ComplaintsforMemphis Light, Gas & Water Division

• Initial Complaint

  09/19/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Most beverages at almost every store in the Memphis, ** area, also other states are making me sick when consumed. ********** Gatorade, Powerade, even water from water companies/Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division etc...) I feel like I am being murdered. Liquids are a must for survival. I would like the water supplied by Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division consumable so I can live. I believe I am being deprived. The chemical or ingredients are making me sick. This matter should be investigated because quite odd that almost all of the liquids I've been consuming are making me sick, and aren't drinkable.

  Business response

  10/03/2022

  Thank you for allowing Memphis Light, Gas & Water the opportunity to respond to ******************' concerns regarding the drinking water.  All of the water MLGW provides goes through extensive testing and examination before being passed on to our customers.  Our water system is also regulated by EAP and MLGW adheres to all standards.  We tested the water at ******************' home address as a result of his complaint and have sent the customer the findings.  ****************** also addressed this concern through Consumer Affairs and a response is being and drafted for his concern as well.  We thank ****************** for bringing this matter to our attention as MLGW seeks to deliver quality water to all of it's customers and wants to be made aware of any inconsistencies.

• Initial Complaint

  09/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  So, my bill was past due and they cut my utilities off. The problem is even though I keep paying they won't turn them back on. Also no one is able to get in contact with them thru phone, email, or web chat. I even tried going to the locations listed however they are not "open to customers". My lights have been off for 5days now and I only owed 341.. I've paid 120 today alone and 200 since they've been cut off. Another 200 is set to come out of my account tomorrow. Mt nxt bill is not due until the 21st of September in 6days... I'm filing the complaint because they are unavailable so I don't know how much to pay for my lights to come back on. It's even on the news, when I managed to get through the representative hung up in my face without saying a word after I'd been on hold for over an hour. The web chat is worse everything it gets to 50mins or less of a wait time they have a 'system error' that restarts it to over 100min wait time after you've already been waiting almost an hour...

  Business response

  09/21/2022

  Thank you for allowing Memphis Light Gas & Water the opportunity to address ******************** concerns.  Upon receipt of her complaint we reviewed her account and noted the following information.  ****************** was sent a cut off notice on 8/24/2022.  It stated there was a past due balance of $341 and that the balance must be reduced to $199.99 by 9/8/2022 to avoid service disruption or a payment arrangement made.  A bill printed on 9/2/2022 with a reminder regarding the past due balance.  No arrangements were made nor was a payment received.  On 9/7/2022 an automated call was generated to the number on file to remind them a payment was needed to avoid service disruption.  On 9/9/*********** were disconnected for a delinquent balance of $340.94.  On 9/12/22 we received a payment of $80 which reduced the customers past due balance to $260.94.  Her balance needed to be reduced to $199.99 to be reconnected.  On 9/15/22 we received a payment of $111 which reduced the customers balance below $199.99 and we were able to restore her services.  We do apologize for any confusion but ******************** past due balance needed to be reduced to $199.99 or below or a payment arrangement could be requested to allow for more time.  If ****************** ever needs a payment arrangement in the future she can do it via MyAccount at www.mlgw.com or she can utilize the self-service option through ************.  We do thank ****************** for being a Valued Customer and hope that future interactions with MLGW meet ******************** satisfaction.
  

• Initial Complaint

  09/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been a customer with ********************** since we moved to Memphis back in 2019. We put our house on market on June 27 and moved out to another state the same day. Before moving I made sure to set the ** to the right temperature 75 and turned off all lights, nothing is ON except for the **. I got a $447 bill. I reviewed the bill and called MLGW to review it with me, the consumption of the electricity is more than what it was when we were occupying the house, they told me that the the smart meters are accurate and they can't help me. I asked for a supervisor, they told me someone will call. I have been waiting now for a month every time I call, they put me in hours of wait with no help. The next month they also billed me $272. The water consumption is 0, which shows that no one is in the house. This is ridiculous I am already paying bill in my new residence. I emailed MLGW, called the complaints office and contacted customer service by chat and phone multiple times with no help.

