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Hydro One – Dirty Rotten Blood Suckers!

February 12th, 2009. Posted By Larry Monte
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Hydro One is EVIL! As much as this blog is about regaining my lost passion for web design, it’s also about my personal struggle to dig myself out of the financial hole I currently find myself in.

Without going into too much detail of what brought me here, I’ll be brief by saying that I live in an economically depressed town that offers nothing but low paying retail jobs. My job in particular saw my hours cut in half over a year ago.

Needless to say, money has been tight for some time now.

During December and January, I damned near starved trying to raise money to cover my Hydro bill. I was dangerously close to being disconnected but managed to raise their blood money nonetheless. (If I see another box of Kraft Dinner, I’m going to kill someone!)

Victory! I was amazed I pulled it off!

My victory was short lived though. Yesterday I get a letter from Hydro One informing me that because I was late in paying they are demanding an additional $188.00 as a security deposit!

WTF! If I had problems raising the cash to pay the bill itself, then where the Hell do they expect me to pull an ‘extra’ $188.00 from? Not to mention I still have $300 outstanding and a fresh new bill on it’s way for the same amount which they will also be adding this security deposit to.

Next month I expect to see a bill for almost $800 which I have no hope in Hell of paying. It’s more than I make in a month!

I’m faced with a few options at this point:

  • Move to another place where Hydro is inclusive. (Not going to happen as I’ll never raise first and last months rent. Not to mention rents are outrageous here!)
  • Move into a shared accommodation. (Never works out as I have a hard time living with anyone – male or female. I’ll have to move again in no time.)
  • Sit here in the dark and cold and pray for death.

Unfortunately, the last one seems like the only viable option at this point.

Don’t get me wrong. I realize these bills need to be paid, but dammit! Give me a frikkin’ break here! I’ve lost 10lbs since all this started and my health is starting to suffer because of this.

A note to Hydro One

You have the NERVE to call me a ‘customer’? You rack up a huge debt then look to me to pay for it under the guise of a ‘Debt Retirement Charge’ which is anywhere from $10-$20 on all my Hydro bills. You prey on the unfortunate by demanding additional money that a lot of us don’t have. You send me a disconnection notice dated for December 24th (Christmas Eve) which tells me just how much you think of your ‘customers’.

I’ve dealt with collection agencies who have had more heart than you! Wake up and smell the economy! Try to help a guy out during these tough times for crying out loud!

So, take your monopolistic attitude and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine! I’ve had more than enough of this shit!

Odds N Ends

  • Oh Man, take care of everything that comes your way! Very soon economy turmoil would be over and more would around for you.
  • Sorry to hear about your financial troubles Larry , I find myself in the same boat financially but thankfully, living with parents has its benefits, this being one of them. That really sucks what Hydro has done to you and treated you. I know they are a business and need to be paid ontime but sheesh, you finally get the money to them and now they want the late payment plus your bill is increased for next time. Surely not a good situation to be in. I hope something breaks in your favor sooner rather than later.
  • I will pay the bill (hopefully)... MINUS the deposit. I *think* they can only disconnect you for not paying your usage... not the deposit.

    The only downside there is they will keep adding late payment charges for the unpaid balance. :(
  • GMC
    Well my security depost was 765.00 because my hydro is also my heat (baseboard electric) so based on consumption. Then to boot after the agreement was made for the security deposit they send me a letter saying my usage has increased by $190.00 this winter so I also owe this amount for the current month. They said if I use more hydro then they forecast for I will have to pay that amount up front. If your account is not kept current for 1 year (1 day late doesn't fly) they could owe you thousands of dollars by the time that year arrives. I have made $1,600.00 in hydro payments since December of 08 and now they want that additional $190.00 along with next months payment of $465.00. Being a family of 5 on a fixed budget, the money is just not there so the problem keeps escalating. Can anyone offer advice as to who I need to speak with to make some reasonable payment arrangements. Although I have tried to remain calm talking with Hydro One Representatives it is very difficult as they can offer no options besides a Supervisor calling you back within 48 hours which from previous experience has never happened. They cannot even give you the name of the Supervisor who is going to call or even give a time for the call. I really need for someone to give me advise as to who I should call regarding this problem.
  • Since posting this I've found so many people with complaints about Hydro One. All of which are unfair billing stories.

    It's amazing that a corporation which is ruled by the Ontario Government can treat people like this. They just seem to do what they want and nobody can do squat about it.

