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:09/02/2025

  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 customer of **********************. My bill date showed 08/06/2025 with a due date of 08/31/2025. I did not get my invoice in the mail until 08/29/2025. Due to the short time frame, I made contact with Think Utility Services on 08/29/2025 at 1:25pm EST. I advised the company representative that if I mailed a check payment, the bill would likely become past due. I was advised that I could make a phone payment for an additional fee of $4.95. If I chose to make an online payment there would also be a processing payment of $3.95. This is an unfair business practice. Either I would have to be forced to pay a fee for the account to be current or mail my payment and become past due as well as the subject of a larger late charge. To remain current, I made a phone payment with the additional processing fee charge but this is an unfair business practice that affects those who may not be in a financial position to afford the processing fee and or late charges.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/04/2025

  Were sorry to hear about Mr. ********* experience.After reviewing the account, we can confirm that the August 2025 invoice was mailed on August 6th, 2025, via ****. If the invoice was not delivered until August 29th 2025, the delay appears to have occurred with the postal ********** help avoid such issues in the future, we would like to remind Mr. ******** that *** provides an online portal where residents can view their account, check balances, print invoices, and make payments via credit card if desired. For added convenience, we offer free E-billing. This service sends the resident an email notification as soon the bill is available to view, allowing the resident to access it online right away. Providing the full turnaround time for payment receipt. We also offer an ACH payment option, where their payment is automatically withdrawn from their account with their financial institution.
  
  In regard to the payment method options available with no transaction fee, **************** is careful to review all of these when a Resident phones in, in order to make sure they are fully informed of these in particular. *** takes into consideration that Residents do not always have the extra funds for options that include a third party vendors transaction fee.There are a few methods for which the vendor that *** uses does charge a nominal fee.
  
  For those payments received via a personal check, bank check, or money order. *** processes those onsite. There is no fee if any of those are chosen. The most popular appears to be the bill-pay method,where the Resident contacts their bank with the invoice amount, and requests  they mail a check on the Residents behalf. It is then processed onsite, with no charge.  
  
  Invoices for this community are typically mailed around the 6th of each month. If Mr. ******** does not want to set up online access to be able to view the account information at all times, or the paperless E-bill,and does not receive his invoice in a timely manner, he is encouraged to contact our **************** department for assistance. Were here to help and are committed to resolving any issues. For further assistance, Mr. ******** can contact TUS directly at **************************************************** or call at ************.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/04/2025

   
  Complaint: 23816016
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/25/2025

  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.

  My apartment complex Windward in the River in ******* De enlisted Think Utilities to handle their water and sewage bill. Meters were put in in the Fall and they started billing in March. Prior to that our rent included water. Their initial billing was for Jan-Mar and they wanted the 3 months paid within 10 days. Prior to that a letter was sent out in February that they would begin billing in April. So I was taken aback then when we received bills for the 1s qtr of the yr. For the next few months I paid the same amount of around $52. In May, they came in to fix the meter bc I was told it wasnt registering usage. So now Im thinking then how have you been billing me and for what. I just received a bill for May/June for 2x the amount $98. I called for clarification and was told I had to prove my usage and if the meter was wrong. Because thats what theyre reading. I do not have access to the meter closet so there is no way to see my beginning and ending numbers for the month plus I understand there is a way they can see if the meter was tampered with which it was not. I called my local utility company ******* Utilities prior to my billing to get a guesstimate if the cost of water/sewage for 1 person and was told $35-50. So I expected that..not 6580 usage for water and 6580 for sewer. I live alone and am at work 30 hrs a week. There is no way it should be this..I owned a 4k sq ft home and only paid $125 bc I watered my yard. I live in an apt. Pls help I am a senior citizen in Disability and work part time to make ends meet. Doubling bills arbitrarily and then dismissing my inquiry by making me prove usage is absurd.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/28/2025

