Arizona Public Service

I have lived in Arizona going on a year now. Never in my 45 years of living in NY have I been ripped off by my utility company. I had called APS well over 2 months ago complaining about my broken meter. They lied to me and said that day someone would be at my residence to fix my meter. My bills are out of control. Every month my bill keeps going up which I had also questioned them. "How are you coming up with any reading if my meter is broken." They answered me very rudely and said "that's what we have read" and to pay my bill immediately or they will shut off my electric.

So I am a new APS customer. I tried to do Autopay and thought it would be taken care of without me writing a check. Ha Ha. They didn't debit the account so sent me a bill saying they would debit TWO months next time. OK. Fine. Only they didn't. They shut off the power instead. And said they put a "door hanger" warning me of shutoff. NEVER GOT IT. So, power went off while workmen were putting in a floor. Had to go to Walmart, pay APS because there is NO office here. Nasty customer service. Said I wanted to appeal the shutoff fee. Well guess what? The fee, $27.70, appears on the next bill. Not my fault. It's theirs, but I have to pay or they charge a late fee, or a shutoff fee, or some other dumb charge. So I canceled Autopay. Guess what? This month's bill says, "We will debit your account". I am certain if I write a check they will also debit the bank anyway. You cannot win with APS.

This is a huge company that has monopolized entire region. Most of us are forced to use this company with dishonest business practices. We have never been late, accidentally missed sending payment in so go online to pay, won't even let us pay amount because there is now an extra $500.00 DUE!? (Bill due 8/11) and mind you we are barely 2 weeks late and they are making us pay them an extra 500.00 when they gave us no notice of there being a late payment or a fee... we have had so many awful experiences with them, truly an evil company and would give our business to anyone before them. Please Arizona give consumers options!

There are 2 sections in our apartment complex with 2 different addresses. I have lived here for 14 years. A resident in the other section of the complex put my address when turning on her APS... (Found this out later). I came home from work one day and my electricity had been turned off. This was in August in Arizona and my 3 dogs had been in the house ALL day without air. I had been paying extra on my bills so I knew for sure that I had a credit. My apartment manager called APS with me sitting there and basically they said 'OOPS, we made a mistake.'

The billing itself is very questionable. I have filed multiple complaints with the corporate commission only to FINALLY get some help from someone to re-adjust my bill (they know it's possible but they won't do it for you until you escalate it). BUT that doesn't solve the problem itself; APS is scamming customers every month with its ridiculous service fees. How are you going to charge a service fee on top of a meter fee and a meter reading fees (IS THAT NOT PART OF YOUR SERVICE FEE?). This is the first time in my life living in Arizona, where I have had to utilize APS and dear god, I wish I never moved. I regret my decision.

Of course when you face a business that has a monopoly over an area, your choices are pay or pound sand. That's the case with Arizona Public Service. I have a 1300 Sqft home and I USED to live in a 1300 sqft apartment with SRP. Highest bill I EVER had with SRP was about 90 bucks. The last two months I've owed APS 700 dollars collectively. What. The. Hell. I PRAY SRP somehow reached my neighborhood. I'm considering going stone age or buying a flipping generator for my house that I'll GLADLY Crank for hours, just to avoid this company's exuberant charges. Crazy. If you can choose between APS and SRP, Go with SRP. APS is a joke and they don't give two **.

I lived previously on the East Coast NY and VA. Never paid so much in electric bills until I came to AZ. (Understand summer heat). I do think APS is just charging rates and additional charges that is unrealistic. Why billed for all these charges:

Over the years, as a homeowner in the same residence for 22 years and the owner of several commercial buildings, I've had the misfortune of having to use APS as my utility provider. My latest encounter with the monopoly was with my personal utility bill. I have been on the equalizer program for several years. I recently installed two new super-efficient AC heat pumps, which dramatically lowered my bills. I asked APS to adjust my equalizer payment but they only do that after many months of experience, so they refused to do it in advance. Over the period of 4 or 5 months, I built up a credit of nearly $2,000 at which point I called and asked for an adjustment to the payment, which, of course, they refused to do. I asked them to apply the credit to the current month so I didn't have to pay and was told they would do so. I asked my bank to suspend that month's payment. I did the same the next month at which point I received a disconnect warning.

Opened an account about 30 days ago. Never received a bill, but instead received a Shut Office Notice. I spent hours on telephone on hold and all they did is charged me $600 and promised me that they would start sending bills. Who knows if they are telling the truth. I've had electric service in about half a dozen major cities across the country, but have never experience anything like this. Worse than any third world country.

So my electricity bill is $404. But over half of that is FEES. I don't understand why there is no other power companies that I can switch to in Phoenix. It's APS or nothing. Solar is not the answer because you're still connected to the grid - and that grid is APS - so the FEES are still there. I don't have Solar, but I would not be surprised one bit if APS billed people with Solar ADDITIONAL Fees for using Solar. So just to prove I'm not crazy, here are the numbers from my last APS bill. I did round out the numbers to keep it simple.

