Miscommunication leaves woman out in the cold

FORT WORTH - TEXAS - When Pearline Allen's electric service shut off, the 67-year-old got mired in a municipal code headache that left her cold.

Allen said an attempt to switch from TXU Energy to Reliant Energy in recently hit a snag. She never became a Reliant customer, and while ironing out a TXU bill, she ended up without service.

That triggered a code enforcement system in Forest Hill that forced Allen to make about $100 in repairs to her home before she could get her electricity restored.

Mike Duehring, Forest Hill's public works director, said the code requirements are meant to ensure that older homes are brought into minimum safety compliance. However, the system left Allen, who is diabetic, in the dark without heat for several weeks. Her plight should serve as a reminder to residents to know their city's requirements - and to question energy companies about them - before changing their service.

In Forest Hill, a $30 safety inspection is required whenever utilities are turned off, said Duehring, who also oversees code enforcement.

Any code violations must be fixed before service can be restored, he said.

"I work strictly on a safety situation for folks," he said. "I feel what the city is trying to do and what we're trying to do is give the folks living in these homes a head start so they don't die."

That rule is pretty standard, and some energy companies will not turn on utilities without a release from the city, said Bob Riley, Fort Worth's development director. Residents sometimes end up without electricity until the problems are resolved, he said.

"It's not real rare, but it's not something that happens every day," he said.

Apparently, that's what happened in Allen's case.

After learning about the requirement, she requested a city inspection, which uncovered several code violations. A hold was placed on her service until she upgraded gas and electrical outlets, installed smoke detectors in each bedroom and put in a new drain for her water heater.

"I wasn't doing any work on this house," she said. "I just wanted my service back on."

Allen spent about $100 to fix the problems, but the work was done by acquaintances, not workers registered by the city, as required. The city finally relented and allowed her electricity to be restored recently after Allen complained that she has health problems.

"I'm not going to let some person sit out in the cold," Duehring said.

Allen is relieved to get her heat and lights back on but shakes her head over the problems.

"It is really a headache," she said.

Generally, customers should not lose power when switching utility companies, said Pat Hammond, a spokeswoman for Reliant Energy in Houston.

When Allen initially called about making a switch, the company didn't tell her about Forest Hill's special requirements because her house was listed as being in Fort Worth.

The requirement was discovered in subsequent phone calls. Utility companies usually alert customers about such issues, Hammond said.