  Think Utility Services (TUS) is a utility billing company contracted by ******** at the River. Our role is to read individual unit water meters and generate billing based on actual consumption, using the applicable rates from the local utility provider.
  The submetering system at this property was installed by the property general contractors plumbing company. During installation, each meter transmitter must be activated to enable usage reporting. In Ms. ****** case, the transmitter for her unit was not initially activated, and as a result, her early invoices reflected zero consumption. These bills only included applicable base fees charged by the local utility provider, without any charges for actual usage.
  The transmitter for Ms. ****** meter was activated in May 2025. Following activation, the recorded consumption was: ***** gallons from May 16th to June 16th, and ***** gallons from June 16th to July 16th.
  After reviewing this data, TUS contacted the onsite management at Windward at the River and recommended a full inspection of Ms. ****** unit to rule out any leaks or plumbing issues. We encourage Ms. ****** to contact the leasing office directly to request a work order for this inspection.
  Please note, that all water and sewer charges are ultimately collected by the property as part of the rental agreement. Therefore, any billing adjustments or credits must be approved and applied by the property management team.
  We understand Ms. ****** concerns and will continue to work with the property to ensure this matter is addressed.
  Sincerely,

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/16/2025

  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.

  On 7/14/25, I contacted customer service at *** regarding not having received my bill and to inform them that I would be vacating the service address as of 7/31/25. I was told by representative ***** that the bills were mailed out on the 8th and it was the post office. It wasnt their fault and he could email me a copy of the bill and I needed to set up an online account with my bank info. I told him no because I was leaving at the end of the month and I wasnt going to put my bank information on the site. ***** then informed me that they would not remove my name from the account until they had the bank documents regarding the sale of our home. I did send a couple of documents to him and was told that they werent acceptable.Would someone please explain to me what gives a utility billing company the right to my financial information!!!? This man was rude. Would not listen to anything I said about the situation. I ended up calling the new owners and now she is trying to deal with ****** financial information is mine.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/21/2025

  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We sincerely regret Ms. ****** recent experience with ***, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond. On July 14, 2025, the customer contacted our office regarding a missing bill and to inform us of their upcoming move from the service address effective July 31, 2025. Our representative, *****, explained that billing statements had been mailed on July 8 and that delays in postal delivery were unfortunately beyond our control. He also offered to email a copy of the bill as a courtesy, which is standard procedure in such cases.
  Regarding account closure,TUS requires documentation confirming a change in property ownership before removing a customers name from an active ********************** account. This policy is in place to prevent billing errors and to protect both outgoing and incoming property occupants. In most cases, a copy of the HUD-1 Settlement Statement is sufficient. We apologize if this was not clearly communicated. At no point did *** request access to personal bank account or financial records outside of our secure payment platform, which is optional for customers who choose to pay electronically. We also regret if our representatives tone came across as unprofessional. All employees are trained to handle customer inquiries respectfully, and we will follow up internally to ensure appropriate conduct is maintained.
  We understand that this situation caused frustration, and we will work directly with the new property owner to ensure a smooth transition.If Ms. ***** needs any further assistance, she is welcome to contact me directly at ************ or ************************************************************.
  
  Thank you, 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/26/2025

   
  Complaint: 23603959
  
  I am rejecting this response because: ***** did ask for financial documents regarding the sale of our home from myself and from the new owners.  I contacted the new owners myself regarding the situation and they were told to send escrow and financial documents that they had from their bank. *** has NO right to financial documents from anyone!! They are a 3rd party billing service. If they have questions regarding the sale of a property, they should contact the person and/or company that hired them to handle billing to verify a change in occupancy not try to bully people into divulging their personal financial information.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** Black 

  Business Response

  Date: 07/29/2025

  We are simply requesting the front page of the HUD-1 settlement statement to verify the change in ownership. This document allows us to close the account for the previous owner and set up a new account for the new owner. The settlement date will be used as the official transfer date for billing. It was not intended to obtain private financial information. Our goal was solely to confirm the change in ownership in order to update our records and ensure accurate billing going forward.  We are sorry for any misunderstanding. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/21/2025

  Type:Customer Service 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 emailed their support department and said I wanted to cancel my service on 6-5-25 because I am selling my condo. I was told by a service *** that she could only do so if I provided them the buyer's contact info. I told them that is not my responsibility and didn't feel comfortable doing so anyway. After going back and forth with the service ***, I asked to have a mgr call me. Someone called and I asked him to send me data supporting my obligation to give them the info on the buyer. He said there is no legal obligation; its just their company policy. He then threatened to make me pay for all water used past my selling date if I didn't if I didn't provide it to them. I can provide his name if needed.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/27/2025

