Bangor Hydro Cutting Electric Service To Nearly 40% Of It's Customers (Kittery: rent, eviction)

[txmom]

Originally Posted by Maineah

As NMLM points these are the EXTRA two gallons of milk for mixing with the coffee brandy not the cereal milk. The kiddies will be fine....in the dark...but fine.

Thanks for clearing that up, Maineah and NMLM My mother-in-law drinks her coffee brandy on ice, so I got a little confused there for a minute.

[Maineah]

I'm not saying these people are scammimg the electric company,though clearly some of them are. They have to pay eventually or they will have no electricity. Perhaps they didn't pay for electricity in December so they could put a few extra presents under the tree for the kids....understandable. No one will begrudge them that. Some people have seasonal jobs....like the painter for instance...been there done that. I know what it's like to do without things in order to get the bills paid in the dead of winter when work is scarce.
It just seems like with THAT many people CHOSING not to pay it's like a zero percent loan to yourself for the winter. I wonder how many of those who CHOSE not to pay the electric company have snowmobiles they put gas in? How many of them pay for their cable TV through out the winter, their high speed internet connection, their cell phone bills, phone bills, oil bills. A question which was raised earlier... how many of them would FIND a way to pay the bill if the threat of disconnection loomed over them every month.
The State has helped those in need and struggling to keep warm and out of the dark for a few months by keeping the bolt cutters at bay for the winter. I find it very hard to believe that 40% of the Bangor Hydro customers CANNOT pay their bills and are taking advantage of the law in CHOSING not to pay until spring. Why should Bangor Hydro beg people for the money they owe them. How much more does it cost Bangor Hydro to send out threatening letters to that many customers? How much does it cost in collections and notices before they have to cut off the power? How many customers do they end up disconnecting? Is it easier to come up with a lump sum of $400.00 in the spring than to pay $100.00 a month in the winter? Sure seems to be for the 40%.

[RANGER.101ST]

my brouther works for fpl in florida .he was telling me one time that he went to disconnect some ones power becouse they owed 7 or 800 bucks.
he said what suprised him was that a brand new van with 14 day plates was sitting in the drive.it seems to me if you can afford a down payment on a auto .them why cant you pay your bill .

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

Renters do the same thing in Maine. They know they won't be kicked out of their rented apartment during the winter. State law prohibits it.

Renters can be evicted in winter in Maine. Landlords can't evict anyone at any time but a judge can evict regardless of the time of year. This applies even to families with children.

[starwalker]

Originally Posted by WILWRadio

Your thoughts about this? And the impact on the Bangor area economy?

Bangor Hydro sends disconnect notices to nearly half its customers (http://bangornews.com/news/t/city.aspx?articleid=164067&zoneid=176 - broken link)

according to what I heard on the radio yesterday, an interview with someone at Bangor Hydro, that report was scewed; only about 4% -- if I am remembering correctly -- are currently under threat of disconnect and most of them have actually made payment arragements. The larger percentage related to the number of disconnect notices sent over the course of 2007.

At least that was what the rep said in the radio interview.

[Mainer61]

I think it's all very sad. It could be any one of us.

[mollysmiles]

That's not true. It couldn't be ME. And I'll tell you why. I was once a single mom of four kids, and it wasn't that long ago. Winter came and we struggled. I made phone calls, I set payment arrangements, and I did what I needed to do. It wasn't easy, but it worked. Many, many people are like me....if they recognize that there may be a problem paying a bill, they get on the phone and humbling as it may be, explain the circumstances. I believe that MOST companies and people will work with you, even turn themselves inside out, if they believe you are willing to pay your bill as soon as you are able. So NO, it couldn't be any one of us.

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by starwalker

according to what I heard on the radio yesterday, an interview with someone at Bangor Hydro, that report was scewed; only about 4% -- if I am remembering correctly -- are currently under threat of disconnect and most of them have actually made payment arragements. The larger percentage related to the number of disconnect notices sent over the course of 2007.

At least that was what the rep said in the radio interview.

That would seem to be a more logical percentage at one given time.

[corgis]

To throw more into this mix - you can't blame just Mainers for not paying their Bangor Hydro bill - don't forget people like us from "away" who probably kept the electric on in their summer or vacation homes during the winter. Our bill was only $15.00 a month through the winter and we paid it every month - but I'm betting there are some people who just didn't pay it because they don't live in Maine. They probably would just send a lump sum payment when they get the cut off notice in the Spring.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by starwalker

according to what I heard on the radio yesterday, an interview with someone at Bangor Hydro, that report was scewed; only about 4% -- if I am remembering correctly -- are currently under threat of disconnect and most of them have actually made payment arragements. The larger percentage related to the number of disconnect notices sent over the course of 2007.

At least that was what the rep said in the radio interview.

This makes MUCH more sense than 40%. There goes the coffee brandy theory.. he he he...!