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Does anyone know the process involved if you have a problem with your electric bill? I know we should probably contact customer service...but is it fairly easy to dispute a meter reading taken my a Helco employee?
We were on vacation for a month and we turned off the power from the circuit breaker box. We were expecting a very small bill this month but got a bill for $500.00. We noticed the helco employee approach our house to take the reading...but since it was pouring rain...he stayed in his truck and use binoculars to read it. I went down after receiving the bill to look at the meter and the helco employees reading was off by 1000 kilowatt hours.
Some people have said just pay the charge this time....and it will correct itself next time. That may work for some people...but I don't have $500.00 to pay for an electric bill that should be 0.
Any ideas would be appreciated...
I don't think it will be hard.
First, you write down the numbers currently on the meter. Call CS, ask for billing, explain, give them the numbers. They might need to send someone back out.
HELCO even has self meter reading if you want it, That is, you are not required to have your meter read, and you can mail in your own readings each month or call them in. So if they are willing to rely on your reading for billing, they shouldn't have a problem with your reporting an error.
"And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody, outside of a small circle of friends ~ Phil Ochs
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Definitely go in person and dispute it. My bill jumped $50 one month. Then the next month was much lower. I happened to stop by the office to pay my bill a month or so later and asked about the difference. They said they overcharged me and then credited me the difference the next month. Problem is they overcharged by $43 but only credited me $15. Definitely need to speak to them in person.
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I'd first try to deal with HELCO customer service dept to get the bill lowered. Take proof of your airline tickets with you to show that you were off island for this billing period. If this doesn't work go to this link and fill out the complaint form. Good luck..
http://hawaii.gov/dcca/dca/complaint_form
Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. (NYSE: HE)
reports a $48 million quarterly profit, up about 50 percent from a year ago, on higher earnings in both its electric and banking divisions.
The company owns Hawaiian Electric Co., Maui Electric, and the Big Island's HELCO, and also owns American Savings Bank, the third largest banking institution in Hawaii.
The combined electric operations produced third quarter net income of $38 million, up from $22 million in the summer quarter of 2010, the company said Thursday.
HEI President Connie Lau said interim rate relief granted by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission was the main reason electric company earnings improved by $16 million.
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/15953...profits-up
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quote:
Originally posted by macuu222
Does anyone know the process involved if you have a problem with your electric bill? I know we should probably contact customer service...but is it fairly easy to dispute a meter reading taken my a Helco employee?
We were on vacation for a month and we turned off the power from the circuit breaker box. We were expecting a very small bill this month but got a bill for $500.00. We noticed the helco employee approach our house to take the reading...but since it was pouring rain...he stayed in his truck and use binoculars to read it. I went down after receiving the bill to look at the meter and the helco employees reading was off by 1000 kilowatt hours.
Some people have said just pay the charge this time....and it will correct itself next time. That may work for some people...but I don't have $500.00 to pay for an electric bill that should be 0.
Any ideas would be appreciated...
I believe that if are you up to date on your payments and they have always been on time,you can miss a payment!!!!
That has been what's worked for me !!!
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Read your meter, put down numbers, date and time of reading.
Call Helco Monday, billing dept #969-0142 ask for Richard and explain the
situation. If he can't help you he should be able to tell you who to call.
Same thing happened to us, they can make the correction there or send someone
out to reread the meter. If there is an error they will send out a corrected bill!
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Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. (NYSE: HE) reports a $48 million quarterly profit, up about 50 percent from a year ago, on higher earnings in both its electric and banking divisions.
Awww, only 48 million quarterly profit, that's why they wanted ALL their customers to subsidize their biofuel business with AKP:
"HECO estimates that HECO ratepayers would pay AKP a subsidy of $23.81M in 2015 and would continue to subsidize AKP for 20 years. HELCO ratepayers would also pay a subsidy. The PUC noted that the subsidy would be above $100M over the 20 year contract."
http://www.disappearednews.com/2011/10/h...ation.html
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quote:
Originally posted by KathyH
HELCO even has self meter reading if you want it, That is, you are not required to have your meter read, and you can mail in your own readings each month or call them in. So if they are willing to rely on your reading for billing, they shouldn't have a problem with your reporting an error.
"And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody, outside of a small circle of friends ~ Phil Ochs
You can also scan and email your meter reading card to Richard Arai. I did that for a couple of years then HELCO changed my meter to one of the new fancy ones that broadcast to the receiver in the truck and I didn't have to read my own anymore. Interestingly, my HELCO bills have dropped slightly since the new meter was installed - can't quibble with that.
I don't know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.
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Thanks everyone. I'll call Monday morning since Helco was closed Friday and see if this can be resolved over the phone. We have never missed a payment so maybe they may just let us skip this month since barely no power was used. And if they do need proof...I took a smartphone photo of the meter reading the day I received the bill and since we were both out of the country for the month...our passports would be proof enough that we weren't home at that time.
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quote:
Originally posted by hikatz
Read your meter, put down numbers, date and time of reading.
Call Helco Monday, billing dept #969-0142 ask for Richard and explain the
situation. If he can't help you he should be able to tell you who to call.
Same thing happened to us, they can make the correction there or send someone
out to reread the meter. If there is an error they will send out a corrected bill!
Exactly! We did the same thing but I couldnt figure out the reading so the clerk told me to take a pic upclose so they could see #'s and I emailed the pic to HELCO (Yes Richard I think) and they fixed it. It was about 28% higher than our typical reading so the next month our bill was low - but averaged over the two months it was normal.
One time, there were quite a few wrong readings in our neighborhood, and they sent another rep out to re-read them. Their line seems to be about 30-40% (? cant remember exactly) - if the bill is 30-40% more or less than normal, they come out without a call to double check.