  To Whom It May Concern,
  Think Utility Services (TUS) is a billing service provider and not the actual water utility provider. *** is contracted by the ************************************** to manage submetering readings,resident invoicing, and payment collection.
  Requesting a copy of a settlement statement or similar proof of ownership when opening or closing a utility account is standard procedure. This documentation ensures that the individual initiating the account change is the rightful property owner and can be held accountable for utility charges.
  Mr. ******** has informed *** that the property is scheduled to close on June 5, 2025. *** will contact ************************************** to confirm the change in ownership.
  If you have any questions or require further assistance, please dont hesitate to reach out.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/28/2025

   
  Complaint: 23360505
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Think Utility says requesting the buyer info is "standard procedure."  I asked a supervisor on the phone and he said its Think Utilities.  (see my initial complaint)  Whose standard procedure?  The Gov't or theirs?  When I entered a request for power to be stopped on June 5th, entirely online, no similar sensitive info was mandated.  So, please tell me whose "standard procedure" this is and I'd like the BBB to determine if this is legal.

  Thanks.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ********

  Business Response

  Date: 05/30/2025

  Tell us why here...As previously mentioned, *** is a billing service provider, we are not the utility provider. Water submetering services are part of the ************** Condominium assessments. The billing of water to the residents is a cost recovery program for the Association. Please note, *** does not have the authority to shut off water to any unit. Water service remains active regardless of ownership status or occupancy.
  We are simply requesting the front page of the settlement statement to verify the change in ownership. This document allows us to close the account for the previous owner and set up a new account for the new owner. The settlement date will be used as the official transfer date for billing. Lastly, settlement statements in *******************, *******, are considered public records and may be accessed by the public. Mr. ******** is welcome to contact the Hillsborough County Clerks Office to verify this information.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/03/2025

   
  Complaint: 23360505
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Your last response still does not tell me why I have to give you the personal info of the buyer.  If she/he reaches out to you with their personal info, that's fine but as said before, I will not furnish it.  

  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/25/2025

  Type:Service or Repair 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 complaining because lately my water bill has been sky rocket high, in the 100s or higher. There is no reason why my water bill is so high when im hardly home and have no issues involving water system in my bathroom nor kitchen. I was told that i might have a leak or my toilet is running. No its not I had it inspected and everything is fine this is unbelievable.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/28/2025

  To whom it may concern,
  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We would like to inform you that the issue raised by ***** ******** has already been successfully resolved. We addressed the customer's concerns by reaching out to Mr. ******** directly and we are confident that the customer is satisfied with the outcome. We always strive to provide the best possible service and ensure that any issues are promptly addressed.  We appreciate the opportunity to clarify this matter.Thank you for your time.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/26/2024

  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.

  Recently I have moved out of my apartment. I paid my water bill through the the utility app/website But a couple days later my rental company that I was renting the apartment from sent me my last monthly bill and it had the water bill on top of the price I emailed my rental company and they told me that Think Utility *********** would be refunding me money. This was in July. I called Think Utility *********** and they did indeed agree that a refund through the mail was going to be coming in. This was in July.... I emailed them and called them in August and they said that the check was mailed out in July, but they could not provide any tracking information or tracking number to show that it was delivered.... They stated that the only thing they could do was wait for that check to come back. I emailed them in September stating that I still have yet to get the check through the mail and there was no reply by them. I called them in October and they told me that there's nothing they can do that. I cannot get a refund in that the check has to be returned back to them and then whenever it gets returned then they can mail out another check.... Which makes absolutely no sense because I have yet to receive anything for a compensation from them! It's $54 and change. I paid on time always but can't get my hard worked $$$ back. Only 2 solutions were provided after talking to 2 managers. The first 1 is still wait for the first check to be received back to them...second was that they cancel check but I would be charged $50-60....even tho I wasn't involved in their s**** up. The address was correct...I have multiple packages arrive just fine but this check they sent has yet to arrive and THEY CANNOT PROVIDE ANY TRACKING NUMBER OR DELIVERY INFORMATION...only that it was shipped July 11th. My last conversation was with them about 2 days ago and the manager said she has to talk to her up that she will give me a call soon and I have yet to get anything back from them.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/10/2024

  Think Utility Services (TUS) is a submetering and billing company, that is contracted with the community at which Mr. **** had been leasing an apartment unit. *** reads the individual unit water meters and bills in accordance with the usage registered, using the local Utility providers rates. The local provider invoices the apartment property directly for usage registered on master meters,for all property-wide consumption. Once the individual units are invoiced for their own units consumption, and payment is collected from the Residents,those monies are then turned over to the property. This is used as a cost recovery program, for the charges they have incurred from the local Utility water provider. 