  Business response

  09/28/2022

  Hello.  Thank you for allowing Memphis Light Gas and Water the opportunity to respond to **************** complaint regarding his recent utility bills.  We had a member of our research team to review **************** account as a result of his complaint and the following information was determined:

  We did have a member of our management team reach out to ************** on 8/11/2022 and there was no answer so a voicemail was left for the customer.  In his complaint ************ informed us that his thermostat was set to 75 degrees during a period where the temperatures exceeded 95 degrees.   This would cause his unit to run consistently to attempt to cool the house to 75 degrees thus resulting in more energy usage.  Also due to the vacant state of the home it would take longer for the air to circulate to cool the home resulting in more energy usage.  Unfortunately due to the unusually warm temperatures this summer season many of our customers experienced high utility consumption even when using the recommended setting of 78 degrees.  There was also a rate increase from TVA for the fuel cost adjustment which increased utility bills as well. ************** has a smart electric meter and it appears that the majority of the usage occurred between 2:00PM-7:00PM (typically the hottest part of the day).  We have attached a copy of the usage from 6/27/22-9/8/22 for **************** records. Based on the information provided a refund/adjustment is not warranted.  We do apologize for any frustration incurred and hope this resolution provides the clarity ************** was seeking.

• Initial Complaint

  09/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I received a cut-off notice from MLGW yesterday, despite having sent a check for $1104 on Sept 2.Their phone circuits are busy this morning, so I cant call them. If I had been able to get through - I imagine my wait time would have been in the hours.Their website will not connect - it's giving me an error message when I try to look up my account (I am logged in with the correct user name and password - their site is broken right now, apparently), so I cant confirm whether or not they've received my check.Their billing department is in serious disarray, judging by:I have a bill dated August 18 for $607.00. Then, I received a bill THE NEXT WEEK dated August 25 for $1104.00. I paid this Sept. 2 via my banks (First Horizon) online bill pay the way I usually do. Then,I received a bill TWO WEEKS LATER dated September 8 for ******, which is also a cut off notice.Im really, really not sure whats going on in their billing department, but as someone who has consistently paid on time for over 25 years, I'm terrified that things are falling apart over there and my utilities will be cut off with no way to contact MLGW to resolve whatever issue there is (which seems to be THEIR issue, not mine. Im up to date on payments).

  Business response

  09/15/2022

  A service advisor spoke with **************** and informed her that she did not lose her good pay status. Also, her late fees allowances have been restored.  This has been resolved.
  

  Customer response

  09/15/2022

   
  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,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  09/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I applied for the 10 month extended plan and received a call today. I was advised Id need to pay $350 for the returned check, $30 Return check fee and then 25% of the remaining balance which totaled to almost $500. Made no since because my cutoff was for less than $350. I asked her how much would it be to catch up and she said 500 (something). I said that cannot be right because one of those bills are not due. Furthermore if I paid the $350 I wouldnt even qualify for the deferred payment plant because my balance would be less than $500. She then stated shes just calling about the payment plan, thats it. First of all she sounded like she was cooking or washing dishes and was far away from the phone. Second, how could she not tell me what I owe, third, what good is a payment plan if I have to pay 1 and a half times more than whats due to get on it? She couldnt have cared less about my issue, couldnt have cared less about giving me correct information, she didnt want to assist me at all. Things are tough for everyone. I have a returned payment and now Im unable to have electricity. They are going to cut it off, all while holding a $600 deposit I paid two and a half years ago. How is this ok?

  Business response

  09/20/2022

  When analyzing this account **************************************** has paid the return check $350.00, gave arrangements to pay balance and explained
  to call back when next notice is received for arrangements.I also informed customer of her next bill date to inquiry about our DEFB plan. He agreed with these arrangements.
  

• Initial Complaint

  09/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I called MLGW for two days waited three hours today to get someone on the phone to start my service. After waiting 3 hours they tell me they do not start services after 1pm, which is hilarious since I was on the phone with them at 1pm! I also attempted to chat them hours before and it magically disconnected after hours of waiting! As I explain that we just moved into our house and have been trying to call for 2 days the rude customer service rep basically cuts me off and tell me shell put it in for the 6th. Count it 5 days from today! So are you telling me my three children and I have to sit in a hot house for 5 days because you all dont accept phone calls and claim your circuits are down majority of the day I finally get through and youre going to make me wait 5 days for power! A very simple process. MLGW hands down are the biggest crooks in the world. We work for our money just to be players around and manipulated! No other city has only one utility company. They are extremely unethical and a detriment to the city. The reps are a joke and have no service skills whatsoever! I also called the emergency line where I told them this is an emergency my daughter has severe asthma and cannot be in a hot house at all! The rep disconnected the call! I am livid and outraged! To treat hard working citizens like this is pathetic and we wonder why everyones leaving here! This should not be allowed! A monopoly in this small city unheard of. Every politician in this city should be standing against the crooks, but no they walk hand in hand with the enemy!

