Effective ways to dispute utility bills cable/dish bills R2
Do not get intimidated by the Utility companies
Start with the source - your local service provider.Find an advocate. CUB, BBB, Etc.Try City, State, National and Federal organizations.
Remember deregulated service providers are also required to follow local regulations.
Resolving billing issues
If you stay calm and collected you can effectively dispute utility bills, solve the problems and maybe recruit some free help along the way.
It is very common to find errors and various unknown or unauthorized charges on your telecom bill (Telephone, Cellular, Data-Internet Etc.). Review your bills monthly. (Telecom companies bill a month in advance).
Review your phone bill every month to be sure you are billed only for what you requested and at the rates you were quoted. Call your phone company if you have any questions.
Water and sewer bills should also be reviewed in detail, you may be able to reduce you sewer charge (especially if you are watering lawn, pool and pond) or if you have no meter, reduce the monthly charge based on size and consumption.
Many third party deregulated Gas and Electric suppliers who contend that they save you money, actually cost you more. Review the charges versus your local regulated utility company. Insist that they guarantee a lower price and savings over the local regulated gas or electric company. Verify the accuracy of the billing including quantity delivered (therms, KWH).
That king-sized electric bill or gas bill may be appropriate for a family of five, but no way is it right for just you and your spouse. (avoid estimated billing)
Or, maybe your cable/dish company is dunning you for a pay-per-view movie you never ordered.
Errors and overcharges occur from time to time on utility bills and cable/dish bills, and they're usually not in your favor. Sometimes, a quick call to the company can resolve the mishap simply. Other times, disputing a utility bill is not so easy.
Don't let a ridiculous charge send you into a fuming rage, venting your frustrations to the customer representative or screaming for a lawyer. Keep your cool and voice your complaint in detail.
Start with the source. (Your local service provider)Prepare before you contact the company. Have your current bill, past bills and any canceled checks in front of you. Make sure you have your account numbers and passwords if there are any. Have a notepad and pen handy because you'll want to make notes throughout the conversation and also get information about the customer service representative.
Figure out by how much you want to get the bill reduced, but be realistic about what you would accept for a settlement. Then, contact the company when it's least busy. Friday mornings are good times to call. Avoid Mondays and the days after holidays, since those times are the busiest.
Create the mood. Firm and aggressive presentations work as long as they are not combative. Tell the customer representative you have a problem with the bill that both of you need to review.
When you talk with the customer representative do the following:
Write down the date and time you talked with the person.
Ask for the person's name, identification number and extension before you begin to discuss the bill.
Ask if there's a case number, and jot it down.
Go through the bill line by line to determine the cause of the problem.
Ask what the expected turnaround will be for the resolution.
Write down any price quotes and/or charge adjustments. Ask the customer representative to do the same in the company's computer database.
Call at a different time if you have problems with the representative. Speak to the manager if disagreements persist.
Follow up the call with a letter to the company. The information collected during the phone call should be included in the note. Make sure you sign it.
If all else fail, ask for a supervisor or executive appeals division.
If you are not satisfied. File a complaint with the Utility Commission in your State.
In order to win disputes with utility companies you must keep thorough documentation to prove your points.
Find an advocate. Recruit support if your calls to the utility company are not sufficient.
You can locate your state's public utilities commission, which oversees utility companies, or get help through the National Association of State Utility Advocates, or NASUCA. This organization represents the interest of utility consumers before state and federal regulators in court. Also your state Citizens Utility Board.
"At the commission you can have an informal investigation and if you are not satisfied you can file a formal complaint," says Jay Draiman, a Utility bill auditor.
He explains that the commission informally investigates the dispute by contacting the company on your behalf. If the commission's answer is one that you don't like, you can file a formal complaint against the utility company. If the formal complaint doesn't make you happy, you can appeal the decision. At this point, he warns, courts of law, most likely a municipal court, are involved and a lawyer might be needed.
Some public service commissions address cable disputes. If not, Consumers for Cable Choice, a consumer advocacy group, says other alternatives exist.
"Most consumers don't know this, but they can call their local franchising cable board. That's the agency that has the ability and authority to adjudicate public complaints," says the auditor.