    I still haven't found any help in this matter. Guess I should pay up or shut up. :(
  • great article.visited your site for first time today,but i must say your write is of top notch and i will surely frequent your site.
  • Cecilia
    I hear your pain my friend. My story sweet and simple, hydro one REFUSED to give me a week extension on my overdue bill. They say I have made too many arrangements, funny part is I had a bill of 960.00, which I paid 580.00 of. The remainder is only 2 weeks overdue and they still refuse the extension. They had the nerve to ask me to beg, borrow and steal the money to pay their bill. Add insult to injury, they have also requested a 500.00 security deposit because of my poor payment history. So I know exactly how you feel, I am a single mother of three young children, and am currently going to school, so money is very scarce in my home. Living in fear of disconnection, especially in the winter months is my reality and I too am becoming sick becasue of the stress. Hope all works out for you and good luck fighting the unfair battle.
  • Hydro One needs competition! Being a monopoly they can treat people any way they like without fear that the 'customer' will take their business elsewhere.

    Hydro is a basic necessity. Hydro One treats it like an optional luxury item.

    Good luck to you (and all of us) with this. Hope it all works out.
  • Dana
    Hey Larry,
    Long time no see.

    Disconnect notices on Dec 24? They are dirty, rotten scoundrels.

    Would be SO nice to get off the grid! I've heard of new systems that force them to pay people because people's wind/solar systems provide power to them. I wonder how quick they pay... I bet they take their sweet time.

    Do you know who else needs serious reform? 407ETR. They seem to be above the law in terms of collection policies, charging exorbitant interest rates and being able to collect beyond 7 years, even!

    Revolution?
    Too bad most of us Canadians are so passive about being royally screwed over repeatedly that change never ever happens.
  • Don't know about the 407... Because of hydro I'll never be able to afford to drive! lol
  • littledog
    I agree - we are too passive.
    It is sad that we pay this debt retirement charge while they
    lavish huge salaries and bonuses on Executives. And just
    what do they need high priced Executives for? - are they
    a leading edge tech company or deal with tough competition?
  • Tracie Thomas
    Yup. I have the same problem. I have struggled all winter to keep caught up, but this month I was 8 days late paying my bill. I only owed them $300. So I got a disconnection notice, and then a new bill, for the original $300, a new charge of $420, plus an $850 security deposit. I am a single mom who lost one job in December and have had my hours cut back on my other job. I simply cannot make this payment unless I start prostituting myself. When I called them, all I got was "yes, Miss Thomas", "we understand your concern Miss Thomas." I beg to differ. They absolutely would not budge on the security deposit and claimed that their hands were tied, blaming it all on the Ontario Energy Board. I have lived on my own and had hydro in my name since I was 17 years old. I have never, in my whole life, not paid a bill - hydro or anything else. And I am completely outraged that they are now calling me a "bad risk." There is no way that I can pay more than $300 a month right now, so inevitably, they are going to cut my power off sometime in the next few months. I simply do not know what to do. I live in a small rural town in Northern Ontario, and finding another place to rent is next to impossible here. Eventually, after they have cut off half the population and realize that they are losing more income by only having half the customers, they will have to realize that people simply have no more to give and they will be forced to make some changes. But how many of us will be living in the street by then?? My father, who lives in Alberta, has always called this "communist ontario" and I have always laughed and thought he was just being crazy and dramatic. But I am beginning to wonder if he is really the crazy one, or am I??
  • Sounds like your bills are about as much as mine. Where did they come up with a deposit of $850 for you but only $188 for me? Doesn't make sense.

    Judging by my site logs, there are many people searching for solutions to this unfair deposit. I get several search hits every day to this post by people having the same problems we are.

    This appears to be verging on 'income discrimination' as far as I'm concerned.

    It just doesn't appear there is anything we can do about it either.

    Good luck to you on this.
  • kristina
    clap clap clap, well said and I completely agree.

    just opened my bill that arrived today and what do you know, $300 easy... last one was almost $400... I was recently let go from work myself only living on my spouses pay...

    We moved to this house in November, not once was my bill ever past 200 at the other place and now its hitting almost 400 here.....

    ridiculous.
  • Steve
    The billing procedure and security deposit guidelines Hydro Scum operates under is criminal. They are the only utility I am aware of that has payment due terms of "due on billing date". By the time I actually receive my bill in the mail and sit down to pay my bills I'm closer to the late payment date than the billing date! This leaves very little time or margin for delayed payment before you're security deposit hell.

    The only way their outrageous security deposit policy will ever be changed is by a large media spotlight pointed at it. We aren't the only people that have been treated like low life hydro prisoners. There are thousands upon thousands of us out there who just can't believe a company is allowed to do these things. Especially a company that has been so mis-managed over the years and is linked to our goverment!!

