19/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Answered
Account number ********* I did not sign a contract with this agency to pay them anything.I am not liable for this debt with 04 SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY D, I do not have a contract with 04 SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY D, I contacted the company by phone and requested they provide me with original that states I agreed to pay them, they did not provide me with a contract within that states I agreed to pay 04 SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY D anything within 30 days of the report, they could not provide me with that proof stating that I agreed to pay them anything. According to 15 U.S.C. 1681 (A)I have the right to 100% accuracy on my credit report.Inaccurate credit reports directly impair the efficiency of the banking system, and unfair credit reporting methods undermine the public confidence which is essential to the continued functioning of the banking system. 04 SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY D has violated my federally protected rights by reporting false collections on my credit report. this is my FINAL attempt at reaching out regarding this dispute of false information. As a result of the CRA's & reporting company's misconduct described above, you shall promptly DELETE the information disputed. Additionally, as per the **** (15 U.S.C. 1681n(a) (1) (A));, you are liable to me for statutory damages for your misconduct, in addition to your deletion of the disputed account mentioned, you are demanded to send a check in the amount of $1,000 payable to the order of *********************** issued to my mailing address, this is NOT another dispute or opportunity for you to reinvestigate the previous dispute. The allowed period to conduct such a reinvestigation has expired and shall not be extended by law.Within 14 days, (1) DELETE the account in disputeBusiness response
05/20/2024
Thank you for forwarding our customer's concerns with the billing. ********************** has attempted to contact this customer and was unsuccessful using the phone number provided.Customer response
05/20/2024
I am rejecting this response because:
you are not addressing the issue at hand. I have no knowledge of an account with ********************** and if smud has an account associated to my name its due to identity theft.
I have an identity theft affidavit to support my claim.Business response
05/21/2024
Thank you for forwarding our customer's concerns with the billing. ********************** has contacted this customer and will continue to work directly with them for a resolution.Customer response
05/22/2024
Subject:
I do not accept the response made by the business to resolve Complaint: 21733815Initial Complaint
04/03/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
SMUD turned off my power before the 5pm deadline on April 3th. In the app it shows that my power was not disconnected, but I needed to pay by 5 PM. Please see screenshots. I offered to send a screenshot to the representative to prove my position but he refused. SMUD takes advantage of people by not being transparent with shut off dates or preemptively shutting off services and then wanting to charge a reconnect fee.It's shameful the way they treat their customers especially when they work from home.Business response
04/04/2024
Thank you for forwarding our customer's concerns with the billing. ********************** has contacted this customer and will work directly with them for a resolution.Customer response
04/04/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.Initial Complaint
12/22/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I canceled my service with Sud on November 30 2023. They had a $200 deposit on hold. My final bill was $107. They took that money out of my deposit and then sent me a check for the remaining $93 which was perfect. Now December 21, 2023 rolls around I have a zero balance in my account my account is closed and for some reason their automated system took $97.13 out of my checking account and now they are telling me that I have to wait two weeks to get a refund. There was no reason for the money to be taken from my account. There was no money owed to them. It is three days before Christmas and losing $100 at the end of the month right before rent is due is not acceptable.Business response
12/29/2023
Thank you for forwarding our customer's concerns with the billing. ********************** has contacted this customer and will continue to work directly with them for a resolution.Initial Complaint
12/19/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I have lived in the *************************** neighborhood of ********** since June of 2021. Our power has gone out eight times in that period. I have lived and worked all over the **** and have never experienced such poor utility service. I have contacted SMUD many times and they, apparently, do nothing. My request is that SMUD invest the resources necessary to ensure power stability for my neighborhood. Thank you.Customer response
12/20/2023
On 12/19/23 the power at our house was out, once again. I dont keep exact records of dates, however I believe this is the eighth power outage we have experienced in the past 27 months. SMUD is able to verify frequency and dates for my address.
This frequency is out of line with industrialized countries and economies.
I am requesting SMUD to invest sufficient resources to ensure power stability for my neighborhood.
Business response
12/27/2023
Thank you for forwarding our customer's concerns with the billing. ********************** has contacted this customer and will continue to work directly with them for a resolution.Customer response
12/30/2023
I am rejecting this response because: while I very much appreciate the follow-up by SMUD, I am concerned given I was told that several of the outages were caused by underground lines which needed maintenance and the fix could be up to 12 months out! It seems some re-prioritization is appropriate when some service areas are experiencing an extraordinary number of outages. Also, a number of the outages were caused by falling tree branches and the tree trimming crew will be in my service area in ****! Can we do better?
