OCEANSIDE, Calif. — When it comes to outrage over these high bills, CBS 8 is as "Amped Up" as you are and we aren't letting this go, continuing to demand answers for you, until we get them. And if you’d like to give your feedback to SDG&E, you can do so by CLICKING HERE. If you’d like to file a complaint with CPUC, click here.
CBS 8 viewers are amped up about SDG&E bills that keep rising without a clear reason why.
Earlier this week, we met a North County senior on a fixed income, with a sky-high bill she got after being out of the country for six weeks.
Other customers have reached out to CBS 8 citing similar stories of being out of town and or lowering usage and still receiving a high bill.
Julie Bannon was out of the country for six weeks starting in November and when she returned home, she received a $115 SDG&E bill and she can't get an answer she likes from SDG&E.
“It’s just so stressful,” said Bannon.
She says she called SDG&E and a tech came out and didn’t find a gas leak. She called back for a resolution and was told she would receive a call within three days. That didn’t happen so she called CBS 8 for help.
“Nothing has been resolved,” said Bannon.
CBS 8 reached out to SDG&E who says they investigated and there are no inaccuracies on their end and read her meter electronically and it shows on her December bill she used 44 therms and the usage was consistent each day while she was gone and lowered when she returned home.
Utility companies use therms to calculate natural gas usage.
“It makes me feel like I'm lying to them,” said Bannon.
As we helped Bannon navigate the process, we found it can be frustrating for anyone doing it alone.
She pays her bill automatically every month.
SDG&E says if you want to dispute your bill you need to call SDG&E. Bannon says she did twice.
So CBS 8 reached out to SDG&E who had a supervisor call her on Thursday. She told her the same thing, that she must have left something on such as her water heater.
“I know what it looks like but no heat was used for six weeks,” said Bannon.
In between calls, CBS 8 Googled how to file a complaint against a utility company.
Here’s how to file a complaint with The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC):
- Go to the CPUC website
- Select Utility Company
- It suggests you contact the utility company before filing a complaint.
If file a complaint the website lists what you need to be prepared:
- Name of the Utility Provider
- Full name of the customer. If you are not the customer of record, you must be authorized to discuss the account with the utility company.
- Account Number
- Service Address. The physical location of the service. Is it a residence or business?
- Mailing Address. If different from service address
- Area code and phone number that pertains to the dispute
- A phone number where you can be reached
- Details of your complaint. If contacting us in writing, please be specific and provide as much information as possible such as a chronological order of dispute. For example, the dates that charges were billed, the location of the safety concern, etc.
- Include the utility provider’s response to your concern, if available.
- If you have submitted this complaint to us before, provide your original case number, if possible.
- Once you have reviewed that you can select Online Form. Input your personal information, including e-mail address and account number. You will need to answer three questions What is the situation that concerns you? What did the utility say when you contacted them? What action do you want the CPUC to take?
- You can upload any attachments that may be helpful.
- Hit submit and it says it will contact you shortly with a complaint number.
CBS 8 also helped Bannon call CPUC.
On the phone they suggested she resolve it with SDG&E first. They tried to contact an SDG&E executive but they weren’t available. The CPUC representative said someone from SDG&E would call her back within 24 hours.
He told her if it wasn’t resolved she call back and file a complaint.
The CPUC lists contact information:
Contact the Consumer Affairs Branch By Phone:
Please note not all issues can be resolved with a phone call and you may be asked to submit your complaint in writing.
1-800-649-7570
Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Write to the Consumer Affairs Branch:
Submit written details of your dispute to CAB in one of three ways:
- Online
- By Fax: 1-415-703-1158
- By U.S. Mail:
California Public Utilities Commission
Consumer Affairs Branch
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102 – 3298
Written complaints are evaluated and, if applicable, submitted to the utility as an Informal Complaint.
You can also file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, a consumer watchdog nonprofit where you can submit complaints and reviews and it will work to help resolve the issue.
“I can argue until the cows come home, it doesn't justify why I have a higher bill when I’m not home and a lower bill when I am home,” said Bannon.
Meanwhile, SDG&E called back and said they would send a tech out on Friday. CBS 8 will follow up to see what the findings are from a full sweep and meter investigation.