Who Loves JEA?

[BridgeTroll]

Here it is...  Click on the word doc...

https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=25-6.097

25-6.097 Customer Deposits.
(1) Deposit required; establishment of credit. Each company’s tariff shall contain their specific criteria for determining the amount of initial deposit. Each utility may require an applicant for service to satisfactorily establish credit, but such establishment of credit shall not relieve the customer from complying with the utilities’ rules for prompt payment of bills. Credit will be deemed so established if:
(a) The applicant for service furnishes a satisfactory guarantor to secure payment of bills for the service requested. For residential customers, a satisfactory guarantor shall, at the minimum, be a customer of the utility with a satisfactory payment record. For non-residential customers, a satisfactory guarantor need not be a customer of the utility. Each utility shall develop minimum financial criteria that a proposed guarantor must meet to qualify as a satisfactory guarantor. A copy of the criteria shall be made available to each new non-residential customer upon request by the customer. A guarantor’s liability shall be terminated when a residential customer whose payment of bills is secured by the guarantor meets the requirements of subsection (2) of this rule. Guarantors providing security for payment of residential customers’ bills shall only be liable for bills contracted at the service address contained in the contract of guaranty.
(b) The applicant pays a cash deposit.
(c) The applicant for service furnishes an irrevocable letter of credit from a bank or a surety bond.
(2) Refund of deposits. After a customer has established a satisfactory payment record and has had continuous service for a period of 23 months, the utility shall refund the residential customer’s deposits and shall, at its option, either refund or pay the higher rate of interest specified below for nonresidential deposits, providing the customer has not, in the preceding 12 months.
(a) Made more than one late payment of a bill (after the expiration of 20 days from the date of mailing or delivery by the utility).
(b) Paid with a check refused by a bank.
(c) Been disconnected for nonpayment, or at any time.
(d) Tampered with the electric meter, or
(e) Used service in a fraudulent or unauthorized manner.

[BridgeTroll]

I thinks it's kinda funny BT that you spend your morning scouring the internet for proof of other utilities companies ramrodding their 'dead-beat' customers.

Not doing anything of the sort Shwaz.  I do like to see "facts" rather than "this happened to me" anecdotes.  Once the facts are established I would be more than happy to argue what is legal, or fair, or whether the law should be changed.

I would think you would appreciate that...

[Shwaz]

Yeah, people relating their personal experiences on a forum... how strange. This debate of what actions are legal with in FL administration code is a debate of 1. No one here is claiming JEA is acting outside of the law.

The consensus here is that these measures are not well received. 

[Shwaz]

... and apparently no one loves JEA

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2010/07/12/daily34.html

Jacksonville Electric Authority tied for the next-to-last ranked position in customer satisfaction, according to the 2010 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study released by J.D. Power and Associates.
JEA scored 602 points on a 1,000-point scale in the South Region: Midsize Segment - two points higher than last year.
Residential customer satisfaction is measured in the study by examining power quality and reliability, price, billing and payment, corporate citizenship, communications, and customer service.
JEA dropped to the 25 position from 22 last year. Utility companies averaged 643 in the South Region: Midsize Segment and 630 overall.


Read more: JEA gets low score from J.D. Powers | Jacksonville Business Journal

[BridgeTroll]

Dont know about you Shwaz... but I learned something about the whole issue this morning rather than just complain about it.

Chip asked...

How do other utilities handle late payers?  ...maybe JEA could look into those methods

I provided an answer other than... "yeah dude... they suck".

Complaining to JEA, FPL, Clay, etc... is not going to do you any good.  The complaints clearly should be directed to the Florida Public Service Commission who regulates the Utilities.  Clearly... the Utilities do not have a choice in the matter.

Apparently... "unwarranted" deposits added to peoples bills is NOT a reason to hate JEA.  It may very well be a reason to hate the FPSC.

[Shwaz]

Dont know about you Shwaz... but I learned something about the whole issue this morning rather than just complain about it.