Not all municipalities or towns have a cable board. So, try calling the clerk of the county or clerk of the city in your area to find out who is responsible for cable complaints.
A visit to the attorney general's office may or may not help. The procedure for handling complaints varies with each office. Some offices, depending on the type of utility, might refer you to other state regulators, and others may attempt to mediate the dispute between you and the company themselves.
Try national and federal organizations. Consumers can file a complaint with the Citizens Utility Board (which has attorneys on staff), Better Business Bureau, or BBB, a private nonprofit organization that monitors and reports marketplace activities to the public. The bureau sends the consumer's complaints to the company.
"If we have not heard from the company in 30 days, we close the case and suggest small claims court," says spokeswoman for BBB.
According to the BBB, it cannot force a reply from the company and it cannot administer sanctions. It can make a note of the company's unwillingness to respond in the company's reliability report that's provided to the public.
The U.S. government can tackle some of your problems.
Telecommunications issues can be handled by contacting the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC.
Consumers can file an informal complaint with the FCC and, if determined appropriate, the commission will send the complaint to the company or companies named. The FCC allows telephone companies only 45 days from receiving the complaint to respond to you and to provide a copy to the commission. The FCC reviews the response but doesn't issue a ruling or decision.
If the company's response doesn't satisfy you, you can make a formal complaint. This will involve hiring a lawyer and paying a complaint fee. File this type of dispute within six months of receiving the response to the informal complaint.
Consumers can also contact the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, but the FTC's help depends on the circumstances. According to spokesman, the FTC only gets involved if a charge the consumer did not authorize is placed on the bill.
Contact you phone company about a dispute
If you have a problem with your phone service or bill, contact your phone company as soon as possible to try to get the problem resolved.
• Call the phone company’s toll-free customer service number or reach its customer service center through the internet, if available.
• If you cannot get the problem settled to your satisfaction, with the customer service representative, ask to speak to a manager. A higher level employee may have more authority to settle your problem.
• Before you contact the company, be prepared. Gather up your bill, receipts or anything else you may want to refer to and don’t forget to write down when you contacted the company, who you talked to, and what that person agreed to do.
• Remember that sometimes it takes several minutes to reach a live person at the phone company, so make your call when you are not in a rush.
If you contacted your phone company and it did not help you with your problem, you may file a complaint with the CPUC Consumer Affairs Branch.
The CPUC can help you with complaints about telephone service or the bill, including any charges that you did not authorize or if your phone service was switched to another phone company without your approval. You may contact the CPUC by phone, through the Internet or by mail:
• By phone: 800-649-7570
• Online:
http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/static/ forms/complaints/index.htm
• By Mail:
CPUC Consumer Affairs Branch
505 Van Ness Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94102
If your phone company and the CPUC were unable to help you, you may contact the FCC if you are questioning calls made from or to another state or from or to another nation. You may reach the FCC:
• By e-mail: fccinfo@fcc.gov
• Online:
complaint form: www.fcc.gov/ cgb/complaints.html.
• By mail:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554
• By fax:
1-866-418-0232
• By phone:
voice 1-888-CALL-FCC
(1-888-225-5322)
TTY 1-888-TELL-FCC
(1-888-835-5322)
Understanding Your Utility Bill
With the introduction of competitive providers in the telecommunications, gas and electric industry, consumers may find it increasingly difficult to make sense of the various rates, fees and charges that appear on their bills. How can you make sure your utility bill is accurate?
Carefully review your bill each month.
Question and investigate any charges that you don’t understand.
Read all flyers and additional materials included with your bill.
Many of our utilities provide information on understanding your utility bill right on their websites. Links to those sites are shown below. In addition, the Federal Communications Commission’s website provides valuable information to consumers on reading and understanding a telephone bill.
