I have been out of the state for the past 3 months. My bill has been extremely high and there has been no gas consumption being used. I was cut off in February 2012. Since I was out of state, I had it turned on 3/2/2012. I arrived home on 3/26/2012 and when I went to check my mail, there was a disconnection service letter on my door. It hadn't even been 30 full days and my services were interrupted. This company practices unfair billing tactics and they overcharge consumers. They should be put out of business. In America, crooked companies shouldn't be allowed to exist. This company needs to be investigated by a Consumer Agency and Better Business Bureau. I hate this company!
Consumer Complaints & Reviews
I have never had my service interrupted. I have barely been late and was even informed today that I have a good bill pay history with Scana. My service was cut off last night for a bill of less than $100, and the bill was exactly 30 days late. My next bill was not even due until today. I was informed on the phone that I should pay online with a credit card or debit card, not checking, so I didn't have to wait until the money cleared to have my service restored. I paid this and called Scana back only to be told that it would be 1 week before service could be restored.
I have small children, and my home is run on gas. The heat, water, and stove are all gas. The continued to tell me there was nothing that they could do and that they used Atlanta Gas and Light to do reconnects. If Scana depends on another company to do their leg work, then they should be a little more careful about cutting off gas. There should be penalties for a company that sets out to disrupt consumers' lives.
Without receiving a prior notification, SCANA Energy shut off my gas when I was not home on Feb. 2nd, 2012. The notice left in the door stated that responding promptly would help me avoid a long wait for reconnection. Within an hour to hour and a half of them leaving the notice ( it had to have been left between 3 and 3:30 pm ) I was on the phone making the payment by credit card. After payment was accepted, SCANA informed me that I would have to wait a week for my service to be turned back on. Their deceptive practices and punitive behavior should not be permitted! This is winter, where nighttime temperatures drop to the 30's, and I have small children. How is it that they can force customers to live without heat or hot water for a week, despite the fact that the bill was paid?!
Even though I didn't get a cut off notice, my gas got disconnected. I paid the gas in full per the requirements. I called back with the confirmation number so I could get the service restored. To my dismay, they told me it would be six days before they could come out and get the service restored. I asked if they knew it was winter and that I had small children in the house. That did not move them at all. Sorry, we are busy and this is a first come first serve basis. I have had a utility company take more than 24 hours to restore service to a home. This is not right. There should be a violation to this company for allowing this type of practice to go on. I will work very hard to find another company to be my gas provider. I would rather pay more than be discriminated against by a company that is all about money. I sit here tonight with no heat for my dwelling.
Where do I start with Scana? The most recent and worse was gas cut off for a $50 bill. It was not even 30 days late. Sure, they work with you if you call in. But we get busy, right? Every other company--cell, cable, electric, insurance-- let's you know via a phone call, email, or numerous mailings way ahead of time before you're disconnected. You need gas right? And then you not only have to pay the current bill in full but a reconnect fee up front (no one else does this). Then, only after that will they schedule you to reconnect gas up to five days out. Don't be at home or leave your key. They'll just leave. No call. Why do I always have to verify my phone number? They never call at such appropriate times (we're about to shut you off. We're about to leave and not reconnect you. It will be five more days before we come out).
I had scheduled a check from my account. Money wasn't there. My bad. Every other company kept it moving, but Scana charged me $25 each time and then refused to take any more checks. Again no one else does this. Last time, I paid my reconnect fee and the next month it shows up on my bill. How is that even possible? "Oh, we applied it to your last bill." Who does that? Why would a reconnect be applied to a bill? Who wouldn't get irritated by seeing a reconnect fee they already paid (while waiting five days for reconnect- no hot water, no heat, no gas to cook) show up on their bill again? Who does that?
Right after signing a six month contract, they have dropped a 'Delta Mileage' promotion and will not let customer exit out of the contract.
They bait you to switch by using Delta Skymiles and then drop the program after you sign up. They charge you $100.00 if you want to cancel. What a rip off!
I am appalled that Scana Energy Regulated Division takes advantage of its consumers. Scana Energy Regulated Division provides service solely to two groups of people; as per their own description, 1) low income families and 2) families they consider credit challenged. It is my observation that Scana Energy Regulated Division capitalizes on the fact that these two groups of consumers are limited in their options and resources. As a result of this handicap, Scana Energy Regulated treats them poorly, refuses to offer above standard customer service and charges them more money for no other reason than their low-standard in society.
As a new resident of Georgia, I began service with Scana Energy Regulated Division more than five years ago. At that time, I was asked for a deposit and never was it explained to me that their services resulted in higher rates and it would be in my best interest to seek alternative service with another provider as soon as possible (which is why I remained with them for so long). After years of service, and no late occurrences since 2007, my service was disconnected on March 23, 2011 for nonpayment. My bill of $186 was not past due, but currently due when a new billing cycle started which resulted in two bills being open at once. I woke on the morning of March 24, 2011 to ice cold water and after phoning my neighbors, I learned that it was not a neighborhood gas outage as we've had recently.
