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ORLANDO, Fla. – Ashley Gounder is used to seeing a monthly utility bill of around $200.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But, when she opened her latest statement from the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), the total was a staggering $531.<\/p>\n
“It was about three hundred and something charges at the water section,” Gounder, an Orange County resident, said. “Which that was even more alarming because that\u2019s a lot of water.”<\/p>\n
She isn\u2019t the only one in her neighborhood facing a sudden financial hit.<\/p>\n
‘Pay What You Use’ customers left in the dark <\/p>\n
Gounder’s next-door neighbors, the Oduka family, experienced a similar shock.<\/p>\n
\u00a0The Odukas are on OUC\u2019s “Pay What You Use” plan, which requires customers to keep a positive balance to maintain service. Because of the sudden spike in charges, their account plummeted into the negative, and their electricity was abruptly cut off.<\/p>\n
“Come Monday they actually disconnected our power,” said Harry Oduka. “When I called, no one seemed to know what\u2019s going on… but I got a text from them two minutes after I called saying it was disconnected.”<\/p>\n
The source of the spike: A \u2018correction\u2019 of service <\/p>\n
The culprit behind the high bills is a notice tucked inside the statements. It informs residents that a “recent review” revealed they had not been billed for City of Orlando wastewater services for several months.<\/p>\n
Essentially, OUC claims a billing error on the City’s end meant certain residents weren’t paying for sewer usage. Now, the City is looking to collect.<\/p>\n
City of Orlando responds <\/p>\n
What they’re saying:<\/p>\n
“Water Company of America is contracted by the City of Orlando to conduct audits to identify properties… that are not properly connected to the municipal sewer system,” the city of Orlando said in a statement to FOX 35. “When a property is determined to be unconnected or improperly connected, the city is notified… Those properties identified will receive notice prior to an updated bill for service. This includes back pay for up to three months for residential usage.”<\/p>\n
‘We don’t choose our services’ <\/p>\n
While the City claims residents receive notice before a corrected bill arrives, the neighbors we spoke to say they were completely blindsided. For many families, an unexpected $500 bill is more than a nuisance, it\u2019s a financial crisis.<\/p>\n
“We don\u2019t choose our services,” Gounder said. “When we start our services, we don\u2019t choose whether we are sewer or whatever. That\u2019s something you guys handle internally.”<\/p>\n
We reached out to both OUC and the City of Orlando to determine exactly how many households have been impacted by this audit and the resulting back-billing. Both entities stated they are still investigating the total number of homes affected.<\/p>\n
What you can do:<\/p>\n
If you live in the City of Orlando, local officials recommend you double-check your recent OUC bills.<\/p>\n
Check for “Wastewater” Charges: Look for retroactive charges or “corrections” covering the last three months.Request a Payment Plan: If your bill is higher than you can afford, OUC offers payment arrangement options online.Dispute the Bill: If you believe your bill is factually incorrect or you were never notified of a change in service, contact OUC customer service directly. <\/p>\n
The Source: Information in this story was gathered by FOX 35’s Laryssa Leone.\u00a0<\/p>\n