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Replying To:
Fair Credit Billing Act (none / 0) (#7)
by emeryjay on Tue May 08, 2007 at 01:50:55 PM PDT

I know it is a pain to write a letter. Under terms of the federal Fair Credit Billing Act, if you write disputing a bill, the company must respond to you in writing. They have up to 90 days to respond... but it is a big hammer hanging over their heads -- particularly when you complain to higher ups about slow replies. Officers of companies hate hearing that underlings have violated the law.

You can also file a complaint online with the Federal Trade Commission. All complaints are assigned a case number and get replies. It really hurries people up at the upper level when you complain about poor service and reference a Federal Trade Commission complaint number in your letter.

And during the dispute period, they can't report anything to your credit bureau. It's illegal.

The Public Service Commission angle is a good one too. When rate request time rolls around, some states count the number of complaints and use a formula in determining rate increases.

Some states even count unjustified complaints against companies. It may take a while -- what goes around comes around. And to make it come around, learn how to complain effectively.



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