Complain about a product or service

Reliant Energy

Andrea of Spring, TX March 13, 2010

My electricity bill was paid in full (balance 0) as of 2/15/2010. Since December of 2009 I had paid a total of 799.39 to make sure our bill was totally current. In early March I received a bill for 4 and some change for my current Billing cycle. I knew something was wrong so I contacted Reliant Energy and asked for a technician to come take a look at the meter.

On March 12th I received a bill for 787.38! According to Reliant Energy, a Centerpoint Energy Technician changed our meter and "discovered" - i.e. guessed- that our meter had been slowly breaking for several months! So,according to the brilliant "customer care" representative, Reliant Energy/Centerpoint Energy decided to look back at our 2009 statements/energy usage and charge us the difference from what we had already paid for the past several months, compared to what they "think" we should have been charged.

This outrageous amount was then added to the new current due amount. (Even though nothing was wrong with the meter until we called because we were receiving regular bill amounts that were the same amounts that we were used to paying for electricity- 250-350/month) So, according to Reliant Energy, on this new "corrected invoice" we are now being charged an estimated usage amount based on last year's usage- even though we had already paid our bills in full. They actually told me they were doing me a favor because usually Reliant Energy would back track/retro a bill back to July = so we were lucky they were only back tracking this account to November 2009!

To add insult to injury the Reliant Energy representative advised me that our account was not eligible for a deferred payment plan because our meter was tagged a "meter that had been tampered with" - and they do not do any special payment arrangements with accounts who have "tampering issues". I have no idea where this statement came from other than one last attempt to get off the phone. This representative was very anxious to get off the phone and had very little to say with the exception "is there anything else I can do for you? Have a great evening" stuff. This is totally unfair- and too controlled by Reliant/centerpoint. This is a good example of a monopoly. This has to stop!

Mike of Dallas, TX March 8, 2010

My one bedroom apartment (that I set the t-stat to low 60's daily) bill jumped from 60.00 to 122.00. Now I turn the thermostat to OFF! It takes only a few minutes to get such a small area comfortable. The only other electrical usage daily is an alarm clock/radio--I'll start unplugging it.

June of Belton, TX March 5, 2010

My consumption charges have increased drastically. The kWh usage tripled for 01/08/10 from the 03/06/09 reading. From 03/06/09 through 11/04/09 the monthly usage averaged 1352.4 kWh then for 01/08/10 and 02/08/10 3374. Now, during that time I have 4 rooms cut off from heat,all windows securely sealed, all light bulbs have been 40w compact fluorescent, 7 ft. ceilings, all duct work was sealed and inspected by a company referred by my electric company at the time, the house has been insulated and wrapped with tyvek before new siding was installed. My thermostat is setting on 65 degrees for the winter and I keep all small appliances, t.v., etc. unplugged when not in use.

I do keep a refrigerator, small freezer and a water heater on all the time, even when I had the lowest bills for electricity. Furthermore, the months the average was 1352.4 there were several family members living at my house taking no less than 5 daily baths, cooking 5 times more food and staying 5 times cooler or warmer than the last two months when I was the only person using any energy and that was when I was not working or out up to 12 hours a day every day of the week.

There have been more than enough times when there are ridiculous fluctuations in the energy usage and I have called more than enough times and asked that the meter be checked. I was never charged for having a correct reading so I can only suppose that no one came out. I even tried your plan Secure - 12 with 20% wind to save money. The kWh charges went from 15 down to less than 13 for one month. Then came the Smart meter! I have done everything recommended and have gotten nothing but higher bills and rude, lousy, irresponsible service.

I tried the Secure - 12 with 20% Wind plan and my charges went up so high I felt that may be the cause so I opted out and was rewarded with a 150.00 bill for early cancellation fee. If a service does not deliver a promised result then why should a person be required to pay? One of the times I asked for a meter reread I took off work for two days. (I was told it may take two days for a person to come out)And I wanted to make sure everything was as Reliant said it would be but no one came to look at my meter.