  Business response

  09/07/2022

  Customer was contacted on 9/6/22. Customer was advised to pay delinquent bill from previous address before new services can be turned on. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Im being falsely billed for a property that I no longer own and I no longer reside in the property. I put in a cut off notice to let MLGW aware that I will be moving. Trying to talk to a customer service agent is extremely difficult. I do not live, nor do I own ******************************************************************************************. Once again my new address is ***************************************************************.

  Business response

  08/15/2022

  Thank you for allowing MLGW to respond to the customer's complaint. We do apologize about the inconvenience this has caused the customer. The customer has been contacted by leadership in our ************************ and was advised that her services were disconnected on 7/12/2022 per her web request. She was concerned about the final bill being high for the last ************************************************************************************************************************************************************** making a payment online to satisfy her balance. MLGW strives in providing a superior customer experience. We apologize about falling short of that and hope that all future experiences are nothing but superior. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I just recently received a cut off notice for ****** on 08/4/2022. Home 901 who guarantees to pay all past due amounts agreed to pay ****** on my account which would put at a 0 balance when it comes to my bill with mlgw. When i got the cut off notice I sent it to home 901 to see about getting an adjustment because mlgw is in no way cooperating with my bill that is extremely to high for a person who doesn't even use much lights and not all my service are with mlgw some are with the city of Millington light my water and there is also a third party that my rental company uses. when i spoke with a representative today about a payment arrangement my bill then went to ******** dollars. This is ridiculous and I know for a fact my bill should not be this high. They are getting outrageous at over charging people. |Especially when their systems stay down not to mention no one ever comes read my meter and I am told I do not have a smart meter my neighbor does. this is causing me emotional stress they are taking advantage of customers by making up charges. i am a disabled battered woman i been abused enough can mlgw please stop abusing me by overcharging me.

  Business response

  08/17/2022

  Thank you for allowing MLGW to resolve the customer's issue. Upon research, the following was found:

  ******************** spoke to a representative on August 9, 2022 and was granted a payment arrangement to pay $175 before 3 p.m. on August 19, 2022 and to call back on August 29, 2022 for additional arrangements when she receives her new cut off notice.  ******************** was completely calm during the call and accepted the terms of the payment arrangement.  She did state that she had given Home901 an updated cut off notice so they could possibly pay more than the allotted $329.90.  *** service advisor reiterated the terms of the payment arrangement and stated that if Home901 was going to award additional funds, the payment arrangement would be amended at that time.
  
  *** call was a good call and correct information was given.
  

  We apologize about the inconvenience this may have caused the customer. We hope that all future experiences with MLGW are nothing but superior. 

  Customer response

  08/18/2022

   
  Complaint: 17693141
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
    This does not explain how my bill became so outrageous. They dont check my meter i dont have a smart meter. The balance home 901 was paying was going to have my account at 0 because mlgw received assistance from csa also. Not to mention i was calm because yelling gets me no where and i didnt comprehend the terms. I cant pay that. I dont have that and im disabled not to mention battered. And i was told mlgw has a contact they can inform them they raised my amount. I never get to speak to management and they stated on the news they where not disconnecting. They are getting over on the sick and shut in as myself and they have no care in the world. They are also abusing the assistance program they getting paid and then they charge even more. I was told they supposed to put your account on hold anyway if they receiving money. 
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  Business response

  08/29/2022

  When we first responded to this email on August 9th, a payment of $438 had been applied from Home901 as of June 29th. This left Ms. ********* with a balance of $320.30.These are the events after that payment:
  
  We read her meters on July 7th.  The full billing cycle was from 6/7/2022 7/7/22.  The charges for those 30 days of service with an average temperature of 83 degrees was $382.70.  The past due balance of $320.30 + the new bill charges of $382.70 = $703. 
  There was a cut off notice mailed on July 28th for $703.
  On August 5th, we read the meters again.  This billing cycle was from July 7/7/22 8/5/22.  The charges for those 29 days of service with an average temperature of 86 degrees was $409.80.  The past due balance of $702.20 + the new bill charges of $409.80 = $1,112.00. 
  On both bills printed on July 8th and August 8th, it is noted that CSA is going to pay $329.90.  As of August 25th, that payment has applied to the account and the remaining balance is $782.10. 
  The CSA payment of $329.90 applied on August 25th leaving a balance on the cut off notice of $373.10.   A minimum payment of $174 is required to keep her services from being interrupted for non-payment.  This payment must be received as soon as possible.  OR
  ************************ does qualify for our deferred billing program. 
  The CSA payment of $329.90 is enough to take care of the 25% that is required to be placed on the program.  If this option is chosen, the remaining balance of $801.03 (late fees of $18.93 have been added) will be split into ten (10) equal payments of $80.10 and added to Ms. ********* next 10 bills.  This is not an automatic payment plan.  ******************** must contact us immediately to have this plan set up to avoid service interruption.
  
