FILE PHOTO — A bird sits on a telephone wire as the sun begins to set in May 2018.
People had a lot to complain about in 2020, but according to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, landline telephone companies are the thing people officially complained about the most.
According to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, telephone companies are the thing people complained about the most in 2020.
In its annual analysis of consumer complaints, the commission found 46% of the 698 complaints closed in 2020 were against landline telephone companies.
In the analysis and numbers coming out of the study, it's clear that complaining paid off for consumers. Regulated companies issued about $50,000 in bill credits and refunds to customers as a result of 2020 consumer complaint investigations.
Of the 320 complaints against telephone companies, customers received nearly $13,500 in bill credits or refunds. The most common complaints involved quality of service, disputed bills, customer service, disconnections, and delayed service.
UTC's job isn't just about handling complaints and dealing with grievances. The agency staff also helped consumers find utility assistance, provided information on consumer rights, and assisted consumers in locating permitted residential moving and passenger transportation companies.
If consumers have any complaints, comments or questions about bills or other services, the UTC encourages them to reach out to the Consumer Protection HelpLine at 1-888-333-WUTC (9882), emailing consumer@utc.wa.gov, or visiting www.utc.wa.gov/fileacomplaint.
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