Comments on: From tranquility to panic and back http://perso.fraise.net/permalink/2009/06/538/ a Franco-Oregonian on the French Riviera Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:54:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: fraise http://perso.fraise.net/permalink/2009/06/538/comment-page-1/#comment-11056 fraise Sat, 06 Jun 2009 13:36:39 +0000 http://perso.fraise.net/?p=538#comment-11056 I could reject it through my bank too, but I would have to pay for it. The woman told me that I would be refunded <i>as soon as</i> the charge went through, i.e. on the same day. I asked her twice if that really meant the same day and she assured me it did. And just in case, I have a line of credit that's nearly paid off, that I can shunt to my bank account temporarily in order to cover the charge. But yeah, it's a darn good thing I have that line of credit, otherwise I'd pay to reject the charge. I'm still wondering how the hell they got my address and phone number wrong since last year, their worker phoned me before coming over (so he had the right number) and of course, came to my place, so had the right address. Not to mention the outrageous electricity estimate. I mean, nine thousand kilowatt hours?! A 2000 watt (2kW) water heater would have to run -- not just be on, but <i>run</i> -- 24 hours a day for 185 days to reach that. I never know whether they do this stuff on purpose or are completely and hopelessly disorganized -- having done work for public utilities before, the latter actually isn't so hard to believe. (That's also why I can believe the automatic charge that can't be cancelled, though it is indeed ridiculous.) I could reject it through my bank too, but I would have to pay for it. The woman told me that I would be refunded as soon as the charge went through, i.e. on the same day. I asked her twice if that really meant the same day and she assured me it did. And just in case, I have a line of credit that’s nearly paid off, that I can shunt to my bank account temporarily in order to cover the charge. But yeah, it’s a darn good thing I have that line of credit, otherwise I’d pay to reject the charge.

I’m still wondering how the hell they got my address and phone number wrong since last year, their worker phoned me before coming over (so he had the right number) and of course, came to my place, so had the right address. Not to mention the outrageous electricity estimate. I mean, nine thousand kilowatt hours?! A 2000 watt (2kW) water heater would have to run — not just be on, but run — 24 hours a day for 185 days to reach that. I never know whether they do this stuff on purpose or are completely and hopelessly disorganized — having done work for public utilities before, the latter actually isn’t so hard to believe. (That’s also why I can believe the automatic charge that can’t be cancelled, though it is indeed ridiculous.)

]]> By: delaïdo http://perso.fraise.net/permalink/2009/06/538/comment-page-1/#comment-11054 delaïdo Sat, 06 Jun 2009 13:20:55 +0000 http://perso.fraise.net/?p=538#comment-11054 How long will it take to get your refund back? Good grief, that's a lot of money to have to fork over as a temporary solution to their administrative snafu(s). Automatic billing can't be canceled? I hear this excuse pretty frequently and I think it's hogwash. I had a situation in which an automatic charge couldn't be canceled. It was a lot of money, charged by mistake, you know the story. I went to my bank in advance and asked that the charge be rejected. The bank fee for this service was $25. In that particular situation, I would rather pay $25 than fork over a wad of cash (that would be used as a credit on that account for many months to come). How long will it take to get your refund back? Good grief, that’s a lot of money to have to fork over as a temporary solution to their administrative snafu(s).
Automatic billing can’t be canceled? I hear this excuse pretty frequently and I think it’s hogwash.
I had a situation in which an automatic charge couldn’t be canceled. It was a lot of money, charged by mistake, you know the story. I went to my bank in advance and asked that the charge be rejected. The bank fee for this service was $25. In that particular situation, I would rather pay $25 than fork over a wad of cash (that would be used as a credit on that account for many months to come).

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