Consumers Energy Computer error causes gas to be shut of in January Lansing, Michigan

A computer error for Consumer Energy caused the my bill to not be paid on time. This bill is set up as an automatic draft from my bank account, and for some reason the computer system would not recognize the bank. A shut-off notice was sent and the bill was then paid by credit card.

Less than a month later, the gas was shut off without a shut-off notice, phone call, or door hanger to indicate it would be shut off. After calling the billing department, it was realized that the error was that of Consumers Energy, and I was informed that it would be turned back on within a few hours with no reconnection fee. After five hours of no heat and the temperature slowly dropping, I called back and asked when it would be turned back on. I was told that the work order had been placed, but they did not have a time frame. Two hours after that, I called back and was informed that it would be turned on withing 24 hours. I told the customer service agent that the time frame was unacceptable, and that because it was their company's fault, it needed to be taken care of.

I also asked if i could turn it back on myself and was told that that would be considered theft, and it wasn't advised. So as the temperature outside slowly creeps toward freezing, I can do nothing but wait until they decide to come turn my gas back on.