So now on top of being overcharged I am out two days of pay. My experience trying to communicate with a service representative was trying to make out what someone in Matamoros, Mexico was saying to me in english as their second language. The most recent recommendation from the service representative was (I shood turn de termostate up igher)and that was really the last I could take because after all that I have done and then being treated like this sent me into a whirlwind of distress causing ill health and hopelessness. I am so cold from trying to prevent you people from taking more from me than what you should be legally entitled to that I have had pneumonia twice this winter.

Remember when the power and light was deregulated? Reliant started up and advertised 50 to change over and reduced rates? Most people were not interested and started getting huge charges from Oncor usage readings so they eventually changed thinking TXU was overcharging. I got caught up in that too. Shame on [them]. Now I have even been so upset I have wasted more of my precious time sitting here venting. I can't even think of anything horrible enough to rename Reliant and Oncor Energy Cos.

william of temple, TX February 27, 2010

I am out of country to the middle east and have been since july 2009. I have had a 150.00 electric bill till about a month ago. My most recent last 2 bills are now averaging 800.00 each. I have called Reliant several times in the middle of the night because i am 9 hours differnence here. To explain no one lives there and nothing is left on because my brother drives out to my house 4 times a month to check on it. They said that is not there problem and i was told by 2 managment that the meter's do not lie. I was then told to have some one go to the house and read the meter to them and they will look then to see if there is a problem. My brother then did just that and called while on the property and read the meter to them.

They said well to them it does'nt matter what the meter say's another company is responsable for the reading issues and there is nothing they can do for me. And i need to just pay. Now they have put in a claim with the company that handles the meter but they said that does not concern them that i will still have to pay the bill's untill some one get's time from encore co. to reread the meter again.I now know after reading into this, a little more.They put in new digital meters exactly 2 months ago and are in court as we speak in the neighboring city of killeen,TX.For the exact same issues. Is this what this all comes to now.

evelyn of houston, TX February 23, 2010

My light bill with Reliant went up from 300 approximately to 1300.oo for the month. I contacted Reiant and they told me that the box had been changed out. Wel I had someone that lived in my complex to check the box and it showed ERR. I contacted Reliant and they stated that they would go back and read the original meter and make corrections. Well i received a call from TRINI with Reliant and she advised they read the meter correctly and changed out the meter. I live alone work during the day and live in a townhouse with less than 1900 square feet. Although I kept explaining that something was wrong the supervisor with Reliant advised me that I need to make arrangements to pay the 1300.00 Reliant is a rip off and if you ask them to reread the meter they will always say that it is correct. What can be cone with RELIANT

Michelle of Killeen, TX February 5, 2010

My husband and I just bought a new home on November 30, 2009, we chose Reliant Engery for our electric company. On January 20, 2010 we recieved our first electric bill of 370.00, I knew immediately something had to be wrong since we were gone for 15 days with nothing left on. We are new to this area, so I had no idea what the average electric bill ran; since then I have talked to several neighbors and have learned that they recieved 800.00-900.00 bills. I called Reliant which issused a meter test and learned that the meter on my new home was last tested in 1990, I felt some relief knowing that the meter was old and that there was a possilbilty that there was something wrong with it.

The company Onocr stated they had ten days to come and test the meter, in the mean time I had a electrican come out to make sure everything was okay in my home, everything was running how it should be. On January 26, 2010 Oncor shows up at the house to change out the old meter to the new digital meter, I stressed to the gentlemen that the old meter was suppose to be tested and I was disputing a bill, he stated that he knew nothing about it and changed it out anyway. I called Onocr right away and talked to a supervisor, she stated that there was nothing they could do now that the old meter was off the house. I was held responible for the bill and I'm terrified that our next month's bill will be double or trippled the amount? Is there anything we can do?

Fred of Dallas, TX February 3, 2010

I cancelled Reliant Energy service because in my view their kwh charges were outrageous compared to all others. When I received my final bill they imposed an equally outrageous cancellation charge which I could not substantiate. I contacted Reliant on numerous occasions requesting support for the charge. Each time they promised to send me the information. Each time they sent me a generic package welcoming me to Reliant. Finally they just threatened collections if I didn't pay. I paid, what choice did I have. This is a totally dishonest and un-ethical operation. Unless you want the same treatment, stay away from Reliant. There are many other honest power supply companies available. Anybody can contact me at any time for further info.