  As it relates to the gas service at this premise, there was and has always been significant gas usage during the winter months.  This is a strong indication that the heating unit uses gas.  The highest gas usage goes from December through April of each year with minimal usage in November, May and June.  For the remaining months of the year, there is zero usage but customers are billed a base fee of $10.42.  If ******************** would like for the billing to stop, she would have to make a formal request to disconnect only the gas service out of her name and we would then have to remove the gas meter from the premises. When the winter months are approaching, a formal request to connect the gas service in her name would have to be made.  There will be a connect fee of $42 for a next day request and a $52 fee for a same day request entered before 1 p.m. (Note: If the gas meter is removed, no same day requests can be entered.)
  
  To address no one reading Ms.********* meters, the meter reading data on the account shows there have been no estimated readings at this address for the past several years.  Actual readings are received during the 8 oclock hour each meter reading day. If ******************* is home during the day and would like for the meter reader to knock on her door prior to or after the meters are read, we would be glad to do so. She would have to make a formal request by calling our ************************* Center.
  
  Once ******************** makes her decisions based upon the information listed above, she can call our ************************* Center @ ************** between the hours of 8 a.m. 6 p.m.Monday through Friday.
  
  We hope the information listed above is helpful.  

• Initial Complaint

  08/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We owned an apartment complex in Memphis, ** that we sold in May of this year. I reached out via email to Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division as no one would answer their phones due to staffing shortages, according to them. I wanted to advise them we had sold the properties and to stop service in our name on 5/23 of this year. So I sent an email with this information and was told that our final meter read date would be that date but all of our bills came in showing a meter read date of 6/7 - 2 weeks after my requested cut off date. We have a final **** that covers 46 days and should be 31 days. One department tells me I need to talk to the other department and vice versa. I'm tired of the run around and want to get this settled immediately.

  Business response

  08/12/2022

  Thank you for allowing MLGW to resolve the customer's issue. We apologize about the delay in resolving this issue. We are currently working on the customer's accounts.  She has a house account at  1477 Cherry RD. and  this account  needs to be adjusted; however our ******************* is not able to make the adjustment.  A request has been submitted to Customer Accounts and Records in assisting in adjusting the account.  The customer has been contacted via email regarding this issue.We hope that all future experiences with MLGW are nothing but superior. 
  

  Customer response

  08/13/2022

   
  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,
  
  *****************

• Initial Complaint

  07/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was charged for an extra month of utility service (Electric / Gas / Water) after notifying MLGW on 6/13/22 to disconnect ALL services @ ******************************************************************************* where I was a residential customer for three years. ********************** Account # ******************************* STOP SERVICE CONFIRMATION # RSTOP202206131036 Service Stop Date: 6/20/2022 * Service was not stopped at the address listed on file*I received a July **** for $137.00 I called and waited on hold for 45 minutes on 7/27/2022 to request disconnection a second time and received a call tonight that the service was disconnected on 7/28/22 . At both calls I requested a credit for the extra month charged and was denied twice. I have never received a credit for 3-4 weeks of outages there over the last three years either. It is ridiculous that the only public utility provider in Shelby County, ** treats their customers so badly.

  Business response

  08/03/2022

  Thank you for allowing MLGW to resolve the customer's complaint. Upon research, the following was found:

  After analyzing this account, the disconnect requested on 7/28/22 is in exceptions. A request to have the disconnect cleared has been submitted, once the exception is cleared the customer's request to disconnect service on 6/20/22 will be honored and the **** will be corrected.

  The customer also stated that he lived at his address at *********************************** for over three years and never received a credit for 3-4 weeks of outages.
  The customer does not realize if the service is out due to an outage there are no services therefore no usage to credit.  MLGW only charges for services that go through the meter. For more information regarding billing, our customer care policy can be viewed at ******************************/customercarepolicy

  We apologize about the inconvenience caused with the delay on the disconnection of services. We strive to provide superior customer service and we are regretful that we fell short of that. We hope that all future experiences that the customer has are nothing but superior. 

*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. ↩