Small Claims Guide Class Actions Lemon Laws FAQ Newsletters
|
|
NEWS
RECALLS
COMPLAINT FORM
SCAM ALERTS
RESOURCES
Small Claims Guide Class Actions Lemon Laws FAQ Newsletters |
|
| Automotive Education Employment Electronics Family Finance Health Homeowners Insurance Pets Shopping Travel |
 Print This  Email This
|
|
HOUSE & HOME
Appliances |
Cookware |
Furniture |
Lawn & Garden |
Moving |
Pools, Spas |
Realtors |
Utilities
|
CenterPoint EnergyHouston, TX |
|||||||||||
|
Christiana of Katy, TX February 1, 2010 For years Center Point Energy has held a monopoly in Natural Gas. Center Point Energy is also a known providor for electricity. It is their bad practices that has lead to this blog post and I would like to share my story. I live alone with my 17 month old son and I have had Center Point Energy Natural Gas Service for a year not because I like them as I have had a terrible experience with them in the past with electricity. My first encounter with Center Point Energy happened in 2006 with Electrical Service. I just moved to Houston, TX and requested new service at my address. My service was transferred into my name and I received a bill for 310 in the mail it was a request for a deposit. It also stated that the deposit could be waived if I sent them a letter of credit from a previous utility company. Well since my utilities at my old address in Louisiana were always paid on time I contacted my old company LUS and asked that a letter of credit be faxed along with my account number to Center Point Energy. I also asked that a copy be faxed to me at my office. When I received my copy I faxed it again and I mailed it. I called Center Point Energy to see if it was received but all of the customer service representatives said they do not have access to the fax machine and that when it is received it would be noted in the system so I went ahead and faxed it two more times to be sure. Easter weekend is coming close and my family decided they would come visit. So I went out and bought 273 worth of groceries. Which were all later spoiled because when I returned home from work on the Thursday before Easter Friday I had no power. Not once did Center Point send a disconnection notice. I called Center Points office and was told that because my letter of credit was not received they disconnected the service. I asked why they could not call to notify me that they "so called did not receive it". The representative told me that they do not send disconnect notices for new accounts when the disconnect is occurring as a result of a deposit that is not received or waived by a letter of credit and the only notice sent is when you recieve the deposit invoice in the mail. This really upset me as I called several times to check if it had been received and I faxed it numerous times, my old utility company also faxed it, and I mailed it. So after seriously yelling at the customer services representatives and speaking with a manager they were able to find my fax but it was never entered into the system. Of course they appologized and when I aksed when would my services be restored they said that first my letter of credit would need to be approved and that can take 3 -5 businessdays and then they would reschedule my service to be connected and that could take up to an additional 5 days. I was then forced to switch to TXU energy who had the service on by that Monday and did not ask me for a 310 deposit. So when I moved to my new home in 2008 it turns out that Center Point is the only providor of Natural Gas Service I unfortunately had no choice to use their service. I signed up and was never asked for a deposit. For 12 consecutive months I had never been late or been disconnected. Recently, I was out of town for a period of 3 weeks so unlucky for me my bill came while I was away and when I returned on Monday January 25, 2010 I checked my mail saw the bill and went online to pay it while I was at work. The past due amount was 49.86. But unfortunately for me Center Point Energy already scheduled a disconnection for that same day. I returned home to find my gas services disconnected. The next day on Tuesday January 26, 2010 I called Center Point Energy to find out when my services would be restored and the representative told me I would have to do the following things before my service could be restored: 1) Pay my upcoming bill that would be due on January 28, 2010 in the amount of 124.00 (Keep in mind that it is the 26th and this bill is not even due until the 28th), 2) Pay the 20.87 Disconnection Fee, 3) Pay a 62.00 Reconnection Fee, 4) Pay a 150.00 Deposit. Now considering the 49.86 I already paid that was past due plus all the current fees they are asking for Center Point Energy would like for me to pay a total amount of 406.73 to restore my service. Now if they were just asking me to pay the new bill and a sensible reconnection fee I could probably have dealt with that. But I think that the disconnection fee is ludacris, the reconnection fee is a rip off, and the deposit is just cruel. Especially, since I asked if the reconnection fee, disconnection fee, and deposit could be paid in installments since im already a customer and wasnt late before but they still said no. It all has to be paid before they can do anything. I