Complaint Review: Nicor Gas

Ditch em.

Nicor Gas simply doesn't care. They are one of the few choices in the natural gas industry. You made an effort but companies no longer that into consideration. Accounts are run by bots. The computer tells them what to do and when to do it. There is no 'human' factor in account collection anymore. A computer doesn't care what a representative told you or how much of an effort you are making. It simply does what it is programmed to do. It makes no sense to make an 'effort' these days. You didn't say if you made payment arrangements or not but that would have been your best answer. Don't go by one some represntative tells you, push for payment arrangements and then get on the budget plan.

I agree that any information a representative can give you, should be somewhere on the pages you read for your account on the web site.  The represntative told you bad information, you have paid your bill. When they turn the gas on, put the incident behind you.

>>Okay you are right.

Thank you for proving that some think personal responsibility is such an outdated concept.  I was so wrong that I didn't know as long as I talk to an employee once every several months if they say it is okay at that time. It's wonderful knowing that I don't have to pay the entire bill even if I have the ability to pay.

Once again thank you for making me see the light.<<

You know I am right, so you play the sarcasm act!?  The employee told me 'Keeping paying as you had'.  They did not say go into detail about the policies.  They did not say I was in in danger of having my gas cut off.  If that were an issue then they should have said , "Continue to pay as you have but it will not stop any pending disconnects".  If I had the ability to pay the entire bill, it would have been paid!   This wouldn't have been an issue.  How stupid of a comment is that for you to make?  You also proved my point.  If my account is in danger of being suspended, then they should in fact put so on their website.  She should have an area saying 'Your service is due for termination on 'date'.  Allow me the chance to once again speak to a customer service representative.  You keep making my point to the letter.  If a company is pushing you to use their website, to cut down on customer interaction with a representative, then that website should have every detail and aspect of your account.  Not say 'Due date' and an amount. What would have been my reason to contact a representative if I had in fact been doing what the representative told me to do?  Just call to say hi?  Say I love you? Ask how the weather is?  I knew I had a balance, I was paying that balance as best I could.  I had been told by a representative to continue doing what I had and I wouldn't have any problems, so I pick up the phone, and why?  When I call they direct me to a website.  Ok, where on the website does it say 'pending disconnection'...NO WHERE.  Thank you for first proving my point.  Also thank you for your colorful, yet silly statements.  They gave me an good laugh. 

Okay you are right.

Thank you for proving that some think personal responsibility is such an outdated concept.  I was so wrong that I didn't know as long as I talk to an employee once every several months if they say it is okay at that time. It's wonderful knowing that I don't have to pay the entire bill even if I have the ability to pay.

Once again thank you for making me see the light.

>>Had I received PROPER notice of a disconnect, I would have been able to pay and all of this could have been avoided.
- It all comes down to this one sentence.  That sentence actually says "I know I am delinquent, I have the ability to pay, I just don't WANT to pay until I have to".  Why would it take a Disconnect notice to get you to pay?  You KNEW you were delinquent.  So yes getting disconnect was your fault.<<

Did mommy and daddy drop you on your head when you were a kid, or did you possibly not pay attention to the whole point of this, because it is one of the other?  Yes I knew I was had a balance, but as I have told you several times, which you seem not to get through that thick skull of yours, because you only want to read....what you WANT to read, their representative told me there was no problems.  Keep paying as a had!  So why would I think there would be an issues or a impending shut off?  I knew the bill needed to be paid and was working on that.  I don't like that hanging over me, so I sold some stuff via the internet.  That stuff doesn't sell over night!

>>There is a big misconception that paying "something" gets you off of the hook, your not the first and you won't be the last.  The fact is that you have been delinquent for 3 months and there is a point and time that EVERY company will say "enough is enough".  Whether it is a Credit Card, Auto Loan, or utility.  Whether you like it or not that is just the way it is<<

Again you are still missing the point of this aren't you?  You have no concept of what you are even talking about.  Ok, if the company said enough is enough, why was I not informed of this.  Why had their representative not said 'Keep paying as you have, but we will still turn your gas off'.....rather then make it seem like I had no worries by making an effort and doing exactly what I was.  The representative is the one who told me to so call 'pay something', but not in those words.