Rachel of Pearland, TX January 21, 2010

Reliant Energy is a RIP OFF! I have disputed three different bills on three separate occasions and have never received a letter or email stating they looked into the matter or resolved it. This last time, I moved about a month ago, but never had Reliant shut off my electricity because I had some furniture I was selling. I did however turn off the AC/Heat and all the lights. The only thing running was my refrigerator.

I visited the apartment maybe 3 times since I moved. I received my bill today and my energy usage doubled from months prior! How is that possible! I was not in the apartment. I called Reliant and a guy named Kenneth gave me the dumbest excuses I have ever heard in my entire life! He proceeded to argue with me about my usage (or the lack thereof).

I was going to complain to Reliant, but apparently that will do no good! Reliant has the most incompetent people working for them. I have paid out the nose for the last year and they swear up and down my bills are correct. There is absolutely no way! Everyone in the great state of Texas DO NOT USE RELIANT!

I am a single parent and I am gone about 12 hours out of the day for work and commuting. I would sometimes shut my air off in the summer just to keep my bill under 300. During July and August even that did not work.

Reliant would just shrug my complaints off and not follow up with what they said they would do. I have had to sell house hold items during the periods when I would receive an unusually (and unexpectedly) high energy bill from Reliant.

Julie of Houston, TX December 8, 2009

I was having due to hurricane Ike. They are charging me for energy they say I used over a three month period because they say they did not read the meter due to repairs that had to be done after the hurricane. I received a bill that was almost 1600.00 in January I have tried to talk to them and to Center Point. Reliant has set me up on payment plans that still puts my bills at or over 500.00 a month I was told if I was late on the payments it would be considered defaulting and I would have to pay the entire amount owed.

I have lost power over this I have tried to figure out why center point changed my meter out after it being tested twice I was told there was nothing wrong with the meter. But it was changed out and I was aware of this until a lady from reliant told me. She has tried to contact center point and they will not return her calls either.

They refuse to talk to me and send me to Reliant who actually only does the billing for Center Point at least that is what I told. I was late on my last bill and now of today they are probably going to cut my power off. It is cold outside I have animals and a daughter talking to them does no good the expect full payment today of 1500.00 I do not have that much money actually I have just changed jobs and my paychecks are 527.00 a week so after paying the light bill I normally have nothing left to take care of my family

I have tried to get them to understand I am a single mother who struggles like everyone else. This problem has caused me to become very stressed out and have anxiety attacks not knowing if my daughter will have power from one day to another. I have a statement showing confirmation numbers since Feb 23, 2009 I have paid reliant/center point 2199.10 for a house that is not even 1,000 sq ft.

I have struggled with this for a long time and I can't get anybody to help me with some thing I had not control over. I have asked several of my neighbors if this was a problem they had also and they all said they did not get a bill even close to what I did. Please I need help it is Christmas and not to mention cold outside. To cold to go without power I can be reached at the number below feel free to call me.

DLFRAZER of Baytown, TX October 28, 2009

I have been a customer of Reliant Energy for the last quarter of a century, the last 15 years at the same address. Since September of 2008, after Hurricane Ike, this company has been gouging its customers. The energy cost have sky rocketed to an outrageous monthly amount and I have never paid these amounts for electrical service prior to center point energy's buyout. I have documentation to support this and have repeatedly complained about outrageously estimated charges and have been met with complacency and a attitude that the charges are right.

I continue to dispute these charges but at every turn my disputes have fallen on deaf ears. They charged over 1000.00 dollars for service I did not even have during September and October of 2008 while electricity was out due to Hurricane Ike and I was forced to pay these charges or have my service disrupted even further after being out a month due to the Hurricane.

I can not change providers until January 2010 or be hit with additional outrageous charges I cannot afford to pay. I will be changing soon but now I am being sent disconnect notices for amounts that are not even 30 days past due. They also charge late fees on amounts that are not over 30 days past due and could care less if their business practices causes any financial difficulty for their customers. I have always paid my bills on time and am devastated that this has ruined my credit as well as hit my family with additional hardships due to these immoral if not illegal business practices.

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