Paying for others tough times-Utilities and other services

**One Shot** · February-13-11, 10:59 AM

I know we have for years but when they print stuff like this it just rubs it in the wrong way. Insurance rates, store goods and utilities. I work hard for my money and hate that I have to pay for other peoples ignorance/bad luck. Hate being one of the honest people made to suffer. Take this cost of doing business out of your own pockets and when it hurts spend your own money to curb these losses. Don't like doing that? Get out of the business.
http://detroitnews.com/article/20110...ay-their-bills

**East Detroit** · February-13-11, 11:54 AM

Hmmm... does this mean I no longer should donate to THAW?

**Hamtragedy** · February-13-11, 10:55 PM

One of the things I get to do about twice a year is go in a rehab a rental, after changing the locks and securing the property. More often than not, eviction proceedings are avoided, namely because the bailiff costs $700 and a dumpster $300. In all these cases, rent has not been for three or more months, security deposit is wiped out, and the landlord pulling $$ out of his pocket to pay me to fix the place.

The utilities are always cut, sometimes months before all this goes down. Since no one wants DTE to know where they moved to, the bills continue to get mailed to the property. These bills average between $3000 and $5000. One went as high at $5818. If I haven't seen these bill so regularly, I wouldn't believe that DTE let's this go on. Hell, they pester the shit out of me and pick my credit apart after the bill is 15 days late for $400. Yet they let these people drag them out for thousands of dollars at a time.

To me it's obvious that since DTE gobbled up Mich-Con, the left hand has no idea what the right hand is doing. Hell, I've had better luck dealing with DWSD. I can even see DTE having a conscious and not wanting to shut off someone in the dead of winter. But $5000?

**Maof** · February-13-11, 11:24 PM

Originally Posted by One Shot

I know we have for years but when they print stuff like this it just rubs it in the wrong way. Insurance rates, store goods and utilities. I work hard for my money and hate that I have to pay for other peoples ignorance/bad luck. Hate being one of the honest people made to suffer. Take this cost of doing business out of your own pockets and when it hurts spend your own money to curb these losses. Don't like doing that? Get out of the business.
http://detroitnews.com/article/20110...ay-their-bills

hell, pisses me off too. i'm on the budget plan and my bill just went up $30.00! don't give me this "after reviewing your useage" crap. how's about giving us folks who pay on time and regularly a little slack!

**CLAUDE G** · February-14-11, 12:23 AM

Detroit does have a water donation charge, which is another $20 added surcharge on your bill for people who can't pay their bills.

I have called the water dept several tines and had the charges removed, only to re appear 2 to 3 months later