But, it was an isolated issue to my home only. I called Scana Regulated to learn that my service was interrupted. I was alarmed that no attempt to contact me was made. No one called and no one left a notice/door tag on my door as I had seen on the doors of my neighbors informing me that my service was off. While I will take total responsibility for my egregious oversight of missing my payment, it infuriated me that my bill was supposed to be paid on 3/21. Yet, my service was turned off on 3/23 with no additional notice. In addition my $186 bill was then increased to $386.69 (after reconnection fees) and even after paying that amount in full, I was told that my service could not be restored until one week later! That means 7 days without being able to bath my child in warm water, use my stove, have access to heat or the clothes dryer!
It appears that Scana Energy Regulated Division's intent is to accumulate as many deposits and fees as possible, all while targeting the most vulnerable consumers; their self described, low income and credit challenged.
I asked why my fees were so high and why it was necessary to submit another deposit. I was told that I am credit challenged. However, they did not conduct a new credit check because if they had, they would have noticed that my credit score has increased more than 100 points since I began my service with them 5 years ago. According to most banks, a credit score higher than 650 would not be considered a credit challenged individual. Therefore, the information they were using to access my credit was outdated and more than 5 years old. When credit changes every day, furthermore, in December 2010 and January 2011 a representative from Scana Energy Non-Regulated Division called and sent a letter informing me that my credit and good-standing with the company awarded me the opportunity to switch over to the non-regulated division. I declined because at that time, I did not know the difference between the two companies and it still was not explained to me.
On March 24, 2011, I finally learned of all processes and was given an understanding of services. I was informed that the non-regulated division provides courtesy calls and reminder notices prior to your service being interrupted, but the regulated division does not. I feel that this information was previously withheld from me in order to pilfer higher rates and other fees. The practice of making consumers wait 5 business days (in my case 7 calendar days) for restoration of service is a travesty and Scana Energy Regulated should not be allowed to mistreat consumers based on their financial handicaps whatever they may be.
On July 14, 2010, I called Scana and spoke with an agent to set up payment arrangements for account #**. I told the agent that I would be able to pay $54.18 by August 4, 2010 and $48.00 by August 25, 2010. She told me "okay" then asked me to hold while she notated my account. Then she informed me to make sure I pay at least $54.18 by August 4, 2010 to keep from service disconnection. On August 11, 2010, I found a disconnection notice hanging on my front door knob. I called Scana and spoke with Tosha, who told me that most of what I was saying matched with what the notes said. However, there was nothing written about the payment that would be paid on August 25, 2010. She said sorry for the inconvenience and she could waive the $150.00 deposit, but I would have to pay the $50.00 reconnect fee.
I asked her why am I being punished for a mistake her co-worker made? She said that was why she was waiving the $150 deposit fee. I asked to speak with a supervisor, so she connected me with Tina (ID #**), who kept reading over and over what the notes said. So I asked her if they always punish the customer for mistakes they made? Again, she read the written notes. I asked her what was going to be done to the rep who wrote the notes wrong? She started reading again. I asked if the conversation was recorded back in July. She said yes, so I asked if it could be pulled and she told me they could try but that was from way back in July so she wasn't sure. To resolve this issue, I would like to be credited the remaining balance in full and left with a zero balance.
On July 14, 2010, I called Scana and spoke with an agent to set up payment arrangements. I told the agent that I would be able to pay $54.18 by August 4, 2010 and $48.00 by August 25, 2010. She told me okay then asked me to hold while she notated my account. Then she informed me to make sure I paid at least $54.18 by August 4, 2010 to keep from service disconnection.
On August 11, 2010, I found a disconnection notice hanging on my front door knob. I called Scana and spoke with Tosha who told me that most of what I was saying matched with what the notes said, however, there was nothing written about payment that would be paid on August 25, 2010. She said sorry for the inconvenience and she could waive the $150 deposit but I would have to pay the $50 reconnect fee. I asked her why was I being punished for a mistake her coworker made. She said that was why she was waiving the $50 reconnect fee. I asked to speak with a supervisor so she connected me with Tina (ID# ***), who kept reading over and over what the notes said.
So I asked her if they always punished the customer for mistakes the workers did. Again, she read the written notes. I asked her what was gonna be done to the rep that wrote the notes wrong. She started reading again. I asked if the conversation was recorded back in July, she said yes, so I asked if it could be pulled and she told me they could try but that was from way back in July so she wasn't sure. To resolve this issue, I would like to be credited the remaining balance in full and left with a zero balance.
