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New York State Electric & Gas [NYSEG]

New York State Electric & Gas [NYSEG] review: bad service 28

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7:05 am EDT
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As a tenant renting an apartment in Alfred NY we use the electric company NYSEG. First of they charged us for someone elses power useage. When we call about it all they could say was sorry you have to pay for it becuase they use your power even thought the meter reader read the worng meter for our apartment. Then we could not pay the extremly high bill that was not ours for $1400. We recived a shut off notice for the 30th of march and they shut our power off on the 25th. when we call to see why they shut it off early they said because we can. The gentalman that came out and shut our power off stated that NYSEG does not care about their customers they only care about the money. We then call NYSEG and aske how much to turn our power back on that lady qouted use $600 and then we could have the power back on. We went to HEAP and they paid $620 to NYSEG then NYSEG stated now they need $444 to turn us on. When I talk to the supervoser today they stated that we were qouted the wrong amount and there is nothing that they could do. That we need to pay the rest of the money or our power will not be turned on. I am in a low income istuation at the current moment and can not afford to pay. The NYSEG company has no consideration for people I ask to be set up on a payment plan to pay for the eletric that we owe to them and they state that they could not do that until they get the $444. SO IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE BETWEEN ELETRIC COMPANIES DO NOT PICK NYSEG THEY CARE NOTHING FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS. I have never had so many proplems with a company in my life.

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More New York State Electric & Gas [NYSEG] reviews & complaints

28 comments
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Swift
, US
Oct 25, 2023 2:33 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Service was cancelled on 8/7/23 for 374 WChurch House ( billing: 374 W Church LLC, 2907 Wyncoop Creek Rd, Erin, NY. 14838 Had credit of approx $1800. Requested refund on 8/28/23. Still not received.

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Crispin Brotherton
, US
Jun 06, 2019 5:33 pm EDT

This company is unprofessional and incompetent. Once, we were charged for approx 8 months for a property a mile away from us with no affiliation to our business or me personally. We fought 4 months to clear up the issue, and received no apology...only gruff, arrogant, condescending customer service. Today we received notice that all three of our meters are being pulled because we supposedly owe $2000+ dollars. The online pay portal shows a zero balance, with record of payment and their phone bill pay service says we owe $0, also with record of payment stated...and also says we have a zero balance. My bank acct shows record that the payments have cleared as well. I was laughed at and hung up on by two different people in the billing dept... a Tony and a supervisor Larry. I was hung up on by two other employees when I asked for employee id numbers. Neither took the time to help me understand or clarify the issue...only repeating that if I did not pay immediately, the service tech would show up within an hour to pull the meters. This is outrageous, especially as I am trying to run a business. I have lived in several areas in this country and fortunately, have never had to deal with this kind of egregious incompetence. If anyone at NYSEG is actually reading this and cares, please hire an outside consultant to improve your business practices and customer service. This is 2019 and a there are plenty of people that could help you synthesize your data flow to both improve you communication and customer service. If for no other reason, do it, because the level of incompetence I am witnessing/experiencing is terrible for any companies bottom line, morale and reputation.

J. Crispin Brotherton
Brotherton Construction LLC
Ithaca, NY

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You're crooks
, US
May 08, 2019 1:14 am EDT

Your credit department women have got to be about the rudest people I've ever talked to topped only by NY Dmv such a piece of crap business to treat people so badly who pay thousands annually.

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Kelly1976s
, US
Oct 31, 2018 7:58 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

They don't send anyone out for months at a time to read your meters then when they finally do your next bill is 3 times the amount. to the point where people can't afford to pay the entire bill at one time! A little bit ridiculous!

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P13hill
, US
Aug 15, 2018 7:23 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Every since NYSEG switched owners power outages last longer and longer. I also do new service installs for customers and the amount of time they take to get to a job is ridiculous.

