Complain about a product or service

Reliant Energy

Denise of Dallas TX (08/23/08)
I am a single parent who two years ago lost my job, my apartment and car due to illness. It took me 4 months to recover, then 2 months after that to get a new job. Needless to say, my already not so great credit got worst. I worked 19 months on my new job and was laid off due to a merger. I was in my own place again, in another car, new utility services from cable to electric. Paying deposits sometimes double, in order to re-establish service. Reliant asked for $250. Yet they will not allow me to have payment arrangements or extensions when I need it. Every month I call and ask.

I was laid off on May 30th, my bills from April-May were less than $100, June & July nearly $300. I've reduced washer and dryer use. Using ceiling fans and tower units in every room, avoiding the A.C. to see if that will make a difference in the bill. It's just too hot in our 2nd story apartment to NOT use the AC. Every month, I have to decide to pay my electric bill or my car payment. Because they're so inflexible in not allowing me a payment plan, when asked why just yesterday, they finally tell me because of my credit and tendency to pay late. I pay late because I don't have a choice.

I realize that electricity is a commodity and Reliant is a provider, I just think it's a travesty that when people need help, there is none. I was told yesterday to call a government agency. I actually tried two years ago before and before the agency could call me back and tell me they had no resources, my electricity was cut off. I don't think credit should be a factor with an essential such as electricity. It's too bad, but THEY will lose my patronage.

Their agents say Thank you, and we appreciate your business after they tell you they can't help you. It can't be true that they appreciate my business. They got my $250 deposit. I've paid, albeit late, I ask for help when I need it most. They say NO. There's something the matter with that.

Jeff of Lewisville TX (08/07/08)
In a four year period of time, Reliant's rates have increased well over 50%--as has the average alleged kilowatt per hour use. We compared our rates and useage for the past four years and found that we are paying double what we were paying just four years ago. Interestingly enough, last month we literally shut down the upstairs portion of our home. Closed all vents, closed up the rooms, turned off any and all appliances right down to clock radios. Set our thermostat up five degrees, did not use the oven for a complete month, cut our laundry in half by using a fluff/fold service, and prepare most of our meals on the propane grill on the deck.

IN SPITE of all that, our electric bill still jumped over 60%. Reliant can not explain nor did they try. Just a Well, sir, it was a very hot month. Bottom line, Reliant lies through their teeth about their money saving rates. We're shopping for a new provider.

Marisela of Katy TX (07/24/08)
My service was disconnected by Reliant Energy on 07/22/08. I called them and they informed me that I had not payed my bill. I went to my bank to get a copy of my check front and back and faxed it to them showing where my check had cleared. After I faxed to them I then called them and to make sure that they received the fax, What happened was that they posted my payment to the wrong account. Then they apologized and connected myh service on 07/23/08.

Ijust want to say that I had no where to go or no money to go to a hotel that night when arriving home. I had to sleep in a house with no electricity and was very hot. Not to mention that I am hypoglycemic. I also want to let you know that all of my food in the refridgerator spoiled. I had gone to the grocery store on Monday, and on Tuesday my service was disconnected.I have no food in my refridgerator as we speak for right now. I do not get paid until the end of the month. Right now my refridgerator is empty. I need to be compensated for this I spent a $100.00 in grocerys. What happened was not my fault.Please have someone do something for their mistake. Thank You,

Mark of Carrollton TX (11/06/07)
I was late on a payment, Reliant put in a disconnect order, I made a payment, they did not initiate the disconnect since I made the payment, they dropped me from the average billing program and billed me the balance on the average billing all at once. This was $500 added to my monthly bill. I could not afford that so I called TXU immediately and connected service so that we had no lapse in service. I now owe Reliant over $770 because of this activity on my account that will be reported to the creditors and degrade my credit dramatically for 7 years.

Tim of Houston TX (09/04/07)
When signing up for service with Reliant we go through all of the options and agree which is better then at the end of the phone call the customer service operator reads the contract back to me in the style of an auctioneer. I can't understand any of it but assume it's the usual stuff like company is not responsible if your limbs fall off....etc but I can't really tell. Is it legal for them to have a verbal contract like that read over the phone in that manner?

I don't know yet....I might have agreed to give them my first born child....

Kellye of Saginaw TX (03/06/07)
We received our electric bill from Reliant Energy on January 16, 2007. The billing period for this statement was from 12/11/06 1/12/07, in the amount of $4.87. Upon looking at the bill, we thought there might be a mistake because it showed that we were only charged for the Customer Charge, plus tax. We called Reliant on January 22nd to inquire about the bill and spoke with a customer service representative named Roxanne. She said it looked like our meter was broken because the account showed zero usage. Roxanne said since Reliant failed to check our meter upon connection on December 7, 2006, we were not at fault and therefore would not have to pay to have the meter fixed, and we would only owe the $4.87 for that months bill.

