Here is an amazing story of one womans battles with CFE. I copied it (with permission) from another Facebook page. Be sure to follow the story through the many responses. Dawn Davis Cutts July 15 at 10:31am · Mérida I know this is a long shot but maybe someone can give me some advice. I have owned my house in Merida for 8 years. The previous owners installed a power station..and for 8 years I have been paying a huge differential. Two months ago I decided to get rid of the power station. In renegotiating a new residential contract I was told by CFE that there was a 12K deficit on the property from 2003 as when they had changed the previous owners contract from residential to the Power Station (I bought the house in 2207). This amount never showed up despite return of deposits and new contracts. I went to PROFECO. I did everything through the legal channels. PROFECO ruled in my favor and notified CFE that I was NOT obligated for the past sum. I did an order to have the new residential meter installed and then the High Tension meter removed. All seemed to be in order. CFE came promptly and REMOVED the old meter, leaving me without any electricity. Now they will NOT come and install the new meter. I have been totally without electricity or water (electric pump) for 6 days now. I was told on Saturday when I called CFE that if I did not like their service I should not have gone to PROFECO but found another provider. Obviously I am being punished because I dared to take the issue to PROFECO. I am not sure where to go from here. I am afraid to go back to PROFECO for fear of further retribution. I am told by the City and the Governors office they have no jurisdiction over CFE. Has anyone ever had an issue with CFE and where do you go…this could potentially be a long term thing…leaving my house unlivable. Is it truly possible that they can cut you off from power? UnlikeUnlike · Philippe Milovidoff Dawn, you are right.. if you want to run your whole house on solar, you need to feed the grid which mean you still need an electrical connection and a meter, or you need to have enough space to store batteries ( $$$$$$$$$$$$$...............) July 15 at 1:58pm · Like · 2 Dawn Davis Cutts Nikki…I asked my attorney that same question…he said that eventually they would see that you have NO meter…..I said..OK so you get the meter…and just pay the absolute minimum service charge…no they would get a Judges Warrant to enter your property…..and estimate what your power use should be…..have I mentioned..I hate CFE….. July 15 at 2:00pm · Like · 1 Nikki Holland sucks. July 15 at 2:04pm · Like Philippe Milovidoff I think that anywhere you leave you would have this problem of monopoly.... Taking for example my house in Florida, I have no other choice to go through the only Electric company available to supply my house , which is the county electric company... Is there a place where you have competition and not a monopoly and can chose which electric company to use? Because overall this is not about Mexico having only electric company, its about incompetence and corruption which happen also everywhere else.... thats sad! July 15 at 2:08pm · Like · 2 Dawn Davis Cutts Yep…Carlos owns the air, CFE owns the sun, the wind and the water, and in the Yucatan, China now owns the roadways. I just returned from Profeco where supposedly I am to be hooked up by 2:00 tomorrow…..If not, I am going straight to CFE with a large grocery bag of all of my rotting food from my refrigerator…..set it right there on the desk……All is fair in love and war………I have earned the reputation for being the crazy Gringa…..LOL July 15 at 2:13pm · Edited · Like · 8 Rand Sisson You would have to go off grid with battery back up Sent from my iPad July 15 at 2:16pm · Like Rand Sisson In Alberta you have a lot of choice of not only the electric co. But the provider as well Sent from my iPad July 15 at 2:18pm · Like Rand Sisson Good for you Sent from my iPad July 15 at 2:21pm · Like Philippe Milovidoff Rand Sisson, and hey all share the same grid, installations, cables, etc???? July 15 at 2:33pm · Edited · Like Peggy Langdon Please keep us updated on this situation Dawn Davis Cutts!! Be the crazy gringa and get it done. sometimes that is the only way..some Mexicans are real leery of strong women and will bend. Stick with it! July 15 at 2:43pm · Like · 1 Rand Sisson Nope the government owners the grid they try and get your business Sent from my iPad July 15 at 2:46pm · Like Ulises Zárate Mayoral I would go the press or news station with your story. Negative media may work. July 15 at 2:49pm · Like · 2 Philippe Milovidoff Rand sorry but I dont understand what youre saying.. July 15 at 3:03pm · Like Rand Sisson The government owners the grid. The provider use it and pay the government a fee. There are 4 or 5 providers that you can choose from all have a different rate and compete for your dollars Sent from my iPad July 15 at 3:05pm · Like Frederick Hollinger I still dont get it...say you build a house from scratch and stick a windmill and a bunch of solar panels on your roof, and NEVER hook up to the CFE. Are you saying theyll still come around for payment? July 15 at 3:37pm · Like Rand Sisson Dont think thats what she means Fred look at her original post. You still interested in solar. Give me a call Sent from my iPad July 15 at 3:40pm · Like Frederick Hollinger Rand, she says you have to have a CFE meter and cannot get off the grid. If I had solar I wouldnt want anything to do with CFE. Ill give you a buzz tomorrow. July 15 at 3:43pm · Like · 1 Rand Sisson In Cancun