ComplaintsforCity of Zephyrhills Water Dept

• Initial Complaint

  12/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Dec 13 I paid a bill for my water company at 6:14 am from my debit card, that automatically posted to my debit card, my water was on before I left for work, my 14 year old daughter text me at 2:00 pm telling me there was no water, at that time I was working didn't get the message till after 5 ish, looking at my app for my water bill they charged me a disconnection fee of ***** Even though you could clearly see the payment on the account for ***** this was more than the past due balance. So I paid another ***** at that time paying ****** dollars. There was no way to get in contact with the water company, because they were closed, there was no, emergency turn on number, there was no reason to disconnect my water either, or to have me pay a ***** reconnect fee either seeing that you could clearly see there was a pending payment from a debit card, that automatically posts on the account. Non the less I waited until 8 am to call and ask the to reconnect my service, was told they would send a tech out, once again to reconnect my unwarranted disconnect water, I asked when would they be there, *******. refuse to give a time, my daughter had to stay home from school because she was not going to school dirty, and so it was, I waited for a confirmation email, there was none, so I called back and asked for one to be send this rep still couldn't give a time, but did send a confirmation email. I have never been treated so disrespectfully in my life, I have never had a disconnection from this company, there was no reason for them to disconnect my water they could have easily seen the payment on the account and charged at late fee, I would have paid it without question, a 65 fee for disconnecting an account that has a pending payment from a debit card that automatically withdraws from that debit card like all debit cards is ridiculous. Plus the fact when I started with the water company back in 2013, I put a deposit of 125. Would that not cover a disconnection? I've been with this company since 2013 and this is the first time that I have ever been disconnected, they never work with me even in hard times. They are truly rude and disrespectful every time I call. But there is no choice in water companies in Zephyrhills.

  Business response

  12/19/2023

  ********************* has a monthly bill due each month on or around the first of each month. A monthly statement is sent out each month. On the statement it advises Services may be disconnected 10 days after the due date. Also besides the bill the City sends out three different notifications to our customers. We send out these notifications by email and text messages to let customers know they are past due and subject to disconnect. So they get a total of six messages besides the regular monthly statement. This customer was sent all of these messages.
  The City does this so all customers get plenty of time so they can pay the bill and avoid the $65 fee and avoid having the service disconnected.
  
  The first statement is sent out one week before the scheduled disconnect date. It is a Friendly reminder advising payment wasnt received and if they overlooked the bill they can still make payment.
  The second notice is the Disconnect notice sent out four days before the disconnect date letting them know the date  when the services will be disconnected. It also says Please pay the past due portion by 4 pm the day before the disconnect date to avoid a $65 fee.
  The last notice goes out the day before the disconnect date. It is called ****************** It also says they can avoid disconnection if they pay  by 4 pm that day before. Then it states after 4 pm a $65 fee will be added to your account and if services are disconnected a payment must be received by 3:30 the date of disconnect to have services restored.
  This customer opened all three of her emails regarding the disconnect messages. She had time to react before the deadline.
  
  So the procedure is after 4 pm whoever has not made a payment, a work order is created to disconnect service and the $65 fee is added to the account right then. So any payments that come in after that time frame already have a fee added and a work order created. We dont have **************** Reps working overnight.
  This customer made her payment at 6:14 am the morning of the disconnect date. At that time her work order was already in the system and sent to the field, we had no notification payment was made.
  The technicians already have the work orders the night before so they can start first thing in the morning.
  We do this so they have time to complete all the disconnects and have time to  also  reconnect customers the same day that pay by 3:30 pm. They also still  do their regular scheduled work for the day. Including new customers turning on service and  customers that our  turning off service because they moved etc.  Plus we never know what kind of leaks or situations can come up for our technicians.
  We are not able to give any of our customers a specific turn on or turn off time. We dont schedule specific times for anyone. The work orders go into a queue. The supervisor assigns out the work orders. The **************** Reps are not able to give out any time on the reconnect because they dont know where or what the technicians are working on at the time. The techs get to them as fast as possible and they do all reconnects same day by 3:30 pm. That has always been our procedure and we cant guarantee specific times and this customer was explained this that day she was disconnected.
  

