At what point does CSTX Utilities shutoff your power/water? How past due does your account have to get?

The rest of the story:
CSTX misread my water meter for the bill I received at the beginning of September. The water alone was almost $400 on the bill. After 4 phone calls to the utility customer service, they re-read my water bill and issued a new correct bill.

I am setup on auto-pay but this updated bill did not go through the auto-pay process last month. Looking at the bill, I noticed it does not say "Auto Pay Processing Date" like the rest of my bills.

So today I got my next months bill and it is showing a past due amount for last months bill and there is a notice on the bill that says "balance forward is PAST DUE and subject to cut off".

So I called the utility customer service for the 5th time and asked what is going on and why did it not charge my auto-pay. At this point, my only concern is that I don't want my power/water turned off. "Cathy" told me that the whole bill will get auto-pay on the 19th of this month for the entire amount. I told her she could charge the whole amount right now as far as I am concerned because I just don't want my power/water turned off. She assured me that is not needed and that it will go through on the 19th and that I don't need to worry about it getting turned off.

So, should I be worried that they will shutoff my power/water sometime between now and the 19th because I am "past due"?

I wouldn't take the chance. I would drop by the utility office on Krenek Tap and pay it. If it is accidently late and your utilities is shut off, they will try to get you to pay a $300 deposit before they turn it back on. That happened to me.

I meant to add: I am also concerned that if I make a payment now that they will double charge me when the auto-pay is supposed to go through.

BigBubba said:

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I meant to add: I am also concerned that if I make a payment now that they will double charge me when the auto-pay is supposed to go through.

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Just pay it manually on their website and you will have a credit on your account next month.

I've had the same problem and it will work out.

dubi said:

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BigBubba said:

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I meant to add: I am also concerned that if I make a payment now that they will double charge me when the auto-pay is supposed to go through.

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Just pay it manually on their website and you will have a credit on your account next month.

I've had the same problem and it will work out.

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The problem with this is the bill is $1,149 for the two months. I don't want to pay $1149 now and then have another $1149 go through as auto pay on the 19th. All of that would hit my Discover card in the same billing cycle and that would hurt.

Also, it would probably take 3-5 months to recoup that $1149 credit. These past two months are typically my largest bills of the year and Nov-Dec are usually my smallest.

i don't know how cstx works, but a lot of places have a month delay on when you set up auto pay, and when it actually begins. so you would have to manually pay during that timeframe.

you should see if your CC has email alerts. I get one for every single "card not present" (not physically scanned) transaction. So all my bills and amazon purchases generates an email. I usually log into my CC account at least twice a week as well, just b/c i'm paranoid like that.

TexasAggie_02 said:

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i don't know how cstx works, but a lot of places have a month delay on when you set up auto pay, and when it actually begins. so you would have to manually pay during that timeframe.

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I have been on auto-pay for a year. It has been working fine until now.

If it was me, I'd go online to the www.cstx.gov website and take myself off of auto pay. I'd manually pay what I estimate the last bill to be (maybe look at last year's usage and pay that amount.) Then, I'd have them come out again and read the meter to make the correction. I'd follow it closely online so it gets corrected.

As for when they cut off utilities, I'm sure that they let you go 30 days past due and that should be enough time to get it straight.

I called back (6th time) and spoke with somebody that seemed a little more knowledgeable. They went ahead and charged the $641 that should have been paid last month which should clear up the past due status. This lady said she changed the auto-pay that will go through on the 19th so that it will only charge the remaining $507.

I must say that I am still skeptical that this goes through properly on the 19th. I am debating which of the following is most likely:

• it properly charges the $507 on the 19th
• nothing gets charged on the 19th
• I get charged $1149 on the 19th
• they shut off my power/water before the 19th

Seems like an oops of non-payment had our utilities turned off within a week of the due date. Of course, that was very early in the life of the account, so I don't know if that makes a difference.

If you go online to www.cstx.gov you can manage the whole thing yourself. You can see if the Past Due amount has been properly credited. You can see how much it shows as Currently Due. You can turn auto pay off and on and back on again. Or you can wait to see if what happens and throw a fit if goes badly.....or celebrate if it goes smoothly. Good part is it is up to you.

I just got a double charge from them - didn't realize it until too late

BigBubba said:

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dubi said:

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BigBubba said:

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I meant to add: I am also concerned that if I make a payment now that they will double charge me when the auto-pay is supposed to go through.

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Just pay it manually on their website and you will have a credit on your account next month.

I've had the same problem and it will work out.

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The problem with this is the bill is $1,149 for the two months. I don't want to pay $1149 now and then have another $1149 go through as auto pay on the 19th. All of that would hit my Discover card in the same billing cycle and that would hurt.

Also, it would probably take 3-5 months to recoup that $1149 credit. These past two months are typically my largest bills of the year and Nov-Dec are usually my smallest.

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Personally I'd rather it double charge and take 3 months for it to recoup than risk a cutoff. My 2 cents.

Your wife would not be happy.

Go and pay and cancel auto. Wait a week and set up auto pay again. You wont' have a balance that might be taken out later in the month.

You paid the past due part, so you are good as far as utilities not getting cut off on or before the 19th. You wouldn't be at risk of that until approximately one more month (around Nov. 19). That should give you enough time to see if their autopay works right or if you need to do another one-time payment.

The part of the bill that mentions a past due amount should say a date. That is the cut-off date. To avoid getting utilities cut off, you have to pay the past due part by the day before whatever date that says.

If they say the past due part has been paid, you do not need to worry about them cutting you off unless you are still having payment issues in another month.

BigBubba - please send me an email (address in profile) and I can look up your account and (maybe) answer some questions.

It's usually one month and one (requested if necessary and brought to past due balance) week. And less than a $45 balance.