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HighPeaken
, US
Aug 16, 2018 12:45 am EDT

6/15/18 05:46 PM 30 seconds
6/22/18 06:26 PM 6 seconds

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K srobert
, US
Nov 11, 2016 12:21 pm EST

My Mother home was destroyed in a fire and I called the emergency line to ensure the electric and gas had turned off and the woman I spoke with Celsea was extremely rude and yelling at me, I explained that there was no need to speak to me that manner and asked for her last name and/or Managers name in which she refused and hung up on me. I can not begin to explain the tremendous stress my family is dealing with and to speak with a person that had no compassion under the circumstances and actually took delight in antagonizing the situation. This is a disgusting person and I want to take any measures necessary to have her position terminated. I plan on filing a complaint with NYSEG Corporate

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nnmfam
Hamlin, US
Apr 10, 2012 2:08 pm EDT

I went on a payment plan about two years ago my husband passed and i had a huge bill and pay on time every month, . Nyseg is reporting this amount as past due on my credit report . Is this even legal ? Hoe can a bill be past due with a payment arrangement you pay in time every month as promised

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81nanny
Dundee, US
Jun 28, 2011 3:33 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I cannot believe that the NYSEG utility is charging me $0.73 to send me a monthly bill. I do NOT charge them $0.73 to open their bill..
This is ridiculous...They will also charge you if it is online as well..
Thanks

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Lisa2222
Painted Post, US
Jan 26, 2011 2:48 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Came home to find we were in a brown out and our refridgerator was making a burning smell. Now it doesn't work. The brown out fried it and now we have to buy a new one. Called NYSEG and they said wouldn't do anything to make it right.

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jlynn23
Binghamton, US
May 18, 2015 6:40 am EDT

I'm glad I'm not the only one with NYSEG issues, I sometimes get three bills in one month all for DIFFERENT amounts, how the hell is anyone supposed to know what to pay them. I just paid them 250 dollars now four days later I get a shut off for 293 dollars, it's ridiculous...and it's apparently "owed" ok great...so explain to me how my bill can be 0 (zero) and I still get a statement that says I'm paying $10 dollars on a back bill...then why the HELL is my bill coming in 0 (zero)? Get it together NYSEG seriously! It's ridiculous, I called a girl out on the phone for laughing at me while I was trying to figure the three bills out and different amounts...it I could have slapped her I would have. It's time for a hostile take over honestly, nobody deserves to be treated like that from a company especially a company everyone needs electric from, the fact the NYS has allowed this ONE company to suck up all the electric service with no other options is ridiculous...solar power...bring it on!

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coldinupstatenewyork
South Otselic, US
Jan 05, 2015 8:26 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I had a payment agreement with NYSEG from 3 years ago when I first moved into my new home. We didn't have a working furnace and had to use electric heat for over a month. Our utility bill was almost $900. We have paid $10.00 a month without fail plus extra usually. In November we didn't have enough money to pay NYSEG for the full month (my husband is fighting stage 4 cancer and we have 2 young girls, with my self-employment income all we have right now). I paid $140.00 of the $224.00 owed in November, after contacting NYSEG and being told they couldn't add the remaining balance to my payment agreement. In December I received a shut off notice, giving me 18 days to pay. I paid the remaining amount owed from November, plus Decembers payment. I just received another disconnect notice giving me until the 18th of January to pay because they cancelled my payment agreement and that remaining $228.00 is now due immediately, as well as this months usual payment not due until the 23rd. Called them and told them my husband is disabled and we have young children, also that we have an electric igniter on our furnace and would have no heat without electric. They wouldn't work with me at all, just stated that the money was due by the 18th and they arent required by law to do anything more.I live in upstate New York, and have been told they cannot shut off service between November-March, NYSEG told me there is no law that applies to them like that. Heartless, rude service and poor business practices make NYSEG the most deplorable company I have every had the misfortune to deal with.

