I hate utility deposits

why are you leaving my great state for georgia?

LOL, I'm ready for a change. I'm tired of the midwest and Georgia has been calling my name for the past 5 years. I have a lot of family down there..I went to visit last month and it was so nice to drive up and down the street and NOT see Payday loan stores on every corner..LOL

hey it's good to be with family.having been there last year around this time it's great,but probably the deposits are so large is because that state is hurting.i know in NORCROSS when we pulled out every suite in that office complex,and i'm talking 50 was vacant with a for lease sign.that could be a reason your deposits are sky high.

As the economy gets worse people are moving and not paying their last electric/gas/cable/phone bills because they are broke. Its really sad, I feel so bad for them but of course the cost is passed on to the newbie needing service for the first time. I sure hope things get better soon for everyone.

I understand your frustration. My husband and I lived in an apartment for 2 years and used our local gas company. When we bought our house (Nov. 2006) I called the gas company and told them I'd like my service terminated effective Nov 30, 2006 (the day after closing). I informed them we were moving out of our apartment and into a house. We didn't need to transfer service because our house is all electric heating. No gas at all.

They said sure and we assumed everything was fine. Fast forward to February. I get a call from the gas company stating that we owe them for December, January, and are coming due for February's gas bill. I said I don't freaking think so. I called the apartment complex we lived at.

Turns out that the gas company never bothered to shut off our gas. The renters who moved in behind us decided to be dishonest and use the gas without contacting the gas company. They just let the bill run up in our name.

It took me almost 2 months to clear the whole thing up but they finally agreed that they goofed up by not shutting off our service when we asked them too. Problem solved......

Fast forward to Jan. 2009. My husband and I are looking into switching everything over to gas. We have the hook up for it, but all of our appliances are electric and we have baseboard heating. Still, we look into getting gas instead of electric.

We call the local gas company. They want a $500 deposit. When I ask why. They said it's because we had a bill that was never paid! Had to go through the whole d*mn process again.

Decided to keep the electric. No way was I paying $500 for gas, and they wouldn't budge, even though the error was clearly theirs.

PinkLady.....can't help with your question but wanted to say Welcome to Georgia! We moved here 12 years ago and can't imagine leaving. Enjoy being closer to family. :)

Pink- know what you are saying--it is ridiculous! My youngest and his family moved about a year ago--they had to put a deposit for everything--their gas was over 300.00. About two weeks ago, the gas man was reading meters, smelled gas where they lived and shut the gas off and took the meter.

Their landlord got a cheap plumber--he messed everything up. Long story longer--the gas company had to come out and replace all the pipes under the house.

Now they want another deposit of 165.00 to turn it back on because it has been off for about 2 weeks--in the meantime- they have not had heat--has gotten cold here at nights--cooked on a hot plate and the little one and my son are sick--

Good Luck on your move and best wishes!!!..KAren:D

:( Pink ... I never had to pay a deposit for my gas, electric, phone or cable .....

Like kfstadd said above, unfortunatly the problems of the few get passed onto everyone else. I know in IL at least, by law they cannot shut off the gas during winter months. I'm sure there's people that abuse that all winter long and don't pay a penny -- then come spring when it finally gets shut off, they just transfer the service to someone else's name. So I'm guessing they want a large deposit so that if you happened to be one of those people that don't pay all winter, they won't end up losing so much.... I know, it still sucks for those that do pay their bills.

On the bright(er) side, they usually have to pay you interest on your deposit, so it's kind of like a savings account. And because they have to pay interest, they're likely to return it soon if you keep a good payment history with them.

Quote:

Pink -
Check out the great info on the National Consumer Law Center concerning utilities. They also have good info on predatory pdl lenders, but I'll stick to your utility problem for now!

I recommend you call the utility company back but this time ask to speak to a supervisor in customer relations (might be a different name for that section, but they all DO have one). Explain that you have a good track record with your current utility company and that this deposit places an undue hardship on you.

Ask for a reduced rate, or for a payment plan on the deposit. They can work with you and in many instances are mandated by regulations to do so - but they will never volunteer THAT information! You have to ask for it and the first one who answers the phone never has the authority to approve it. Persevere.

Check to make sure they are the only option. If they compete with another utility that is perfect! Play them against each other. Stress to them that this is a permanent move and you have family in the area. They want stable long-term customers.

I battled Avista - who can be a nightmare - down from a $600.00 deposit to $250.00 on a 4 month payment plan! And they have NO competition here.

There also may be some kind of local neighborhood action organization that can assist you in dealing with them.

Public utilities like to act like it is a "take us or leave us" deal but they have rules they must abide by.

