Reviews
8 Customer Reviews
Review from Jill V
1 star10/03/2024
This company definitely has a shady way of doing business. They send you made up bills hoping you don't pay attention and then when you question things they don't respond. I have charges for water when my water is and has been off for MONTHS. A charge for "creating a bill", and now a $30 late fee added to my bill as I didn't want to pay it until they responded back to me to explain these bogus charges. If I wasn't forced to use them, I'd run because they definitely take advantage of people.
Think Utility Services, Inc. Response
10/15/2024
Good morning,
Think Utility Services (TUS) is a submetering and billing company that is contracted with the community at which Mr. and Mrs. V****** own a condominium unit. TUS reads the individual unit meters and bills in accordance with the usage registered, using the local Utility provider’s rates, Once the individual units are invoiced for their own water consumption, and when payments are collected from the Resident, those monies are then turned over to the property as a cost recovery of the charges they have incurred from the local Utility water provider.The water usage amounts for invoicing Residents of this community are obtained through electronic readings of the individual unit meters. Upon review of the readings since the V****** account open date of 2/27/24, there does not appear to have been any service periods during which there were technical difficulties retrieving the usage numbers that had been invoiced. The readings all appear to have been confirmed, with no estimates done on the account invoicing.
Reviews can be requested in connection with any high usage dispute of the invoicing. Customer Service will usually receive either a call or an email for same. Information is then requested from the Resident, such as the unit address, and if there were specified periods, or a general timeframe, that the Resident is asserting there was a vacancy or lower occupancy in the unit than the readings indicate. The reviews generally take 1 – 2 weeks, as a meter picture is sometimes requested at each end of that timeframe in order to compare the electronic readings to the visual meter face reading of water consumption for a particular length of time.
There does not appear to be any Notes on the account in regard to a review request. However, please be assured that TUS team members do everything in their power to ensure that each request submitted, or call made into Customer Service, is handled agreeably within a reasonable amount of time.
In regard to any previously submitted request to which TUS has not yet responded, please feel free to forward the information on through Customer Service. It can be researched right away and at least a status response can be provided immediately. If there is a request that has not yet been submitted, but is related to a charge or fee being questioned, please also feel free to reach out so that it can be discussed and resolved.
If there is, or was, an ongoing review being done for the account, that has not yet been resolved, we would welcome that information being brought to attention. That way, the status can be assessed, and it can be brought to resolution in a satisfactory manner.
Please be advised that if there are outstanding bill/balance amounts, a Late Fee is posted to accounts one business day after the due date for this and other communities TUS services. There is a policy, however, put in place for some communities, wherein there can be a Courtesy waiver granted once every 12 months for reasons such as payment receipt being delayed through the USPS, or during a review in progress, but not yet resolved, at the time of the due date passing.
There is an Account Status Change, or Activation/Deactivation Fee, charged for each account as it is opened/closed. TUS is legally bound to open and close accounts as per legal ownership, as we are not the Utility provider. When provided with the documentation evidencing a legal change of ownership, TUS processes the open/close of accounts - there is a fee for same.
TUS is required to be completely transparent in our practices, as we are legally bound to the contractual agreements with the communities we service. Each fee that is charged is posted on the invoice with a line item description. There are no hidden fees or costs to the Residents. The Usage is metered for each individual unit and account for this community, and the rates/charges are those in line with the local Utility provider’s.
Please forward any previously unresolved question or concern so that it can be researched, and resolved. If there is a review you would like to begin, please contact Customer Service right away, and they will be able to either work with you, or forward it on to upper management for the solution. Customer Service #************. Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Review from Jessica C
1 star07/23/2024
They pass a billing fee onto their customers. It is ridiculous to me to be CHARGED because I need to pay a bill. That should not be something passed off to residents and is unethical.Think Utility Services, Inc. Response
07/24/2024
Ms. C*****:
Think Utility Services is a private meter reading and billing company that is contracted by apartment and condominium communities to read meters, and invoice residents for their consumption. The community you are living in has a master meter (one or more meters) from the actual utility and has to pay for the water and sewer without knowing who consumed what. They can split the bill amongst the residents and pass that cost into rent or monthly fees (condominiums); or, they can install submeters and charge each household for their specific consumption. In the first scenario, residents that use little always subsidize residents that use much. It is certainly a method that lacks fairness, and promotes over consumption. People tend to care very little about consumption if they do not have to pay for it directly. In the second scenario, resident pay for the exact amount they consume. It is fair, and statistically drops community water consumption by 15-35%.