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sanksk
Marcellus, US
Jul 17, 2014 10:27 am EDT

They charged me 490$ extra for their stupid estimations on meter reading. They took the final meter reading 10 days after I cancelled the service and they charged me extra money for someone else' usage. Not just that, they estimated meter reading for the entire winter without even consulting me about the reading. Being an International student, this was my first time with any electric company and I didn't know I should have to submit my meter reading. Neither they approached me. I was in an apartment for 6 months and they didn't ask me about it. I wonder they were just waiting to suck people's money without any prior notice. My sincere warning, don't go with NYSEG. They are just lazy money sucking creatures.

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MamaBearErin
Barton, US
May 02, 2014 4:02 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

After moving to a new home, NYSEG decided to charge us full for our old home's bill. They removed us from budget billing without letting us know, stealing our entire HEAP payment that was supposed to be budgeted out throughout our long, cold winter this past season. After moving here, we got a bill for around 700$ for the old home, not including out new home's electricity bill. So after calling, they stated they could do whatever they wanted to do because they are our only supplier and would be shutting our service off at our new home if we didn't pay in full. What the hell NYSEG?! You need to get your thumbs out of your bums and do something right for a change. Haven't seen anyone read a meter for 3 months at the new home even.

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dontcareanymore
West Seneca, US
Sep 27, 2013 8:00 am EDT

I bought my home in april of 2012. I had signed up with nyseg electric. My electric bills averaged about 65-75 dollars a month. Untill a 3 months ago june of 2013 my electric bills started go get higher. Now my electric bills are 300.00 per month. I never paid attention before because I was always working and when the electric bill came from Nyseg I just paid it. But as of 9/26/2013 I took a good look at my bill from Nyseg. The bill was 273.40 I noticed Nyseg energy charges were 71.93 and Nyseg solutions inc charges were 201.47 So I called Nyseg. Nyseg told me that in june of 2012 I switched over to Nyseg solutions and if I would have stayed with Nyseg my bills would have been a lot less because Nyseg solutions buys the electric from them. I said I never switched to nyseg solutions. When I had the ellecrtic turned on in my name It had been with Nyseg and at no time did I switch to Nyseg solutions. I asked if they had anything from Nyseg Solutions Letters or a contract or anything in writing. She put me on hold for 20 minutes and came back to tell me she could not find anything and that I will have to contact Nyseg Solutions to get a copy of the contract. So I called Nyseg solutions and this is what I got from their agent. She told me you switched to us in june of 2012. I told her at no time did I ever switch to nyseg solutions. She told me I signed a contract in june of 2012. I said can you look to see who signed that contract. I would also like a copy mailed to to me. She put me on hold for 20 minutes wile she was looking for it. When she came back on the line she said she could not find one. I said I wanted her to send me in writing that she could not find the contract. She told me we do not send anybody anything in wrighting. I said let me talk to your superviser. She told me he was busy right now. I said I will wait. She put me on hold for 35 minutes. When she came back she told me her superviser would be busy all day but she said the reson she could not find the signed contract was because it was a verbal agreement over the phone. I said. At no time did I ever give you or anybody a verbal agreement to switch my electric from Nyseg to Nyseg solutions. She said well you did. I said there is no sense in arguing with you so Please send me something in writing that you said I called you and switched over back in 2012. She said they do not give anybody anything in writing. So I got her name and agent number< if it is correct> and I will file a complaint with the attorney generals office in writing. I had sinse found out that Nyseg tried to tell me that Nyseg solutions is not the same as Nyseg. But Nyseg solutions is in fact a sub corporation that is owened by Nysed. This is a clear case of fraud to extort more money from it's service holders.