These are the Georgia statutes concerning utility deposits:

Gas marketers cannot require a cash deposit to establish or re-establish credit more than two-and-one-half twelfths of the estimated charge for the service for the ensuing twelve months; and, in the case of seasonal service, in excess of one-half of the estimated charge for the service for the season involved.

Customers??? deposits must be held in trust in the escrow account, and marketers must pay interest on deposits for gas service held six months or longer at least equal to the interest rate paid by the financial institution where the escrow account is located.

Upon discontinuance of service, each marketer must promptly refund customers' deposits plus accrued interest on the balance, if any, in excess of the unpaid bills for service.

This link http://neaap.ncat.org/restructuring/ga-re.htm will take you to the Georgia section on energy affordability.

Good luck!

i know it is so crazy.. i am dealing with something frustrating with my utility company. some jerk filed a change of address form - to my address! i told the post office i have no idea who is, send all of his mail back, etc. but he told my electric company (and cable, too) that he now lives at my address and they combined my bill with his and threaten to shut me off!! it is so crazy i am getting it fixed but it should not even be my problem to fix.
and i agree, my credit is horrible, and i am late sometimes but i always pay my electric bill!!

I have never had to pay a deposit for any utility service, etc. I do know the utility companies in my area roll the deposit into your first bill or break it up in payments over your future bills. But I know it sucks but I refuse to pay $300 deposit for electricity, cable, etc.. Pink it seems like everybody wants a freakin deposit now and runs your credit report just for about everything :mad: It is disgusting to me and I personally refuse to go with a company that needs to do all of that just for service.

Example, I inquired about cable, phone, internet service for my new home last week with Comcast. They were asking for a credit check, deposit, and 2 months up front. I said your EFFIN NUTZ! I just bought a home and I am not getting my credit reports hit again for another 2 years. Never had I been asked to provide a deposit for cable services! So why should you run an inquiry for service. So I went to the next competitor who asked no such thing :) I got my service set up in an instant without the hassle of any money down and Better service!!

i never paid for a deposit neither, cool - except for a cell phone one time but they did refund it. but never again since than, i now go out of my way for companies who do not charge. but i know that if i had to pay for heat, the company requests a deposit and there is no way around that. (i rent and heat is the only thing that my useless landlord pays, even though my rent is double what local apartments are - can you tell i cannot wait until my lease is over ;) )

I've been renting for the past 8 years of my life and I've never had to pay a deposit either...not even for a cell phone. The apartment I am moving into even runs your credit and then they determine your deposit and I qualified for the minium deposit of $125 for that.
I called my aunt who also lives in the apartment complex I'm moving into and she had to pay a deposit as well with the gas company. Unfortunatly they are the only company that services that area so I have to go with them and I have to get in my name before they allow me to move in otherwise they will charge me $50 each month on top of the bill.
When I called them back she told me I had no other options and they don't allow payment plans for the deposit and it all had to be paid upfront, she was very short with me so I just hung up on her.

Thanks for the info patches, I'm getting ready to check out that link.

i paid deposit for my apartment (one month) but i will get that back, but other than that i am in the clear..
it is so unfair about the heat, you are forced to use one company and they will not work with you at all.

I meant to say the Electric company in my last post, I accidently said gas company and I haven't even called them yet. I'll really be upset if they require one from me as well...uuggh

My cousin here in Illinois had to pay $150 with her gas company on a deposit and they broke it up into 4 payments and attached it to her bill.
I just don't know what they are thinking...What makes them think that most people have extra money like that on top of all the moving expenses.
I just emailed the apartment manager who has been really nice to me to see if she could offer any suggestions.

is there a program in your state that will waive it? i know NJ has one but they said i made too much to qualify (ironic because i barely make anything!)

I was looking into a program for something like that, the only thing is I don't know where to look. I'm going to be a new resident to Georgia, but I'm not going to have a job right away either. I'm going off my savings and the money I just got for attending school full-time. I have interviews lined up but I probably won't have any income coming in for about 3 or 4 weeks.

My boyfriend is coming with me, but he is out of work right now. He is in the union and construction work is really slow around here. He is coming a month after me once his union membership gets transferred..they have a lot of work for him in Georgia.......but I only got the apartment in my name. :-(

Well I ended up calling the electric company back and spoke with a supervisor. They were actually pretty nice, I explained to her that I was moving from a different state and that I already have several moving expenses and was there anything she could do.
She said they would charge the $125 to my account and bill me and I would have to pay the $200 upfront. I couldn't really complain cause I can handle that and it really does help me alot..I'm so glad I called them back.

:D good for you Pink!

Glad you got ahold of a supervisor - I always head right over their heads when the first person on the phone doesn't want to be reasonable.

pink - thanks for the updates! sorry i have not been on too much to keep up with it! it is always best to keep trying until you find someone who wants to work with you.

Well I hope they dont require a deposit. It sucks I know :confused: