Need help about CPS, SAN ANTONIO deposit. (San Marcos: apartment complexes, renters)

[InquiRED]

I'm moving in a few weeks to a new place in San Antonio, I've never had service with CPS before but have heard their ridiculous prices and deposits from people I know. But that may be just personal issues. I have to get my energy bills in my name before I can move in to the new house. I'm moving into a 3bdrm townhome with 2bath. I have done the online energy efficient thing that tells you how efficient your house is and you are. I got a 75 or something close to that. I'm not sure if that really is any help with the actual Deposit. But from what I've read it ?MIGHT? Anyway, I'm asking on here before the dreaded calling them (I know how badly they can be with customer service and actually helping someone out.) and telling them I'm not ready to actually start service but I want to know how much I might have to put down.

I'm just curious how much people in my position have had to put down. I've never had a energy bill in my name so I know that also maybe a factor. Help me out internet!

[smuboy86]

Your deposit is based on your credit history. Crappy credit equals a deposit.

[InquiRED]

My girlfriend has had a few in her name, one in San Marcos and one another state, they were never based on credit. Do you know this as a fact?

[smuboy86]

Utility Services | Consumer Information

From the article...Like other creditors, utility companies ask for information like your Social Security number so they can check your credit history — particularly your utility payment history. A good credit history makes it easier for you to get services. A poor credit history can make it more difficult.

[prim8]

We've lived two places here, the first time, a rental we didn't need to put a deposit down with CPS.
When we moved into a house we bought, we had to put a deposit down (Sorry, I don't remember how much) even though our credit scores were both good.
I'm not sure what their criteria is, but I don't think it's credit rating, or at least not all of it is.

[ashbeeigh]

I paid $100 for my first apartment. As a new customer I assumed that was appropriate. There was no deposit needed when I started services at my new apartment in August. I'm not sure how credit is associated with it. I just assumed $100 was normal.

[txtea]

What she said. ^
I had to put a $100.00 deposit for service to start, then after 1 year of paying the bill on time, they credit your account the 100 bucks. No biggie.

[quovadimis]

I'm thinking it has more to do with utility paying/rent history than credit score. My husband and I both have high credit scores but we had to put down $450.00 as a deposit when we bought our house. We had lived overseas many years so we had no rent or utility history. (Found out later it would have been waved because we were military but we weren't told that by CPS). Was automatically applied to our bills after 12 months of on time payments - would not refund it to us.

[CyVaquero]

I believe it has more to do with the utility bill history of the property than the credit history of the customer, though I'm sure that comes into play. While I didn't have excellent credit when I moved here 2.5 years ago, it was good enough that I am there now. I still paid a $200 deposit, and after one year it was credited to my account. When we bought I just started new service on the same account and closed it out at the other property with no deposit required.

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by prim8

We've lived two places here, the first time, a rental we didn't need to put a deposit down with CPS.
When we moved into a house we bought, we had to put a deposit down (Sorry, I don't remember how much) even though our credit scores were both good.
I'm not sure what their criteria is, but I don't think it's credit rating, or at least not all of it is.

I also don't think it has as much to do with credit rating, as it does with prior account history (or lack of) with the utility.

For example, when I bought my house many years ago, I didn't have a prior account with CPS, so I had to pay a deposit, which may have been $50 at the time. After a year, I believe, the deposit was refunded. I had to do the same thing with SAWS (then City Water Board).

Years ago, it was common for apartment complexes not to have provisions for separate utility accounts for each individual unit, but rather had single master meters, and all utilities were factored into the monthly rent. So, many former renters had no prior utility account history to draw on, when they eventually purchased a property.