Can this be legal?

[SueHunny]

This is very embarrassing, so I'm posting under a different username. I'm sorry. I'm just at my wit's end right now.

My husband works for the local electric company. Around five years ago, we moved into a new house, and I'd made all the arrangements to get the service shut off from all the utilities at the old house and turned back on in the new house. The electric company never turned off the electric at the old house, and a business moved into that house (a store). Out of the blue, around a year later, we got a bill for $1500 from the electric company for that house after the business moved out, and the electric company refused to budge, saying that I never called them. I tried everything to prove the bill wasn't ours (including providing a lease and statements from landlords), but they wouldn't take any of it.

They literally had us between a rock and a hard place and ended up putting that on our credit report and shut off our electic in the new house, even though the bills for the new house were always on time. When they found out my husband worked for the company, the collections department went to my husband's boss and then his boss laid into him and told him it reflected badly on him and he'd never get a promotion if he didn't pay it. We had to practically starve to pay that bill, and it killed us, knowing a BUSINESS owed it and not us. We wanted to call the PUC, but my husband didn't dare risk his job.

Fast forward to February. I came home from work one day to find a termination notice on our door, saying the electric would be turned off in 48 hours! We'd been paying our bills every month through our bank's bill pay after all that humiliation and we KNEW the money came out that month! It turned out, the billing department changed its address and the bank kept sending the payments to the old address, then when the payments came back ot the bank, they just kept the checks there, rather than sending them to us. The minute we found out what happened, we got those checks and paid the bill and explained to the billing department what happened. This happened early in February.

Yesterday, DH got a really nasty e-mail from his boss ripping into him and basically telling him that his job was in jeapordy because of all these incidnets (including the old ones that should have bene resolved). Every time he has turned around these past two days, he's getting yet another threatening e-mail from someone else who knows our business -- and NONE of these people even work in the billing department. His boss told my DH that his reputation is in shreds. Now today he got an e-mail telling him he has to meet with the head of human resources.

I know we're in the wrong for this recent incident (and THEY think we're in the wrong for the last one), but I'm just frantic that they might be able to fire my husband because of it. He's got about 10 different e-mails browbeating him over it, and he's had to meet with two different people in person, plus this upcoming meeting with the head of HR.

Can this even be legal under the Fair Debt Collection practices? (sp?) I'm sorry if i'm not making sense, but I'm so upset from reading all these e-mails I'm shaking. My husband actually broke down last night and he has to face this humiliation all week. I really want to get a lawyer, but he's afraid to for fear it'll put his job even at more risk. IMO, that bridge has already been crossed. I'm scared to death.

I don't know what to do. I hate that he feels he has to just sit back and take all this abuse. thanks for letting me get this off my chest.

 

[Maleficent13]

Get a lawyer. Now.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I see you're off-line now - I hope your getting a lawyer. Good Luck.

 

[MouseWorshipin]

I can't answer your question, but you aren't alone.

Years ago, I moved from one apartment to another. Had electric put in my name in new place and off in the old.

Almost a year later, I get a bill telling me I owed $800 for the bill in the old place. After many calls and on-holds, they told me that only the management in the old place could schedule turning the electric back into their name, not me. And since the management hadn't done it, I was responsible for the bills!

I finally got the old managers to accept their responsibility, but the electric company was staunchly defending their position that even though they never told me, i was still responisible.

I was so mad!

 

[Kimberly815]

I agree. Get a Lawyer IMMEDIATELY.

Good luck.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

That sounds like a mess. I agree with consulting a lawyer.

Good luck to you.

 

[beavismom]

Not only should you consult a lawyer over this, you should file suit against the business that was at the old address to recover the money you had to pay.

 

[hlbtimes2]

Not only should you consult a lawyer over this, you should file suit against the business that was at the old address to recover the money you had to pay.

Yep, I agree.

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

Please consult a lawyer. Your DH job is already in jeopardy, you need a lawyer.

 

[kimwim8]

I also used to work for a utility company, and I remember them giving reports to supervisors to talk to their employees that were behind in their bills (from the same utility they work for). I guess that part is common practice. It was part of the deal, you work there - you had to keep your account current.

