I have applied for assistance for getting help withelectricity bill, I did receive a little to pay the bill, but seriously notenough and our bill is still high. We got a call on answering machine sayingpayment is due by april 2 or service will be disconnected april 3. Now is thereany other assistance we can go through to get help with our bill? I have a 7 weekold baby in the house, can they actually disconnect us? We have tried to make payment arrangementswith them, but it depends if we got the money or not, and the ppl that work there are so rude and snotty. My husband worksfulltime, but his checks go to the house payment and I work only 2 weeks out ofthe month and we are in such crisis with our bills and stuff already. Is thereany other ways to work it our or get assistance with our utility bill? I knowthere is no way we can come up with one lump sum by april 15 unless a miraclehappens.
Can electricity company disconnect you after April 15 with an infant in the house?
Started by
preciousone
, Mar 28 2012 12:59 AM
10 replies to this topic
#1
Posted 28 March 2012 - 12:59 AM
#2
Posted 28 March 2012 - 02:31 PM
it probably depends on your local laws and utility regulations. are there any free legal clinics in your area or other social services offices, like a community action program, who might be able to give you some guidance?
#3
Posted 28 March 2012 - 04:17 PM
The only provision I'm aware of is that if you have someone in the home that needs the electricity for medical reasons such as an electric bed, oxygen supply.
ITA with hege. Contact Community Action and ask who you can turn to for help.
Most utility companies have an 'off season' payment plan that will work for you during warm weather months if you don't qualify for assistance.
ITA with hege. Contact Community Action and ask who you can turn to for help.
Most utility companies have an 'off season' payment plan that will work for you during warm weather months if you don't qualify for assistance.
#4
Posted 28 March 2012 - 08:11 PM
I have applied for assistance for getting help withelectricity bill, I did receive a little to pay the bill, but seriously notenough and our bill is still high. We got a call on answering machine sayingpayment is due by april 2 or service will be disconnected april 3. Now is thereany other assistance we can go through to get help with our bill? I have a 7 weekold baby in the house, can they actually disconnect us? We have tried to make payment arrangementswith them, but it depends if we got the money or not, and the ppl that work there are so rude and snotty. My husband worksfulltime, but his checks go to the house payment and I work only 2 weeks out ofthe month and we are in such crisis with our bills and stuff already. Is thereany other ways to work it our or get assistance with our utility bill? I knowthere is no way we can come up with one lump sum by april 15 unless a miraclehappens.
Call them back. Tell them to apply the helping hand funds (Maybe called something else in other states). It should be around $100.00. They should do that automatically for those that are behind and got heating assistance in the winter. Also, tell them you are going to apply for Cash assistance, Food stamps at the local welfare office, you may also qualify for WIC. Work requirement should be waived for you because you have an infant-some states don't have work requirements. You should be eligible for some if not all of the programs since you were eligible for heating assistance. The salvation army can sometime help as well. The problem with them is they don't have the funds a lot of the time.
Edited by groze, 28 March 2012 - 08:13 PM.
#5
Posted 29 March 2012 - 12:42 AM
Our Daughter is the one with the infant, she has WIC, Foodshare, Badgercare. We qualified for heating assistance and for electricity assistance, but they barely paid anything. Our Electric Company are just plain B****** and they will not do a payment plan after April 15 or so they say. I thought no matter what they are suppose to work with you or so they say on website? Ha I think they lie about that, everytime we ask to make a payment arrangement, but they want so much for a payment, don't they know how the economy is? Jeez, I would like to see them struggle for once. Now since we qualified for assistance, shoudn't they be able to work with us for payments on our bill?
#6
Posted 30 March 2012 - 06:56 PM
Your last ditch hope would be to call the public utility regulator in your state capital. They are usually listed as "Public Utilities Commission of Your State".
