Couple's Power Shut Off Over 10¢

rockin'robin

rockin'robin

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JEA Apologizes, Offers To Pay For Spoiled Food In Refrigerator

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- One Jacksonville family said their bill with JEA was paid in full before they left town for a few days, but when they got home, their power had been shut off.

The Love family's electricity was back on Monday night, but the family had to go for a couple of days without power. They said their power was shut off because their bill showed they still owed 10 cents to JEA.

"Gave me the receipt as I'm walking out. It says, '$200,'" Roderick Love said.

The Loves believe a clerical error was to blame for their power being shut off.

"So I turn around and she asks, 'Did I do something wrong?' I said, 'Yes, the check was for $200.10. I do not want you cutting us off over 10 cents," Love said.

Video: JEA Dispute Over A Dime

Love said he thought the clerk at the JEA office took care of the problem, but when they got home to find no power, they realized the clerk didn't take care of anything. When the Loves got home, they found a dark home and a fridge filled with spoiled food.

On Monday morning, the Loves went to JEA to straighten out the problem, and they were told a computer read their check wrong.

Channel 4 contacted JEA, and a representative said JEA would have an answer Tuesday morning as to why the Loves' power was shut off even though their bill was paid. JEA said the couple was on a payment plan with the company. JEA also told Channel 4 the Loves could be reimbursed for the food that went bad after the power was turned off.

http://www.news4jax.com/news/27113233/detail.html#
 
well hey... they offered to compensate the loss...
 
Well, my water was almost cut off because I typed in the wrong dollar amount when paying for my water bill online. I was off by a dollar and something cents. Got a letter from the company threatening to shut my water off. I was like "huh?" Then, I saw that I owed $1 and something cents. Called and realized that I made a typo. Geez.
 
shel90 said:
Well, my water was almost cut off because I typed in the wrong dollar amount when paying for my water bill online. I was off by a dollar and something cents. Got a letter from the company threatening to shut my water off. I was like "huh?" Then, I saw that I owed $1 and something cents. Called and realized that I made a typo. Geez.
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All they really have to do is add it to the next bill... that's a rather drastic thing to do over a small amount owed.
 
Banjo said:
All they really have to do is add it to the next bill... that's a rather drastic thing to do over a small amount owed.
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I think it's most likely done by computer. The employees can't monitor and check every single customer so I suppose that the computer will simply cut off the power/water if bill's not paid.

Cutting off power over 10 cents or 1 dollar is most likely a result of flawed computer programming that should be corrected.
 
Jiro said:
I think it's most likely done by computer. The employees can't monitor and check every single customer so I suppose that the computer will simply cut off the power/water if bill's not paid.

Cutting off power over 10 cents or 1 dollar is most likely a result of flawed computer programming that should be corrected.
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I suppose that's the likely cause.
 
I wish they didn't invent computers to do that job for us. That causes MORE customer service headaches. It's more reliable for human to do the job unless they make the computer smarter or whatever. Who knows what's behind the scenes.
 
sequoias said:
I wish they didn't invent computers to do that job for us. That causes MORE customer service headaches. It's more reliable for human to do the job unless they make the computer smarter or whatever. Who knows what's behind the scenes.
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In this situation, the check was presented for the correct amount, the error was with the person entering the amount! How was it the computers fault??
 
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