Defenders top complaints of 2013

SAN ANTONIO – The KSAT 12 Defenders get hundreds of emails and calls about problems each year, and by far the top complaint Brian Mylar investigated in 2013 was about CPS Energy bills.
In January, Stephanie Fiebrink complained of getting a large bill for a small apartment.
"This month I got my bill and it was $156," Fiebrink said.
It turns out instead of reading electric and gas meters, the utility was estimating a significant number of customers' bills.
CPS Energy also made a point to underestimate the bills, meaning that when the meters were actually read, the next bill for customers was a whopper.
The problem continued to where some people like Veronica Agostadero got no bills and then multiple bills.
"It's never happened to me before, so I'm surprised," Agostadero said.
CPS Energy Spokeswoman Lisa Lewis said the utility has now hired more meter readers and is installing digital meters.
"It allows the meter reader to drive through and gather quickly as opposed to having to hand enter every single number," Lewis said.
Complaints about stray dogs, Animal Care Service's handling of animals and specifically the holding pens at Brooks Air Force Base were also top concerns in 2013.
Animal Advocate Tracy Voss called the Brooks facility a dead end for pets.
"If you are an adoptable dog and you end up over there, your chances of getting adopted are not good," Voss said.
The city has now opened a new adoption facility near the San Antonio Zoo and the Brooks facility now has only limited use.
2013 also saw lots of property complaints.
Ray Rivers lived next door to an abandoned, burned out mobile home in the county.
"It's a year later and it's still here," Rivers said.
In San Antonio, there were apartment complexes in need of serious repairs.
Jesse Soliz lived in an apartment with a hole in the ceiling.
"One night I was just sleeping and it just fell in out of nowhere, just fell in," Soliz said.
Bexar County Engineer Renee Green said the mobile home was eventually hauled away.
"Once you contacted us we went out there that day," Green said.
The apartment complexes have new owners that are cleaning up.
With all the complaints and problems reported to the Defenders in 2013, there was significant progress and some solutions as well.