On February 14th, we received a bill for $46.75 for the billing period of 1/12/07 2/9/07. Then, on February 21st, we received a Corrected Invoice? for $100.57. This bill included the amount in our previous bill for $46.75, plus a charge for $52.72. The $52.72 amount was for the same billing period as the bill for $4.87, and included the Customer Charge of $4.80 plus tax that we paid in January. If our meter was broken and the bill for $4.87 was our first bill, how can Reliant calculate that we owe $52.72 and used 361 kWh that period, if they have no prior usage to go by? Also, why are we being charged after the fact, when we were told by Roxanne, a Reliant Energy Customer Service Representative, that we would not owe anything other than $4.87 for that month?

Pamela of Denison TX (10/28/06)
We switched to Reliant from TXU becuase they said they were cheaper. Once we got our first bill it had a $44.93 credit. When we got our second bill it was $1,174.32. I called reliant and asked why my bill was so high and they said because they made a mistake on the first one and corrected it. I then ask them how in the world could I have used so many kWh and they kept trying to say that I had a pool or a big garage, which I have neither.

Reliant says that the first month with them I used 4,512 kWh and the second month with them that I used 4,101 kWh. I have never came close to that with TXU and have my last 12 months of bills to prove it. But reliant said that there was nothing I could do to dispute it and that was all.

I have now switched back to TXU, but I feel that reliant is trying to pull a fast one on someone, and has very rude customer service.

Becky of North Richland Hills TX (09/11/06)
I called Reliant Energy to make payment arrangements (there is only ONE month on our bill). The representative I spoke with could not help me make arrangements. She transferred me to the Credit Department. The first time I called, I held for 20 minutes. The second time I called I held for ONE HOUR and 23 minutes. That was last Friday. I called again this weekend, but there is no one in their Credit Department on the week end. Today is Monday, and I have currently been on hold for over an hour. The recording tells me that they are cutting off our electricity tomorrow. So what is a customer supposed to do when they are unable to reach their provider?

Ouisa of Baytown TX (04/08/04)
I have been on the phone for the last two hours with several customer service people at Reliant. I called on behalf of my mother's account. Her situation is this - a little over a month ago, my mother moved into an apartment, #403, where she had service from Reliant. She received a bill, was informed by Reliant customer service that she should not have received the bill, and that she should not be receiving any service at her aparment because Reliant had no record of a meter at her address. She was then told by Reliant to disregard the bill, and the matter would be investigated.

Since then, she has moved into a different apartment, #707, in the same complex, and had requested her service be transferred.  She was told that there would be no transfer since there is no record of service at #403, so she would simply have new service at 707. My mother moved into 707 over a week ago and has had power in the aparment. The power was shut off today, and after calling to question why, Reliant informed her that the previous tenant had the power shut off, and that my mother would had to request a transfer.

Reliant also informed her that this transfer would not be completed until April 14, almost a week from today. It is absolutely unacceptable that my mother, sister, and three year old niece must go without electricity for almost a week because Reliant has made an error.

Elena of Houston TX (01/29/03)
I explained my reason for calling was because I received my last three invoices showing bank drafts for an old service address, where I have never lived and previously had call to cancel the transfer. I was told that it takes up to 45 days for investigation, and that I would receive notification of the result by mail. Sara assured me again, that I would receive my credit within five-business days. Well here I am a week later and my money still has not been credited. All I have left to say is that I am discusted by the service I have received by the Customer Service and Resolutions Department. I really dont know how a company like this can stay in business.

John of Tulsa OK (07/02/01)
Allow me to summarize the situation: 1. Moved into Apartment on June 27, 2000. 2. Received notice of cancellation from your firm some 10 months later. As of April, I had not received a bill. 3. I requested a detailed bill by month. This was received, and I paid the amount due for the period I lived in the building. I continued to get threatening letters. 4. I paid the amount due for the time I lived in the location. 5. Company continued to harass me for some $99.00 (original bill was for $700). 6. I moved out at the end of April. 7. Credit department lied to me about having spoken to the building management firm regarding my move in date, and insisted I pay the $99.00. 8. I faxed a copy of the lease to the credit department on June 25th.

Today, I received another notice, threatening to send me to collections and damage my credit. I would respectfully request you investigate this matter, and have your credit department perform their jobs properly by stopping this harassment, as the practices of your employees are not only illegal, but also unethical.

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