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Terpy08
Marathon, US
Dec 16, 2010 5:45 pm EST

To All of you customers that have NYSEG Solutions...there is another alternative that is "GUARAUNTEED" to save you money on your supply. Now is the time to signup. It cost $0 to switch, no contracts, you can switch back for free anytime if you are not happy, GUARANTEED 7% savings the first two months and than after that it is GUARANTEED at least 1% (right now it is averaging 5-8%), FREE website to watch your energy use and watch your vacation point add up as you use your electric/gas, you can sign up friends and family (not required though), sign up 5, get a free weeks vacation, sign up 15 customers and recieve FREE energy. Ask me how. WHY KEEP PAYING NYSEG SOLUTIONS when you can get "GUARANTEED" savings? You can call with any questions you may have : Bill [protected] Or you can sign as a customer at www.bnjdean.joinambit.com . Or if you are interested in being a consultant for the #1 fastest growing company in America (Inc 500 magazine) you can check out our videos at www.bnjdean.energy526.com

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Rebecca in NY
Binghamton, US
Aug 20, 2010 7:58 am EDT

Here's an alternative, people. NYS is deregulated. Unfortunately, NYSEG is a monopoly in some portions of the state, as is CONED and National Grid. However, you do have a choice as far as an ESCO is concerned. An ESCO (Energy Service Company) can reduce your bills allowing you to save on your utility bill for both natural gas and electric. AMBIT is a choice; no contract, no switching fees as long as you're not already with an ESCO. For instance, if you have a fixed rate with NYSEG Solutions, for instance, you are better off waiting until your contract is nearly coming to an end. Then call and make the switch then. You will not have a service charge added. If you have a variable rate with them, there is no charge. AMBIT (TEXAS based) is new to the state, but they have been in business for four years. They are moving into the northeast with a flurry and they are going to take the deregulated states by storm. Watch for the INC magazine to come out in the next few weeks. You will be impressed by their integrity and company assurance. Let me know if you want additional information. I recommend AMBIT as your supplier--start saving now! Don't let NYSEG get the best of you! Regards, becsnrg1

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wendywoo12
east concord, US
May 12, 2010 7:52 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

nyseg is the worst im mean the worst electric company by far, if you dont pay your bill on time you better believe they will come knocking on your door to shut you off, [censor] and 60% of the time they have power faliure we sit in the dark for at least 4 hours at a time and last night it surged off and on again before it finally stayed off from 8pm till 11:30 wtf what if my tv or computer blew who pays for that ? them hell no i do nyseg makes me so irate and they want to increase our rates wtf as the ceo sits on his billions taking adavantage of the working poor! can just see hm laughing on his throne (puke)

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powerpoopers
, US
Dec 12, 2009 3:23 pm EST

We all have to pay utilities to someone. But we also have the right to take some control. NYSEG allows their customers the opportunity to read their own meter. After being overbilled and victimized by these people I decided to do just that. Its just a good way to keep them accountable for billing. Also, walk in and pay the bill early. These measures only take minutes and well worth the security of knowing there wont be any surprises. Remember, usually customer service reps are usually low paid, hourly employees that punch a clock. They dont know you and dont want too. Some are helpful and some not. But this is life in the twentieth century. Be pro active not reactive. Education is everything.

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shootmeNYSEG
Upstate, US
Nov 19, 2009 11:32 am EST

