| Author |
Message |
    
lynn199
Citizen
Username: Lynn199
Post Number: 11
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 - 3:39 pm: | 
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We just received our bill which showed that a recent payment that we made was not credited.
We spoke to them...they have an IT guy in there now trying to fix their system. Apparently, someone hacked into their system and removed 5300 recent payments. They are asking for copies of front and backs of checks for payments you know you made (in itself, a bit of a problem since the new law, "Check 21" recently became effective, and as a result banks no longer send you the back of a check - you need to request it from them, if you need it).
So check your bill carefully. |
doublea
Citizen
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 812
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 - 3:58 pm: |
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lynn199 - Thanks for posting the info. I have the same problem. Luckily, I have the cancelled check.
S.O. Disposal really should take out an informational ad in The News-Record to inform their customers of the mistake. |
doublea
Citizen
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 813
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 - 4:05 pm: |
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And it is the holiday season. Don't forget to tip the garbage men - they really are good guys. |
Mergele
Citizen
Username: Mergele
Post Number: 200
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 - 7:03 pm: |
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Call me The Grinch, but I've had so many headaches with these people, and have had such pathetic, inconsistent service from the actual guys who pick up that there's no way I would consider tipping.
I too got my bill today, saw the pending balance, and checked my bank records to make sure my last check had cleared. Glad to know that it's not just me, but I sorely tempted to sit back and wait to see how they'll deal with this. Just let them try to suspend my service for non-payment without notification! |
doublea
Citizen
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 814
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 - 8:21 pm: |
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You're not a Grinch. There certainly have been enough people who have had problems with their service, and I wouldn't blame them for not tipping. I guess I've just been lucky (and a good tipper  ).
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vermontgolfer
Citizen
Username: Vermontgolfer
Post Number: 286
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 - 9:27 pm: |
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I agree with doublea, our collection guys have always been outstanding, their management, I think, is another story.
Thanks for the heads up on the billing error, because I did a double take when I say our bill today, since I know we paid it. Fortunately, we too, have the cancelled check. |
Jeff Alexander
Citizen
Username: Jalexander
Post Number: 54
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - 8:43 am: |
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These guys are unreal.. the service is terrible, the billing system a joke (how many times have I read on here about people not receiving bills for 6 months and then having service discontinued?), and now they have a system that someone hacked into (is credit card information on that system)?
I can't believe that there isn't more of an uproar about this company |
Dave
Moderator
Username: Dave
Post Number: 4625
Registered: 4-1998
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - 9:32 am: |
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There should be an investigation of this by village officials. I'm fairly certain utilities can't double bill customers without an explanation letter. |
LibraryLady(ncjanow)
Citizen
Username: Librarylady
Post Number: 2044
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - 9:40 am: |
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It seemed to the cynical me that, since they knew about this problem and sent out the double bills anyhow, they are hoping that those of us too busy/old/harried will just pay it and not question the amount. |
Pippi
Citizen
Username: Pippi
Post Number: 561
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - 10:36 am: |
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Now I know when I tried to call this morning to question the bill we got yesterday, the line was busy! 
I should ALWAYS check MOL first! |
ckran
Citizen
Username: Ckran
Post Number: 13
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - 2:03 pm: |
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I noticed that my bill didn't credit my last payment. So I called too. The story I got was that a VIRUS attached their computer and they lost the record of payments made in October. So they are asking anyone who calls to send in a copy of their check... Right. Couldn't they notify their customers? I notice they were able to include a "Happy holiday" Message on the bill. |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 1604
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - 3:41 pm: |
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If anyone has a complaint, they should call or email John Gross (jgross@southorange.org). We will try to help get this problem resolved as quickly as possible. If/when I get relevant information, I will try to post on here.
For the record, MOL is not an official village site and although I might post on here I do not read it every day. It also helps when dealing with these types of complaints to have the resident's name and address. |
Mergele
Citizen
Username: Mergele
Post Number: 204
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - 6:58 pm: |
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Mr. Rosner,
Would you recommend then, that everyone who was double-billed write to John Gross? I'll be happy to, as this is just one more in an unceasing string of questionable business practices on the part of SO Disposal.
And just for the record, I'd like to thank you for your efforts to serve as an informal conduit for Village issues. |
Dave
Moderator
Username: Dave
Post Number: 4632
Registered: 4-1998
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - 7:31 pm: |
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What I find especially odd is that hard drives that have been incapacitated by a virus can have data recovery services done for about $200-$300 within 2-3 days. |
Moose11217
Citizen
Username: Moose11217
Post Number: 38
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - 9:41 pm: |
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I think everyone that was falsely accused of missing a payment and proves so by sending them a copy of the deposited check should receive a credit on their next bill to at least cover the expense of the copy and postage. I was particularly insulted at the large print threat of terminating my service. |
Mergele
Citizen
Username: Mergele
Post Number: 205
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 9, 2004 - 7:28 am: |
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Moose - I don't disagree. At all. But as far as I'm concerned, I paid my bill, have the cancelled check to prove that SO Disposal accepted payment, and until I hear from them or receive some sort of official notification that I am required to prove that I paid my bill, I am not going to go jumping through any hoops to solve their problems for them.
