This company is in Texas. First, they charge way more than other water companies in this area, including ones with mud taxes! Second, they don't read our meter...our bill was the EXACT same for 4 months in a row. How do I report this company?
2006-09-28 13:36:58 · 6 answers · asked by Jennifer 3 in Local Businesses ➔ United States ➔ Houston
The only consumer advocates I can find are lawyers... I can't afford a lawyer because all my money is going to my water bill! lol
2006-09-29 03:40:28 · update #1
The public utilties commission only regulates electricity and telephone rates...
2006-09-29 03:41:14 · update #2
I had the same problem, at first I called the water department and ask for their mgmt. and when that didnt work I started writing letters to the mayor and then to the govenor, eventually (about 6 mos) I got a response, and they changed their tune and I got a check in the mail for the over charges.
2006-09-28 15:12:38 · answer #1 · answered by smurf_withattitude 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sadly, at this point, there really is very little you can do about it. The game was rigged years ago during back room deals between business and government. In the end, our elected officials broke up the government operated utilities and turned everything over to private industry - touting free enterprise, consumer choice, and increased competition, as the justification.
Of course, we now know there is no real competition and darn little consumer choice. Instead of multiple companies competing in an open market, companies simply got together and sliced up exclusive geographical areas for each company. This eliminated competition and consumer choice, leaving companies pretty much free to charge whatever they want.
In the meantime, our wonderful elected officials, pockets filled with money from these companies, have simply ignored the many complaints from consumers - just as they will likely ignore yours.
The end result is that I now suspect we are paying far more for utilities then we would have been paying if those earlier government owned utilities still existed - and would not likely have seen similar declines in service quality, reliability, and overall customer service.
What can we do about it? Well, what we probably should do is what our forefathers did - tar & feather a few government officials and sleazy business owners, and run them all out of town on a rail.
Absent that (since few have the guts to even try anything like that today), we could try voting some of the worst offenders out of office. Of course, that isn't going to happen as long as people continue to vote for political party instead of the issues.
As I said at the start of all this, there really is very little you can do about it.
2006-09-28 14:47:04 · answer #2 · answered by Dwight S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
find a phone number for Consumer Advocates in your area. They are in all cities, so good luck
2006-09-28 13:44:13 · answer #3 · answered by Mary 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
that's no longer the authorities doing the "gouging" that's the oil agencies. the authorities instruments the taxes on the gas it quite is intense yet even as it contains the gouging that's each and every of the oil agencies.
2016-12-06 08:30:34 · answer #4 · answered by schneir 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ha!!!! Well, I think there is a Utilities Commission, if, you can find them, they hide from people.
2006-09-28 13:41:49 · answer #5 · answered by Snaglefritz 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
BBB or call your local TV station they probably have a community action desk.
2006-09-28 13:45:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