  She was also sent a confirmation email that her services would be restored same day.
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  To Whom it may ************ a little while ago a City of Zephyrhills tech came and had a disconnect order to turn off our water. Our bill is not due until 3-23-2023. For the amount of $159.29. We have no water now and I am very upset this has happened. Their office is closed right now because of it being to early. Account number for my account is: ******************** name on account is as follows: ***** and *********************** Company ID ****.

  Business response

  03/08/2023

  The customer was past-due and we sent several emails notifying them. If they will share a working cell number with us, we will text them prior to service disconnection in the future. This can be accomplished by going to zephyrhillsfl.watersmart.com

  The past-due balance has been paid and service has been reconnected.

  Customer response

  03/14/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: They did not send me no emails at the time my bill was due. Another rep told me that my paper statement might've got lost in the mail. It is not my fault that the carrier had lost my paper statement. My cell is ************ for text messages as well. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Business response

  03/14/2023

  If you would like to receive your bill via email, you need to go to zephyrhillsfl.watermart.com and request email billing.  The system will ask you to confirm your email address.  Thank you for your cell phone # as we have updated your file and this allows us to notify you about delinquent bills and leaks.  All customers have access to our online portal where copies of bills are retained.  If a customer fails to receive a bill in the mail, they can always go to WaterSmart (zephyrhillsfl.watermart.com) and see their bills. 

• Initial Complaint

  03/30/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company has been adding a 65 dollar reconnect fee if your bill isn't paid by 5pm. I have paid my bill OVER the amount that was due but because I work until after 5pm I couldn't pay it until after 5pm. My bill was paid on the DAY IT WAS DUE but still got billed for 65 dollars because it was paid after 5pm. This is absolutely unacceptable for a utility company to have policies like this.!!!! My water was NEVER DISCONNECTED they just charged me 65 bucks for paying my water bill after 5pm.

  Business response

  05/18/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/04/08) */ The City of Zephyrhills has a disconnect policy. All Customers have a due date. The due date of the bill was 03/14/2022. All customers have ten days after the due date before the account becomes subject to disconnect. It is printed on all the bills that, if payment is not received 10 Days after the due date on this bill, services may be disconnected. The City as a courtesy also sends out several reminder notices that the account is past due. The first reminder went out March 18th. The notices states this is your current bill which is past due if you overlooked the bill please pay online., and gives a link to the website. It also recommends setting up autopay. This notice is emailed and we also send out text messages. The second notice that goes out to all customer, went out on March 26th. This notice let the customer know he was scheduled for disconnect on March the 30TH. It advised to prevent disconnect payments must be made by 5 pm on Tuesday March 29th We have to set a time limit because all work orders are processed the night before the disconnect date. Everyone who has paid up until 5 pm is removed from the disconnect list and everyone still on the list then gets a work order processed and sent to the field to start disconnecting at 7 am on March 30th. We also send a text message to remind of the same information. Then the day before disconnect we send a third notice to all customers still on the list .This notice says To restore your water service you will need to pay your past due balance plus a $65 reconnection fee. To avoid having the service turned off and paying the additional $65 please pay by 5 pm. Today March 29th. This customer has been a customer since 2018. He received the bill. We sent all three notices to him. He has been disconnected for non-payment previous. He is very aware of the policy. He made his payment at 10:42 pm on March 29th and he made another payment at 11:08 pm March 29th. A work order had already been processed and sent to the field. A technician went to the home to disconnect the service. The $65 fee was added to the account. So this customer did not pay by the due date which was on 03/14/2022 This is the same policy we have for all customers.. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/04/11) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I shouldn't have to pay my bill by a certain time as long as I have it in the same day!!!! Your little town service *****. $65 is outrageous for a reconnect fee. I also have a security camera so I have that entire day recorded, you never came out to turn my water off and still charged me a disconnect fee. And I paid $50 more then what was due for my water bill. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/04/14) */ Mr. ******* failed to mention that our field staff could not turn his water off because a vehicle was parked over the water meter. (RED DODGE JOURNEY FL PLATE ********* PARKED OVER METER.) The City will not adjust the $65 reconnection processing fee off his account. Our customers have the option of paying 21 days after being billed. After 21 days, there is an additional 10-day grace period before service is turned off for non-payment. There are numerous emails and text messages that are sent out warning of service disconnection stating the 5 p.m. deadline. After 5 p.m. on the day before cutoff it is too late to pay to avoid service interruption and the $65 reconnection processing fee.

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