I sit and use candles, hardly EVER any lights. I have a 3-level condominium and have my air set at 85-86 degrees and sit and suffer in this heat, only to find out that over HALF of my bill is in FEES!!! Delivery service charge GOES UP every month, and in fact, there are 14 FEES, not including the Taxes and Fees for state, county, city, franchise, regulatory assessment. In June 2016, over $100 was FEES ONLY. I am totally dissatisfied, as are MOST people here and it is totally apparent that nobody is going to do anything about these fees, and those who can obviously are getting FAT at our expense, meaning they are making too much money to care or do anything about the fees. I am sitting in a HOT house because I can't afford to pay APS' fees. I'm looking at my bill for Jan 2017, my USAGE is only $52.39 but my bill is $121.60. OVER HALF MY BILL. That is totally unfair that the fees are so high.

At the same residence for over 18 years and always paid bills on time. Last week I receive a letter that my account is late on payment after they just cashed check and my electric is being turned off this week. The absolute nerve of these people and we also were on Equalizer program, which they took us off. Called and lady was nice and couldn't believe this happened to me, and offered to put us back on program and now I check and see it's not eligible. Wish there was another electric company to go with, but we are stuck with these uncaring people.

We have solar and feel that we are being used and abused by APS. They take the energy we create and discount it and then charge us $50 dollars in fees and taxes and adjustments. This is outrageous and why when many of our residents in the area of retired and living on low income budgets they get away with charging these outrageous fees. This is ridiculous and APS should have to pay some of these junk fees back to consumers.

Being new to APS we were astounded by our bill for electricity usage, we tried to figure out where we could conserve more to lower our monthly usage/cost. Looking closer at the bill we realized that we'd only used 338kwh which equaled $19.94 in usage, the remaining $32.17 are fees & taxes. APS said, "When you buy milk you don't just pay the cow." What?? So I called the Utility Commissioner & she said, "What do you want me to do, write a complaint that you don't like seeing all those listed fees?" I said, "No, I appreciate the transparency but in seeing it I cannot believe the taxes and fees far outweigh the cost of the actual utility usage! I understand there are fees & taxes but nowhere else do I see them to this degree!" Who is holding them accountable because the Utility Commissioner I spoke with 100% defends this practice! SHAME APS & the AZ Utility Commission!

I had the same experience as the last person who wrote a review for APS. I also have two clients that had the same thing happen with their payments. I paid my bill online, the same way I have for 3 years at the same address with the same banking information that they had stored in their system. Well, apparently, they changed my account number and this created a problem for them getting the money from my bank. I received a notice that my payment was returned, which is strange, because I didn't change my banking information. I logged in to pay my bill again... this time I had to enter new payment information... but instead of the amount that I previously paid, they wanted to charge a fee for my "returned check." I called customer service and the man I spoke to had no sympathy, claiming I must have entered my information incorrectly. I didn't enter my information, it was the saved info in their system. The fee was to stay in place.

Prior to leaving the residence in Sedona, I contacted APS with turn off notice and request for a final bill to be sent to my newest residence in Cortez CO. The individual with whom I spoke to as a follow up to my request confirmed my new residence address, indicated I would be getting a check from APS for $155. This conversation took place the first week in April. I was assured the check would be processed within the next ten business days -- On or about 04/23/17. On Friday, 04/28/17, after checking my mail and finding no check from APS, I returned my call to APS to confirm when the check was issued, what address was used to send this check to, and since I had yet to receive any refund to date from APS, what would be the logical next step.

APS recently upgraded their system. I used my checking account to pay my deposit when I started the service. I used the same checking account (saved in their system) to pay my bill and they returned payment. When I called in they said they could not locate my account and since their system updated it does not show as saved anymore. I now have to pay a $15+ fee to resubmit my payment (which isn't even late) and I am only allowed to pay it in cash. I just recently started using this service and it was a nightmare to set up and it continuing to be. I will definitely check for SRP service addresses when I move next. Highly discourage you from using APS if you can avoid it.

We have been with Arizona Public Service for over 21 years in our current home and in an apartment prior. I have been employed at the same employer for 30 years and my husband has been for 15 years. We have had some extensions on our electric bills with approvals and we never knew it was an issue. We have had a few unexpected medical expenses. We have never had a disconnect. We are now expected to pay the $490 deposit or a turnoff. Where is this all coming from? What does APS do with all of our deposit money? This seems to be a very large amount of money for them to hold on to for a couple with good credit and a good steady work history. What's up APS??? I can understand a deposit for your first year or if you haven't been employed but really??? $490!

I was going pay my bill and website tells me a system wide billing upgrade is happening and needs to validate account. I finish with the validation and lo and behold I see the account I have had since 2008 now requires a deposit of over 200 dollars is due now or power will be shut off. I did not ask for billing system upgrade. I have the same house same account, nothing has changed. I have talked with multiple agents and all I get this the only option I have. All I know is now I'm forced to pay deposit for a service that hasn't changed or a billing upgrade. This is just a way for major company get more $$ from consumers.