complained but it did nothing even the fact that I had paid ontime for the entire year that I was with them meant nothing. I told them that I have a 17 month old son but they still insisted that all these fees be paid and I call them back when I have it. So even more unlucky for myself and my son we have had no hot water, heater, and I am unable to even cook. The part that is most painful is the fact that for the past five days the temperature has been in the 30s and 40s. I totally understand the fact that Center Point Turned off the gas because they want their money and i didnt pay it on their schedule. But knowing that the weather is extremely cold and making it damn near impossible for one to restore their service is the problem that I have. I am a single mother and maintain my home and take care of my child with a single salary which isnt much might I add. I have always paid my bill with Center Point Energy and had this one unlucky point in time where I forgot to pay it on time and now I can't get service because I don't have an additional 406.73 sitting around the house. It is obvious that Center Point Energy treats its customers this way and feels its okay to leave them in the cold because they feel that we need them and will have no choice but to find the money to pay them there ridiculous fees. The sad part is that many of us can not pay their senseless fees and sit with out service for months on end. I don't see my service being turned on anytime soon. It will take me two paychecks to be able to pull the deposit, another paycheck for the reconnection fee, and possibly another two pay checks to cover the disconnection fee and my new bill. The government needs to force Center Point Energy to allow other companies to service Natural Gas just as they have done with Electricity. I know that all the electricity providers do go through center point at the end of the day but they usually are alot easier to deal with. sabaz of houston texas, TX January 23, 2010 here is my complaint, i am not to good in typing but i will try my best to explain it. i would really like to talk to attorney at law in person. this is comlaint about electric city provider Center Point Energy, i am resident of houston and also good humen and good citizen, and i also have same need as every one have and electric city is part of life, in that part i found lot of cheeting in Center point Energy, i know it some thing is wrong is not correct but was not sure and now i am 100% sure and have proof of it here is small story about it. i lives in small 2 bedroon house, many time i got very very hight electric bill from my agency and i also change so many time one to another i tought may be the agecy is high but that was not the problem. last year in the ike i lost me 220 contection and my heater, AC, hot water and stove was not working. i call the center point they send me a worker/ he told me u have problem with u 220 which is between transformer and meter and that is underground. that cost u at least 3500 dollors to do that. i got shok and i say i don;t have that much money and no even job in these days. he left and send me 40 dollors extra charge in bill and i still don;t have any 220 coming in my home and still no hot water no stove no heat not AC, and last month i got 954 some cent bill from my agency (just energy) first time when i saw the bill i was shok and dazy. i sit in car start driving and i hit the curve, bust my tire/ cam home and tought before i didn;t have 220 and 110 will gone too coz i can pay this much bill. then i tought why i am geting that high bill, could sleep all night and next dy i call just Energy and ask them what is this. why is so high bill. they we have nothing to do with that but that really don;t make any sience. its way high bill. contect certer point Energy. i explain to them about my bill. first they say i don;t know. what ever the reading is we send that to your agency. then they say ok we will send some one to read meter. i told them the meter is new/ you guys change the meter/ also before according to you guys meter is slow not making enough of money, then what happend now/ any way they send worker and took reading of it the worker say they don;t come to read the meter/ they just measure and go, he say reading is not right, any way long story. i am waiting for another bill, but here i would like to request for any kind attorney to consider my this mater. i am in ver bad satuation, please help its not just me there any more people that suffring from these kind of satuation, hope to be conceder this. (God bless u) Hilary of Apple Valley, MN January 20, 2010 Was sold an energy efficient furnace and a/c and was told I would be given a 1500.00 tax credit on my 2009 taxes, regardless of my tax situation. I was told my expected refund would be 1500.00 larger due to this tax credit. Upon completing my 2009 taxes, I discovered that I am NOT eligible for the tax credit because I do not have a tax liability after all of my deductions and expenses. This is NOT what I was told by the CE sales rep. He even included a subtraction of 1500.00 in his illustration of what the final cost of the equipment would be for me. I want my 1500.00 back from Centerpoint Energy!!!! Diana of Conway, AR October 19, 2009 my gas has been turned off for serveral months. On 7/Oct/09 i paid the bill which was 357.95. On 14/Oct/95, i calledd to find out when my service would be restored and was informed that i needed another 50 for a deposit. at which time i paid that. I was told to contact Ms. Thompson, which i did and was told by her that because of my association with someone that owes them money, i would not be able to get service until their bill was paid. The person in question is my son who has lived here in Arkansas a few years before i moved out here. I had to fax her a copy of my lease and my electric bill and was still denied service. KOSTA of Katy, TX October 13, 2009 Have two properties, my residence and rental property. Gas company, named above, established very strange policy toward us consumers. First of all, there is some fees named Customer charge (looking like kind of reap of established long time ago, if you want gas in your house you have to pay monthly fee). Looking like then established way to earn extra money. For my residency is 10.50, For rental property is 13.65. asked so many times for the last year, to be called from someone who knows about this difference nobody ever tried to do so, but customer service people do not know answer on it. Second: When price of the gasoline, year ago or so, was 4.00+ they established Cost Adjustment Fee. Gasoline price is not anymore that much but adjustment staying as is. For my residency is: 0.89187 per CCF. For rental property is 0.83250 per CCF. Why nobody knows from customer service people but again no ANSWER FROM SOMEBADY WHO KNOWS! Gas cost is also different? For my residency is: 0.89187 per CCF. For rental property is 0.83250 per CCF. the same, no body knows, but there is no one either to answer on those questions. If you ask them where is they office to find somebody to talk and complain, there is no answer either. In total gas cost difference is: For my residency is: 0.93787 per CCF. For rental property is 0.9049 per CCF. Why, again the same answer actually no answer! They do have monopoly for so long and they use and abuse us customer on every possible way. This is like very well know case of Houston based ENRON and we all know how that finished. Do I need to say impact a specially in this difficult times of our economy. I do believe that Consumer affairs is very well known as fighter for us consumers and certainly with big influence on media and politicians. What we can do to established deregulation on gas industry too? Candida of Comanche, OK October 9, 2008 I have 5 children the youngest is 7 months old. It is such a hassle making a payment to Centerpoint, I usually put it off. Since I don't deal with mailing checks, I use my credit card over the phone. First I have to call Centerpoint (on the phone for about 10-15 minutes)just to get the phone number to call for Bill Matrix to make my payment (another 5-10 minutes) plus they charge a 2.95 charge for electronic checks or plastic. THEN I have to call Centerpoint AGAIN (Another 10-15 minutes of phone time) to give them the confirmation code. Well, my gas was cut off yesterday evening, no knocker...nothing. So I had called Centerpoint, the electronic voice said 61.08 plus 20.00 reconnect fee. But being that I wanted to speak to a person, I had to call back. I finally got through to a person and was told 157.00 and that our service wouldn't be reconnected until Tuesday. Today is Thursday!!! 5 kids, 2 adults, no hot water for 6 freaking days!?!?!?!?! The guy, can't remember his name said there was no way they could make it out here until Tuesday. Grumbling, I got off the phone called and made the 157.00 payment, plus an additional 2.95 Bill matrix payment fee. I called Centerpoint energy back with the confirmation code and still pretty ticked off that my service wouldn't be reconnected until Tuesday. Then by the lady I was speaking to with the receipt number, she tells me that I can pay an additional 35.00 OVERTIME fee for them to reconnect today. But through Bill Matrix of course. They have to have that additional 2.95 ya know! But I had to do what I had to do for my babies!!! So I called, made the payment to Bill Matrix and then called Centerpoint back. They couldn't give me a time of when someone would be here, but someone has to be here! Good thing I have no life outside my house... ya right! DON'T THESE PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO WORK TOO!?!?!?! They charge you an arm and a leg for everything. My bill was only 94.40 (Summertime, no heat, just hot water) and it totalled 157.00 for a reconnect fee, So it was 94.40 (gas) + 62.60 (reconnect fee) + 2.95 (pay it fee) + 35.00 (OVERTIME fee) + 2.95 (another pay it fee). Did I mention that I can't go and make the payment at the actual company, because there isn't a Centerpoint energy or place to make a payment anywhere near. The closest one is in Lawton, Oklahoma which is about 50 miles away!!!!! This just seem illegal to me and they are getting away with it. