One we completed this process we discovered not only did Stephanie not bill on a monthly basis as she was contracted to do, but she missed billing the month of May completely. We are sorry for this and will be sending the May bill out to you. She did input the meter readings for May, but she never sent out invoices. I know that this is going to be confusing for a lot of people but we will go though the billing with people individually to make sure you are clear with what we have.
We have also found that Stephanie gave many credits that we have no record of receiving. We are going to be contacting everyone individually to go over your statements and will be needing proof of payment in some cases where we have no record.
We do have copies of every check deposited to the Cristalina account from the bank. We also have copies of some checks that have disappeared. So you may have written a check, but we never got it deposited. It has taken a taken almost 2 full months to get this information correct.
Once we have gone though everyone's account then we will be handing over the billing process to a management company that will be doing all of the billing and disconnection notices.
I know a few of you had let me know that you did not receive bills, which is what started off this investigation. I really appreciate you letting me know. Stephanie had worked for me for almost 3 years and I did not realize that she was not completing her duties. I have taken swift and direct action to correct them.
Thank you for your patience and understanding and I want you to know that we are going to get this system shipshape as soon as possible. This of course also means we need the money that is owed to us in order to get the work complete.
Thank you again,
Maria Lindberg
It will be nice to have a billing that is consistent and that I don't have to repeatedly have to followup on.
ReplyDeleteI agree and I am so sorry you and everyone else on the system had to deal with it.
ReplyDeleteMaria,
ReplyDeleteWhile I appreciate the effort you have put towards straightening out your billing problems I find it absolutely ludicrous that you have chosen to bill your customers for the month of May. Due to your gross negligence and mismanagement all billing and record keeping conducted by Stephanie is, by your own admittance, riddled with errors. You have stated over and over that she did not post payments, lost checks, and was not capable of simple accounting, but you are asking us to pay you for whatever metered water she recorded five months ago. What proof do you have that she accurately input ANY meter readings? You want to pass the burden onto your customers (who STILL do not have safe drinking water) to provide proof of payments while asking us to trust that she billed everyone correctly. You are quick to point out all her mistakes if it results in your financial gain.
You employed someone who at best was completely incompetent, and at worst fraudulent and dishonest for three years. You have not provided any answer to where missing checks are. Your customers were not responsible for managing her, you were and you failed miserably. How is that something we need to compensate you for?
What you should be working on is calculating what sort of discount you are going to provide every one of your customers. How many hours have your customers spent trying to straighten out their billing long before you cared to take notice? You business is failing to fulfill its ONE purpose: provide safe water, and you are sitting in an office contemplating how you can milk every household for more money. How are you planning to compensate everyone for the time and money they have spent obtaining drinkable water? How can you possibly think it is reasonable to ask people to pay for water that makes them sick?
I would also like to note that you have yet to adequately notify your customers of the boil advisory. It is infuriating that you would be so nonchalant about your customers' health. I have a hard time believing anyone owes you any money when you cannot take the time to fulfill your basic obligation to notify your customers of a serious health risk.
http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/DrinkingWater/DrinkingWaterEmergencies/ColiformAdvisoryPacket.aspx
There are the templates for the notification you were supposed to provide within 24 hours. Maybe next time we can be adequately notified. If its not asking too much of you.
I do not know how long you have lived here but I havr been here since 1989. Right from the start the lack of testing cost me $10,000 in extra costs and delays for my building permits. These are not honest people. I have had it. Now I fight and make them pay.
DeleteI wish you best of luck. We had a child throwing up in the middle of the night and she wants us to pay an additional month...after she admitted her employee probably isn't even charging us the right amount...
DeleteWhere is OUR proof that these meter readings aren't just being made up? This company has no morals.
I can not get a call back about a payment not posted. BOA can not either. I contacted the state AG and they are sending me paper work to start a case. I will include the May billing thing in my case. I have had it with these crooks.
ReplyDeleteWe will be calling everyone individually and going through your bill this month.
ReplyDeleteFunny how you can find time to call everyone to milk extra money out of them but can't call them to tell them about the fecal contamination in the water they're drinking.
DeleteNice priorities.
I have yet to recieve a call about my biliing? I have left 2 messages this month about "disconnect" notices regarding past dues that I have already agree to make payments on, and I too will be opening a claim against Cristalina this month.
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