Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  02/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On January 27th I paid my bill in full and had proof that my balance was Zero. I received my new bill and it said that I had a balance forward of $199.55 this is the same exact amount that I was credited on last month's bill. when I reached out to supervision and spoke with Cassie Estill she explained that basic math (in her most condescending tone) would prove that I was properly being charged the credit from the previous amount in the previous month. when I explained to her that if I was rightfully being charged it wouldn't be the exact same amount as the credit and it wouldn't be showing up at the bottom of my bill as a balance forward. when I have proof that I paid off my bill in full last month on January 27th..... I am reaching out in hopes that somebody in your company will see the error of ****** ******** discriminating ways.

  Business response

  02/14/2023

  FPB provided a detailed explanation to customer via email on 2/14/23, after she spoke to a CSR III and a supervisor at length regarding her account.  Copies of her billing statements were also provided to her.  While we understand that when credits are transferred for our customers it can sometimes result in confusion on the billing statement, we can only use the credit one time.  Her credit was applied to her bill charges for bill cycle 277 and therefore can't be applied as credits again for her bill charges in bill cycle 278.  The response below is a portion of the email that was sent to customer. 

  "Thank you for your call today regarding your account.  FPB billing statements are only generated one time per month, so any changes or transactions on the account will always have to be itemized out on the next billing statement that is generated.  Whenever a customer moves to a new location a new account number is generated.  Credits that are transferred to offset charges must itemize out on the next billing statement and our system will attempt to apply the credit to the new current charges.  If the credits were already used to offset the prior charges and lessen what was paid for the prior month, they can’t be applied to the new charges again.  We understand this can sometimes be confusing when the next billing statement is generated and hope the detailed explanation below will help further explain the balance that is due.

   The first two bills for the new location equal a total $827.62.  You made a payment of $135.42 on 1/27/23.  We transferred a credit balance of -$199.55 from your prior account (X) on 1/18/23.  This leaves a balance due of $492.65 for charges at the new location."

  
    

  Customer response

  02/14/2023

   
  Complaint: ********  
  I am rejecting this response because: the same billing statements that this discriminatory condescending manager keeps referencing are the same documents that prove I have a balance forward of $199.55 when there was no balance forward because I paid my bill in full last month. The attached screenshots and documents back this up she is using nonsense to justify taking back a credit for my account they have no right to take. There should be no balance forward in the exact amount of the credit received. But Cassie the "manager" Says that's just "how the bill prints". Well the bill printed that I uploaded clearly shows a balance forward in the amount of the 199.55 credit that should not be on my bill at all.

  
  Sincerely,
  ***** *******

  Business response

  02/15/2023

  FPB Customer Service team members receive regular Customer Service training and make every effort to assist our customers with their service and billing needs.  FPB has made multiple efforts with various different team members to better explain this customer's charges and account balance.  We bill each cycle one time monthly and all transactions during a cycle are always itemized out on the next cycle for our customers.  This can cause confusion when a credit is manually used before it has been applied to the next bill.  Customer charges were $334.97 in cycle 277, she paid $135.42 and used her credit from a prior account in the amount of -$199.55 to cover the remainder of the charges for that cycle.  Customer charges were $492.65 for cycle 278 (electric $294.74, water $57.62, sewer $85.29, Internet $55.00), due and payable on 3/1/23.  Our billing statement would normally apply the credit of -$199.55 to her new cycle 278 charges, thus reducing that balance.  However since her prior charges were $334.97 and she only paid $135.42 and already used that credit to cover the cycle 277 charges, the credit can not be used again to cover the new charges.  The account balance of $492.65 is accurate for the individual charges for all services that the customer has used, minus her payment and her credit.    

  Customer response

  02/15/2023

   
  Complaint: ********
  I am rejecting this response because: the issue stands, I should.not have a balance forward. The billing system "described " in continued in their condescending tone does not alter the fact that there is a balance forward when there should not be. The bill plainly shows this. Why include this in a bill if it is not a remaining balance? Is that not where the remaining balance from previous months are listed? They are obviously charging me for the credit.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *******

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