  The TUS accounts for apartment properties are opened and/or closed based on approval from the ******************** Not being a Utility provider, *** requires confirmation of same to begin, or end, the billing services to a Tenant. The approval was provided, and Mr. ***** account was closed, effective as of 6/27/24.   

  Per the account Notes, TUS received word on 7/09/24 from the Property Manager that they had taken the final bill amount from the Security Deposit, that the Tenant put on account with them when the rental agreement was signed. A posting for that transaction was done on the now-closed account, and a Refund check request was submitted shortly thereafter. 

  On 7/22/24, Mr. **** called into **************** to check the status of the Refund, and a request was submitted for the update. On 7/23/24, a CSR reached out to him to reply that a Refund of the $53.85 had been mailed to the address that had been confirmed by Mr. **** as the correct address to mail the Refund. 

  On 10/28/24, Mr. **** called again to request an update for the Refund. He was advised that the check had not been sent back to *** via Returned mail. Bank records showed that it had not been cashed either. However, a replacement check could not be reissued without either the original being returned via ****, or without a non-waivable bank charge being deducted from the total, due to TUS having to place a Stop Payment on the original check. The preferred mailing address for the original check had again been confirmed as correct. 

  In light of the Refund check having not been received Returned mail by *** since its July mailing, TUS has, in good faith, mailed a new Refund check out to ******** for the same amount as the original. We hope that this new Refund check is received at the confirmed mailing address in the very near future. We also have hope that this gesture of good faith will help put an end to the anxiety that Mr. **** most assuredly felt while waiting for the original Refund check to be received through the ****************** 

  Thank you, 

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/22/2024

  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.

  Condominium: ******************************** Think Utilites The water meter that was installed for unit#*** is defective. I have paid for a professional leak detection company to prove that and Think Utilities agrees that it is defective. Think Utilities wants to charge me to for a new meter and for the labor to replace it.Think Utilites also has not adjusted my water bill for the defective meter with the incorrect reading.*********** is stating that meter replacement is the responsibility of the homeowner.This CAN'T be correct The condominium rules state the homeowner is responsible for repairs within the interior of the home. Not this exterior meter.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/02/2024

  Think Utility Services (TUS) is a submetering and billing company that is contracted with the community at which Ms. ********* owns a condominium unit. *** reads the individual unit water meters and bills in accordance with the usage registered, using the local Utility providers rates. The local provider invoices the Association directly for usage registered on master meters, for all property-wide consumption. Once the individual units are invoiced for only their own units consumption, and payment is collected from the Residents,those monies are then turned over to the property as a cost recovery to the property,of the charges the Association has incurred from the local Utility water provider.
  
  The water meter that is referenced in the Complaint appears to have been installed in 2011, when *** was originally contracted with the Association for property-wide meter equipment installation, as well as the other services mentioned above. This is a Visually read water meter. There have been no evident technical difficulties with obtaining the monthly metered usage readings, nor but two estimates, each in 2019, since the account open in 2011.
  
  As per account Notes, Ms. ********* reached out to **************** on 11/21/24 in regard to the invoice posted 11/13/24, for service period ending 10/21/24. The reading for that period had registered water usage significantly higher than the account history average. She was advised that a request would be submitted for the Technician to take a photograph of the meter face numbers when the next readings were taken property-wide. There was no indication of a misread of the Visual meter, but TUS wanted to be sure all steps were taken to review this inquiry. It was not stated that the meter was failing or needed replacement at that time. She was assured the readings appeared to be confirmed.
  
  She called in on 11/25/24, and was advised that the meter face numbers on the 11/21/24 photo taken, in connection to the monthly reading for invoicing, appeared to be advancing accurately, and that the billed amount was correct. A copy of the photo was emailed to her on that date as well. She stated that there had been a leak detection done, and currently there had not been any leaks found. She stated she felt the meter was faulty, and asked about a replacement.
  