Chip asked...

How do other utilities handle late payers?  ...maybe JEA could look into those methods

I provided an answer other than... "yeah dude... they suck".

Complaining to JEA, FPL, Clay, etc... is not going to do you any good.  The complaints clearly should be directed to the Florida Public Service Commission who regulates the Utilities.  Clearly... the Utilities do not have a choice in the matter.

Apparently... "unwarranted" deposits added to peoples bills is NOT a reason to hate JEA.  It may very well be a reason to hate the FPSC.

Well more than that. You approached this thread with an agenda and disdain for those who question the measures of this local monopoly...

OK... what should JEA's response be to unpaid or chronically late bills?  Should they just keep adding it to next months bill?  Billing forgiveness?  Raise the rates of the "rich people" so those who cannot pay, do not have to?

Solutions?  Suggestions?  Helpful hints?

[ChriswUfGator]

I'm sure a pig just flew by outside my window, but I totally agree with Schwaz.

JEA has overstepped any reasonable measures required to protect itself from bad debts, and is just building a cash pool to earn additional investment income from while they sit on other peoples' money. There is no reason that somebody with your average $250/mo bill should have to pay a $1k deposit, yet that happens all the time. They shut off your utilities once you get past a month late, what's the point of requiring these huge deposits?

And FWIW, JEA is county-owned and is exempt from the PUC and deposit regulations. If JEA was held to that rule about not exceeding 2 months' average useage, you wouldn't see everybody having to cough up $1k deposits, and in one case on this thread a $10k deposit.

Also, I think that in all fairness, they should be required to set up an installment payment plan for the deposits separate from the utility bills. The current practice of assessing the deposit to the current month's bill and then disconnecting power if the accountholder is unable to pay the $1k additional charge JEA tacked on by the next statement date is pretty outrageous.

Full disclosure; I have had no bounced checks, JEA has never required a deposit from me, and I've not had my power disconnected. Unlike some members of the Teabagger peanut-gallery around here, I just have this weird thing called "empathy" and the ability to place myself in "someone else's shoes" and I can see what a problem JEA's behavior would be for some folks.

[Shwaz]

An installment plan is another reasonable option... unfortunately you find the words reasonable or fair in any JEA mission statement.

[BridgeTroll]

Good lord...   JEA is doing what virtually ALL utilities do.  I am sure there are one or two Utilities that are as benevelant and caring as you guys say JEA should be.  Please... by any and all means... show me.  THEN JEA can be approached with a real and workable alternative to their greedy and evil ways.

This is what I said... and I stand by it!

OK... what should JEA's response be to unpaid or chronically late bills?  Should they just keep adding it to next months bill?  Billing forgiveness?  Raise the rates of the "rich people" so those who cannot pay, do not have to?

Solutions?  Suggestions?  Helpful hints?

I have provided facts as to WHY JEA acts as it does... perhaps one of you can provide an alternative to their methods.  Perhaps a suggestion?  Solution?

[BridgeTroll]

Who is stealing something?  Is JEA, FPL, Clay and virtually every Utility in North America doing something illegal?  Sounds like something a good attorny should be able to handle...

[ChriswUfGator]

BridgeTroll, the rest of them require 2 months' average usage as a deposit. JEA requires $1k or more, for no reason.

For the second time, JEA as a wholly-owned operating unit of a county government is not subject to regulation by the state or PUC, and is not subject to these deposit requirements. JEA routinely requires deposits that far exceed the state guidelines, and far exceed the amount other utilities charge.

[Shwaz]

Good lord...  JEA is doing what virtually ALL utilities do.  I am sure there are one or two Utilities that are as benevelant and caring as you guys say JEA should be.  Please... by any and all means... show me.  THEN JEA can be approached with a real and workable alternative to their greedy and evil ways.

This is what I said... and I stand by it!

