Charter Communications
Billing practices are a MAJOR ripoff

I have been paying my cable television bill as close to AND as best as I can to what is owed and/or the minimum that I am behind for the last years' time.in recent months, because of my irratic work schedule and because my paycheck isn't exactly huge, I've had to make calls to make payment arrangements.

I called their office on December 23rd and made my payment arrangemnt with "Jo" and she told me that I could make a payment of exactly $48.63 today (Dec. 31) Mybill wouldn't be paid in full, it would be okay and out of any possible disconnection process. Well, I received a phone call today from Charter Communications stating that I need to either call them or get to a local payment center BEFORE noon. I returned their call only to be told that I now owed them a grand total of $178 dollars (which my bill WAS reading a total of $97.01 as of 8 days ago!) and they had already set up on their schedule for my cable to completely shut off. This was done even though, as I stated, on the 23rd of Dec.

I made the arrangements with them to pay the unpaid previous balance of $48.63 today! I inquired as to how, from just 8 days ago, my whole bill went from $97.01 to over $178 dollars?! I was told, by, what I can only say was a rude representative for their company, that I had a bounced check fee of $25 added to my bill along with next months services. I first, could not understand how, after 2 months, that a bounced check would just be showing AND how they could, after I was given a price to be paid today, casually add this amount to my total and outright DEMAND my payment TODAY of this amount or face shut off!

I asked to speak to another person who was over this particular representative and got "Josh".. He then proceded to inform me of how I had to pay the $25 returned check fee AND the initial $48.63 by today. I had no other choice except to pay this or lose my service and then, as a normal RIPOFF charge, pay their initial hookup fees, plus my whole bill BEFORE I could have cable again!

I was NOT happy, but reluctantly went and paid the min. Of $73.63 (this included the $25 returned check fee). Not that this has any pertinence to anything, but I informed both people I spoke to that I did not earn much money on a weekly basis and this was my reason for always being behind. I got no sympathy at all, only the same drone-like tone stating that they were sorry but they could not help me and if I wanted to remain with cable service in my home, that I would have to pay them their min. Required fee or lose it!

This may be their normal practices but I believe that this company has, on a constant basis, lied to me and added, at THEIR convenience, additional charges that would allow them to get my bill up to a higher payment amount!!!

If this is something of which anyone else has experienced with this company, I would like to know about it. I believe that Charter Communications has to be, by far, THE WORST cable provider I have ever dealt with in all of my lifetime!

Again, if they're accused of this same or similar actions, I would appreciate reading more about it and if there's anything that can be done to correct their improper bill handling representatives, please help me.

Company: Charter Communications
Country: USA
State: West Virginia
City: Parkersburg
Site: www.charter.com

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