BC Hydro deposit

[Always Sunny]

Naturally terrible timing with the holiday.

I recently purchased a place and contacted BC Hydro to change into my name. The person I spoke with noted there is a refundable deposit due by the 19th as I’m a new customer (I could have done the credit check route, but I purchased a new home and an unplanned new vehicle close together and wanted to avoid that).

Anyways, they noted that a letter would be sent to my new address about this and payment to be made by the 19th. I’ve been checking, received other mail, but not this letter. Of course by the time I checked this weekend (as don’t live there yet) it’s now too late to get ahold of an actual human.

You go to the FAQ and all it says is “here’s ways to pay!” but I want to reference the actual letter and deposit amount, not make a blind payment and being unsure if that’s recognizer as the deposit.

Can anyone give me some insight on this? I’m around tomorrow to hopefully have this sorted in time. But if I can pay today that would be better.

Right now my account simply doesn’t show anything being due.

[W105]

just pay it online (if you do online banking).. you'll have proof that you paid it..

congrats on buying a home Sunny :)

[MAPearce]

Yeup ... If you have a buckfitty AND an account number, drop it down and print out the receipt.. If that's what the letter you're waiting for has on it , can't help you there .. You're gonna have to call after the weekend and chide them about it being impossible for them to take your money ...

We had to do all that crap with FortisBc years back. Now that they know who we are , be can change address in a phone call , no deposit required

[RVThereYet]

Naturally terrible timing with the holiday.

I recently purchased a place and contacted BC Hydro to change into my name. The person I spoke with noted there is a refundable deposit due by the 19th as I’m a new customer (I could have done the credit check route, but I purchased a new home and an unplanned new vehicle close together and wanted to avoid that).

Anyways, they noted that a letter would be sent to my new address about this and payment to be made by the 19th. I’ve been checking, received other mail, but not this letter. Of course by the time I checked this weekend (as don’t live there yet) it’s now too late to get ahold of an actual human.

You go to the FAQ and all it says is “here’s ways to pay!” but I want to reference the actual letter and deposit amount, not make a blind payment and being unsure if that’s recognizer as the deposit.

Can anyone give me some insight on this? I’m around tomorrow to hopefully have this sorted in time. But if I can pay today that would be better.

Right now my account simply doesn’t show anything being due.

Just wait until tomorrow (19th) to call them. Since you don't even live there yet I don't think it's going to be a big deal

Also, ask them what kind of credit check they do? If its a "soft" check, it won't show on your credit report as an inquiry as opposed to a full credit check like when you take out a montage or car loan. They will know what kind of inquiry they do.

I bank with RBC, and they have a link on their online banking landing page to check your own credit report (free), I'm sure other banks do too. It will explain the differences between soft and hard checks etc. Many service providers will only do soft checks. Home insurance companies do it, too.

Good luck. Enjoy your new home!

[Always Sunny]

Thanks all! I’ll do one more mail check this afternoon and then call tomorrow. If there’s no direct way to get ahold of someone then I’ll just make the payment on my account and cross my fingers that works.

[W105]

it will work and the deposit will eventually be credited to your account anyways...think there's a 6 mth hold ??

[MAPearce]

it will work and the deposit will eventually be credited to your account anyways...think there's a 6 mth hold ??

we got it back as a bill credit after one year .... But that's FortisBC ..

Then we got the 12 month "equal payment" plan ...

[Always Sunny]

I went to my new address and JUST got the letter today, dated the 8th. My plan is to pay online tomorrow, but I’m going to try and call first to ensure I can just pay the deposit amount and they recognize that’s what it’s for. As I mentioned my current balance is zero, so I just want to ensure it doesn’t show as a credit immediately and then applies to my first bill. Though that would be nice! I know that the hold the deposit 12 months.

If it’s a soft credit check then that’s the best option for sure.

[Always Sunny]

Thanks for the tip on the soft credit check RV!

I called this morning to clarify how to make a payment (for anyone curious, yes, you can just go online and post that amount to your account even if the current balance is zero).

But I did inquire about the type of credit check, and it was a soft check. So they allowed me to go that route over the phone. I was able to have the original deposit amount waived.

Easy peasy...kind of.

[RVThereYet]

Thanks for the tip on the soft credit check RV!

I called this morning to clarify how to make a payment (for anyone curious, yes, you can just go online and post that amount to your account even if the current balance is zero).

But I did inquire about the type of credit check, and it was a soft check. So they allowed me to go that route over the phone. I was able to have the original deposit amount waived.

Easy peasy...kind of.

Glad it worked out for you.

Always ask what kind of credit check you are agreeing to, as too many "hard" checks over a certain period of time will actually lower your credit score.

[Always Sunny]

Thanks for the tip on the soft credit check RV!

I called this morning to clarify how to make a payment (for anyone curious, yes, you can just go online and post that amount to your account even if the current balance is zero).

But I did inquire about the type of credit check, and it was a soft check. So they allowed me to go that route over the phone. I was able to have the original deposit amount waived.

Easy peasy...kind of.

Glad it worked out for you.

Always ask what kind of credit check you are agreeing to, as too many "hard" checks over a certain period of time will actually lower your credit score.

I didn’t think to ask originally because when I heard “credit check” after having had two back to back for a house and a car I was like “oh noooooooooo thank you”. No more credit checks for this girl. But this took about 15 seconds over the phone and she goes “you’re good, I’ll waive the deposit and you can tear up that letter”.