I purchased a new home this past September and found out that NYSEG had the electric service market cornered in my area and they were the only electric service provider I could receive services from - lucky me, yippppy. Reluctantly, I contacted NYSEG a week prior to purchasing my home to have the utilities switched over into my name on Sept. 18th which was the date I was to take possession of the property. I was told by a NYSEG representative that the prior home owner had already contacted them and that the switch-over was set-up for Sept. 22nd. I told the representative that I wanted the utilities to switch over to me on Sept. 18th as I did not think it was fair that the former owner would have to pay for my utility usage. The representative said "no problem, we'll switch it over on the 18th". I also asked if a meter reading would be done on that day - the representative said yes. Well, low-and-behold, what do you think happened? I came home from work on Sept. 22nd to no electricity. I contacted NYSEG and asked them why I had no electrical service. They told me that the power would be turned on Sept. 23rd as scheduled. The representative did her best to make it seem like it was my fault and she even said that the note in her computer said that the "customer had requested turn-on on Sept 23rd". What a crock of crap I told her. I told her that I wanted the power turned back on that day and she began to tell me about how NYSEG has a policy that the power has to be off for 24 hours before it can be turned back on again. That's when I asked for a supervisor. She put me on hold then came back 2 minutes later and said that NYSEG would have someone come out that evening to turn the power back on. I went out to dinner and came home and the power was indeed turned-on. Thought everything was hunky-dorey. Well, the next morning I noticed that a holly bush that was positioned by the electric meter had been butchered! It's funny that they didn't touch the holly when they turned off the power but they had to cut it to restore power? Makes me wonder if this was done maliciously by NYSEG? And that's not where it ends. I received my first bill a few weeks ago and noticed that something just did not seem right - I've never had that high of an electric bill before. After a further review of my bill, I noticed that my bill was "estimated" - so much for believing that NYSEG would have read the meter when they shut-off/turned-on the power as I had requested - I guess I was blatantly lied to. I'm not sure if NYSEG's employees are inept or following corporate policy/antics - SCREW THE COSTUMER AS MUCH AS YOU CAN - because when it comes down to it NYSEG I'm sure knows that the customer has no recourse. I also noticed on my bill the "average usage" section over the course of the year - hmmmmm...very interesting...NYSEG only does an ACTUAL meter reading every two months? And I noticed that the month of the "estimated usage" was ALWAYS higher than the next month's actual reading. This trend indicates to me that NYSEG is making their customers pre-pay for services that have not been rendered. Does anyone know if this is legal? HELP, I'M STUCK WITH NYSEG! UGGGGHHHHH!

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fomerpsc
Ithaca, US
Nov 14, 2009 10:50 am EST

As a former Public Service Commission employee, I can assure you that NYSEG offers kickbacks to the PSC so they can be allowed to raise their rates. Trust me on this one. I left the PSC because they have allowed so many to suffer at the hands of NYSEG and Niagara Mohawk that it sickened me. I am making it my personal goal to expose these places!

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Fedupwithbills
Auburn, US
Sep 30, 2009 12:55 pm EDT

I am also having problems with NSEG. I bought my home last August and in September I received my first utility bill. I thought the amount was high because we had been running things to clean and set up the new house. The bills remained high but in December I received a bill for $700 for one month’s energy usage. The majority of the bill was for electric. I have gas heat and this portion of the bill seemed correct. Every since December my bills have been over $500 each month. I have all energy star appliances and no one is home during the day to use electricity. I asked NYSEG to come out and check my meter to see if it was working properly and I was told that I would have to come in to the office and sit down with someone to determine if it was necessary for them to come check my meters function. They called today to inform me that my budget will now be $473 a month. This is not a budget this is almost my mortgage payment each month. I called NYSEG again and asked to have someone come check my meter to see if it is working properly, this time they told me that if a meter is going bad that it slows down and therefore would not raise my energy usage. Now I also hear that NYSEG wants to raise their rates. Something needs to be done; I am considered middle class income so I cannot get any help with the high bills. Someone needs to regulate these companies and be serious about doing it.

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thefixx
, US
Apr 06, 2019 11:20 pm EDT

check to see if you are paying a variable rate. Often they will charge .15 per kwh. Sign up for a fixed rate you could pay .06 per kwh. I was paying .15 per kwh and my bill tripled! cut the bill by 65% with a fixed rate.

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SICK, TIRED, AND DISGUSTED
rochester , US
Jul 22, 2009 6:47 pm EDT

FACT NUMBER ONE: NYSEG, VERIZON, AT & T AND ALL, I SAID ALL UTILITIES, ARE DIRTY THIEVES, AND COMMON CRIMINALS, WHO BELONG IN JAIL. THAT'S RIGHT, I SAID IN JAIL. WHY? DID YOU HAVE TO ASK? BECAUSE THEY CHARGE TWO, THREE AND FOUR TIMES, WHAT THEIR SERVICES ARE WORTH.

