Ameritech rant.
Feb. 6th, 2002 06:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
judecorpOkay. So here is the situation. Allow for sufficient backtracking.
In the beginning of June 2001, I had to relocate because my apartment building was struck by lightning, caught on fire, and suffered extensive fire/water damage. Because I had just signed another year's lease, I relocated to another apartment in the same complex. This apartment had a faulty phone jack.
This faulty phone jack, even though it wasn't being used, created a heinous amount of line noise. In July 2001, Ameritech came out and repaired the jack, for a total of $126 that appeared on my 25 July statement. I paid the entire bill, submitted it to my Facilities Manager, and was reimbursed.
On my 25 October statement, the $126 jack repair charge mysteriously reappeared on my phone bill. I called. The nice phone person marked that charge as 'disputed' and told me to continue to pay current charges only until the situation was resolved. In October, November, and December, I paid current charges. When I would call the automated system (because the charge was continually showing up as 'past due'), it would remind me that $126 was being disputed.
In January, I received a notice that if I did not pay my past due amount, I was going to be sent to collections. I have never, I do repeat never, been sent to collections in my entire life. I pay my bills, nearly without exception, on the day I receive them. I am, some would say, fanatical about money. So in January, I called Ameritech again. After many apologies for the long wait, I spoke to someone who identified herself as a manager who had me call the "Repair Truck Foreman" to verify that no one had been out to my apartment to repair anything in October. This was done, and I was assured (via three-way calling) that the credit would appear on my bill in 4-6 weeks and I would never have to worry about this again.
Three days ago, I received my 25 January statement. I paid, as has become my custon, the current charges - $75. (A. used the phone a lot this month, I guess.) Today, I received a disconnection notice. If I did not pay my past due amount of $126 (which was quoted as $48 in local charges and the remainder in long distance charges), they were going to turn off my phone on 11 February.
When I called today, I learned several things. First, every payment of my 'current charges' actually was paying back charges first, to the point that I was continually 'past due' rather than 'in dispute.' Second, my dispute period ended after 90 days and I immediately went to collections. Third, the Repair Department never removed the charge from my account. Fourth, my credit has already been smeared over this.
So today I talked first to collections, who transferred me to billing. Billing sent me to Repair. Repair told me that I needed the charge investigated by a "Repair Specialist" who will call me by 9pm tomorrow and tell me whether or not they will remove the charge.
In the meantime, I will get peeved about this smear on my credit history for a bill that I have religiously paid the day it arrives in my mailbox. The kicker? I don't use this phone line. This is A.'s landline, and I only use my cell. So I have a bill in collections in my name that belongs to me ex-spouse.
Charming. Happy Wednesday.
In the beginning of June 2001, I had to relocate because my apartment building was struck by lightning, caught on fire, and suffered extensive fire/water damage. Because I had just signed another year's lease, I relocated to another apartment in the same complex. This apartment had a faulty phone jack.
This faulty phone jack, even though it wasn't being used, created a heinous amount of line noise. In July 2001, Ameritech came out and repaired the jack, for a total of $126 that appeared on my 25 July statement. I paid the entire bill, submitted it to my Facilities Manager, and was reimbursed.
On my 25 October statement, the $126 jack repair charge mysteriously reappeared on my phone bill. I called. The nice phone person marked that charge as 'disputed' and told me to continue to pay current charges only until the situation was resolved. In October, November, and December, I paid current charges. When I would call the automated system (because the charge was continually showing up as 'past due'), it would remind me that $126 was being disputed.
In January, I received a notice that if I did not pay my past due amount, I was going to be sent to collections. I have never, I do repeat never, been sent to collections in my entire life. I pay my bills, nearly without exception, on the day I receive them. I am, some would say, fanatical about money. So in January, I called Ameritech again. After many apologies for the long wait, I spoke to someone who identified herself as a manager who had me call the "Repair Truck Foreman" to verify that no one had been out to my apartment to repair anything in October. This was done, and I was assured (via three-way calling) that the credit would appear on my bill in 4-6 weeks and I would never have to worry about this again.
