Duke Energy review: Final bill

Date: 12/06/2023
From: Richard L. Howell
7739 Visionary Ct
Manassas, VA 20112
Me.
To: Duke Energy Complaint Department
Reference: Account: Richard L. Howell
1207 E. Jefferson St
Brooksville, FL 34601
Account Number: [protected]
I received a “Final Bill” Billing Summary dated Nov 3, 2023.
I am disputing this final bill because I notify Duke Energy in July, August, and September that I did not own the property since 2007, and that the electric bill should be in the current owner’s name. I explained that for a while after not directly owning the property, my wife operated S&A Beauty Salon at 1205 E. Jefferson, and I allowed the account to remain in my name during this period. My wife stopped her operation in 2018. On multiple occasions I notified Duke Energy of this situation and asked it for assistance in getting the account out of my name and into the current owner’s name to avoid losing my deposit of $555.00.
Your representative supposedly sent out a notice informing the current receiver of the bill mailed to 1207 E. Jefferson that the service would be discontinued in September due to the request of the current account holder. However, I noticed that the bill kept going up higher and higher, and it was still in my name in October. I notified the current owner to contact Duke Energy and pay all current fees in order too not interfere with the refunding of my deposit, he said he would. I have had no affiliation with the property, basically, since 2007 and my wife since 2018. I explained that this was plenty of time for the new owner to take control of the account and get it out of my name.
The Duke Energy Representative said she set up for all services to be discontinued on September 1, 2023.
However, the “Final bill” I received states for service Oct 10 – Nov 1. The Bill Summary states:
Previous Amount Due: $3,042.25
Payment received: $2050.00 (paid by current owner of the property or his representative)
Current Electric Charges: $421.79 (erroneously being billed to me)
Deposit: -$555.00 (The entire amount should be refunded to me)
Other Charges and Credits: -$11.03 (The entire amount should be refunded to me)
Taxes: $101.09 (due by the current owner and new account holder)
Total Amount Due Nov 27 $938.20 (due by the current owner and not bill to me as a final bill.)
I explained thoroughly to the Duke Representative what the situation was and that I had no affiliation with the property in the last 5 years. I explained that any amount left over at the time the new account is established belongs to the new account and should not be passed on to me as a final bill. I explained to Duke Energy’s Representative that I needed Duke Energy’s assistance by not granting a new account until the current owner cleared the entire bill, and without interfering with refunding of my deposit of $555.00.
Duke Energy, I believe through any normal customer relations efforts, should have made a physical presence on the property to determine who was using the property and its services. It did not. It appears that Duke Energy is attempting to defraud me of my Deposit and collect on a bill that is not mine in the process.
Duke Energy has me billed for $938.00 that belongs to the current user. It appears that Duke Energy policy allows for the actual user of the services at 1207 E. Jefferson St., Brooksville, Fl 34601, a means to pass the bill to the previous account holder without due process.
I am requesting that Duke Energy bill the current property the $938.20 that the property owner has used, and not bill this to me, who has not owned or been affiliated with the property in over 5 years.
Duke Energy owes me my $555.00 deposit plus any interest accrued, in full.
Richard L. Howell
[protected]