If they do take it upon themselves to cancel my service with no notification, I'm taking it up with the Department of Environmental Protection:
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dshw/resource/utilyreg.doc
From: SOLID WASTE UTILITY REGULATIONS
N.J.A.C. 7:26H-1 et seq.
Under 7:26H-1.14 Service requirements; failure to render service
(d) No solid waste disposal utility shall discontinue service to any customer without first filing a petition with the Department, which petition shall give the reasons for such discontinuance. Such proposed discontinuance shall not become effective until approved by the Department.
(e) Where service to a customer is interrupted and it appears that the interruption will continue for more than one day or one pick up, a report shall be made to the Department forthwith giving a full account and statement of the reasons for such interruption and the estimated duration.
The last time they stopped collecting with no notice, I pointed the above out to them and asked for a copy of the approved petition. A very uncomfortable silence was followed by lots of sputtering.
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susan1014
Citizen
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 263
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, December 9, 2004 - 9:40 am: |
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Yes, given the magnitude of the screw-up, I'm just paying the amount that I owe, and writing a note on the postcard to verify that I've paid, and that they can contact me if they need proof. |
Pippi
Citizen
Username: Pippi
Post Number: 565
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 9, 2004 - 10:00 am: |
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For what it's worth, I just spoke with someone at SO Disposal. They were very nice and very appreciative that I didn't call them up to rant and rave. I was easily able to locate the cancelled check as it had just arrived in the mail last week. I faxed them a copy and they said they'd end up sending me a revised invoice.
"I was particularly insulted at the large print threat of terminating my service. "
I am guessing this is a form letter that gets sent out whenever a payment is "missed". If they didn't discover the problem until after all the invoices were mailed, I am cutting them some slack. It's not like they knew there was a problem and then decided to threaten us with non-service.
Technical problems happen everywhere. Rather than get pissed off, let's give them the benefit of the doubt and presume it will be resolved. |
Jeff Alexander
Citizen
Username: Jalexander
Post Number: 55
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 9, 2004 - 12:01 pm: |
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If this were the first time, maybe. People are constantly complaining about SO Disposal's billing practices..
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mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 1613
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 1:48 pm: |
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It was announced last night that a representative from S. Orange Disposal would come to the next trustee meeting (07/20/2004) whom would explain what went wrong and what is being done to resolve the situation. |
LibraryLady(ncjanow)
Citizen
Username: Librarylady
Post Number: 2061
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 2:04 pm: |
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Mark, you do mean 12 (Dec) not 7 (July)?
Thanks for the info. It is so annoying to have to spend MY time to get copies of a check that THEY already cashed. |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 1614
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 2:11 pm: |
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LL : yes..... 12/20/04.
I don't think it is a reasonable request. Seems hard to believe that they did not keep a back-up or at least print-out a hard copy of checks that were received.
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dgm
Citizen
Username: Dgm
Post Number: 199
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 2:47 pm: |
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the most annoying thing is that they stop service without written or formal notice if you miss a payment. |
Mergele
Citizen
Username: Mergele
Post Number: 209
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 3:00 pm: |
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dgm, it's not just annoying - it's a violation of NJ DEP regulation. See my post above.
I think it's just peachy that the village is going to call them on the carpet, but the only "notice" of this problem I've received has been via MOL, and I fully intend to escalate this if they suspend my service again. I think they might take some notice for a change if we all did the same.
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Andrea Weisbard
Citizen
Username: Njnetsfan
Post Number: 27
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 8:53 pm: |
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Where my mom lives she has the opption of the town disposal service and pay for it on a quarterly basis or get a private disposal service and pay on a monthly basis. She opted for the first because it's cheaper. What I am getting at is the optioon of getting a private disposal service allowed in South Orange? I am asking since I live in an apartment building and not a house |
Andrea Weisbard
Citizen
Username: Njnetsfan
Post Number: 28
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 8:54 pm: |
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Where my mom lives she has the option of the town disposal service and pay for it on a quarterly basis or get a private disposal service and pay on a monthly basis. She opted for the first because it's cheaper. What I am getting at is the optioon of getting a private disposal service allowed in South Orange? I am asking since I live in an apartment building and not a house |
woodstock
Citizen
Username: Woodstock
Post Number: 840
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 11:43 pm: |
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In theory, we can use any carting company we want in South Orange. In practice, no carter is going to come to a residence here. I doubt they would even come if they could be guaranteed an entire block.
They are as much a monopoly as Cablevision (more so, since you can get DirecTV or Dish Network), and are not beholden to anyone because they do not have a contract with the town. They have all the benefits of a monopoly, and none of the obligations. |
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