ComplaintsforZia Natural Gas Co.

• Initial Complaint

  08/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I Have done business with Zia Gas for over 3 years and have paid my bill on time throughout the time. Recently I attempted to make a payment but their website does not work, no one answers the phone and I guess the only way to make a payment is via mail. Anyways, they left a letter on my door on the last day saying that would shut my gas off if I did not make a payment that day. I made the 40 dollar payment and Zia Gas decided to shut my gas off anyways. After contacting them they said I made the payment too late in the day when I did not and then charged me over 190 dollars just to reconnect. Greedy corporations that have a monopoly on all services here will make sure they can squeeze any amount of money they can out of you. I attempted to tell them that I did make the payment the day of the letter but they still wanted there 190 dollars for their terrible service. So not only do they make making a payment extremely difficult, they will cut off service even if you pay on the right day and then charge an exorbitant fee to turn it back on. They are a monopoly and a reveres robin hood, give to the rich and steal from the poor.

  Business response

  08/09/2023

  Zia Natural Gas Company is a natural gas distribution company which, like all other public utilities in New Mexico, is regulated by the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (NMPRC). This means there are very specific customer service rules Zia must follow and Zia is only allowed to charge the rates approved by the NMPRC. Before a customer is eligible for disconnection for non-payment, they have received a bill showing the charges for their usage for the prior month. Once this bill is past its due date (20 days from the original date of the bill), the customer receives a 15-day shut off notice in the mail stating the past due amount and the date of the pending disconnection for non-payment. At least 2 full business days before the date of disconnection, a door tag is hung on the customers door stating the date that services will be disconnected if payment is not received. On the date of disconnection, our technicians will call the office immediately prior to turning the gas meter off to make sure a payment has still not been received.
  

  This customer was disconnected at 2:20pm on 7/27/23. They made a payment online at 9:50pm on 7/27/23. This payment satisfied their account balance. In order to reconnect gas service after being disconnected for non-payment, Zia requires a security deposit and a reconnection fee, as is approved by the NMPRC. The security deposit is 2 months worth of average annual billings which was $105 in this case. This deposit will be refunded to the customers account, with interest, after they either close their account or make 12 consecutive on-time payments. The reconnection fee is a total of $65 and covers the labor costs of our technicians to disconnect/reconnect gas including travel time and the administrative cost of the office staff to process the customers account through the entire collections process and to re-establish their account in the billing system.
  

  Zia encourages its customers to pay for their gas usage prior to the original due date of the bill in order to avoid additional costs and fees. Zia has many payment options available including online, over the phone, by mail, in person, and drop boxes at each of its locations.

  Customer response

  08/13/2023

  Complaint: 20430581
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Online bill pay has been down for a year and displays this message through multiple computers and via smartphone after attempting to login, I've attempted to fix this issue to update payment methods electronically via phone with staff with no resolution. System errors in Zia Gas online payment continue to cause ongoing delays. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  Casey Williams

   

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, the consumer must give a reason why they are rejecting the response. If the consumer does not provide a reason the complaint will be closed Answered]

  Business response

  08/14/2023

  Website is up and running.

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