>>Of course they didn't cut it off when it was higher because it wasn't delinquent for 3 months, it was only a month or two.  The amount of your delinquent bill doesn't matter...it is the length of time you let it go delinquent.  Now of course making some payments probably kept it from getting disconnected sooner, but in the end it was disconnected because you were still delinquent.<<

Actually as of May I was more than 3 months worth of bills.  That was the reason for the call!!!  I asked the represntative what my options were and what their policies were on balances such as mine.  They said to keep paying as I had and there would be no problems.  Is this coming through yet.  I took every step, trying to make sure there were no problems.  I was mis-informed, or lied to.  Their representative at that time should of told me right then and there I would be disconnected, OR gave me other options if that is their policy!!!  Why tell someone there would be no problems, keep doing what they have?  That is my whole point.  If the representative had told, me or there had been something on the website about 'pending disconnection', or something to that effect, I would have made another call and said 'Hey, I just sold some stuff and payment will be made soon, rather then thinking September 1, 2011 was the deadline'.  There was no urgency because there was no warning.  I was doing exactly what I needed to do based on what I believed to be valid information from Nicor's representative.   

>>If you really are honest with yourself you would understand how silly your logic is.  By your logic if you had paid 1/2 as much over the same amount of time you would get twice as much time to pay off your bill.  Because it would take longer to get it down to the amount where they cut it off.<<

What are you talking about?  I was making payments.  I am not saying there should be any set time for anything other then the fact that their representative told me 'Keep paying as I had'.......and that is exactly what I had done.   If the company had contacted me by phone, by their website, by mail.....in a fair and reasonable time and said 'We are disconnecting your gas', I would have told them I have been able to give them an exact date I would pay.  Yet they wasted my time, their time.  They sent someone to cut my gas off, and have to send someone to reconnect.  All could have been avoided had their representative given me valid information, or their website contained the proper information.

>>It is always amazing how many people post that they are delinquent and that darn company had the nerve to disconnect, repossess, cancel...what ever just days before they were going to get current.  It's almost like there is some vast conspiracy that these companies have some telepathic ability to know when a person is going to get current so that they can cause them the most problems.<<

No what always amazes me is someone who hasn't a clue comes along acting like they know what is going on.  You think this is about being deliquent, it is about what a representative of NICOR told me.  If you had read, then you would have been able to figure out that is what this is all about.  As to being deliquent, God forbid you ever find yourself in a dark place where you are behind on your bills.  If that ever happens to you, I pray for you.  Also remember me.  I won't come to you and put you down.  I will shake your hand and pray for you.  Until then, pay better attention and stop making such silly and Seinfield like comments!

Had I received PROPER notice of a disconnect, I would have been able to pay and all of this could have been avoided.
- It all comes down to this one sentence.  That sentence actually says "I know I am delinquent, I have the ability to pay, I just don't WANT to pay until I have to".  Why would it take a Disconnect notice to get you to pay?  You KNEW you were delinquent.  So yes getting disconnect was your fault.

There is a big misconception that paying "something" gets you off of the hook, your not the first and you won't be the last.  The fact is that you have been delinquent for 3 months and there is a point and time that EVERY company will say "enough is enough".  Whether it is a Credit Card, Auto Loan, or utility.  Whether you like it or not that is just the way it is.

Of course they didn't cut it off when it was higher because it wasn't delinquent for 3 months, it was only a month or two.  The amount of your delinquent bill doesn't matter...it is the length of time you let it go delinquent.  Now of course making some payments probably kept it from getting disconnected sooner, but in the end it was disconnected because you were still delinquent.

If you really are honest with yourself you would understand how silly your logic is.  By your logic if you had paid 1/2 as much over the same amount of time you would get twice as much time to pay off your bill.  Because it would take longer to get it down to the amount where they cut it off.

It is always amazing how many people post that they are delinquent and that darn company had the nerve to disconnect, repossess, cancel...what ever just days before they were going to get current.  It's almost like there is some vast conspiracy that these companies have some telepathic ability to know when a person is going to get current so that they can cause them the most problems.

>>I am sure that they Post Office said on average it takes 3-4 days, but
that is an overall average.  If you are local you would have gotten it
the next day(or possibly the 2nd day).  But even if it was 3-4 days it
would have been there the Thursday or Friday before not the next Monday.<<

First off, which part did you miss?  There was never a disconnect notice sent.  I have a POST OFFICE BOX.  If it truly had been sent, there should be no REASON it is not in my box!  So frankly I do not believe that a notice was even sent.

>>Misinformed?  You talked to them 3+ months ago.  Loyal patronage?  You
were delinquent.  They caused your headache?  Sorry but it is all you. 
I am sure when you contact all of those agencies you will be sure to
include that you have been delinquent for several months.<<

How is it me my friend?  I continued making the payments exactly as I had and exactly how their representative told me to.  I was making every effort to pay the bill off.  I was not some deadbeat who went months without payments.  So how in ANY way is that me?  Tell me?  I do what their representative says, and I am at fault.  Their website says nothing about a disconnecte.  They turn my gas off, even though I am doing exactly what they told me?  Never send me ANY notice and I am at FAULT!   I am sure you do realize how silly your comment sounds.  Kind of like you took it from a cereal box or stole it from a commercial. Maybe Seinfield?  The Improv?