However, the use of submeters requires the assistance of a private meter reading and billing company. These meters are owned by the community, and not the utility. Your community contracted Think Utility Services to read the community meters monthly, create charges, send invoices to resident and collect remittances, which are returned to the community so they may pay the utility. As a private company, we certainly cannot work for free. We assess a billing fee each month, which pays for the services we provide. That fee is on average $3.35 per month (it does vary from community to community). For that price, we read the meter, produce charges, send a paper invoice with a return envelope, maintain a bilingual customer service center, provide web services and payment methods, and provide the required accounting and remittances. Our price is inclusive of postage, which represents 20% of the billing fee.
I trust this gives insight into the billing fee and why it is assessed. The Think Utility Services call center is available, and they would be happy to answer any additional questions you might have. The number is ************.Review from Brigitte F
1 star06/27/2024
I called them because what my bill states as to what is showing on my meter is off by over ***** gallons. The rep that I spoke to said that the meter is fine and that the reading on my bill is correct. I don't know if he thinks I believe him but this is not correct. How they can still be in business is amazing. Total frauds.Think Utility Services, Inc. Response
06/28/2024
Thank you for the communication. We sent a technician to your home this morning, and tested the water meter and associated equipment. We did find and issue, and conducted a repair. Following this, a credit was issued and it has been applied to your account.
I am sorry you had this experience, and trust we responded in a timely and forthright way.
Review from Katherine M
1 star04/09/2024
Think utility send the bill late (only 7 or 5 days before your due date. I have been with them for a year, and their excuse is that the post office is late (but I don't have this issue with any other company), So I usually have to pay late fee. They advise to get online and check the bill, but is no ready, for me to be able to pay on time.2. The way they create the bill, the late fee is added in your statement already and also is added your prior balance (that you already paid last month) example.water $20 Sewer $35 Tax $2 Prior balance $100 Penalty $10 Total $160. When you should pay only $57.Lastly, I called to check my balance, I was told that there is no balance, that my bank sends the payment (I don't have automatic withdraw for this account, I do it manually) they could not explain how that payment was posted in my account.Think Utility Services, Inc. Response
04/11/2024
Think Utility Services (TUS) is a utility billing company. We provide a billing service to apartment, condominium,townhome, and commercial shopping center communities. We do not provide the actual utility (water, electric, gas, etc) to the community.
In the sub-metering industry, the standard turnaround time for invoice mailing and payment is 18 days. The reason is that prior to the individual unit water billing, the property management at Townhomes at ************************* is invoiced by the actual ****************** for all of the water consumed on the property. The timeframe is necessary in order to keep the water services for the entire community current.
TUS does provide a website for residents to view their accounts. Residents are able to check their balances, print out invoices,as well as make online payments via credit card (if they desire). Certainly, a resident can submit a check or money order to TUS.According to the account notes the account is now setup with **Billing. The **bill option will alert the resident when the bill has been generated and is ready to be viewed. This way, the resident can go online immediately, or within a few days, to view the bill and then make payment arrangement. They can send out, or request, a check within the invoice timeframe.
The invoices state Pay this amount next to the printed due date and directly below, they advise of the amount due if paid after the due date. For example, the April, 2024, invoice amount is $76.44, and the due date is on 4/27/24. The amount due after the due date (4/27/24) is $86.44. This is printed on each invoice to advise that a late fee will be assessed in the event of the following: partial payment, late payment, non-payment. Please note, TUS invoices list the following charges for each billing period: Water, Sewer, Stormwater,WMF, Backflow, Billing Fee, Tax. In addition, it provides a breakdown of the previous month balance, recent payment history, any new late fee charge that was assessed to the account, as well as any type of financial adjustments,such as a late fee waiver granted.
On April 1, 2024, TUS received a check payment in the amount of $83.51. The amount of check number digits appear to indicate it may have been a bank check posted. We will be more than happy to provide ********************* a copy of the cancelled check, should she request it. There had also been a late fee waiver granted on 4/09/24, as a courtesy. ********************** is welcome to contact the customer service department to request a copy of the cancelled check and the balance ledger to view the current account status.
