Why is it that everywhere I live there’s a power company that holds a 100% monopoly? This article is for everyone that’s sick of having to deal with companies such as Florida Power and Light that hold a monopoly on their market.
Last year in August I moved. When I moved in, I inquired with the landlord how much the electrical costs were per month. I was told that the cost was around ~$180.00 per month. In reality, the first power bill we received was well over $500.00. What the landlord had neglected to tell me was that he rarely used the A/C and that the unit actually was extremely inefficient in the way it cools the house. For those of you that don’t live in the tropics, having to run the A/C is exactly like having to run the heat all year around.
Seeing that my budget is rather tight I had problems coming up with the money on time in the beginning. I had enrolled in their auto pay system, however due to a mistake on their end, one of my payments wasn’t charged to my account and I got kicked off the auto pay system. Ironically the ‘auto pay’ system was setup like this: You go online, enter all your information in their account manager, schedule the payment but then you have to call them up anyway to make sure the payment was made. I didn’t grow up in this country so I guess I have a different understanding of the word ‘automatic’. Where I grew up, it literally means that the action will be taken automatically, otherwise it’s referred to as ‘manual’ but again - my non comprehension of this concept may be attributed to my difference in upbringing.
After my auto bill pay failed, I was forced to pay cash only, everytime the bill was due. No offense, but out of all the items I have to take care of running to some payment location isn’t exactly a good way to spend my time. Now where I’m current on all my payments, I don’t owe a dime - they are now forcing me to pay a $750.00 deposit. I don’t have that money, nor do I understand what they’re trying to accomplish with this. If I’m constantly short, how would I come up with this deposit? This deposit sits in a bank and probably gains interest and it’s locked for 2 years!!!
So here I am, not quite sure what to do. I’m considering changing the name on the account to get around this, or maybe calling a TV station and start a complaint about the tactics that are being used by FPL. Fact is this - they have the monopoly - there are no alternatives and the last time I checked you do need power to get by in life. Am I the only person that finds something wrong with this?
This article was written by Arno - Author's Website
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Don’t believe one optimistic word from any public figure about the economy or humanity in general. They are all part of the problem. Its like a game of Monopoly. In America, the richest 1% now hold 1/2 OF ALL UNITED STATES WEALTH. Unlike ‘lesser’ estimates, this includes all stocks, bonds, cash, and material assets held by America’s richest 1%. Even that filthy pig Oprah acknowledged that it was at about 50% in 2006. Naturally, she put her own ‘humanitarian’ spin on it. Calling attention to her own ‘good will’. WHAT A DISGUSTING HYPOCRITE SLOB. THE RICHEST 1% HAVE LITERALLY MADE WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. Money does not grow on trees. When too much wealth accumulates at the top, the middle class slip further into debt and the lower class further into poverty. A similar rule applies worldwide. The world’s richest 1% now own over 40% of ALL WORLD WEALTH. This is EVEN AFTER you account for all of this ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS from celebrities and executives. ITS A SHAM. As they get richer and richer, less wealth is left circulating beneath them. This is the single greatest underlying cause for the current US recession. The middle class can no longer afford to sustain their share of the economy. Their wealth has been gradually transfered to the richest 1%. One way or another, we suffer because of their incredible greed. We are talking about TRILLIONS of dollars. Transfered FROM US TO THEM. Over a period of about 27 years. Thats Reaganomics for you. The wealth does not ‘trickle down’ as we were told it would. It just accumulates at the top. Shrinking the middle class and expanding the lower class. Causing a domino effect of socio-economic problems. But the rich will never stop. They will never settle for a reasonable share of ANYTHING. They will do whatever it takes to get even richer. Leaving even less of the pie for the other 99% of us to share. At the same time, they throw back a few tax deductable crumbs and call themselves ‘humanitarians’. IT CAN’T WORK THIS WAY. This is going to end just like a game of Monopoly. A total collapse of the US economy. Probably within a decade. The richest 1% will live like royalty while the rest of us fight over jobs, food, and gasoline. Crime, poverty, and suicide will skyrocket. So don’t fall for all of this PR CRAP from Hollywood, Pro Sports, and Wall Street PIGS. ITS A SHAM. Remember: They are filthy rich EVEN AFTER their tax deductable contributions. Greedy pigs. Now, we are headed for the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time. SEND A “THANK YOU” NOTE TO YOUR FAVORITE MILLIONAIRE. ITS THEIR FAULT. I’m not discounting other factors like China, sub-prime, or gas prices. But all of those factors combined still pale in comparison to that HUGE transfer of wealth to the rich. Anyway, those other factors are all related and further aggrivated because of GREED. If it weren’t for the OBSCENE distribution of wealth within our country, there never would have been such a market for sub-prime to begin with. Which by the way, was another trick whipped up by greedy bankers and executives. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. The credit industry has been ENDORSED by people like Oprah, Ellen, Dr Phil, and many other celebrities. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for their ‘humanitarian’ BS. ITS A SHAM. NOTHING BUT TAX DEDUCTABLE PR CRAP. Bottom line: The richest 1% will soon tank the largest economy in the world. It will be like nothing we’ve ever seen before. and thats just the beginning. Greed will eventually tank every major economy in the world. Causing millions to suffer and die. GREED KILLS. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL. Please copy this entry and run it by any professor of socio-economics. I speak the truth. WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE. Please copy and help spread the word. If we can’t learn to tell the difference between truth and lie. Greed and generosity. Good will and PR crap. Then we are doomed. STOP SUPPORTING THE RICH. DON’T USE THE CREDIT CARDS. DON’T BUY THE TICKETS, DVDS, JERSIES, PHARMACEUTICALS, MAGAZINES, OR ANY OTHER OVER-PRICED CRAP. We need to stop supporting high profit low labor industry and support more low profit high labor industry. This is the only way to secure jobs and prosperity for all.