  It was advised that the new reading 11/21/24 indicated a decrease in water usage,currently more in line with the account history. That a new meter may not be necessary, as it may have been a short-lived plumbing issue, such as an ill-seated toilet flapper that had righted itself. It was advised the account could be monitored for a period or two, and that she could also keep record of the Visual meter readings, see if it continued to keep pace. She stated she had an elderly Tenant renting the unit, that she did not reside there, and that the Tenant could not keep such a record on her own. She indicated trust in the Tenant, in regard to any undeclared plumbing issues that had previously been at hand during the higher usage period.
  
  It was advised that the Owners of the individual units are responsible for replacement, as the meter was considered a fixture to the home, much like a hot water heater or A/C unit. She stated she would not be responsible as the meter was outside on the wall of the unit, that the Association should cover the charge, as it was not "within the walls". It was explained that the water meter was plumbed to the individual unit, so the fixture would be considered part of same, much like an outside A/C unit.
  
  As a third party, *** does not intervene between the unit Owner and the Association, to which we are contractually bound. We greatly wish to resolve the issue in connection with any doubt as to who is responsible for a meter replacement at the Owners unit. Despite not advising that a replacement was warranted, we have reached out to the Association for any further direction they can provide. If Ms. ********* is firm in her determination to replace the water meter for her unit, we are able to provide a Quote for her review. She can contact **************** during regular business hours, and speak with the Manager to request this.
  
  Thank you,

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/27/2024

  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.

  Florida Statute ******** prohibits sellers and lessors from charging a surcharge to buyers or lessees who use a credit card instead of cash, check, or other payment methods. A surcharge is any extra amount that increases the total cost of a sale or lease transaction for using a credit card. Asking for reimbursement exceeding credit card cost.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/28/2024

  Thank you for expressing your concern.  Florida Statute ******** does prohibit the assessing of a surcharge for using a credit card.  However, the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit Court struck down the statute as unconstitutional on November 4, 2015.  It is, therefore, legal to assess a surcharge for using a credit card in the State of Florida.  There are many articles on the subject that *** be found on-line, but the following is a detailed account of the case, and the ruling.
  
  ***********************************************************************************
  
  I trust this answers your concern.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/07/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  December 2023, ThinkUtility Services charged me $1273.06 for my water and sewage bill. The ludicrous bill was stated to be a "catch-up" fee in order for Think to recoup any months I underpaid for my water / sewage over a 9mo period (APR 2023-DEC2023) in which they claimed that my water meter was working improperly.When I called to inquire as to this bill, Think claimed there was nothing they could do regarding the bill unless I was able to provide photo evidence that the reading on the meter was other than what they claimed that it was. I was able to secure a photograph, however the meter read what my bill for DEC 2023 claimed, which was that over 9 months I had used almost *****(!) gallons of water. For reference, in the time that I have been residing at ***************************, there was a 9mo period during which the meter was "working properly." At the end of those 9 mo (AUG 2022-MAR2023) I had used 1959 gallons of water, according to the last accurate reading in MAR 2023. Therefore, ThinkUtillity has implied, over both phone conversation and through my DEC 2023 bill that I, a 28yo single male in a 1000sqft condo, have used almost ***** gallons of water between the time of APR 2023 and DEC 2023. Mathmatically, it would be the equivalent of using enough water to fill the pool at my condo association. Which is even more improbable considering that, during the 9mo the water reader was working, I only used 1/7th of this number. In addition, not only were the bills for all 9mo of "improper" reading normal (`$35/mo), my bills for JAN 2024 and FEB 2024 were both $35, and can be proven via my monthly statements. Not only that, but the reader itself corroborates that my usage has not changed, as the months of JAN and FEB I have used just under 200 gals of water per month (~400 gals for the year of 2024 so far). Which would again mean, that at this rate (200x12=2400) I would use roughly 2400 gallons total this year! NOT *****!

  Business Response

  Date: 03/15/2024

  To whom it may concern,
  
  My name is *************************, and I am the Account Manager for the property **** at Pinecrest. Im responding to the complaint.
  
  Think Utility Services (TUS) is a billing company, we are not the actual water provider. Fairfax provides the water to the entire property. They read their master meter and invoice the Association for all the water consumed from the master meter. TUS is contracted with the **** at ********************* to provide the service of reading each unit sub-meter,invoicing the residents, collecting payments, and remitting water/sewer monies back to the Association. The billing of water to the residents is a cost recovery program for the property.
  