THE BOTTOM LINE: THE GOVERNMENT IS JUST AS RESPONSIBLE, BECAUSE THEY ALLOW THE UTILITIES, TO GET AWAY WITH IT.
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING----I SAID NOTHING. AND ONE GOOD REASON IS, THE PSC IS COMPRISED OF FORMER UTILITY EMPLOYEES.
ISN'T THAT NICE? BOTTOM LINE NUMBER TWO---NOBODY CARES.

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Angy Ed
Mt. Morris, US
Jul 10, 2009 12:58 pm EDT

I have been a customer of NYEG for 20 years- and paid every month. Last month the electric was due the 20th, they claim they received the 21st. On the 22nd I received a shut off notice and late fees. I complained- and they said it is within their rights. I called the Utilities Commision, and they said that they are completly within their rights- that shut off notices are regulated by Home Energy Fair Pracites Act. Which is a eupheism for Home Energy Screw the Customer Act. The government, just like the stock market isn't regulating these criminals anymore and this is the result. GAAP is a federal regulation for accounting practices so it supersedes any state statues- and these bums are out of compliance.

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unhappyUSNsailor
Virginia Beach, US
Jun 17, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

In October of 2006 I joined the united states navy and moved out of my apartment. Due to the limitations of contacting people outside of bootcamp I was unable to call and have my service shut off. In 12/06 i was able to email them telling them that I had not been able to shut off my gas because i was in bootcamp where they then informed me that I had to give them access to the basement in an apartment that I no longer lived in, in a state that i no longer resided in. Well this is obviously impossible and they knew this because i told them i was in bootcamp. So, they continued to bill me until 5/08 where the gas was finally turned off due to non payment. When I asked them how they got access to the basement to turn off the meter their response was it looks like we just went over there. I had no record of this delinquent debt until yesterday when I got my free credit report for the year and i learned i owed them $737 dollars. Do these people do bad business yes. Aubreylynn I would love to know what your lawyer has to say.

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katie1976ny
Plattsburgh, US
May 07, 2009 10:01 pm EDT

Gosh I wish I could go into my problems with NYSEG however today they shut me off yes I owe them money 300.00. Well I am out of work due to a back injury and I qualified for heap which i thought went automatically anyway. he came out and I said hold on let me call heap and see what is going on. He was rude SO RUDE and was laughing saying nope I am just turning your power off. Ok I said go ahead but you will be right back out here turning it on he stated nope he would be out in 24 hours. No within he said 24 hours. I was frustrated I said you know what do what you have to do and get off my property. (I live in a trailer park) He looked around like a complete jerk turned back to me and said haha this is not your property it is a trailer park you ###! I was shocked took me a delayed reflex but i slammed the door right in his face. He laughed and as I watched he started disconnecting the power while watching me and laughing sorta like ahah i am shutting of your power and there is nothing you can do about it. So you call the incompitent employees at NYSEG whom are trained to say over and over again sorry and I cant do anything about it no matter what your problem is and you get no where. Everytime I have had a problem with them that is the response. Makes you wonder if you are talking to an actual person. and I quote. Oh I am sorry he treated you like that but there is nothing i can do about it. Oh I am sorry you have 3 little kids and all your food is going bad but there is nothing i can do we have up to 24 hours to turn you on! I mean why do they have employees they can not help you . Notice on your bill there is not a number simply for customer service this would be because they have none!

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aubreylynn
Elmira, US
Apr 10, 2009 5:28 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

the same thing happened to me, we got shut off over 14.00 . they said the reinstate service we ould need to pay 150.00 ?, we went to pay it and the woman said we needed 245.00, go figure, i am getting a lawyer and i am going to show them how it feels to be screwed