My wife has had multiple brain surgeries and is almost blind. I have serious diabetes with advanced neuropathy in my feet and legs and I am in a wheel chair most of the time. Both of us are elderly and on disability income. We have had Progress Energy since 1982 with no problems.
My father died in August, 2010 so before departing for Georgia I made my electric payment using a bill pay service offered by the bank. When I returned from Georgia, a week later, things were a mess. It seems that somehow the account that was attached to the bill pay was changed by me or someone at the bill pay service and an account with less than $50.00 put in its place. As a result the electronic transfer was rejected. The bill pay service has a policy (foolish as it may seem) that they submit the payment a 2nd time, just in case. It was also rejected. I got busy and paid all the rejects plus almost $200.00 in penalties to all the rejected payments. All accept Progress Energy accepted my apology and payments with no problem. It really wasn’t about the money. I have enough money in the bank to pay my bills with a good amount left over.
Progress Energy, however, tells me that the action is construed as” two bad checks” in so many days and therefore I will have to pay in cash or money order for the next year.
Handicapped as my wife and I are makes it very difficult for us to get out and make the payments. I explained this to Progress but they told me, Sorry, that’s the way it is. It’s your fault so you have to suffer the consequences. I am not sure what this action by Progress Energy achieves other that punishment and /or something else unknown.
Furthermore, they have cancelled the electronic notification on the billing and I am now having a hard time finding out when I own a bill and how much it is for. I do not understand why they would do something like this since it has nothing to do with the original problem. I can only believe that this is retaliation or just plain meanness.
I have tried to reinstate the electronic notice but they cancel it each time. I have not contacted them about this because it might make things worse.
This is a public utility and I have no choice where to purchase electricity and most companies in the United States try to help handicapped elderly people, but not Progress Energy. They only go out of their way to make it more difficult. I recently set up an account with Georgia Power for my father’s house with no problem, not even a deposit.
I sure do need a little help with these people. It won’t cost anybody anything.
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