Couches line the sidewalks, particle boards disintegrate on the curb and Dumpsters full of rain-soaked mattresses wait to be emptied. It’s that time of year again — moving from one place to the next. The worst part about it: the unrelenting fees Gainesville Regional Utilities imposes on customers.
It costs $60 to switch service from one place to another and $70 if you’re activating utilities under a new person — costing enough to keep temperatures at a livable level this time of year. It’s a racket.
The fees would be funny if we weren’t paying for them. They itemize $10 of that $70 fee as “activating” curbside trash pickup. They don’t even drop off a shiny new trash can.
The power was never turned off at any of our places between switches in tenets. Perhaps the only reason any GRU employee would trek out to any of our houses or apartments is to give the meter a final read and bill us for the partial month. Apparently, the extra trip to transfer services costs $60 more than when they do the same thing every month.
It all adds up, making it clear that Gainesville needs a competing energy provider to keep our beloved GRU in check. Without some sort of competition, GRU’s ridiculous rates and fees can only get worse.
Until then, we’re willing to pitch in on a miles-long extension cord to span from our houses to Clay Electric territory.