OK... what should JEA's response be to unpaid or chronically late bills?  Should they just keep adding it to next months bill?  Billing forgiveness?  Raise the rates of the "rich people" so those who cannot pay, do not have to?

Solutions?  Suggestions?  Helpful hints?

I have provided facts as to WHY JEA acts as it does... perhaps one of you can provide an alternative to their methods.  Perhaps a suggestion?  Solution?

In your haste to prove that JEA are the good guys you either didn't have time to read the other posts in this thread or maybe you just passed them off as "anecdotal"...

Suggestions were made.. they may not have been as condescending or sarcastic as yours.. but suggestions all the same

-Late fees
-Reconnection fees
-Additional deposits of $100 or less

Are all acceptable....

Chris also pointed out that you maybe incorrect and JEA is not governed by the state guidlines you provided... and even if they are / were the inflated deposit amounts requested are much higher than allowed... also in the links you provided.

Here's one more suggestion you can choose not to read; Why not offer our utility service contract to private companies?

[BridgeTroll]

 

Yes, they are stealing the use of the money.

Just because you claim that 'virtually every publicly owned utility in North America' is doing something doesnt make it true.

Certainly they should be prosecuted.  Are they?  have they?  I really dont know.  One could easily assume that a judge could tell them to cease stealing while the case is being prosecuted...

[BridgeTroll]

Good lord...   JEA is doing what virtually ALL utilities do.  I am sure there are one or two Utilities that are as benevelant and caring as you guys say JEA should be.  Please... by any and all means... show me.  THEN JEA can be approached with a real and workable alternative to their greedy and evil ways.

This is what I said... and I stand by it!

OK... what should JEA's response be to unpaid or chronically late bills?  Should they just keep adding it to next months bill?  Billing forgiveness?  Raise the rates of the "rich people" so those who cannot pay, do not have to?

Solutions?  Suggestions?  Helpful hints?

I have provided facts as to WHY JEA acts as it does... perhaps one of you can provide an alternative to their methods.  Perhaps a suggestion?  Solution?

In your haste to prove that JEA are the good guys you either didn't have time to read the other posts in this thread or maybe you just passed them off as "anecdotal"...

Suggestions were made.. they may not have been as condescending or sarcastic as yours.. but suggestions all the same

-Late fees
-Reconnection fees
-Additional deposits of $100 or less

Are all acceptable....

Chris also pointed out that you maybe incorrect and JEA is not governed by the state guidlines you provided... and even if they are / were the inflated deposit amounts requested are much higher than allowed... also in the links you provided.

Here's one more suggestion you can choose not to read; Why not offer our utility service contract to private companies?

Shwaz... can we chalk up my alleged sarcasm or condescending to this medium that is not very condusive to conversation?  That is not my intent.

you said...

-Late fees
-Reconnection fees
-Additional deposits of $100 or less

Are all acceptable....

Are they?  Again... is this conjecture, is it viable?

I will say again... I am not here defending JEA.  Not a big fan either.  I had to fight it out with them over a bogus bill at one time also.

[ChriswUfGator]

Well, since someone mentioned BridgeTroll's rather troubled relationship with the facts...

Direct from the Florida Public Utilities Commission;

What the PSC Does Not Regulate:

-Rates and adequacy of services provided by municipally
owned and rural cooperative electric utilities, except for
safety oversight.
-Electrical wiring inside the customer’s building
-Taxes on the electric bill
-Physical placement of transmission and distribution
lines
-Damage claims
-Right of way
-Physical placement or relocation of utility poles

http://www.psc.state.fl.us/publications/consumer/brochure/When_to_Call_the_PSC.pdf

Seems like BT doesn't research his claims very well. The truth is that the state does not have the authority to regulate JEA's billing or rates, and accordingly we have no state protection when dealing with JEA on billing issues or deposit requirements. They can do whatever they damn well please, and that's exactly what they do.

How in his extensive research on the business practices of "every public utility" could he have missed this?