Couple pays up to wrong
electric bill?

Derby (WTNH) - A couple was really shocked when they opened up their bill a few months ago. They say they received a bill in the hundreds of dollars for electricity that they never used. And, to make matters worse, they've been receiving similar bills for months now.

They say its all a mistake. And the electric company agrees. So, why do the bills just keep on coming?

For John Coppola the numbers just didn't add up. A $400 heating bill in the middle of summer?

"Everytime we got a bill, we call to try and correct the problem," he said. "The first couple of times they dismissed us as though we didn't know what we were talking about."

In May, Coppola and his fiance purchased their Derby condo. They quickly began questioning their bill even with air conditioning. They'd never paid so much for power. United Illuminating sent a representative to check their meter.

"The lock was cut and they think [it] had been vandalized," he said.

Turns out Coppola is paying his neighbor's bill. He says U.I. promised to resolve the problem. But, still months later Coppola is still waiting and the bills are piling up, along with a disconnection notice if he doesn't pay up.

News Channel 8 wanted to get to the bottom of this, so we spoke to Anita Steeves, a spokesperson for United Illuminating.

Welch: "U.I. has threatened to shut off this customer? Why is it taking so long for them to get the answers they need?

Steeves: "That's a good question, that's another thing we are looking into...it's our policy that if there is a bill dispute to do something like this. Any shut off notice gets put on hold until we resolve it."

It is policy if there is a bill dispute. "It's a complete lack of competence because for 5 months we have been in constant contact with people and we keep getting the run-around," Coppola said.

United Illuminating says it's investigating whether the meter was accidentally switched or tampered with.

The company assures us it will get the problem resolved and News Channel 8 will update you when it happens.