Tacoma Public Utilities

I recently went through the process of buying a house on short sale, and as a result, I had to make several calls to TPU to get the electrical inspection, turn on the utilities for inspection, shut off the utilities again, then turn them on and off again for a second inspection, and finally turning them on for full service (once the sale was complete). So I dealt with this office several times in the last couple of months. I have to say that never have I had such efficient and friendly customer service. Each time I called, the hold time (if any) was short, the representatives took care to help me with my complicated issues, and I was very satisfied by the service. I know everyone has their own experience and their own opinion, so I’m not saying any of the people who gave poor reviews were wrong … I can only report my interactions with TPU, and they have been absolutely great. If every utility were this efficient, life would be a lot better.

Absolute creeps. TPU never gets our mailing address correct (other reviewers have stated this) please also check their other reviews around the web to see the truth to this monopoly. They charge astronomical amounts and they can get away with whatever they desire to get away with. The utilities are higher than a new car payment. Ours have been $ 500 on average for an 1100 sq foot home running no lights at night, and we keep our heater set to 60 degrees at night and 64 in the day (we freeze). If they shut you off without a notice (and they do this to a lot of people in this neighborhood I have seen the yellow tags) you don’t just live with a candle for the night you live without water and flushing toilets.
They have the garbage, waste water, solid waste, another water thing, water, and electricity all on one single bill. You must use only their services unless you are blessed to be in a PSE zone (PSE is better, way better I had PSE in the past). We also have the smallest can and risk taking our garbage and dumping it ourselves. We use hardly no water we only flush the toilets every 3 – 4 uses and we take community showers. The bill is just insanely high no matter how much we cut. We only have 1 power saving refrigerator plugged in and we wash/​dry clothes in power saving appliances.
They also don’t work with payment arrangements since they never send a statement out in time before a problem arises. They always demand full payment they don’t work with you. For summer (and we have no airconditioner either the bill was $ 700+) and they demanded $ 734 something up front and then they stated since it was on a budget billing they were cancelling that and wanted $ 400 something due again in 3 weeks plus a $ 200+ deposit. They just keep digging and digging for more money. They are absolute thieves.
We have applied for utility assistance, senior citizen/​disabled discounts since my disabled mother resides with us, and we still struggle to pay their very high rates. They can charge what they want and do what they want. The WA Utility Commission does not oversee these creeps either their best advice for dealing with them is to speak with a manager. Do not live in any Federal Way or North East Tacoma area where these guys service the utilities. RUN RUN RUN! It is sad I love our home but not the utility company. Because of them I will have to move at the lease end. I will not be doing a purchase option.

Absolutely horrific customer service /​relations. I just purchased a house in which the previous tenant left behind a power bill. Apparently they could not fax over the correct info nor could my escrow service actually receive a final bill, so they shut off the power. Called multiple times in which the reps acted like I was some bum who couldn’t pay his bills, when in reality they don’t have their crap together and we had a party more than willing to pay the bill that was owed. I was then asked to pay a power bill that wasn’t mine, like anyone in their right mind would have done that. Now I’m moving into a house with no power!!!