  TUS does not own the components that make up the submetering system. **** at Pinecrest has the Hexagram system. Every condominium unit is equipped with a Neptune T10 Water Meter and a Meter Transmitter Unit (***). The *** records the water that runs through the meter. The usage counts are sent via the transmitter to the Data Collection Unit (***) located at the property Pool House. TUS dials into the *** to obtain the meter reads for billing purposes.
  
  In April 2023, the onsite *** stopped functioning. As a result,*** was unable to dial into the system to obtain the meter reads.  In December 2023, the *** was repaired.During the down period (4/30/23 11/30/23) the account was estimated for water/sewer usage, based on the usage from the account history. Once the *** issue was corrected, the usage data that had accumulated was retrieved. This resulted in a catch-up bill for the consumption that had not been billed for during that time.
  
  Attached please find the consumption report. This report lists all meter read dates and the meter readings associated with those dates. The meter reading on 3/30/23 was 2075. The meter reading on 12/30/23 was *****. To calculate usage, subtract the end read from the beginning read and multiply x10 (the *** records usage in 10-gallon increments). The usage is ******* gallons. As you can see, there was a lot of consumption. The immediate assumption is that this unit may have experienced some type of leak. Please note that *** is simply the billing company. We receive the reads and invoice accordingly.How the consumption occurred is something that we cannot explain.
  
  On March 6th, 2024, ********************** provided the attached meter reading picture. The file info shows that this picture was taken on February 15, 2024. The meter reading was *********. The meter records usage to the 10th of a gallon when visually reading the meter. On the meter face there are 8 dials. The last dial to the right, after the decimal, represents x.01 (10th of a gallon). The second digit to the left of the decimal represents x1 (1 gallon), third digit represents x10 (10 gallon) and so forth.To come up with the usage, drop the last digit which in this case is 1 (10th of a gallon). The remaining numbers represent the total gallons consumed since the meter was installed (******* gallons). The *** records the meter reads to the 10-gallon dial. The *** meter read from 12/30/23 was *****, 1/30/24: ***** and 2/29/24: *****. As you can see, the meter reads are consistent with the visual meter reading. The meter has been evaluated. The meter reading provided by the Owner confirms that the water was consumed.

  
  We indeed empathize with **********************. However, as stated, the water and sewer money are paid by the Association to the city. We are the necessary middleman and not in any position to credit an account when, from everything that we can see, the water was actually consumed. It is important to note that if *** committed a billing or reading error, we will do whatever we can to correct that situation, when given proof in connection with the issue. 
  Sincerely, 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/20/2024

   
  Complaint: 21395183
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  With all due respect, this bill is neither fair nor understandable.

   

  The response from ThinkUtility Service (TUS) addressed almost nothing, and instead restated the situation yet again.  I am acutely aware that the water meter is now "working properly."  My primary issues and concerns are that:

  a) We were not directly informed these meters were down and can corroborate this with other tenants on the Pinecrest property.

  b) As has been highlighted by TUS' reps repeatedly, all the water for the 6 units on the right-side of 4561 *********** ** flows through the master meter.  Not a single other tenant received exorbitant increases to water bill.  Can also corroborate.

  c) ****** gallons of water over 9 months is not a "leak."  It's a disaster. There would be water pouring from my faucets, through the walls, pipes would be burst. There is no such leaks or water flow anywhere within my property, and I have not had any service done to any plumbing on my property.  Using what TUS / FFC has supplied as to the layout of these water meters, if there was a spill it would be exclusive to me (confined within the pipes in my condo).

  d) If there was a leak over those 9 months exclusive to my property, and if I have not had any repair service, logically there would still be a leak.  This would mean that my water bill for both JAN and FEB 2024 (which were roughly $30, supplied above) would be well above $30.  Doing some quick math:

  [(****** / 9) = ~1,300 gallons per month] over the period in question.  Would indicate massive leak.

  [(13849 gal - ***** gal) = 191 gals] used month of January 2024 in which the meters have been repaired. The values are the End and Start readings provided in TUS' consumption report here.  We'll round up to 200 gals to be safe. 

