How to deal with PECO Energy in Philadelphia ?

Question

Hey there,

so after reading so many articles on BP about investing in real estate, i decided to invest in Philly and bought a one family house to renovate and rent it out to a section 8 tenant.

Evidently, there's a law in Philadelphia that if the electricity was turned off for more than 6 months, one has to reapply again and have a third party underwriter report, and only then PECO will connect the service. So, i did all of that and they were supposed to turn on my service remotely but later they found out they can't do remotely, they will have to send a technician in to change the meter and connect the electricity. sure enough,on that day no one showed up, they told me they will send another one within 72 hours..... no one showed up... i spoke with the senior supervisor he told me he will send someone, a technician came but he couldn't connect the service because the electric wire were cut. PECO told me they will send an emergency team to connect the wires but guess what ???? no one came.....

I lost few weeks already and each day cost me $150 to have a person at the property waiting for PECO technician.....

what can i do? whom do i have to talk to? where can i complain ?

thank you all in advance, would really appreciate any advice and input

Ethan Giller · Answer

Request that the technician calls you when he's on his way, and put the property on a lockbox. Sometimes the phone operators will take the lockbox code from you when you schedule the appointment, sometimes they will tell you that you have to have someone meet the technician. Regardless, when the technician calls you, just give him the lockbox code and he will usually go in anyway despite what they told you over the phone.

You should be able to have a contractor there anyway, working off a generator if necessary. The contractor can let in the technician.

Steve Babiak · Answer

@Ethan Giller has got the right approach. City council has nothing to do with PECO; PECO serves a much wider area than just the city limits.

Now, the wires to the utility pole may or may not be something a licensed electrician can replace, depending on what wire was cut and where. Now, the third party electric inspector in that case should have flagged to you that your wires were cut so that you could have been spared some of this; but if they were cut after he visited ...

Eli M. · Answer

thank you! how can find out who is my council person and how i can get his number ?

Account Closed · Answer

http://philacitycouncil.maps.arcgis.com/apps/OnePa...

Sorry was mixing up PECO and PGW, but they still may be able to help.

I had a problem with PECO earlier this year with helping a client transfer an account to his name. The amount of documentation necessary was ridiculous in my opinion.

Account Closed · Answer

Also complain to your council person about the lack of efficiency and lost money for your business because of PECO. There's a big stink in the city right now about the private sale of PECO that did not go through.

Cliff T. · Answer

Hey @Eli M. - how much did the underwriter inspection cost you?

Eli M. · Answer

thank you, there's a lockbox but the PECO representative told me they will not use the lockbox and someone must be there

How to deal with PECO Energy in Philadelphia ?

How to deal with PECO Energy in Philadelphia ?

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