Three days ago, I received my 25 January statement. I paid, as has become my custon, the current charges - $75. (A. used the phone a lot this month, I guess.) Today, I received a disconnection notice. If I did not pay my past due amount of $126 (which was quoted as $48 in local charges and the remainder in long distance charges), they were going to turn off my phone on 11 February.
When I called today, I learned several things. First, every payment of my 'current charges' actually was paying back charges first, to the point that I was continually 'past due' rather than 'in dispute.' Second, my dispute period ended after 90 days and I immediately went to collections. Third, the Repair Department never removed the charge from my account. Fourth, my credit has already been smeared over this.
So today I talked first to collections, who transferred me to billing. Billing sent me to Repair. Repair told me that I needed the charge investigated by a "Repair Specialist" who will call me by 9pm tomorrow and tell me whether or not they will remove the charge.
In the meantime, I will get peeved about this smear on my credit history for a bill that I have religiously paid the day it arrives in my mailbox. The kicker? I don't use this phone line. This is A.'s landline, and I only use my cell. So I have a bill in collections in my name that belongs to me ex-spouse.
Charming. Happy Wednesday.
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no subject
Date: 2002-02-06 08:04 pm (UTC)If nothing else, I'm pretty darn sure that they're required to inform you, in writing, that your dispute period had expired, and the manner in which they were settling the dispute. Or at least that they are in MA, dunno about Ohio.
I'm sorry, hon!
no subject
Date: 2002-02-06 10:59 pm (UTC)I had this problem with MCI a few years ago, it took ages for them to admit they were wrong. Grr.
no subject
Date: 2002-02-07 10:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-02-07 10:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-02-07 10:11 am (UTC)Anyway, the "Repair Specialist" is supposed to call my cell phone today by 9pm. We'll see if s/he does. If not, I'll be calling AGAIN tomorrow. The last Nice Billing Boy gave me the direct number to Repair Customer Service, so we'll see.
I'm usually a very level-headed girl. I try not to give the phone people a hard time, and reciprocally, they're usually nice to me.
It's just the damned phone company! Sigh.
no subject
Date: 2002-02-07 10:05 am (UTC)Now I just have to fight with Aaron's insurance company about my emergency room bills.
You don't know me but......
Talk to the BBB...they've received thousands of complaints over the years and the FCC has fined Ameritech millions of dollars and told them to clean up their act. You might not get a ton of satisfaction out of them but at least, through the BBB, your voice and issues will be heard.
Sorry it's not an instant fix..hope it helps some though. Good Luck!!!
-Leah
Re: You don't know me but......
Date: 2002-02-07 09:59 am (UTC)I was already planning to call the Ohio Public Utilities Commission, but a call to the BBB could be good, too.
I know that I'm not the only person who's had problems with Ameritech. I don't know a single person who has ever liked them. Grrrr.
I only use my cell. I'm trying to get this thing taken care of so I can switch the name on the account to the rightful user of the phone line. Erg.
Thanks, Leah. :)
no subject
Date: 2002-02-07 09:18 pm (UTC)Backstory: they *lost* a deposit I made at an ATM. Over a month after I made the deposit, they debit my account and trigger my overdraft protection (on a BofA credit card). So I talk to customer service. She admits it's the bank's screw-up and refunds my overdraft protection charges. I get the check replaced, deposit it, and she assures me that the overdraft protection will be reversed back off my credit card and everything will be good.
Nope. I'm getting charged cash advance interest rates. (Yes, I'm carrying a balance on the card, but it's 6% for purchases right now--and 19% for cash advances.) So I call customer service. They credit me the interest and assure me they'll fix the problem.
Nope, not yet. Next bill, I still get charged the higher rate. I call again. They credit me the interest again, and say it will be fixed with a week.
We'll see what happens in a week and change when the billing cycle ends.
But sometimes, you've just gotta keep after 'em.
no subject
Date: 2002-02-12 08:48 am (UTC)