I do not agree at all with brow-beating emails or harrassment at work. Holding a private meeting is one thing...but it sounds like people were talking about your DH and word spread. That is NOT acceptable.

A word of caution to all readers.....Make sure when you call to disconnect service with any company that you call back after the date it was supposed to be disconnected to double check (writing down the rep's name & date you called each time)....AND....make sure you get a bill that specifically states FINAL BILL. Those are the only ways to be sure your rear is covered.

I'm sorry to the OP for what you're going through. I agree that you should get a lawyer & sue the business that got away with free electric.

 

[disneyfanz04]

Get a lawyer NOW, not only for your DH's job but to sue the pants off of the business that is at your old address. Have you confronted the business about the bill???

 

[FlowersChild]

I don't know what to add to this thread ? This whole thing is confusing to me I just feel bad for the person who started this thread and I wanted to wish her and her husband the best. Good luck to you SueHunny and good luck to your husband.

 

[Lyn5]

I agree with the previous posters...you need a good lawyer ASAP! Please, please kept and organize all your records including the e-mails....it will be to his company's shame that they sent e-mails to your DH....what were they thinking ....also, I would make a list of ALL the incidents and coworkers that contacted him...by name, date,location and time of each "meeting" or water-break talk....They may need to explain how other employees now his personal business and why they were allowed to harrass him on company time....I would think there are also laws about privacy and workplace ethics that may be effected. It sounds as though he may be on his way out...and after all this I wonder if he would still want to work there...it seems like they have been tracking his movements and keeping tabs on his past history....at this point you may want to be doing damage control and start protecting your family and getting ready to file a claim against them for there treatment of your DH...goodluck and I really hope it works out for you

 

[Beth76]

Make sure when you call to disconnect service with any company that you call back after the date it was supposed to be disconnected to double check

ITA. A few months ago I recieved a small bill from Sprint for a phone # that I had for about a month nearly 6 years ago. It was for long distance and the account was never closed and they recently started charging a monthly fee. I called to cancel it and still received another bill for it. So, I called again. Hopefully, this will be closed now.

OP, I'm sorry for this mess and I hope you can get it worked out.

 

[MAKmom]

Listen to what I'm going to tell you.

Call the Public Relations department of your electric company. Tell your whole sad unfair story. Tell them if they do not fix this you are going public with this story. Tell them you are also going to lawyer up. Tell them you are going to call the local news stations & every paper in the county.

12 years ago I had a electric breaker box hanging over our garage on a broken telephone poll. It was a rented house. I called trying to get someone to fix it. Nothing was happing the neighbors said they have been calling for months about it.

I called PECO PR department from work. I told my story then told them what I wrote above. Within 1 hour a fleet of PECO trucks were at my house. Dh called me & said the head PECO guy said. Who is your wife? This was on a 2 year waiting list.

 

[koopa]

I worked at a utility company 10 years ago and any employee had access to customer's billing history. Hopefully, your husband has the billing records of you and the business in hand. $1500 sounds like several months of free electric for the business, so maybe the utility's fraud and theft department should be involved. A business is charged a different rate too.

Talk to a lawyer. If your husband still wants to work there, don't call the PUC. The utility I worked at hated the PUC. I wonder why your husband would want to work there too. Isn't anyone believing his story?

 

[winniedapooh]

Get a lawyer...DH works for the electric company in my area and this would never happen or be legal. They had no right to go harrass him at work like that.

 

[we3disneygo]

did he save or print out any of the emails?????good luck.

 

[April in Disney]

You should have never paid that business bills. At that time you had to call public relation department.
Anyway, that is past and this is now. You know better than anyone else what is going on. If he feels they are going to let him go, go for the throat. Call the public relation department and get a lawyer.

 

[jodifla]

You should have never paid that business bills. At that time you had to call public relation department.
Anyway, that is past and this is now. You know better than anyone else what is going on. If he feels they are going to let him go, go for the throat. Call the public relation department and get a lawyer.

Yes, you should have gotten the lawyer then. But definitely call one now for some advice.