Tampa Electric / Teco Energy review: OVERCHARGE 9

We are all getting the shaft. They have a monopoly and they know they can charge whatever they want and they can get away with it. My deposit is 405.00 and they want it by the 30th of June or they are shutting my power off. I called yesterday and a supervisor told me that if I dont pay the deposit- they will turn me off. I have good credit- been a Teco customer since 1993 and I have never had my power turned off. I am determined to fight this. They are not shutting customers off because they dont pay their bill- they are shutting them off because they are demanding that we pay them 2 months service- randomly-in one of the toughest of economic times. When other options become available to Teco customers- they will be in dire straights just like Verizon had to wake up and realize they suddenly had competition and they couldn't simply "charge whatever they want-whenever they want". They have not heard the last from me.
John S

I went out of town in February unexpectedly. I ended up being gone for three months. Since I had JUST moved into my new place, I didn't have direct withdraw setup (this is an important fact to remember for something later) so not having paid my bill, they disconnected our power (this was in March). So before we came back, I made sure I brought it current so when we got back, we'd have power. So we get back, no big deal, power is on, everthing is hunkie-dorie. So a few days later, I get a letter from Teco saying I needed to come up with a $425 deposi (two months bill) because I had the power cut off and had been late on some of the payments previously. I wasn't late due to insufficient funds, I was late because I forgot to pay my ONE BILL that wasn't automatically drafted out of my checking account. I was almost positive that I had set it up so it was auto drafted but apparently, I was mistaken (this is important later as well). Keep in mind, I had 3 homes on one bill and at one point, my bill was $800 for all of them and was never late until I moved... and I've been in Tampa since 2003 and have spent probably close to $10k on electricity since I keep it cold.

So - I write Teco's customer service online, very detailed, very specific and get a generic reply that "they are sorry" but can't help us. I write them TWO MORE TIMES... nothing. I assumed (wrongfully) that they were being nice and waived the deposit since I didn't get any more notifications / disconnect notices (I got one with the first deposit notification). So I wake up two weeks ago and my power is off. I call to find out what's up and four different people tell me that it's my fault for not following up (I emailed 3 times) and that I needed to come up witht he money for the deposit AND the bill that was due. I asked for their management department and got the same aggrevating person as the generic CS dept and heard the same thing, "well sir, don't you think you should have followed up". I said, "you guys seem to be real good at sending disconnect notices, I got ONE in April and not another, so I assumed at my own fault thinking you had waived it." So anyways. I pay the deposit AND I pay half the next months bill ($253), $550 total. Electricity is on, everything is fine. I go into my checking account last week and see a charge for $253 (current bill) having been atomatically taken out of my account. Now keep in mind that they said my bill wasn't paid which is why they disconnected my service back in March... they also didn't draft my deposit out of my account, thus keeping my acount on and keeping me from having to come up with the $140 reconnect fee (for a second time). So explain to me how my account, if they said I hadn't set it up, did they just draft it out of my account last week?

To top it off, my ex wife is having the SAME PROBLEM right now. They applied an $1100 dollar combined bill from two other homes we used to own to her current bill, cutting her power off twice. She owed $1300 (so they say). Long story short for her is that they said there is $900 on a house I used to live in that was shut off in November of last year... I moved out in June and the power was shut off. How do I know this? Well besides the obvious "no power" there was a bag of chicken in the fridge that defrosted causing my old house to smell like sewage... it was so bad that the guys helping me move, threw up and one had to stay outside. Add smelly, rotting chicken to a house with no A/C and you have a health hazard. It was DISGUSTING. I can further prove it that when the real estate agent who did the BPO (broker price opinion) came over, he noted how bad it smelled, this was in JUNE!

I hate Tampa Electric. I wish I had solar. For the record. Florida Dept of Energy gives a stippen to residential home owners in the amount of $20k ($4 per watt) on a system that you have professionally installed. Problem is, you have to have it installed FIRST before they give you a credit.

Oh - and to the guy whose bill doubled, I had the same problem at my new place, PRIOR to us moving in. My bill was $450 and we weren't using the fridge, the washer/dryer, nothing. We used the lights to paint, that was it. I called and asked for an energy audit, they said, "we're just going to give you suggestions on what you can do to help keep your bill down. All the uggestions, I had already done. CFL bulbs, SOLAR TINT ON THE WINDOWS, timers on lights that are frequently used (bathroms) and a timer on my A/C. They just said, "you must have things plugged in". What? I didn't live here at the time. I bought this unit in June, moved in end of July.

I'd be glad to talk to anyone else that's had problems. Today was the last straw for me (my ex wife calling with the same issue for a second time). We don't really talk or get along, but I believe her and do feel sorry for what's going on. TECO is a MONOPOLY. Progress Energy needs to get service down here, EVERYONE would switch.

Email me further at my Craigslist anonymous email (so I don't get spam).

