Xcel Energy Extorting money from people with their monopoly Borger Texas
I have been with Xcel Energy in Texas for six years. I have paid their exobadent amounts of deposits and so on when I was low on money or had late fees because of my own financial issues years ago while getting back on my feet. I have now moved into another house that I was lucky enough to find and they are charging me ANOTHER deposit AGAIN.
When I called and spoke to customer service, I was advised this was due to my credit in general. I said that should not matter as I have been a continuous customer for 6 years and my last bill from my old address was paid in full before I moved. The agent advised that there was nothing they could do about it, and that it would have to be paid. After "setting up" a payment arrangement, my first bill is 258.00...and there is 3 more to pay similar to this amount. I was advised on the phone that this is their "new" policy.
I do NOT recall every being notified of a policy change, nor was I advised that if I were to move, I would have a deposit to pay AGAIN simply because I had my service switched to another address. This is knee deep in looking like extortion to me and screams of blackmail. What are you supposed to do when there are NO other options for power and you have no choice but to pay whatever they decide to charge you. So, because I have "bad" credit from pages and pages of dr bills, I get to pay a total of approx 580.00 for the so called first bill at my new address. This is including a "read fee" from the previous address AND the new one, a "set up fee" for the new address to be added under my name, the 250.00 deposit for having been a loyal customer for 6 years, and an "activation fee" even though the electric was already on when I moved in the house, I just had to switch it to my name from the person I purchased from.
I am wondering WHEN someone in a legally powerful position will put these greedy bastards in their place. This entire situation screams of discrimination for people that have not so good credit, extortion because you HAVE to use this company and blackmail if you want electric and have bad credit you WILL pay whatever they deem "necessary" for your deposit. I know that there has got to be THOUSANDS of people that agree with me and have been through this with these fools.