Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/01/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I always pay my bill early. I was sent a bill that had a QR code on it & I used it but it ended with my bank account being affected heavily. It did not have anything to do with the water bill. After that was taken care of, I get up yesterday morning 3/27/24 & I do not have water. I called Shady Grove & they told me that I had not paid my bill which I HAD paid 3-1-24, I spoke with Linda who was incredibly rude. Within 20 minutes I was at the office proving to her that I had paid the bill & she said that it was not on her computer so therefore it wasn't pd. I pd my last $100 to get my water turned back on. *** for a bill that was already paid Plu* *** to turn it back on. It's as though she made this very personal by her extreme rudeness, slurs, & general attitude. According to their policy if you are a customer & have never had your water cut off, & always paid your bills on time like myself, *** reconnect fee would be waived. She refused to look at the evidence I had of it being pd through my credit card. She said that me showing her my phone meant nothing b/c "if it is not in my computer it is not paid." I have always had a pleasant experience there but this woman was off the charts. Every question that I asked every statement that I made was wrong according to her even if she had just said those exact words. When I repeated her words back to her she told me that that is not what she said and even claimed that she called/text me beforehand. This is not true. I was not behind on my payment and then she said that they do not call if you are behind. Linda talks to fit her narrative. She spoke to me as if she was talking to someone who had an low IQ. I was asking her how this could have happened, She said that the water would not be turned back on unless another payment + $50. By the time I got back home the gentleman was at the meter turning it back on. This is a known tactic for Shady Grove. The ppl that I spoke with said that they've had the same experience.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/01/2024

  I have spoken to the customer and apologized for the confrontation with the office worker.  I am the office manager and was on vacation.  I, however, cannot find anywhere in our system where the payment was made through our payment portal.  I asked the customer for proof of where the payment was taken out of her bank account or charged to a credit card and she said she would have to look to see if she could find it.  

  She is correct in that we do have a policy where if you have been a customer in good standing for one year and never been on the disconnect list and are disconnected for any reason that the reconnect fee can be waived.  I have told the customer that the ****** would be put on her account as a credit and that would take care of her next bill and leave her a little credit for the bill after that.

  She was satisfied after speaking with me about the issue, thanked me and told me she appreciated everything I have done to try to make things right.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/29/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am a loyal paying costumer of shady grove utility district. I did not receive a bill in the mail with a statement on monthly dues. November 27th shady grove called and left a voicemail to pay water bill or else my water would be shut off the following day. I paid through my bank and sent it out as soon as I received the voicemail. Shady grove came out the 28th so shut my water off. There was no time at all to get that payment in and no grace period for someone who has a proven track record of paying on time. I was told I was probably going to have to pay a reconnect fee.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/14/2023

  Everything that is in the complaint is correct.  Shady Grove has a disconnect policy stating that the bill is mailed on the last business day of the month and due on the 15th of the month.  After the 15th a 10% penalty is assessed.  The customer then has until the 25th of the month to pay the bill.  Shady Grove Utility District does not send out disconnect notices  and never has, as many other water utilities do the same Shady Grove has, in the last couple of years starting using an automated calling system to alert customers the day before the 25th, that the district has not received their payment due the 15th.

  As stated this customer did receive a phone call and paid through their online banking which they cut an actual paper check and mail to us which can take 7-10 days for the district to receive that check.  The customer never called the district to let us know that they indeed had issued a payment.  The customer was disconnected on the 28th, however, when the customer called to pay her past due and the reconnect fee it was noted that the customer had a great paying history with the district.  Shady Grove has a policy that states if a customer with a good paying history that has never been on the disconnect list and been disconnected is eligible for a one time waiver of the $50.00 reconnect charge which is what was done for this customer.  This is noted on the customers account and the fee cannot be waived again.  This customer was given a one time waiver of the reconnect charge which makes it very confusing to file such a complaint over the having to pay the reconnect charge when they did not pay such charge.

  I have attached screenshots of her account showing no reconnection fee and the notes made on her account where the service charge was waived.

  Hope this clears up this complaint.