As a regulator, they will not play games, just explain to you what your options are with that particular utility company. WIC I'm familiar with but it's a Federal program. Receiving certain types of aid isn't usually a qualifier, especially if this is a grandchild. You're right, times are tight but the phone is ringing off the hook and there are fewer dollars to go around for everyone in need.
If you have previously set up a payment plan with that utility and defaulted on the plan and not paid as agreed that may keep you from being eligible for another plan.
As a regulator, they will not play games, just explain to you what your options are with that particular utility company. WIC I'm familiar with but it's a Federal program. Receiving certain types of aid isn't usually a qualifier, especially if this is a grandchild. You're right, times are tight but the phone is ringing off the hook and there are fewer dollars to go around for everyone in need.
If you have previously set up a payment plan with that utility and defaulted on the plan and not paid as agreed that may keep you from being eligible for another plan.
#7
Posted 31 March 2012 - 12:44 PM
Ask about a crisis grant with the people who gave you the assistance because you now have a shut off notice.
#8
Posted 21 April 2012 - 01:01 PM
They are serving proper notice to you , the consumer. Unsure how in this economic time that you get a free pass to not pay or pay lower then other persons who are going thru a hard time. "Qualifying" under other public programs does NOT give a person an extension to pay, or pay lower. Yes, most utilities do have a payment program when given full disclosure. They are NOT required to work with a person unless per a previous poster, a resident in the home has a medically signed note from a physician requiring a life support device that is operated via electricity. And then all they are required to do is have a generator for that device only.
Most consumers can find ways to cut back on the electricity by lowering appliance use...finding cost savings thru "less " use. I stopped using A/c and now have a fan for the room that is most occupied. I no longer use a dryer on sunny days....Amazing how the sun can dry clothes along with the wind.
Most consumers can find ways to cut back on the electricity by lowering appliance use...finding cost savings thru "less " use. I stopped using A/c and now have a fan for the room that is most occupied. I no longer use a dryer on sunny days....Amazing how the sun can dry clothes along with the wind.
#9
Posted 05 May 2012 - 03:34 AM
My thoughts are with you. It sounds Like a really tough time you are going through but keep your headup and dont give up.
When you finaly get that electric bill situated do everything you can so save money and cut that electric bill down. You can get a few extension cords with switches on them and connect them to energy hogs like tv/cable box. When you arent using it or going to bed turn the switchoff. You would be SHOCKED how much energy you entertainment system draws when its supposed to be off.
Use ceiling fans (if you have them) instead of the AC, unplugg things that you dont use and turn off the lights when no one is in the room.
Every little bit helps and i promise your bill will be much lower next time.
Good Luck
When you finaly get that electric bill situated do everything you can so save money and cut that electric bill down. You can get a few extension cords with switches on them and connect them to energy hogs like tv/cable box. When you arent using it or going to bed turn the switchoff. You would be SHOCKED how much energy you entertainment system draws when its supposed to be off.
Use ceiling fans (if you have them) instead of the AC, unplugg things that you dont use and turn off the lights when no one is in the room.
Every little bit helps and i promise your bill will be much lower next time.
Good Luck
#10
Posted 05 May 2012 - 03:25 PM
It highly depends on your local state laws. I know for instance that New York state laws don't have provisions against homes with infants, unless there are other underlying medical issues.
#11
Posted 09 March 2013 - 01:12 PM
I actually work for an electric utility, The only way that we cannot shut a house off is if an occupant is relying on medical conditions that require electric. I am on the line crew not at the office and most of the problem has to do with the public service commission. They have required us to go to a computer system that is black and white, no grey areas. In the past you could call the office and the operator or teller you were talking to had the ability to make arrangements for you but now if your account shows that you have made an arrangemnet and have defaulted it does not allow the option for anything else. It is kinda out of their hands. Im sure there are some help out there for assistance but as far as contacting the utility i doubt you will have much luck. With all of the storms and people raising h**l about why their power is out, we are strictly regulated on everything now. I guess its good for a reliability stand point but really makes it hard when people hit hard times.
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