I hope that ********************** finds this information helpful.Review from Frank F
1 star11/17/2023
I have been dealing with an issue for months. False readings and caught them by reading my own meter. The meter wasn't even up to the numbers they wrote on the bill. Calling and dealing with them is a joke. No one does anything to help. Let me get back to you. Never do they call back. People are very rude. And not knowledgeable about what's going on. Now working with my Park Manager. And he is trying to help months later. After Think did nothing. Customers need to check there meters. If I don't get satisfaction I will be turning it over to an attorney. Went from $80 bills to bills over $200 nothing has changed in my house. And I have a new house.Think Utility Services, Inc. Response
11/30/2023
We are very sorry that she had this experience. Think Utility Services (TUS) is a third party billing company that is contracted by the property management to read the utility meters, and generate invoices based on those readings. Previously, *** had followed up with ******************** by phone and via-email. However, ******************** did not respond at that time. On 11/29/23,the Account Manager with ********************** called and spoke with ******************** over the phone. The research found that the meter is faulty. The resolution to this issue is that the meter will be replaced. In addition, a credit has been applied to the account. ******************** has been made aware that if there are any future issues, she can feel free to contact the Account Manager directly.Review from Vinod N
1 star03/23/2023
Horrible company. Seems like a scam set up jointly by the Landlords and Think Utility Services Inc.They intentionally send your bills with 3 -4 days of turn around time. US mail DOES NOT deliver mail in 3 days anymore. So you land up paying late charges. You try paying by Credit Card the fees is outrageous. HOW IS THIS BEING ALLOWED . MONITOR THEIR JUNK FEES..... CALL THE PRESIDENT...Think Utility Services, Inc. Response
03/27/2023
******************,
I am very sorry you had this experience. Think Utility Services is a third party billing company that is contracted by property management companies to read utility meters, and generate invoices based on those readings. When an invoice is generated, it is assigned a due date that is never less than fifteen days from the date the invoice was created. Some communities extend the due date so that it is twenty to thirty days from the date of generation. The length of time allowed is completely at the behest of the ****************** for whom we work. Our goal is to collect payments in as timely a way as possible so that we may remit those monies back to the ******************. They use the collected utility remittances to pay the community bill from the local provider. The application of a late fee is also intended to motivate timely payment.
Receiving an invoice on a date that is within four days of the due date is certainly a reflection of the speed with which the US ************** is delivering mail. I wish that component of the total process were within our control. As mentioned above, the due date is never less than fifteen days from the invoice generation date.
If slow postal delivery speeds remain an issue, you may wish to sign up for electronic billing. Choosing this option causes an e-mail to be generated and sent to you the day the invoice is generated. Additionally, Think Utility Services customarily waives one late fee if contacted.
Respecting the credit card fee, we use a third party for all credit/ debit card transactions. The fee we assess is a reflection of the fees we are charged.
Finally, one of my **************** Representatives would be happy to assist you with the e-billing option, and any late fee you may have incurred. Please contact the Think Utility Services **************** Center at **************.
Regards,Review from Candice F
1 star02/18/2023
They are the most fraudulent company that should not be in business.. they have been estimating our water bill since July and have not sent one person out to read the meter after the transmitter quit working.. **** said they were not enough technicians to do that so they just estimate our water bill monthly... We get our water bill for October - November and it was double.. we proceeded to call them and they said they would adjust it after I told him I'm going to report them to the Better Business bureau... They told me to send the bill for ***** in January.. we kept getting another bill for $66 with late fees on top of it as well in January which they told me to ignore and they would take it off our account.. well they didn't.. so now in February we are receiving a bill for $124 with late fees.. for December-January and for February.. we proceeded to call them again and they are so incredibly rude and don't want to listen to what you're trying to explain to them.. I asked for a printout of my daily water usage and they said they could not provide it they could only give me a ledger that they typed up and would send it to me via email.. how's that even possible if they transmitter for the water meter doesn't work and there's still estimating my water usage.. I looked on my ring camera yesterday February 18th and finally saw they sent a technician out to check my water meter after I told them I'm reporting them to the better Business bureau.. if this were the city they would be having a meter reader come out monthly or provide you with your water usage daily if needed.. they could do neither.. how is this company even allowed to be in business.. they are the most fraudulent company that cannot provide accurate records and is still allowed to be in business.. when we try to resolve the issue with them back in November The only thing they were concerned with was getting a good review on ******** well now we're taking as a step further!Review from Cristiane S
1 star01/30/2023
I have been using ThinkUtility services for a year now. I hate it! There's extra fees for everything! Even Autopayment! The worse to me is that I'm stuck with it since it was chosen my my *********************** I have never so much stress with a company living in the US for 15 years!!
Customer Review Rating
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