Business response
01/04/2024
Thank you for forwarding our customer's concerns. ********************** will continue to work directly with them for a resolution.Initial Complaint
11/20/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
I never knew I didnt have service with SMUD. Ive had service since I bought my first home late 2019. All my bills are set to autopay, and I was under the impression I was paying my electric bill, as I have PG&E and solar. I never got a notice from SMUD until last month that I never setup service and theyre trying to bill me since 2020, thats 3 years of fees. I understand that maybe I should have followed up when I first bought my house but I had to follow up setting a ton of accounts, and as I was a new homebuyer I didnt know I had to have SMUD. The thing is I take some responsibility but they should take some, too, because they never sent me a mail notice that I needed to setup service, never in 3 years until last month.Business response
11/28/2023
Thank you for forwarding our customer's concerns with the billing. ********************** has contacted this customer and will continue to work directly with them for a resolution.Customer response
11/28/2023
I am rejecting this response because there was absolutely no resolution other than I pay a bill worth 3 years of services! They never contacted me letting me know I had no service in all these years since I bought my first home. The only time I was made aware that I didnt have service (because my services have been on) was a letter mailed and dated Oct 6th 2023. Its unacceptable to slam someone with an extremely huge bill for 3 years worth of service with absolutely no notifications via phone, door tag or mail. Nothing. The only resolution they had was payment arrangements. They are not taking any responsibility for their lack of any communication.Business response
11/30/2023
Thank you for forwarding our customer's concerns with the billing. ********************** will continue to work directly with them for a resolution.Customer response
11/30/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern. Although I am not satisfied with it, we have reached a compromise.Initial Complaint
11/16/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
SMUD will not allow payments to be made on the account. I have called numerous times and been told the same story: Since I am moving to a non-SMUD county, I cannot make reasonable payments.Business response
11/16/2023
Thank you for forwarding our customer's concerns with the billing. ********************** has contacted this customer and will continue to work directly with them for a resolution.Customer response
11/16/2023
I am rejecting this response because:
SMUD is unreasonable by refusing to send an email or letter confirming the terms of the discussion.
Business response
11/21/2023
Thank you for forwarding our customer's concerns with the billing. ********************** will continue to work directly with them for a resolution.Initial Complaint
10/26/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
On October 18, 2023 a letter was issued stating I had an unpaid balance from SMUD and needed to contact them to create an account. I was given 1 week to reach out or my electricity was going to be turned off. When I called they were not able to verify when the back balance started. I was honest with our move in date of March 2020. I informed SMUD I wasnt aware I needed them in addition to PGE, as this is my first time living in Sacramento. I asked why I have never once received notice from SMUD. I was told it was due to covid. However their COVID grace ****** ended March 2022. SMUD is ***** to tell explain what happened between March 2022 when they stared to collect past balances to present. My initial call with SMUD said they will only go back to collect a balance from October 2020, and wouldnt charge me for March- September 2020. When I called to inquire why I never receive notification and asked for SMUD to reduce my bill due to a failure on their end, they report since they are a public entity they cant reduce my balance. However they did on my first call. I cant understand how a company can go so long without notifying me, and then expect me to pay off that balance immediately. I have asked for a long term payment plan as a 6 month extension in their norm. I want answers on the gap from notifying customers beginning in March 2022 and the 1 and only notification I got in October 2023.Business response
10/30/2023
Thank you for forwarding our customer's concerns with the billing. ********************** has contacted this customer and will work directly with them for a resolution.Initial Complaint
09/09/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Order Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I signed a contract with SMUD for their HomePower In-Home electrical repair service August 21, 2006. I have been receiving and paying the invoices for this service since then. I recently called to report a claim for the first time and was told that there was no such account number (which is plainly shown on the invoice(s) they have been sending me. Looking up the address this program was supposed to be covered under, SMUD said that account was cancelled in 2017 and also that they recently stopped covering condominiums. I never received anything regarding this and they said they didn't have my address - - even though they continued to bill me at my correct address. They offered to pay me $25.00 Ha! I followed this up with a letter (attached) along with my most recent invoice (also attached). Since then I haven't heard anything from them and would appreciate your help. I had assumed I had this coverage since 2006 and was never contacted otherwise until I attempted to file a claim for the first time. I sent the attached letter and copy of invoice to the **** Box and the street address.Business response
09/13/2023
Thank you for forwarding our customer's concerns with the billing. ********************** has contacted this customer to work directly with them for a resolution.Initial Complaint
09/06/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Order Issues
- Status:
- Answered
We purchased our home back in March-April 2021. We called SMUD and two meters where turned on in my name. 2 YEARS LATER......April 2023 my well meter was turned off. I called SMUD and it turns out we have 3 meters on this property and that they never put that meter in my name and there hasn't been an owner on that account so after 2 years they shut it off. They sent me a bill for over $4000 dollars and expect me to pay an additional $220 a month for 18 months. I have no additional money and my SMUD bills already add up to roughly $700 a month and when I do have extra I pay what I can but now I get calls, emails, letters to shut off my power if not paid. I have 2 young kids and my husband has MS. ** child has missed speech therapy so I can have additional to pay but he's now falling behind. SMUD never once contacted or sent a letter to this address as I only knew of the 2 meters. SMUD has also been to this property when we first purchased it to help us with the meter out back. Im not sure how SMUD thinks they have no fault in this and can demand me to pay an amount that there is no way for me too. They gave me numbers to call to help *************** Heap, churches but so far no help. I feel like this is 100% SMUD fault and I shouldn't be responsible to come up with $4000 on their command and they need to wait until I have extra. Some months I have a little left over and others I have absolutely nothing and scraping by.Business response
09/07/2023
Thank you for forwarding our customer's concerns with the billing. ********************** has contacted this customer and will continue to work directly with them for a resolution.
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Customer Complaints Summary
23 total complaints in the last 3 years.
11 complaints closed in the last 12 months.