    Remember when we only had Bell for phone service? Remember how they treated people before they had competition? And how expensive long distance was? Before cell phones? Monopolies just shouldn't be legally allowed, it just creates monster corps that feel they can stomp on us at will.
  • Great Comment. I just love your tone... pissed off! ;)

    I wrote the original post back in February. I've just NOW (end of May) got the cash together to pay this bill (and security deposit) They were actually late in issuing the disconnection notice plus I got a month extension.

    In that time I've received an additional bill bringing my total to over $1000! For 5 months of usage! I live alone and run minimal lights, etc. WTF! I froze my nuggets off last winter because I had my heat either set ultra low or off.

    But, if you look at your bill, you'll see that less than HALF of the billed amounts is actual kWh usage. The rest is delivery, regulatory, debt retirement charges, this charge, that charge, and let's not forget my absolute favorite... Adjusted Kilowatt Usage.

    Your Kilowatt usage is multiplied by 1.078 allowing Hydro One to charge their customers for power lost in THEIR lines and THEIR transformers before it even hits your home. Yes folks, this is power we're paying for that we DON'T EVEN GET TO USE!

    Also, I have debts too! (Mainly hydro! lol) Why can I not add a "Debt Retirement Charge" to all my invoices? Hydro One is the only corporation that seems to be allowed to do this legally. And the best news is, WE get to pay this debt for them until 2016!

    You mentioned the word 'criminal'... as good a word as any to describe this monopolistic menace!
  • Chumley
    Tell Hydro One you want 29.5 % interest on your deposit . They don't have the right to say how much they will pay you . Thats your right . It's your money they are holding. If they need a deposit , then they need to wave their late charges too . We need to get a protest going. Seems they are nailing thousands of customers with these secruity deposits .
  • as
    I'm in the same situation. I hate them. How can this be legal? Thank the Good ol Liberal Dalton McGUILTY for this. *sigh*
  • Jen
    I feel for you. We have found ourselves in a similar situation. We have struggled over the past few month since I required surgery a year ago and have not been working as many hours. I worked hard every month to juggle the bills and keep things up to date. Like you, I managed to "pull it off" or at least I thought I did. A little short one month and a little late two other months. We never had our electricity cut off but did have a couple of notices of warning when payments were late.
    Just when I thought I was starting to get things on an even keel with all of the household bills. I get slapped with a letter saying that they require us to pay a 600 security deposit for "poor" payment history. I have already cut back to bare bones to try and get the bills paid and put food on the table. They were "kind" enough to spread this deposit out over a six month period, but I have no idea where I am going to get this extra $100/month out of my already meager food budget. I guess we will have to learn to make kraft dinner without the milk........because we are not going to have any:0(
  • I'm not trying to be a smart ass here, but you people are making me feel lucky! I only had to pay a $188.00 deposit. ;)

    This post gets more hits by people looking for help in this matter than you can shake a stick at. Over 500 Google Search Hits since writing this in February.

    People searching for things like:
    "Help my Hydro is being disconnected"
    "Complaints Hydro One"
    "Unfair Hydro One Billing"
    "Can Hydro One cut me off for not paying deposit"
    "Outrageous Hydro One deposit"
    and so on...

    And these are from people WHO STILL HAVE THEIR POWER. (for the time being) What about people who are currently sitting in the dark because they couldn't "Pull it off"

    There is also another menace out there who piggy-backs Hydro One. This is Ontario Energy Savings corp. These are the hydro retailers who try to sell you your power at a fixed rate (about 9 cents/kWh).

    I had one of these idiots at my door the other day. He tried to make it sound like paying MORE for my hydro would help me out. Be careful here. These people work on Commission and will tell you anything to get you to sign up. Many people have been suckered in, and once signed up, there is no way to get out of their 5 year contracts. It's a legally binding arrangement that will send you to the poor house.

    I only mention this here as a warning to others who may be so desperate in saving money on their hydro that they'll believe these people are actually trying to help them. Well, they aren't. It's just another commission to them.