  [$8.30] - Cost of water for JAN 2024, per my monthly TUS bill

  [$8.30/200 = $0.0415 =~ $0.05 / gal] - cost of a gallon of water in JAN.  5 cents, rounded up.

  [$.05 * 1300 = $65.00] - expected cost for ONLY water in **** were there a leak on my property consistent with the consumption rate estimated over the months of APR - DEC 2023.  This DOES NOT include sewage, which is typically 2-3x the cost of water.

   

  I understand that TUS does not own the meter.  I do not need that reiterated for another time.  What I fail to understand is how TUS' readings are inconsistent at best, and fraudulent at worst.

  I will be having a professional plumber out to my property to confirm my suspicion of there being zero leaks on-site.  I will supply this report to both the BBB and TUS, for their situational awareness.

  I will state this plainly.  Either in the technicians under TUS' employ took an incorrect reading of the water meter upon taking up residency (AUG 2022), or when "repaired", the meter was tampered with.

   

  I request the following from ThinkUtility:

  1. A full, documented record of each monthly reading of the meter at 4561 *********** ** taken by their technicians from AUG 2022 until FEB 2024.

  2. A full, documented record of the repair performed by their technicians in DEC 2023 on every meter throughout the **** at Pinecrest property, as they claim they were all down.

  3. Request that they send their own contracted certified plumber to my home on a date selected by me to evaluate the plumbing for any leaks as a professional courtesy, free of charge.

   

  In the interim, I will be working with the Pinecrest property manager to obtain the true property water usage from Fairfax County to compare to the reports from TUS.

  I am open to negotiating the cost of this down to pay the difference between a monthly average of my full residency and my estimated bills, or some more reasonable charge that Think and myself can come to an agreement on.  I will not, however, be paying the $1300 bill, unless the plumbing professionals confirm there was (and still is) a massive leak on my property.

  If anything above seems unreasonable to Think Utility, I will be moving to take legal action against what I believe are fraudulent charges. 

   

  Very Respectfully,
  

  
  ***********************************

  Business Response

  Date: 04/02/2024

  As previously stated, the individual unit meters have been functioning accurately. The issue at hand had been the system network. The system network provides the entire property readings of said meters. In April 2023, the onsite *** stopped functioning. As a result,*** was unable to dial into the system to obtain the meter reads.  In December, 2023, the *** was repaired.  
  To the best of our knowledge,there is only one master water mater for the entire community. There are no individual building master meters. Fairfax provides the water onsite for all units within the community. There is no direct relationship between individual unit meters at just the one building. The entire property was affected by the system network being down.
  Please be advised that ***************** national average is approximately between ***** ***** gallons per service period, per person.  A high usage cause, such as running toilet, can waste over ****** gallons in a month. This information can be found online.
  The meter reading on 3/30/23 was 2075.The meter reading on 12/30/23 was *****. To calculate usage, subtract the end read from the beginning read and multiply x10 (the *** records usage in 10-gallon increments). The usage is ******* gallons. As you can see, there was a lot of consumption. The immediate presumption is that this unit may have experienced some type of leak. A running toilet can waste 1,000s of gallons in a month. Please note that TUS is solely the billing company. We receive the reads and invoice accordingly. How the consumption occurred is something that we cannot explain. 
  As mentioned in the earlier response, the meter readings for each of the requested dates are not available,as the entire system network was down during the corresponding timeframe. This units meter reading usage before and after the system network incident were taken into account to determine how much water had truly been used during the down time.
  There were no individual meter repairs necessary, or done, in December 2023. The reason for the end of year visit was to repair the single piece of equipment that provides the entire property individual unit meter readings. The network reader itself was not operating,thus the readings for all individual unit meters were not able to be obtained. It should be noted that not every unit had been found to have significant usage differences once the network was able to be accessed for true readings. *********************** confirmed readings did show a marked usage difference between what had been estimated on the interim invoices and what the true meter readings before and after the down time showed.
  On April 1st, 2024, a TUS technician visited the property and met with **********************. The purpose of this visit was to confirm our initial findings and to test the water meter. ********************** was present during the meter evaluation. The water meter calibration showed no signs of malfunction. All records indicate that the water was consumed during the period in question.
  Due to the verification of the research, as well as the meter test, *** feels confident that the findings are accurate. If ********************** is seeking account adjustment, he will need to present his case to the Association.
  In conclusion, Think Utility Services feels that we had taken the necessary steps to research the account, as well as provided the complimentary meter inspection. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/09/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  I will be working with my HOA and other representatives to correct this error in billing.  I appreciate TUS' technician travelling as far as he did to confirm the meters and corroborate the assessment performed on my unit's plumbing to confirm no existing issues.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/09/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  I will be working with my HOA and other representatives to correct this error in billing.  I appreciate TUS' technician travelling as far as he did to confirm the meters and corroborate the assessment performed on my unit's plumbing to confirm no existing issues.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/30/2024

  Type:Delivery 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.