Damn. That’s redefining the whole ‘comment’ concept - nice one!
I couldn’t agree with you more! FPL has a regulated monopoly on electricity in this state, leaving consumers with absolutely 0 options, you either play by their rules or sit in the dark. It’s infuriating to me! How is this regulated monopoly legal?? How can FPL use legal loopholes to get around the 10 year statute of limitation on debts when that option isn’t available to anyone else?? How can FPL charge outrageous deposits on accounts when you are late a few days on 2 payments? FPL has all of this power and the consumers have none! I find it infuriating, especially seeing as they increased my security deposit another $325.00 today, leading me to call FPL and do much yelling and ranting…to no avail. They’ve got us by the balls guys! Can’t we do anything??
Oh-My-God. I’m not making this up when I tell you that my situation is exactly the same. I literally just paid them $600 for a deposit they forced me into also because I was late on two payments - we’re talking days here. I looked at my payment history and guess what - I PAY EVERY F%&$* MONTH and yet I get treated like I haven’t paid in half a year. I talked to them twice yesterday and guess what - the Matrix owns us. “I can’t give you another extension sure it’s already in the system that you have to pay today”. You don’t even want to check their BB ratings - if they were to feature the letter Z - FPL would surely be closely associated to it. I’m so damn done wit this stuff - do I have to write to Wexler or who tackles that kind of stuff? I want to start an ANTI FPL campaign and tell them they’re unpatriotic. I’m going to compare our times to those of the Great Depression and tell them that they’re exploiting the American people and that the Taliban may as well take over since we’re being gang raped by these large corporations.
Seriously - what do we have to do - the server this website sits on belongs to me, it’s got plenty of capacity - I have email marketing software, drop me a line if anyone wants to get serious…
I wish I had a good answer for you Arno but it seems to me that FPL has us by the b***s and there’s not a damned thing we can do about it. I hear horror stories from so many people regarding FPL and everyone I know hates them with a passion. But we’re all in the same boat. I pay my bill every friggin’ month but God forbid I’m a few days late cuz that’s when they tell you to bend over. Is there a Federal consumers commission or agency like that that can help the consumers who have absolutely 0 control over the FPL monopoly? I’m a a loss…completely screwed and frustrated.
I came across this in an attempt to find a group willing to take this to the state and call for a change. I can understand cutting someone’s power off if you have not paid your bill, but I was disconnected because I was unable to come up with a deposit. Add to that the fact that I am in my third trimester of pregnancy and you can imagine my disgust with them. It is about time we put our foot down and demand that our govt actually “regulate” these bastards or allow for competition.
Glad you agree and that’s exactly the point - the deposits and their ability to raise them and refuse service upon non-payment.
re: fpl
i absolutely agree with you. this is a case for the civil liberties union, they pick on poor people that can barely make ends meet and ask for these outrageous deposits even if you are not late on payments. this has been their latest m.o. it’s a cruel policy of kicking people while they are down. this monopoly has got to stop. count on my support if you decide to start a petition.
The problem is that down here, everyone’s in on it. By down here I mean Florida. I moved to the US having grown up in Germany and I thought it was bad in NY but when I moved down to Florida a few years I found out that there’s obviously a whole other ball game going on down here in terms of how people are ripped off. Doesn’t matter whether you’re paying your power bill or trying to get into a bar - some asshole is always asking me for money we both know he doesn’t deserve. On another note, I think I’m going to contact my local politician and see what can be done with FPL. I figure at the very least you can cause bad PR, not that that matter to FPL, they have a horrible rating as it is when it comes to customer support and service. I’m also sure they’re paying hefty contributions to Politicans to make sure they don’t dare to act up.
I have been struggling with FPL for quite sometime now and had finally had enough so I started emailing everyone I could think of in hopes that someone would care and do something, well one Senator’s office did care and forwarded my concerns to an agency that regulates the power companies, below is the response and contact information for anyone who may need it.
Senator King’s office forwarded a copy of your e-mail regarding Florida Power & Light Company to the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC).
The PSC regulates investor-owned electric, natural gas, and telecommunications utilities throughout Florida, and investor-owned water and wastewater utilities in those counties which have opted to transfer jurisdiction to the PSC.
To assist you, please provide us with the following:
* Your service address
* Your service telephone number
* Your daytime contact telephone number
* The name in which your electric bill is addressed
You may respond by return e-mail or by calling me at 1-850-413-6123. I will look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Ellen Plendl
Regulatory Specialist
Public Service Commission
Division of Service, Safety & Consumer Assistance
850-413-6123 (phone)
850-413-6124 (fax)
Yesterday I had posted contact information for Public Service Commsion and did not realize that I used the long distance phone number, if anyone needs to contact PSC you can use the follwoing Toll Free contact information;
1-800-342-3552
1-800-511-0809 Fax
contacct@psc.state.fl.us
http://www.floridapsc.com
This informationis also listed with the Emergency numbers in the front of phone books.
Thanks a lot for that information Christle - I’ll be contacting them.
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