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they started charging us to mail our bills to us!!! I know they charge us a stamp to mail our paper checks to them!!!!!!! I'm so livid over this that I am thinking about calling my attorney to see if something or anything can be done! Gas prices are high enough!!! GRRRRRR.... Vanny of Rosharon, TX March 21, 2008 My meter pole fell on 3/17/08 due to severe weather. I live out in the country so I had to repair the pole myself. I called in 3/19/08 to Reliant Energy so that someone could turn my electricity back on because Centerpoint came out and turned it off when the pole fell. I have talked to several people at least ten times a day for someone to come out and turn my electricity back on. Something that should only be a 4 hour turnaround has to turned into 2 days! That means 4 days without electricity or water!!! Can you imagine that? How can these company have no compassion for families that live out in the country with no light or water and Centerpoint is the electric service in my area so there's absolutely no one I can complain to! I think that this is absurd to treat paying consumers like this. Not one person has apologized to my family and no one even cares that we have no electricity for 4 days!!!! I don't know who else to complain to, please get this to someone with authority in Centerpoint so that they know how their company is effecting people's lives. Daryl of Andover, MN January 10, 2008 We are a family on limited income. Filed on October 1st with Anoka County Community Action Program for energy assistance. We were told with our income we qualified for the program. Our work hours vary from week to week. Total income for 2007 of 18,000. I had not heard anything from Anoka County by November 1st, so I called and was told there was a letter being sent out needing further information. I received this letter the end of November. The letter was because I had turned in income for 2 companies where I did a one time job to help them out of a bind. They wanted any more income I had from these companies. I faxed them back on 12/3/2007 saying there was no more income from these companies. I received a letter fron Anoka on 1/7/2008 saying I was denied because they never received the information they requested. I talked to Anoka on 1/10/2008 and was told their fax was not working for a few days during that time. In the mean time I can't commit to a certain payment plan without knowing from week to week what my income is going to be, therefore my gas was disconnected today. I told Centerpoint I have a 19 month baby in our house right now as my daughter is out of town for work this week, and we have him every weekend, and will have him the full last week in January also, and the customer service person told me there was nothing they could do for me. She said we qualify for the cold weather rule and they would send us out forms to fill out for the 10 percent plan. In the mean time what do we do with no heat and a baby in the house? Will we have problems with pipes feaazing? We are going to contact the Attorney general's office tomorrow and see if they can help at all. Paul of Cushing, OK September 24, 2007 I moved out of one address and 6 months later, with calls and e-mails every month, they still have not refunded my deposit. Veronique of Houston, TX September 4, 2007 Explanation of the facts On 09/04/2007, I found a representative from Centerpoint energy in my driveway who informed me that he was here to disconnect my gas service. The bill was being sent to another one of my properties on the other side of my country and I never realized that it was missing when the mail stopped being forwarded. To this date, I have yet to have a single call or a Voice Mail from Centerpoint to the phone number listed on my account to inform me that my service was about to be disconnected. Their answer to this issue was: well, our automated system calls customers but we don't leave a message or bother checking if the calls ever reached you... Seems to me like the system's only designed to deal with intentionally deliquent customers and not to resolve billing issues as is the case here. The reason I am contacting you to place an official complaint is twofold: 1. Monopoly practices (failure to reach a customer to try and resolve issues): Not leaving a phone message (while disconnect notices are being sent to an incorrect address) does not give a deliquent customer a way to know there is an issue with their account and to resolve it. My uncheckered payment history should have been a good reason to suspect there was an issue somewhere... but when you are the only company around, you don't have to deal with customers the way others do, I guess! 2. Racketeering (They want to charge me 70 dollars to turn the gas valve back on). This simply ridiculous!!! Mind you that I owe them a measly 98 and that until 04/07, I made regular payments. PS: At this point in time, I believe the only gas powered appliance in my house is the water heater, which I will be replacing with an electric one so I no longer have to use the ONLY gas providing utility company. I also want to make sure that you are aware f what appears to be monopolistic abuse from Centerpoint energy. This is soooo ridiculous and could have been avoided had the company bothered to have a live employee call me on the number they had on record, which seems like proper business practice. Please be so kind and let me know what my recourse is against the big bad wolf! Advertisement
| ||||||||||
