Unhappy with utility billing

Dear editor:

On Feb. 1, my monthly utility bill came in the mail. The previous bill was paid late on Jan. 28. The arrears was $64.73. In block capitals was a request to pay the arrears by 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 5 with the announcement that “service may otherwise be disconnected without further notice.”

Before the coldest week we have had this winter!

I knew I could not be disconnected at this time of year,but first glance caused anxiety and others may not know that. No previous notice was sent. This gave me only three days to respond.

I left a message at the front desk late Friday afternoon. On Monday, a message was left that the automated billing system printed when the arrears was over $50. No reference to that on the City website. The message on the bill was threatening as first notice of a small arrears for a few days.

The City of Penticton website “Billing and Finance-Utilities-Collections” refers to arrears greater than $75. Information and steps required before disconnection are laid out. A phone call was not received. A blue notice was not received. A warning on the bill was received. I request that “without further notice” be removed.

Arrears amount was composed of $43 for paper-bill print fee since inception and $21.73 discount not received in January. I do not pay the paper-bill print charge. I lose some discount. It costs me more not to pay the $1 monthly fee. I prefer to have a printed copy of a variable bill.

The City contracted to buy electricity from Fortis at a bulk rate to reduce costs to residents and businesses of Penticton. A 2015 utility rate review noted “in particular that Penticton’s existing electricity rates are higher than similar-sized communities in British Columbia.” To fulfill the Fortis contract, the City must sell electricity and collect the payment. Offering a payment discount keeps the cash flowing.

The paper-bill payment was introduced to encourage use of e-billing and tie the cost of the bill to customers wanting a paper bill. A council report of Jan. 8, 2019 reveals the promotion and education of e-billing services is not succeeding.

As of Nov. 30, 2018, there was a 33 per cent uptake for e-billing since 2015. At the current rate it will take 25 years for the further 12,709 customers to switch to ebilling.

The City website gives an overview of the electrical utility, showing a dividend of $3,171,856 paid to general revenue and an electrical surplus of $1,521.806. Surely the $140,000 cost of utility bills can be paid from that!

As a final comment, the bill includes water and sewer billing and a city newsletter. It is the City’s responsibility to keep us informed.

What portion of the $1 paper-bill fee pays for the newsletter? Do water and sewer contribute to the billing cost? Sandra Smith

Penticton