We are "winter visitors" (per APS). Our meter stopped working but we were not informed. Just informed that they were "unable to read" which their website claims is normal behavior, similar to a cell phone connection dropping. APS replaced the meter the day following my October arrival. According to APS, the meter had not been working for 17 days. APS will not show me documentation as to when our meter stopped working. I am expected to take their verbal account. APS billed me for "reading" our meter when it wasn't able to be read due to non-function. My USE CASE seems irrelevant.

After attempting to get electronically my account records from 2010 to 2014 (which I was unable to do), I started reading reviews of APS. I saw not a one that was remotely complimentary. The cost just keeps going up and up, even though they say they haven't had an increase in several years. I was surprised to see in one of the reviews an option of aid for low income. I applied as a single woman on social security and received a letter that I was accepted to the program. No information as to how this will affect my bill.

I recently received a letter from APS demanding a deposit of $335 be paid or else my electricity will be turned off. I have been a customer for 13 years that has never had my electric shut off due to non payment. If I was ever going to be late paying my bill I always had approval from APS. I have tried to reason with APS and they won't compromise, and to make matters worse I have an infant in the house. How is this not extortion?

I have owned a rental property for 6 years. I had an APS account on it when I bought it in 2010. I have decided to sell because tenant moved out and it is now empty. Called APS to transfer power to my name and they want 580 dollar deposit. UNREAL!!! I Own several other properties none though with APS. I have not had any of this BS before with SRP. I am going to check the meter of the next property I look at and if APS is on it I will not even make an offer. I hope there are others like me so maybe their unethical practices can be brought to an end. It sucks to have a monopoly.

Something needs to be done with APS. Their fees are way too high. When I took a closer look at my bill I found out that my fees were higher than the actual electricity I was using. ECU in the state of Arizona APS is a monopolizing corporation. They can do anything they wanted to. Basically they extort money from people because they know that without electricity you can't live so that's why they get away charging with such high prices. What they fail to realize is that they are a necessity, not a luxury. If you don't have APS you will die. You have to have air in the summertime and they know this so they can charge whatever they want to charge. They would charge your franchise fee. Why do I have to pay them to be a franchise owner pay McDonald's? Something needs to be done. They are crooked then extort money out of their customers. Like I said something needs to be done.

After 15 years of service, for a livestock well pump, paid every month, bank error caused payment to be returned. They shutoff power with no notice. They claim they called an old phone # from 6 years ago. Phone # they claimed they called is not even listed on the account profile. It was updated 5 years ago. To turn the power back on they required $235.00 deposit, $189.00 bill payment and $35.00 reconnect fee. Bill runs $75.00 per month. Service is not optional. There is ZERO risk that they won't get paid on this account (livestock would die of thirst). They don't care. Asked to speak to supervisor, put on hold, then told, “Sorry, no supervisor available”. Nothing they can do. Pay up or suffer the consequences and let the livestock die. So I gave them my grocery money for the month, overdrafted my bank account and cried. (I am not a crier). **. Now I hate APS with a passion, and will hold a grudge forever.

I recently received email from APS demanding payment for bill not yet due. I replied and asked them to stop sending such emails because my account has never been late, ever. Today, 11/03/2016 I received in mail a final notice to pay the same bill which is due 11/08/2016 with a late charge of $3.76. Their billing department is incompetent and it is impossible to contact APS by phone. I wish there were a zero star option as well as an alternate supplier.

Recently my husband and I decided to go solar. We are almost through the process and everything has been great. Then about a week ago I received a bill from APS. I didn't pay much attention because I work really long hours and I figured I would just look at it on one of my days off. We are on the equalizer program and pay 295.00 a month. When I looked at the bill on Sunday it was for well over the normal amount which I thought was strange but I couldn't call until Monday.

APS set up 2 meters on my new property. They were instructed to send bills to a different billing address and did, for one account. The other accounts bill went to a nonexistent address that has no mailbox. I thought I was paying my bill in total, not realizing I should have 2. Without calling or contacting me at the correct billing address, they turned power off for nonpayment. Again, I never received a bill for the second account. They decided to set up but paid the first on time each month!! The power outage cost me hundreds in food in my freezer and fridge and when I called and the reps could not explain the APS error. They simply said they would transfer me to another rep who might be able to help me.

I get that AZ is hot but to pay $400 a month from May-October is outrageous. Take a look at some articles about the company and where does all the $$ go! We need the commissioners to change the way APS operates. It's too expensive!!! Wish we could leave.

I received a notice that my account has been delinquent multiple times. However my bill has been paid in full every month. I chose a pay by date of the 5th of the month. I noticed when I went into APS records, they are not posting my payment as soon as received. I usually pay at the end of the month. Recently, my notice is dated September 6th, the date that payment should have been received. APS posted my payment on September 7th, a date after the notice. I pay by check through the mail, and for August, the check was sent on August 31st. According to their own rules, and bill it is stated on their own website: bill past due date. At what point is my bill officially past due?