>>They gave you 3 months to "keep making payments" before they cut it off,
just how long do you think they should give you?  How much of a payment
should you make?  Exactly enough to keep you from getting shut off? 
Would $50 a month qualified as making payments?  How about $25?  How
about $10?  Just how low could you have gone to still be considered
"making payments"?<<

You tell me?  You seem so well informed about Nicor policies???  I was making several small payments that in the end totaled a large payment, per month and the representative told me to 'keep paying' as I had.  My gas bill was pretty high, and there were no PROBLEMS with them accepting these payments while the balance was through the roof.  Yet when I get the balance down, then they DECIDE to turn the gas off.    I have record of every payment that was made, so don't give me 'THEY GIVE YOU THREE MONTHS...BLAH..BLAH..BLAH' baloney.

>>You did not come right out and say it but it
sounds like if they are going to reconnect your gas you paid your
delinquent bill.  If that is the case, how could you come up with the
money to pay the back bill?  Why didn't you come up with the money
BEFORE they disconnected your service to just get them paid off.<<

I guess you only pick out and READ what you want to read or see what you want to see.  Did you miss the part where I said my remaining balance was $299.71  and I was planning to pay it on the due date the website stated, which was 09/01/11.  If you really must hear all the details of my life and if you can't sleep at night unless I tell you HOW I paid my balance off, I will tell you.  I sold several items from collection that was in my family for many years.  I had received payment on August 12th.  It was in the form of a personal check.  I was awaiting the funds to CLEAR the bank and then I was going to pay off that balance.  Had I received PROPER notice of a disconnect, I would have been able to pay and all of this could have been avoided.  Hope that helps you sleep better.

>>If you truly have a medical need for Gas, they may be able to reconnect
the gas on an Emergency(same day) basis.  This may vary by utility and
may require some proof.  That is you can't just say you are disabled
they are going to want to know why gas is a medical necessity for you.<<

I explained to them, but both the represenative and the Supervisor didn't care one SINGLE bit.  All they kept telling me is it takes one to five days for my payment to be processed and they didn't have same day connection.  The 'soonest' appointment was one week later.  Had family and friends not stepped in to help me like they have, I would have some serious issues.

So if you are done with your 'What' comments, realize that someone at Nicor made a HUGE mistake.  They need to change their policies, and when they are at fault...they need to correct the issue ASAP.  If a representative tells you somehting, they represent the company.  If the company is making a huge push to direct customers to go to the 'website', then this website should have the same information that any notice, or a representative gives you.  If you are in danger of a disconnect, then it should tell you somewhere in read bold letters, or at least a message via their website or to your email, the same thing they claim they send you.  Also When someone is making an effort and it is a good and honest effort.....don't stab them in the back.  I just love when people who THINK they know what they are talking about, come on here and try to bully others.  Well my friend, I don't take stuff like that from anyone. 

I am sure that they Post Office said on average it takes 3-4 days, but that is an overall average.  If you are local you would have gotten it the next day(or possibly the 2nd day).  But even if it was 3-4 days it would have been there the Thursday or Friday before not the next Monday.

I feel misinformed, cheated and treated like my years of loyal patronage mean nothing.  I have informed the better business bureau, as well as the Illinois Commerce Commission. 
I plan to seek every avenue available, until someone at Nicor is held accountable for the misinformation, and headache their company has caused.
- Misinformed?  You talked to them 3+ months ago.  Loyal patronage?  You were delinquent.  They caused your headache?  Sorry but it is all you.  I am sure when you contact all of those agencies you will be sure to include that you have been delinquent for several months.

They gave you 3 months to "keep making payments" before they cut it off, just how long do you think they should give you?  How much of a payment should you make?  Exactly enough to keep you from getting shut off?  Would $50 a month qualified as making payments?  How about $25?  How about $10?  Just how low could you have gone to still be considered "making payments"?

You did not come right out and say it but it sounds like if they are going to reconnect your gas you paid your delinquent bill.  If that is the case, how could you come up with the money to pay the back bill?  Why didn't you come up with the money BEFORE they disconnected your service to just get them paid off.

If you truly have a medical need for Gas, they may be able to reconnect the gas on an Emergency(same day) basis.  This may vary by utility and may require some proof.  That is you can't just say you are disabled they are going to want to know why gas is a medical necessity for you.