  Billing practices of the company erratic and u expected. Received multiple bills in month of January for October and December. **** created 01/19 , sent from **********, received on 01/29. Bill is due 02/03 or the extra fee is assessed. Previously received bill on 01/20 that was due 01/27. Sent bill 01/22 and as of 01/29 that bill is still not received or processed by the company. In December we received November bill

  Business Response

  Date: 02/05/2024

  To Whom it May ********

  Think Utility Services (TUS) is a billing company, not the actual water Utility provider.  The local municipality provides the water to the entire property.  They read the communitys master meters and invoice the property owner for all of the water consumption registered from the master meters.  TUS is contracted with the ************ at ****************************** to provide the service of reading each unit sub-meter, invoicing the Residents, collecting payments, and remitting water/sewer collections back to the Association.  The billing to the Residents is a cost recovery program for the Association. 

  Billing for water utilities is customarily done "in arrears", meaning that the water must be consumed the month before it can be invoiced for that service period. TUS began service for this new property with an initial open date for all accounts effective as of 9/26/23.  However, the start of the billing began in December, with initial invoices posted for all Residents on 12/12/23. The first invoice covered a service period of 11/02/23 11/29/23.  The second, posted 1/12/24, covered service for 11/30/23 12/29/23. 

  In *******, ****, TUS was instructed by the Association to invoice back to the actual 9/26/23 open date of the accounts for the water consumed by the Residents from 9/26/23 11/01/23.  This second billing in ******* was a decision made in order to recover the water/sewer costs that had been charged to the property by the Utility provider, prior to the first invoiced service period, 11/02/23 11/29/23.  The billing of the water/sewer charges to the Residents is structured so that the property is recovering their costs.

  Turnaround time, from the invoice post date to the due date, is determined through the contractual agreement between TUS and the property.  The customary turnaround time for billing services is 15 ****************************************************************************************** a timely fashion for them to pay the Utility providers charges for the entire property.  The turnaround time for this property was initially at 15 days, but was recently extended to 20.  This goes into effect as of the next invoice posting in February. 

  TUS contracts with a US ************** tracking service in order to track the mailed invoices.  It appears the first two invoices for this account,mailed 12/12/23 and 1/12/24, went through regular **** channels in *******, to being delivered to their intended address.  However, the third tracked invoice appears to have gone through perhaps what *** be a forwarding order with the ****, through a ************ State, then to the intended address in *******.  That *** have been what caused a delay in delivery for this invoice to the intended address.  If there is a forwarding order in place with the ****,mail delivery will take longer.  

  It appears that Mr. and *************** have recently signed up for the paperless billing option, which will provide the pertinent invoice information on the same date it is posted.  This free option has been suggested to Residents who contact TUS regarding the turnaround time, as specified through the Contract, being restrictive to making the payment before the due date.  

  All 3 payments for the account have been received on time, for each of the 3 invoices that were mailed to the Goughs.  There have been no Late Fees posted to the account.  The account is at a $0.00 balance at this time. 

  Now that the Goughs have signed up for Ebill, the invoice information will be available to them immediately via an emailed alert on the date it is posted.  This, along with the extended turnaround time, will hopefully allow for peace of mind regarding receipt of on-time payment.  TUS does not anticipate being advised of any future decisions to back-bill the Residents of this property, as they have been invoiced for all of the service periods that the accounts have been open. 

  I hope that this information is helpful.  However, if they do have additional questions or concerns regarding the issue of postal delivery or the invoicing, the Goughs can feel free to contact **************** at #************.  They are available to take calls Monday through Friday, from 8:00am 5:00pm.  Alternatively, there is an online website option for **************** requests at ******************************.