ComplaintsforWest Penn Utilities

• Initial Complaint

  05/21/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On April 25th - 2024, the *** attempted to install FiOs at my neighbors house. Without my permission, or the need, the *** trenched my yard and severed my invisible dog fence in two locations. Where they entered my property and where they exited. A call when out to ******* that day to complain. They stated they do not address property damage. They have a claims department for that reason and to have someone repair it and send invoice for payment. I had the fence and property repaired and have called 3 different departments (was given an claim number) and told to turn in my invoice. Now no one is answering my calls, returning my text or voicemails not emailing me when I submit inquiries online.

• Initial Complaint

  01/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Today, 1/19/22 two gentlemen from West Penn Utilities were on my property to run a Verizon Fios fiber cable to *** **** ****** *** Unfortunately for me, anytime someone on my block of townhouses gets Verizon, they must dig up my yard when they run the line. A little backstory, on 1/10, West Penn Utilities was on my property to do this job. However, they did not dig as they said they only had to run the line a few feet into the house. A few days later, 202 had Fios installed and the Fios tech ran a temporary drop through my yard to 202. When the guys were here on the 10th, they removed all the colored utility flags when they left. Now after the Fios tech came and ran the temp drop, they were back out to mark the utilities so clearly the guys who came on the 10th had no idea what they were doing. This morning 1/19 upon waking up, West Penn Utilities was back on my property to run this cable. Now keep in mind, the yard had a few inches of snow on it so there was no way they could even see the spray painted utility markings. Also, 202 had active service as the Fios tech ran a temp drop to the home. I used to work for Comcast and have friends who work for Verizon. They would not dig up a yard with snow on it and in the winter. The typical business practice is to come back in the spring and bury the temp drop. So today these 2 employees went around the back of my home and used their machine to install this fiber cable. Now when this work is done, it rips out chunks of grass as the machine works. Typically since this work is supposed to be done in spring/summer/fall and NOT winter, once they are done they will put back the chunks of sod that get ripped out. These guys today did not do this, probably because the yard was full of SNOW and they could not see where it goes. They also did not remove any of the yellow flags in the yard. This work should have never been completed. Now I have a ripped up yard for winter due to WPU ineptness. I want this issue resolved.

  Business response

  01/24/2022

  We perform work year round, in all weather conditions, per our contract through Verizon.  Verizon supplies us with due dates for jobs to be completed and we must meet those.  This was not an emergency job, but a replacement for a service line that was bad upon original placement.  We do not hook any lines up just run them from the terminal location to the connection at the home.  One call was placed and all work was done in the utilities easements.  Unfortunately as the homeowner stated these are townhomes and the easement and work wrap around from the front to the rear, this is due to the design and right of way to these homes. All work was performed to Verizon specs and agreements. Any restoration that is needed is completed in the spring after the winter season.  All work performed from November to March is cataloged in the Verizon Database and restored in the spring time as needed.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.  

  
  

  Thank you, 

  S*********** ******* 

  West Penn Utilities  

  ************

  Customer response

  01/24/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  I spoke with someone at Verizon and they are telling me that they would not have digging done with cold temps and snow on the ground and they would run a temp cable to the home until the weather breaks. My yard has been torn up 3 times now and not once has Verizon ever came back to do restoration so I will deal with them. However, since you are able to do this work in the winter, I would like the torn up sod put back in place which your company did the other 2 times my yard was tore up for Verizon to be installed. If the work can be done in this weather, I see no reason why the sod can't be put back in the trench as is typical when your company performs this work. It is not my problem that it is winter and there is snow on the ground. When Verizon fails to come and repair the yard, I shouldn't have to deal with a torn up yard. The only resolution I will find satisfactory is West Penn Utilities coming back to my home and putting the torn up sod back in place. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* ********

*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. ↩