tomorrow to HD and Costco want to come? Sent from my iPad July 15 at 3:44pm · Like Leslie Jones Phinney In my opinion Cfe is like the mafia, bastards July 15 at 3:45pm · Like · 4 Erin Nolan-Tella I agree, Leslie...and they only travel in packs. We have been trying to get our meter changed for months because we have been paying 4000 pesos a month for electricity and we could not figure out why. Three CFE guys showed up the day before the big Mexico/Netherlands World Cup game and were demanding back payments when we hadnt even received a bill. Maybe they were trying to finance their own barbecues for the next day, but I digress. My husband talked to them and smoothed things over so that we didnt end up having to pay them in cash and they didnt turn off our electricity. The bill finally came...for 900 pesos. Big difference!! July 15 at 3:49pm · Like · 2 Frederick Hollinger Rand Sisson, just went day before yesterday, thanks anyway. July 15 at 3:51pm · Like Laura Wilkinson I run a group about Cozumel, and I know there are several in Merida. Its interesting, because we used to comment on whats in the news, and now the news is commenting on what we talk about. I would post a well written concise complaint in ALL of the Merida groups and eve call some of the newspapers if you can. Apply pressure through the media and so they dont look like the awful mafia they are, they will cave. July 15 at 5:15pm · Like · 9 Dany Hibner Ream I am amazed...at this story.....and I love Laura Wilkinsons idea!!! July 15 at 6:37pm · Like · 1 Philippe Milovidoff Frederick Hollinger, solar energy is not so simple, and most people think they just need to sun to feed their house with electric... If you dont want to use the grid, then you need to have enough batteries to store that electricity produced.. For the you need a lot of $$$$ and a lot of space. If not , you can still use solar but you feed into the grid with invertors, and then you have no other choice than be connected to an electric company. Yesterday at 6:40am · Like · 1 Ray Vella If PROFECA ruled against them and can´t force them to do anything what good are they. This is a long shot but try the human rights groups.And yes make a lot of noise Talk with CFE and try to work out a lower payment or go as high up the ladder as you can and pay them a little something. You need the right person to speak for you, It´s all connections. I really feel bad for you I have had my share of problems with CFE yes they are like the mafia. However this has nothing to do with their service they are just trying to squeeze money out of you and you need to get the person that can say yes or no and turn them around. Connections is what it is all about. Perhaps try head office in DF. In the mean time get a generator it may be awhile before this is resolved. Good luck wish I could help you more. Yesterday at 6:42am · Like · 1 Ray Vella Have asked a couple of people about your problem and they seem to think that as long as you don´t owe them money and it was ruled that you don´t they do not have a valid reason to not supply you with power. They are obligated to service you and the problem lies with the person in charge. Maybe a power trip on his or her part or corruption. Get a lawyer a good one they are in the wrong and you will win in the end but in the mean time don´t let them bluff you or push you around. Again I suggest head office in DF.and a lawyer. Yesterday at 6:59am · Like · 1 Frederick Hollinger Philippe, I understand all that....the part I dont get is why you can go through all that trouble and expense and then have the CFE step in and say it all belongs to them and you owe them. Id be standing inside my gate with a shotgun if they showed up. Yesterday at 6:59am · Like Thomas Boylan Frederick, bad idea, an expat with a gun is a bigger problem inside or outside your own property. In Mexico only criminals are allowed guns Yesterday at 7:02am · Like · 3 Thomas Boylan Frederick, btw that comment was meant tongue in cheek as I am sure your comment was as well Yesterday at 7:04am · Like · 2 Frederick Hollinger Sorry Thomas, forgot about Mexican logic there for a minute! LOL Yesterday at 7:04am · Like · 1 Dawn Davis Cutts Today is Day 8……I do have an attorney and at this point he is extremely frustrated and maybe is not the best when it comes to dealing with the mighty one. I do NOT owe them money. On July 9th they collected the difference from the meter they removed (800 pesos for 3 days since the last billing cycle, whatever...right?), leaving me a 2600 peso credit with CFE (from my deposit). That 2600 pesos is to be applied toward future service. So not only do I not owe them money, but I have a credit. I have contacted the head office of Profeco in Mexico City via email. Their phone is ALWAYS occupado…To make things even more miserable, they have said that if I am not at the house when they come I will then need to reschedule-and supposedly they work 24 hours…Unfortunately my water system is underground with a pump and no tinaco on the roof so I am also cut off from water…...Does anyone know how to contact the human rights people? Is there any chance going to the Consulate could help? I appreciate everyones input. Thanks. Yesterday at 9:25am · Like · 1 Peggy Langdon Thanks for the update but I cannot offer any suggestions or help.pletely out of my area of expertise (as if I have one!)