How I Hate Monopolies and Florida Power and Light

I'm seriously ready to do something about this, there organized mafias! We should start pro testing and get other ppl to sign online sometime of form so we can present this to the government or who ever tackle these type of issues

I Feel the same way about FPL. They are the only providers..and they do what they want with the customers...Where to complaint??

You have my 200% support on this issue. FPL needs to be stopped. Here is the latest that happened to us:

Nov. 1st 2008 we moved to a new residence which has a gate that is controlled remotely. From November 2008 until April 2009 FPL did not have a problem gaining access into the property. All of the sudden from April 2009 throughout July 2009 FPL started to estimate our bill -(FPL meter reader person was actually reading the meter using binoculars from across the fence; as I was told by another FPL meter reader who came on July 2009 and gained access after calling out from the street so he could be let into the premises). Not sure why they couldn't get in all of the sudden, the gate does NOT has a lock nor was ever locked. Well, by the beginning of August 2009 FPL sent us a bill of $990.00 for the four months (April to July) that they couldn't gain access to the meter and were estimating our bill. I called to request so some of assistance with that payment since in my eyes it was all their fault for not contacting us by either mail, phone, email to let us know what was going on. They managed to give us four installments of about $290. starting on September 2009 due on the 24th of each month as I was told by the representative who failed to mention that if the installment was not paid by the 24th of the month the entire amount of 990.00 will be due in full and the installments will no longer be available.

Since then, it has been hell every time I have to call FPL. Every single time I have to tell the story starting from the day we first moved into this house and when they failed to let us know they were having issues with the gate. I was told by a neighbor how I can set up a call from FPL when they are planning to read the meter in order to avoid this issue again. We've had an account with this company since 2003 or so (only because they are the only ones). I have paid $360.00 + $320.00 + $600.00 since then and still I owe the same balance according to their records. And of course they continue threatening to disconnect service if amount not paid in full. We have bent over backwards to try to pay all the money we owe while making other lenders wait for their money including our landlord who has been an angel if I must say and understanding of the situation. FPL also have a deposit of $500.00 that can be use if they are in such hurry. Still, how can this be allowed? They are really treating their customers however they want....there's must be something that can be done.

Their customer services is the worse ever, altough I have to admit that they do have certain individuals there who are more understanding and do try to help within what's available to them. The rest...wel the rest treat you like they are the owners of FPL and demand their money NOW. This is so stressful and aggravating.

You have my support...where do I sign??!!

Yes you're very right about some reps acting as if they're owners of FPL - that's very frustrating to deal with especially since I'm sure that in reality they are not owners ;)

It's just the way our corporate laws are structured it seems to always allow for certain companies to have the home game advantage though I'm not sure how much real "competition" there would be if there was another company. They would probably talk to each other to make sure nobody ruins the other side's game.

The bottom line is that we need more consumer protection and more oversight. Why this isn't somebody's political platform I don't understand - oh wait I do understand - our election system is sponsored by big business - so guess how many funds you will have for your campaign if you try to start a crusade against these companies? ZERO

Why isn't there any competition for FPL? I think its criminal how FPL keeps raising our rates! When ever a hurricane comes along as it sometimes does in Florida, FPL raises our rates to replenish their "Disaster" budget then keeps our rates up. I'm sure the county and FPL are working together at ripping us off. I'm getting tired of this. I need to move to some other state.

Monopolies seem rather common in Florida

CUSTOMER GUARANTEE DEPOSIT CERTIFICATE
NOT TRANSFERABLE BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS, PARTNERSHIPS, or CORPORATIONS
This deposit is to secure payment of any amount which may become due the Company by the Customer for service in the Customer's name at any or all premises the Customer may occupy, and may be used as if the Company were the absolute owner thereof.
The terms under which this deposit is made and accepted are:
Interest at the rate of 6% per annum will accrue on security deposits held by the Company 6 months after the deposit is paid. After 12 months of continuous service, the deposit may be partially refunded if the deposit amount exceeds the amount of two average billing periods. After the customer has had continuous service for not less than 23 months and established a satisfactory payment record for the last 12 months, the deposit is subject to a full refund.
If payments are not received by the due date, the account may be subject to an additional deposit. The total amount of the depost shall not exceed charges for two months' average billing.
Any deposit balance, plus interest, if any, remaining after settlement of all indebtedness will be refunded to the Customer.
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Customer Service: (941) 637-9336

Thanks a lot for that information Christle - I'll be contacting them.

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
www.floridapsc.com

This informationis also listed with the Emergency numbers in the front of phone books.

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)

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.

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.

Glad you agree and that's exactly the point - the deposits and their ability to raise them and refuse service upon non-payment.

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.

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.

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...

Spend the money get a home standby generator with propane or natural gas be conservative and get off the grid

Im with you mate. Lets start a group and get ppl

I want to get fucking serious. I survived Leukemia in 2005 only to wake up in this shit storm of a lifetime. I have lost everything to cancer and the prospect of getting my ability to pay the deciples of evil FPL are getting worse as I heal. It is not fair. I may have a loophole on them but none the less, why not take them to court. I think everyone hates FPL.

I understood that FPL is a monopoly before I realy understood what that was in practice. I just got a 500$ bill formthem for an "outstanding" debt that I never got the final bill on, that is only 30 days old, that got put onto my "NEW" account and I have 5 days to pay while. All the while I am on disability and just getting back to life. I get this shit to start my week.

I hate FPL and want to take them to small claims court if they give me any shit. I am supposed to get a little leeway as I am diabled right now.

Fuck these heartless pigs. This shit is too much. It is like we are under attack from our country and our companies and our enemies. It is a FUCKING joke.

It's definitely bad here and the worst part is that the media and politicians are able to divide people so they look in the wrong direction in terms of where the problems lie. The only way to have a real impact is to get involved into politics yourself, at least that's my opinion. Due to my lifestyle I wouldn't be a good person at the forefront of any political campaign, but I have lots to offer when it comes to web resources, marketing etc and I've tried to support various local politicians, without any success.

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??

Damn. That's redefining the whole 'comment' concept - nice 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.