Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Hillsborough County Public Utilities's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Hillsborough County Public Utilities

  332 N Falkenburg Rd Tampa, FL 33619-0903

• 

  Hillsborough County Public Utilities

  15610 Premiere Dr Tampa, FL 33624-1330

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/18/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have tried to pay online using HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WATER SERVICE PAY ONLINE and I see I have a balance for ****** which is way higher of my monthly average. I received a bill to pay ***** in January. When I called them, they told me they are charging me for money not collected during year 2022 due my water reader is broken, and they were charging me only average amounts. I asked them Why I was not notified of this. They said they are not required to do it. This is unfair. My water account number is ********** my name is ***********************. I hope this complain helps to avoid unfair practices from them.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/18/2023

  CUSTOMER WAS ADVISED THAT THERE IS A BILL MESSAGE THAT ADVISES INOPERABLE METER AND THAT HE WILL SEE BILL CORRECTIONS OR ADJUSTMENTS TO BILL DO TO THE INOPERABLE METER. ADVISED CUSTOMER THAT THE NEW METER HAS BEEN SCHEDULED. ADVISED CUSTOMER HE WILL CONTINUE TO BE BILLED ACCORDING TO AVERAGE UNTIL NEW METER IS INSTALLED.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/20/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/10/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Have been trying to call to talk to a representative for the last hour. I have gone from.being number #** in the que to #3 three times and the phone disconnects. I just want to talk to someone regarding my water bill!!

  Business Response

  Date: 01/11/2023

  Customer was contacted regarding ********************** bill. Customer was concerned about the high ********************** consumption. After reviewing the pattern of the usage if was determined that the customer's irrigation was causing the higher water consumption which intern caused higher water bills,  Customer has now adjusted his irrigation setting which should lower water bill tremendously.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/05/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  After a month of requesting my bill from Hillsborough County Water Department, I came home one evening from work to find my water had been turned off because they determined a "spike" in my water usage. I found out that they sent someone out to look at their equipment and after determining that it was not their fault, they shut off the water "for my protection". They have my phone number, but yet I received no call. I called them repeatedly in the past about the accuracy of my bills, and when they would not release my November statement, I sent them and email. Never did I receive a response. The next day I learned that my account, which had a zero balance on 10.19.22, had a new balance of over $3000. I spoke to a supervisor on Friday 12.02.22, and I am getting nowhere with them from the standpoint of practicality. The bill was for usage of ******* gals (now presumed over a 2 month period since they would not tell me what the reading was in November). As I told them over and over again, I had determined that the leak was NOT in the house, and therefore it is happening outside. My house would be under water at this juncture! I have a ***** gal pool. The amount they are billing me for is 23 times that. I feel completely helpless in this situation with no guidance from anybody. My next letter is to my County Commissioner, especially after seeing the many complaints from other customers about their bills. I am a senior who should be retired, working ******************************************************************* the meantime, I can not afford to hire an attorney or an engineer. I'll have enough trouble affording a plumber to make repairs.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/05/2022

   I placed an outbound call to ************ who advised that she is aware of a leak on her property and has located it. She is checking her meter daily. I acknowledged her frustration due to no phone call when her water was shut off and no bill being generated. I Provided the meter reads on the bill that she is missing. ************ is aware of the leak adjustment application available to her once the leak has been repaired, in order to reduce the amount of her bill. I provided my direct phone # for her to contact me when she is ready to proceed with the application

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/28/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I moved to this address in December and opened my account with Hillsborough Water Company. I was receiving a bill for water in a standard amount showing zero usage. I called customer service and they said they would send a serviceman. The serviceman arrived and said the water meter was busted and he was going to install a new one. After this was done ***************** changed my billing. Sometime in the Spring I get a large water bill. I called the office and they told me they were back billing me based on my current usage. Every since I am being charged for this back usage.My position is that I should not be billed for back usage because I was paying the bill that was sent to me. It is not my fault their meter is busted.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/14/2022

  Upon speaking to **************** today as well as 7 prior conversations since March 2022, where the back billing of an inoperable meter (one that does not record usage), including an explanation of ************* Statute ****** that states Free Water and ***** Services Prohibited,  we have the right to back bill up to 2 years. We have back billed usage for 6 months.  Based on the usage since ****************** meter has been replaced, the **** gallons per month that was billed as an estimate are lower than his actual consumption. *************** has been made aware of the Utility Obligations set by the ****************.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/30/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My daughter moved into Retreat ***** off campus housing located on *********** near *** on 14 Aug. Soon after move in we noticed there was very little water pressure from the shower and almost none from the bathroom sink. We reported this to the office and was told they had to contact the city. It's now been two weeks and nothing has changed. She has very little pressure to shower with and only a pencil stream in her sink. The community keeps telling me the city isn't responding. This is not just her apartment being affected. It appears the entire complex is affected by the lack of water pressure.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/07/2022

  This location (****************************************** 33617)  is service by the ************* Water Utilities not Hillsborough County Water ****************** The *************'s contact information can be found at www.*****.gov/water

  Thank you,

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/07/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************