FPL Abuse of Customers!
Posted by Sandy on February 20, 2025 · Leave a Comment
I purchased my home in Sept. 1986, and the following day I made a trip to WPB City Hall and FPL office to turn the utilities on in my name. For many years all was well, until it wasn’t.
I began receiving letters from FPL in 2019/20 telling me about their new payment plan that allows me to pay the same dollar amount monthly. These letters kept coming and I kept ignoring them. No payment plan for me, I’m “old school”, send me a bill and I pay it. Very simple and it has worked for me for years. I also believe it would benefit FPL and not its customers.
My first thought was if I pay the same monthly charge, I may not be as careful with my energy use like turning off the light when I leave a room or turning the air conditioner down when I’m out or after parking my car in the garage and waiting a few seconds to turn off the light which stays on for 5-6 minutes after the garage door closes. Why light an empty garage.
Below are 2 letters I wrote to FPL, the second one got their attention, and I soon began receiving monthly bills again.
FPL has a new plan; I received another $5.00 fee for my bill being a late payment. Quick trip to the bank and they showed me where the electronic payment was sent out in time. FPL was late in posting my payment.
FPL has an office at 6001 Village Blvd, West Palm Beach and when I arrived, I was told the office had been closed since the pandemic, and no one was available to speak with me. It was also mentioned other customers with the same problem as mine were also sent away. FPL needs the $5.00 from me and possibly thousands of other customers. This story is for you.
M. Matkivich
WPB Fl. 33407
7/30/2021
Account # 22903-*****
Hopefully this communication will be forwarded to Customer Service.
May 2021 $60.29 paid in full
June 2021 I did not receive my electric bill (? mail delivery) so unfortunately my bill went un-paid.
July 2021 Received my bill for $152.18 and read your “did you forget” $75.65 is past due, and that’s when I realized June bill was not paid. I immediately called FPL Customer Service @ 561-697-8000 to apologize and explain the situation of the missing payment.
I went from upset and apologetic to totally pissed off. I could not reach a human being to talk too. If you bother to check my payment history you will see I have been a customer for 35 years with no payment problems.
I made a payment of $152.18 and payment should reach you by Aug. 2, 2021.
·July 30,2021 I Received a “Final Notice” informing me $75.65 is past due and if payment is not received by Aug. 4, 2021 my power is turned off remotely.
Automation has crippled Customer Service all to make a few more dollars for greedy companies.
I have a suggestion why don’t you take all the $5.00 Late Payment Fees and hire a person to actually answer the damn phones.
You may have received the payment before this letter arrives, and I want you to understand the “Customer Service” at FPL is non-existent and should be removed from your bills. (I meant to say their customer service phone no.)
Madeline Matkivich
The letter dated 12/17/2021 was sent 12/18/2021 via Certified Mail and Return Receipt Request.
Madeline Matkivich
WPB Fl. 33407-3148
12/17/2021
Acct. No. 22903-*****
I wrote FPL on 7/30/2021 and this is my second letter concerning poor customer service.
I have been a FPL customer since 1986, that’s 36 years. In 36 years I can’t recall ever sending in a late payment, until I didn’t receive my bill for 5/13/2021 to 6/14/2021 for $75.65.
6/14/2021 to 7/14/2021 my bill was $76.53 + $75.65 = $152.18 which was paid immediately and included a $5.00 late payment, which I did receive credit for, along with a threat “Power may be turned off without visiting your location” which was damn well not appreciated.
8/16/2021 Received a letter from FPL with this statement “For your convenience, we invite you to take advantage of our online account services. Simply visit www.FLP.com to learn quick and easy ways to manage your electric account online.”
12/16/2021 Received my bill today and once more it covers 2 months, and includes a $5.00 late fee. $47.57 “Balance before new charges”
For 11/11/2021 to 12/13/2021 $35.08 total $82.65. My bank will send the check 12/17/2021. When I receive a bill I immediately put the amt. & due date on line, and my bank pays the amt. due by the due date.
In my opinion you are trying to eliminate statements being printed and mailed. I like receiving statements, and am not interested in a payment plan or allowing FPL to access my checking account.
I can’t tell you how much this upsets me, and I receive letters from FPL asking me to join a payment plan, where I can pay the same amount monthly. I don’t know if this is FPL way of getting customers to join or not, could be a coincidence, which I don’t believe in. You will receive payment before this letter, and if this billing me every 2 months instead of a monthly billing, my next step will be to file a complaint with The Florida Public Service Commission, BBB and see if the media is willing to look into the matter.
Madeline Matkivich
I believe there are others out there having a problem with FPL billing. Want to file a complaint? Below is the address for State of Florida Consumer Complaints.
https://www.stateofflorida.com/consumer-complaints/
“JUNO BEACH, Fla., Oct. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Florida Power & Light Company today asked the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) to approve a temporary surcharge on customer bills in 2025 to recover restoration costs after four hurricanes battered Florida in less than 14 months.”
Good for FPL they won’t have to use their profits for repairs. No wonder stockholders love FPL.
“FPL bills going way up” PB Post 1/7/2022
“Florida Power & Light customers who paid $101.70 last year for a typical monthly bill of 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity will now be charged $120.67. This change not only accounts for a five-year base rate increase approved by the Florida Public Commission in October, but a $6.82 per month adjustment for rising natural gas prices.”
The end