    Good luck to you, Jen. And everyone else at the clutches of this vampire corporation.
  • Terry
    I am sadened to hear you problem. and good for you for saying something, they do not have a right to call us customers, your dead on, were prisoners of a system they know they own and we need , so they sit and laugh as we struggle , there day is coming in Ontario
    Seems there is no real advocates to help people,the hydo has a motto pay what we say, when we sayand on our terms and time , or cut em off, we have rules but we don't need to follow them

    Get this , I had 1 month of thousands my wife and pay on time !! last month I was late getting my $143 bucks paid, so, I got the next bill yesterday June 11 / 09, it said pay the new baclance of $398, that to cover the existing and last mnoths, and pay by the end of June

    Today June 12 no further talk no notice at the door, my power was shut off, and my wife called and said she will go there now andpay cash so my fish don't die , and food won't rot

    So as you see they win right, strong arm, big shots, fat cats, scew the public, raise taxes in a depression that will help, cut poor people off when they need a break,

    Hey Larry hope you see this, and some day maybe I can give you a job, post to this again and let me know were you are, and to Hydro 1, Tillsonburg Hydo, Town of Tillsonburg

    Your real good to your people, you raise tax, you do not collect our trash properly, you nit pic in council, you have no business savoy to get govenment funds into our town, you do not have a clue what type of business suits our town, well I do but f it , I think I'm heading out

    And I have a new surprize, I am not broke, our company is in discussion to re loacate a factory and the town of Tillsonburg was on the list, I will see the town never see's us there, I live there FOR NOW , but maybe once house markets get better, a move is in order, as it will likely be a ghost town sooner than later

    So in close, to my friends without jobs, keep your head up, try and make a job for yourself, always talk and fight the man any way you can, lots of pokes add up to punches, post your thoughts, get them were you can, And Good Luck

    Terry
  • I have fish too. Wasn't going to give them up for anything!

    I'd love to send my logs for this article to a TV news station or Newspaper. It clearly shows many people are struggling to keep up with Hydro One's demands. I don't really follow TV or radio news, so I'm not sure if anything has ever been said about Hydro One to this point.

    It's been over 3 years since I've been able to pay a hydro bill on time. My payment cycle looks like this:

    1-Receive bill. Too broke to pay it, ATM. Put it aside.
    2-Receive cutoff notice. Call them. Get 1 month extension. (Effectively 6 weeks from receipt)
    3-Starve for 6 weeks. Cut back, panic, skip meals, lay awake at night worrying. Lose mind.
    4-Pay bill. By now it's anywhere between $400 - $600. (It was $800 last time!)
    5-Breath sigh of relief. Open mailbox - receive new bill.
    6-Repeat!

    So far I've been lucky. Managed to squeeze things enough to make it. Luck runs out though. I get about a month to gain back both cash flow and weight before the cycle begins again.

    I actually get worried now if the disconnection notice is late in coming. The last time the notice was late I had the urge to phone them to see if everything was okay. LOL

    Take care and good luck with the relocation of your company.

    (Contact me privately for my location. Thx)
  • kawartha1030
    I sent a letter to many newspapers, harper, mcguinty etc. Posted on your blog. We need more than one person sending letters.....
    I copied a link to your blog and sent to a newspaper too...
  • Jen
    Update from comment last week.
    I came across this forum and made my comment out of desperation for my situation with being served with a hydro penalty (security deposit)
    This forum and everyone's comments just sickened me and gave me the courage to make one more attempt to negotiate some kind of compassionate reconsideration on the outrageous request for more money from a family who is obviously already struggling.
    I phoned hydro one and spoke with a representative and explained that I just wanted to be able to pay my bill and that the additional monthly payments toward the security deposit were making it very difficult for me to keep up with the payment. The request could not be handled at the base level and I was transferred to a senior representative who listened to my appeal. She immediately said that she could not change a decision that was already made with another representative. I continued my appeal stating that I understood that but that I was struggling and that I was not aware of the "poor payment" consequences until I had been informed of the security deposit. I explained that I was just very proud of myself for keeping our heads above water and now they have forced me back down a road of struggling to come up with even more money. At this point I had already made one monthly payment towards the security deposit with 5 more to go. The representative asked me to hold on for a moment and came back on the line about 2 minutes later and said that she had removed the penalty and had applied the $100 "security payment" toward my next bill.
    THAT SIMPLE!?!
    I believe I was very fortunate to have just got the right person at the right time, but this proves that they have some amount of flexibility.
    Larry, I also agree with your warning for people to be aware of the "Ontario Energy Swindlers" These people are pushy and convincing and taking advantage of naive people. They visited my 80 yr. old parents just last week and my mother was quick enough to turn them away before they got their foot in the door.
  • Great news Jen! Thanks for stopping back and letting us know. :)

    There's no doubt your reply will help the many people currently searching for solutions to this unfair deposit. Hopefully they will keep that 'one person' on staff who has a heart. ;)

    Too bad I just caved in and gave them their blood money. Too late now, I guess.

    It's nice to see a positive reply to this post. Thx. :)
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