Compiled by:
Yehuda Draiman, Energy ConsultantNorthridge, CA 91324Email: renewableenergy2@msn.com
Showing posts with label yehuda draiman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yehuda draiman. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Landscaping For Energy Efficiency
Landscaping For Energy Efficiency
Are you looking for cost-effective yet eye-pleasing ways to lower your energy bills? Planting trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and hedges could be the answer. In fact, landscaping is your best long-term investment for reducing heating and cooling costs, while also bringing other improvements to your community. (Not to mention the curb appeal and beauty it adds)
A well-designed landscape will:
* Cut your summer and winter energy costs dramatically.* Protect your home from winter wind and summer sun.* Reduce consumption of water, pesticides, and fuel for landscaping and lawn maintenance.* Help control noise and air pollution.
Landscaping Saves Money Year-Round
Carefully positioned trees can save up to 25% of a household’s energy consumption for heating and cooling. Computer models devised by the U.S. Department of Energy predict that the proper placement of only three trees will save an average household between $300 and $600 and more in energy costs annually.
During Hot weather
You may have noticed the coolness of parks and wooded areas compared to the temperature of nearby city streets. Shading and evapo-transpiration (the process by which a plant actively moves and releases water vapor) from trees can reduce surrounding air temperatures as much as 9 degrees F (5 degrees C).
Because cool air settles near the ground, air temperatures directly under trees can be as much as 25 degrees F (14 degrees C) cooler than air temperatures above nearby blacktop. Studies by the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory found summer daytime air temperatures to be 3 degrees F to 6 degrees F (2 degrees C to 3 degrees C) cooler in tree- shaded neighborhoods than in treeless areas.
A well-planned landscape can reduce an un-shaded home's summer air-conditioning costs by 15% to 50%. One Pennsylvania study reported air-conditioning savings of as much as 75% for small mobile homes.
During cold weather and wind
You may be familiar with wind chill. If the outside temperature is 10 degrees F (-12 degrees C) and the wind speed is 20 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour), the wind chill is -24 degrees F (-31 degrees C). Trees, fences, or geographical features can be used as windbreaks to shield your house from the wind.
A study in South Dakota windbreaks to the north, west, and east of houses cut fuel consumption by an average of 40%. Houses with windbreaks placed only on the windward side (the side from which the wind is coming) averaged 25% less fuel consumption than similar but unprotected homes. If you live in a windy climate, your well-planned landscape can reduce your winter heating bills by approximately one-third.
Compiled by Yehuda Draiman
PS
Greening your rooftops
The benefits of grassy rooftops are manifold - they reduce heat, clean the air, improve biodiversity and are relatively affordable
Rooftops are arguably the area with the greatest potential of all urban spaces for creating a higher environmental quality of life. A green roof or living roof is a roof covered with a dense mat of growing plants. Most people are familiar with the turf roofs used for centuries in Iceland; green roofs (developed in Germany in the 60s and 70s), essentially adopt the idea of turf roofs but instead of using mostly grasses, they employ drought- resistant plants appropriate to the tough conditions on a roof top. At its most basic, a waterproof membrane is installed on the roof, which is then covered with 8-15cm of soil and planted with low-growing succulents and alpine plants.
Techniques have become more sophisticated over the years and nowadays water-holding natural fibro panels are available, which give seeds or young plants good anchorage and ensure efficient water supply. The effect of green roofs can be astonishingly beautiful, especially when the plants start to flower. Succulents such as stonecrops and houseleeks are often the plants of choice because they can tolerate hot, dry conditions.
The benefits of a green roof are significant for both the environment and the purse.
Green roofs can greatly reduce the' heat island' effect by cooling and humidifying the surroundings through evaporation of moisture. A heat-trapping building removes a natural space from the environment but a green roof can compensate for concreted (sealed) land and improve biodiversity in the city.
Green roofs 'scrub' the air clean. The texture of the plants captures dust and particles of pollution in the air. In this way they get filtered out and bound within the soil, where they are broken down and even reabsorbed as fertilizer (this must be the ultimate in recycling).
Roof vegetation absorbs rainfall and helps reduce need for costly drainage systems at ground level. In high density areas like Athens where there is little green space for storm water to percolate into the soil, storage tanks and other forms of storm water management are structurally and economically not very viable. Green roofs have a high applicability to such urban zones where ground green space is in short supply.
Green roofs provide structural protection often extending the life of a normal roof two or more times over. Protecting structures from hail damage, UV rays and temperature fluctuations, a green roof also offers fire protection.
