Family found themselves without gas shortly after move-in
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A Houston man was prepared to go days without a way to cook.
"We can't afford to eat out every day," he said. "We just got moved into this place, so we're still catching up from everything."
He doesn't want to be identified. He told ABC13 he couldn't prepare meals because CenterPoint Energy shut off his natural gas.
But not because he did something wrong. He said the previous tenant at his address had an outstanding bill.
Despite submitting a lease, it didn't matter because the gas was shut off.
"We have no way to bathe, no way to wash our dishes, no way to cook, no way to heat the home," he explained.
CenterPoint customer told it would be days to restore gas
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He said CenterPoint told him it would take five days to get it back on.
"That feels like they don't care," he said. "They're that big, and one person doesn't really matter. That's just not the way it should be."
Eyewitness News reached out to the company on Friday. CenterPoint Energy sent us a statement, saying:
"Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. We have confirmed that a disconnection order was issued in error. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused and are working quickly to resolve. We have been in contact with the customer and are working directly with them to have service reconnected this afternoon.
This was the second CenterPoint Energy customer that ABC13 heard from in the past two weeks about a similar situation. In both cases, customers wrongly had their natural gas shut off, and ABC13 was told it would take days to fix. After Eyewitness News contacted the company, it was fixed in hours.
BBB's guidance if you're having issues with any utility company
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Action 13 reached out to consumer experts to see what you can do if you have utility issues. The Better Business Bureau in Houston sent these tips:
In addition to contacting the business using the main customer service contacts found via their website or the bills you have received, you may try these additional methods:
Escalate, if you must. The first person you speak with might have limited power to help you, depending on the issue. If you've tried everything, and your problem isn't resolved, ask if you can speak with a manager or supervisor, or if there is anyone else who might be able to assist you.
Contact the business via social media. If a business is not resolving the issue with you personally, you may reach out to them via their social media pages, and share your story publicly, which could get their attention and prompt a more immediate response.
File a complaint with the BBB. This business is answering BBB complaints, so you may try to get your issue resolved that way. In general, if you have complaints about a utility provider, call the Public Utility Commission of Texas at 888-782-8477, or email customer@puc.texas.gov
For updates on this story, follow Nick Natario on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
SEE ALSO: Family living in Spring says CenterPoint Energy has made this summer 'unbearable'
Spring family says CenterPoint has made this summer 'unbearable'