(splitting it up so the spider bots don't save my email)

tampascraigslist at yahoo dot com

First I must say...I have never despised a company as much as I despise TECO. I cannot even believe their practices and procedures are LEGAL!...I read all of this and have experienced every one of these things with this gestapo of a utility company.
I recently told one of their CSR's (and I use that term loosley considering CUSTOMER and SERVICE are two terms that TECO knows nothing about) that I was going to file a complaint with the BBB. This stone cold representative responded to my frustration with a comment that they are a government regulated utility company and do not rely upon or affiliate with the BBB.
They are a monopoly and their practices need attention and action at a higher level. I love the prospect of Progress Energy - how do we push to get them here!?...I have actually considered living WITHOUT power just to simply avoid doing business with TECO.
The security deposits with random increases due to late bills, or service interruptions, etc., is UNBELIEVABLE! I swear this company is making a ton of money investing and playing with all of the consumer "security" deposit funds. Applying the money to the final bill with interest paid is a small fee for them condering the millions they are probably making off it. And they have the nerve to request a rate hike to boot?
The latest issue that has pushed me over the top is the spike in my bills...I too have gone from $250 a month to $500!...I have doubled as well. because of the high bills, my security deposit is insufficient to cover their potential exposure so they demanded additional funds...I wouldn't pay...you got it...shut off with total amount due and reconnection fee to turn me back on. I had to pay $1000 with another $500 bill on the way. I called to make a payment arrangement for the new $500 bill but due to the drop in my customer rating (due to the turn-off - apparently you fall from grace quite easily) I do not qualify for any assistance. Pay or get shut off again! I went up the whole chain of command to no avail.
But...the clincher is they have no idea why I have such a steep spike in my bill - I requested an energy audit...the earliest they can get someone out to me was over 30 days away...August 21st is my appointment...but yet they can have someone out within 24 hours for a disconnect.
I am furious and looking for any mechanism I can find to bash this corrupt company.
I agree they will pay the minute there is another game in towm. Others have learned their lesson. Monopolies do not always last forever...PLEASE save us Progress Energy!

I don't know if there is much anyone can do. They might be government regulated, but they are definitely profiteers to the Nth degree. Fuel costs go down? Lets raise rates.

This only applies to some people thatr can afford this... but the Florida Deparartment of Energy has a grant program for solar energy installations. They will pay $4 PER kW up to $20k, so you can get a 5kW system and have a reimbursement from the state in the amount of $20k. I realize most people complaining on here don't have the extra money laying around to do this, but it's just a thought.

My bill went up $100 last month, NOTHING has changed. If anything, we use LESS of the dishwasher and less of the dryer/washing machine BECAUSE of TECO. For the last month, my lights have been dimming uncontrollably when anything gets turned on, I swear there is a drain coming from outside and it's causing my electric bill to go up. I am going to get the dimming on tape (it does it VERY frequently)... 3 times just since I've started typing this last paragraph... so we'll see if that changes anything. I've already installed a 7 day A/C timer, CFL bulbs, solar tint on all the windows and timers on ALL the lights. WTF else am I supposed to do. I live in an 1800sq ft SOLID CONCRETE TOWNHOME and my A/C is set at 78 during the day.

And you're right, everyone in their "CS Department" needs a lesson in manners. I hate to make this about race, but sometimes it is with certain people. Every one of them is black, I'm not, I've never heard so much disdain and "I don't give a [censored]ness" when you call them towards me. The ONLY person I've EVER had a good conversation with at that place is what sounded like an older women who seemed like she was someones grandmother. I've documented all the emails and calls that I've made to them PRIOR to ever having my electric disconnected... only one of them was returned. I was then told that since I didn't take care of the issue prior to it being disconnected, I was SOL and that there weren't any assistance programs out there to help me since the electric was off - but to call Red Cross, the local Goodwill, etc...

...are you kidding me?

Hopefully more sooner than later, Progress will be here.

I had almost the same thing happen to me. This is crazy!

go to www.psc.state.fl.us/consumers/complaints/index2.aspx
and make a formal complaint about tampa electric or any other electric company. it also has numbers you can call to complain. This is what I had to do.
Good Luck!

FYI THIS WORKS filed complaint this morning and things have been taken care of. Teco emailed me within 2 hours after submitting the complaint. www.psc.state.fl.us/consumers/complaints/index2.aspx

TECO sucks, have asked for 3 different deposits. The last one they turned off my electric till I paid it. Turned off my power from the pole instead of the house and wants to charge me another $145.00 connection because they said my gate was locked. I have been a customer for 7 1/2 yrs. Put a latch on the gate for access so they can come in, their demand for the latch. I keep the gate closed due to the cows getting out. Their excuse, I locked the gate, it doesn't lock. She said I should have left the gate open, can't the cows will get out, she said she understands, how? I can't leave it open. She said she can't do anything about it. I pay it or they turn it off. Cold cold thieves, they are.

I hate TECO they are making me pay for my current apartment and my last apartment this is January my lease was up in September for the last apartment. My old apartment sent a letter to TECO letting them know they have since rented that apartment out and that the new residents are paying them as well for that apartment. Does TECO refund me my 550.00 they made me pay for two apartment no they credit the old apartment so they say but these new people bill does not show a credit. And what do they do tell me I have a late fee for not paying for November when I paid them 150 for two apartments for the month of November then turn around and paid 139.89 I hate TECO to the point I want to buy generators and live that way. I cannot continue to go through this, I am now researching if there is a law against using generators because I cannot continue to use my lunch break to fight with TECO.