Green roofs insulate, cooling buildings in summer and reducing heat loss in winter. Researchers believe the attendant cost savings are very promising.
Vegetation absorbs sound, so noise pollution is reduced.
Are you looking for cost-effective yet eye-pleasing ways to lower your energy bills? Planting trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and hedges could be the answer. In fact, landscaping is your best long-term investment for reducing heating and cooling costs, while also bringing other improvements to your community. (Not to mention the curb appeal and beauty it adds)
A well-designed landscape will:
* Cut your summer and winter energy costs dramatically.* Protect your home from winter wind and summer sun.* Reduce consumption of water, pesticides, and fuel for landscaping and lawn maintenance.* Help control noise and air pollution.
Landscaping Saves Money Year-Round
Carefully positioned trees can save up to 25% of a household’s energy consumption for heating and cooling. Computer models devised by the U.S. Department of Energy predict that the proper placement of only three trees will save an average household between $300 and $600 and more in energy costs annually.
During Hot weather
You may have noticed the coolness of parks and wooded areas compared to the temperature of nearby city streets. Shading and evapo-transpiration (the process by which a plant actively moves and releases water vapor) from trees can reduce surrounding air temperatures as much as 9 degrees F (5 degrees C).
Because cool air settles near the ground, air temperatures directly under trees can be as much as 25 degrees F (14 degrees C) cooler than air temperatures above nearby blacktop. Studies by the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory found summer daytime air temperatures to be 3 degrees F to 6 degrees F (2 degrees C to 3 degrees C) cooler in tree- shaded neighborhoods than in treeless areas.
A well-planned landscape can reduce an un-shaded home's summer air-conditioning costs by 15% to 50%. One Pennsylvania study reported air-conditioning savings of as much as 75% for small mobile homes.
During cold weather and wind
You may be familiar with wind chill. If the outside temperature is 10 degrees F (-12 degrees C) and the wind speed is 20 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour), the wind chill is -24 degrees F (-31 degrees C). Trees, fences, or geographical features can be used as windbreaks to shield your house from the wind.
A study in South Dakota windbreaks to the north, west, and east of houses cut fuel consumption by an average of 40%. Houses with windbreaks placed only on the windward side (the side from which the wind is coming) averaged 25% less fuel consumption than similar but unprotected homes. If you live in a windy climate, your well-planned landscape can reduce your winter heating bills by approximately one-third.
Compiled by Yehuda Draiman
PS
Greening your rooftops
The benefits of grassy rooftops are manifold - they reduce heat, clean the air, improve biodiversity and are relatively affordable
Rooftops are arguably the area with the greatest potential of all urban spaces for creating a higher environmental quality of life. A green roof or living roof is a roof covered with a dense mat of growing plants. Most people are familiar with the turf roofs used for centuries in Iceland; green roofs (developed in Germany in the 60s and 70s), essentially adopt the idea of turf roofs but instead of using mostly grasses, they employ drought- resistant plants appropriate to the tough conditions on a roof top. At its most basic, a waterproof membrane is installed on the roof, which is then covered with 8-15cm of soil and planted with low-growing succulents and alpine plants.
Techniques have become more sophisticated over the years and nowadays water-holding natural fibro panels are available, which give seeds or young plants good anchorage and ensure efficient water supply. The effect of green roofs can be astonishingly beautiful, especially when the plants start to flower. Succulents such as stonecrops and houseleeks are often the plants of choice because they can tolerate hot, dry conditions.
The benefits of a green roof are significant for both the environment and the purse.
Green roofs can greatly reduce the' heat island' effect by cooling and humidifying the surroundings through evaporation of moisture. A heat-trapping building removes a natural space from the environment but a green roof can compensate for concreted (sealed) land and improve biodiversity in the city.
Green roofs 'scrub' the air clean. The texture of the plants captures dust and particles of pollution in the air. In this way they get filtered out and bound within the soil, where they are broken down and even reabsorbed as fertilizer (this must be the ultimate in recycling).