..keep that squeaky wheel going though.. Yesterday at 9:31am · Like · 1 Dawn Davis Cutts This afternoon I contacted the Human Rights Commission for the YUCATAN. Spoke with Pedro Fernandez Fam. We were told that the right to WATER and Electricity is NOT considered a Human Right. We explained that not having Electricity or water made our home uninhabitable. His response…NOT HIS PROBLEM…….He just kept repeating..It was NOT his Problem….call CFE and complain. 22 hrs · Like · 1 Ray Vella I have been told that you should go back to PROFECO and they will force CFE to hook you up. They are very powerful and can get things done. The hell with what CFE thinks get your power on. Do not and I repeat do not hook up to your neighbors because there are big fines for that for both parties. I have seen it done when friends got cut off and they hooked up to their family living next door. 21 hrs · Like Nikki Holland What is PROFECO? 20 hrs · Like Frederick Hollinger Its like the Better Business Bureau, I think. 20 hrs · Like · 1 Dawn Davis Cutts Profeco is a Federal agency that protects consumers. They have a specific legal unit that assists strictly with issues with CFE. They hear the issue and then the legal team evaluates and makes a decision……AND THEN CFE PUNISHES YOU FOR EVER GOING TO PROFECO…….WHEN YOU RETURN TO PROFECO….THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY ALREADY MADE A DECISION-all paper..no muscle….!!!!! Once you go to Profeco you have followed the legal procedure and then your request is all through legal channels. once again…it only proves…go the corrupt way, bribery and corruption…DO NOT EVEN TRY TO DEAL WITH THESE PEOPLE THE LEGAL WAY………going on 8 days..no power and no water…I am a bit testy…….and I am in a no win situation…my house is currently 98 degrees..I cant leave because they just could show up..and if I am not here I will have to reschedule….. 20 hrs · Edited · Like · 1 Erin Nolan-Tella Can you call and have someone bring over some cold Chardonnay?? 19 hrs · Like · 1 Frederick Hollinger Ive been screwed every time Ive tried to do things the right way in Mexico. Its no wonder most people choose to do things under the table... 18 hrs · Edited · Like Dawn Davis Cutts I HAVE POWER!!!!!!! Desperate measures…At 2 pm I was once again told to call tomorrow…At 5 PM I finally had completely come unglued…I called the Federal Police (right after sending off a long letter to Por Esto and the Diario, and told them that I was forewarning them but I had an electrician here and I was going to hot wire the old Power station meter….I was warned that this was illegal and I could go to jail…I told them that was fine but they would have to then take care of my mouthy teenage son. I told them that I had written to the Por Esto and the Diario and I had also told them what I was doing and WHY. The Federal Police immediately transferred me to a Supervisor at CFE…..finally…I relayed the same story…..I was told by CFE if I did that I would NEVER get services from CFE…..Bawahahaha…..like I had service anyway….Within one hour a CFE truck shows up..they immediately went to the old meter box to check it…..then installed a new line and meter…of course they also told my neighbor that stupid Gringos should learn NOT to go to Profeco….....And here is the best part of all…..they told me to call tomorrow so they could come and disassemble (and take) the power station)……Say what……As Frederick has said…I guess you get screwed when you try to do anything Right……@powrdesparado……Back to huddling under the AC..smelling good again…..Thanks everyone…..Mexico is so challenging at times…. 15 hrs · Like · 10 Erin Nolan-Tella Wow...what a story! Glad you are no longer sweltering! 15 hrs · Like · 1 Mindy Brown Nichols Nothing more miserable than living in the heat and no shower. You did good!!!!!!! 14 hrs · Like Elisabeth Noens Williams Very impressed with how you handled this! 14 hrs · Like Nikki Holland they said if you went to the press you would never get service or if you hot wired the meter? brava!!! you did a good job!!! 6 hrs · Like Philippe Milovidoff Thats my Dawn !!!!! 6 hrs · Edited · Like · 1 Linda Shrieves Jackson Oh thank God! Finally! Im so happy for you! Gringa Power!! 5 hrs · Like Peggy Langdon So pleased and proud of and for you!! You did it and stayed the strong woman you are and didnt resort to girly tears..Rock On Dawn Davis Cutts!! 4 hrs · Like Dawn Davis Cutts Peggy Langdon…oh there were some girly tears…but not in front of them…LOL A vindictive nasty organization…..As a followup, I did receive a response from the Diario…interested in doing a story. hum…but dare I? 3 hrs · Like · 4 Peggy Langdon Yes, please do the story!! Not only about CFE but how an independent strong woman can work within and out of the boundaries of Mexican Bureaucracy. Go for it! 3 hrs · Like · 1 El Weso Call them back up and ask in they have a company ombudsman. Then take your problem to your local politician. Make it his problem. 2 hrs · Like Wadie Sroor FUK THEM>>> Id BOMB their offices.... and yes, take it to the press 1 hr · Edited · Like Caroline Caliz Go Solar! 1 hr · Like · 1 Christine Ciela Sunshine Nothing to lose by publicizing, other than possible security concerns if you live alone or the house is empty. Do you know your neighbors? Any CFE staff who would hook up for a bribe? I would go to the installer level, offer what they want to get power. Then I would get solar asap. Even a small amount. The head brass are arrogant and do not want to resolve this. Someone down the food chain someone will fix it under dark of night for a prive. Probably cheaper than lawyers. 1 hr · Like · 1
Posted on: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 18:22:55 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015