Roof vegetation absorbs rainfall and helps reduce need for costly drainage systems at ground level. In high density areas like Athens where there is little green space for storm water to percolate into the soil, storage tanks and other forms of storm water management are structurally and economically not very viable. Green roofs have a high applicability to such urban zones where ground green space is in short supply.
Green roofs provide structural protection often extending the life of a normal roof two or more times over. Protecting structures from hail damage, UV rays and temperature fluctuations, a green roof also offers fire protection.
Green roofs insulate, cooling buildings in summer and reducing heat loss in winter. Researchers believe the attendant cost savings are very promising.
Vegetation absorbs sound, so noise pollution is reduced.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
American economy in crises - a long time coming
American economy in crises - a long time coming
When a country and its society import more than they export for over a quarter of a century, it is bound to erod the economy to its primate state.
We have only ourselves to blame, what goods and products are we exporting, what goods and services are produced in the USA, the answer is very little by comparison.
In the past 50 years as our population has increased, technology advanced, we have become a nation that consumes enormous amounts of resources, we shop for competitive prices. Corporate America is constantly looking to increase the bottom line.
Most of the goods for and by Americans and its companies are produced overseas and in the past decade with the advancement of telecommunications, many of the services sector are also imported.
The increased costs of energy over the past 10 years, has affected the economy to unimaginable comprehension.
This economic activity has eroded our economy to its core. It seems that the situation is getting worse every year. American debts are increasing beyond our wildest dreams, endangering the future economic vitality of our future generation.
I hope it is not too late for our society to recognize the graveness of our economic predicament and its resolve to take appropriate action to stem the tide of our economic downturn.
Americans are a nation of great technology and knowhow. We must utilize that technology and our resources to find new means to regain our economic independence.
We must face and implement fiscal responsibility, both by the government and the population with its infrastructure of corporate America.
It is no longer an option, it is a must if we as a nation want to survive and retain our way of life and economic vitality.
Inflation, recession and financial crises are here. Let us take the bull by the horn, initiate immediate actions to minimize and hopefully reverse our economic crises.
Yehuda Draiman, Northridge, CA.
PS
The US economy has enormous momentum. Metaphorically speaking, if someone turned off the locomotive that drives the US economy, the economy would go on for miles before anyone would likely notice something was wrong. But something has been wrong for many years. Is there really hope for the future? Maybe. But the terrible truth is that no one really knows. But if there is hope, we're already on the wrong track. And that has to change.
When a country and its society import more than they export for over a quarter of a century, it is bound to erod the economy to its primate state.
We have only ourselves to blame, what goods and products are we exporting, what goods and services are produced in the USA, the answer is very little by comparison.
In the past 50 years as our population has increased, technology advanced, we have become a nation that consumes enormous amounts of resources, we shop for competitive prices. Corporate America is constantly looking to increase the bottom line.
Most of the goods for and by Americans and its companies are produced overseas and in the past decade with the advancement of telecommunications, many of the services sector are also imported.
The increased costs of energy over the past 10 years, has affected the economy to unimaginable comprehension.
This economic activity has eroded our economy to its core. It seems that the situation is getting worse every year. American debts are increasing beyond our wildest dreams, endangering the future economic vitality of our future generation.
I hope it is not too late for our society to recognize the graveness of our economic predicament and its resolve to take appropriate action to stem the tide of our economic downturn.
Americans are a nation of great technology and knowhow. We must utilize that technology and our resources to find new means to regain our economic independence.
We must face and implement fiscal responsibility, both by the government and the population with its infrastructure of corporate America.
It is no longer an option, it is a must if we as a nation want to survive and retain our way of life and economic vitality.
Inflation, recession and financial crises are here. Let us take the bull by the horn, initiate immediate actions to minimize and hopefully reverse our economic crises.
Yehuda Draiman, Northridge, CA.
PS
The US economy has enormous momentum. Metaphorically speaking, if someone turned off the locomotive that drives the US economy, the economy would go on for miles before anyone would likely notice something was wrong. But something has been wrong for many years. Is there really hope for the future? Maybe. But the terrible truth is that no one really knows. But if there is hope, we're already on the wrong track. And that has to change.
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