About Green Mountain Energy
This profile has not been claimed by the company. See reviews below to learn more or submit your own review.
Overall Satisfaction Rating
- 5 stars
- 4 stars
- 3 stars
- 2 stars
- 1 stars
Green Mountain Energy Reviews
Any
- Any
![Rated with 5 stars]()
![Rated with 4 stars]()
![Rated with 3 stars]()
![Rated with 2 stars]()
![Rated with 1 star]()
A link has directed you to this review. Its location on this page may change next time you visit.
I was a customer of Green Mountain for about 3 years, starting from the time I purchased my house and got service. When I started, my per kWh rate was about $0.01 or so lower than the area's primary energy provider. I wasn't lied to, but something you should understand if you live in a deregulated power market is that when you are asked if you want to use an alternative energy provider the operators you speak to are carefully restricted as to how they can respond to questions. In some sense this makes sense, because otherwise you could have operators that work for the primary supplier bad mouthing other options, which wouldn't be fair. That said, it also means they can't supply some important information about options they present to you, which is how I got taken advantage of by Green Mountain.
When I was presented the option, I knew enough to ask if the price was a "teaser" rate, meaning that the true price was higher than what I would start at. I was told no, that what I was being offered was the regular rate. Here's the sneaky part though. When they say it's the regular rate, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's the rate they charge every customer, it only means the price won't increase during your contractual period, typically a year. So what happened to me is that almost immediately after my first year the company began scamming me.
That's a hard accusation, so here's what I mean by it: when they are defending themselves, companies like Green Mountain will tell you that after your contract period expires, prices may "fluctuate" with the market. Most people hear fluctuate and think 'up and down', but that doesn't actually have to be true for them to use the word. After my initial year, Green Mountain began raising rates by about $0.03 per kWh every six to eight months. Always an increase, and always by about the same amount. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what their strategy was. They know many, and I would argue most, people don't scrutinize every bill. We get a lot of bills every month, and getting into the weeds on each and every one of them would be draining and time consuming, so we scan our bills to see if they look 'about right'.
Green Mountain is taking advantage of that aspect of human nature to slowly scam you out of hundreds or thousands of dollars. Their hope is clearly that by increasing in small increments over quasi-random time periods that they can sneak the increases past your monthly bill scan, like the proverbial frog in the pot of water. They want to boil you, but they know full well that if they try to do it all at once you'll drop them like a scalding hot pot handle, so instead they just make little changes designed to slip under your notice.
Unfortunately this strategy is not unique; you see it in a wide swath of monthly services these days, particularly if you are older because companies know that older customers are less likely to carefully scrutinize bills. My mother, for example, has her Internet and cable TV bill increase almost every three to six months unless I call and threaten to switch services to keep her bill from increasing. And I have had to tell her to hang up on calls from her providers after a negotiation because I found that after I negotiated a new price the company would call within a month and try to confuse her with some offer that nullified the regular service rate.
It's a disgusting but popular strategy in any market that isn't regulated. In my case, my Green Mountain electrical charges increased four times over two years from just below parity with the local energy provider to just slightly more than double, and I have zero doubt they would have continued that trend for as long as they could. While I admit it wasn't illegal, I would argue that their behavior was very intentionally deceitful and opportunistic, which meets my definition of a scammer. That said, you will often see defenses of companies like Green Mountain, whether real or fake I couldn't guess, that fall into one of the following:
1. "Sure they regularly increase prices, but it's on you as the consumer to keep track of that and if you call them they'll reset the rate and contractual time period." Boiled down this argument is 'It's all your fault if you get taken advantage of because I found a way to not get taken advantage of'. This is a facile and callous argument that assumes that because you have the time, energy, and mental wherewithal to find the loopholes that everyone else should as well. By this argument, if I have never paid income tax because I studied tax law and found obscure ways to avoid paying my share, the system is still completely fair even if you end up having to pay more because me, and people like me, found ways out of paying our share. Some people would actually agree with that logic, but it strikes me as the kind of thing people say until they find themselves hurt by being on the wrong side of the equation.
2. "I don't mind paying more if it helps the environment." Neither do I, within reason, but that isn't what's happening here. If the price increases were just to cover the gap between industry standard and green power generation costs, there would be a regular or average price that might fluctuate slightly but would otherwise be relatively stable. That isn't what's happening here. This is a systematic attempt to keep increasing prices and gouge as much as they can from customers without alerting them to what's going on, while trying to hide that reality behind a camouflage of 'going green'. Somewhere some elderly people are getting charged triple or quadruple standard costs because they don't have the capacity to catch on to what Green Mountain is doing to them, and I find that reality repugnant.
3. "Maybe they are gouging a little, but they are pushing forward the transition from fossil fuel to green energy." No, they absolutely are not. Beyond some token programs, the extra money they make isn't used to further the transition of our power grid, it's used to make investors wealthy by using tactics that we would otherwise complain about but might give a pass to here because of our emotional connection to the concept of "green energy". Making a profit is not a sin, but how you make it is important no matter how noble sounding the rationale.
Anyway, that's my complaint about Green Mountain. I think that they use highly deceptive and opportunistic business practices designed to make them appear like a noble option when they are really just taking advantage of people's desire to do something good. I'd strongly recommend avoiding becoming a customer of this company.
Green Mountian Energy company took 2 payments out of my bank account. I called them 1 business day after to get my money back. I have called EVERYDAY and have talked to an "account supervisor" EVERY TIME. They "ESCALATE" the issue.. I have called EVERYDAY FOR 2 WEEKS STRAIGHT. This starts my 3rd week of trying to get my money green mountain STOLE from me. I wanted to go green for the environment but their customer service has shown me I need to find a new company.
When they took the 2nd UNAUTHORIZED PAYMENT FROM MY ACCOUNT they caused me a week of negative money in my account; which I got penalized for. I started this June 30th and it's is now July 14th and I am still trying to get my $138 back and get compensation for the other bills that are now late because of Green Mountain. I was told that the account supervisors boss would call me july 13th but again was lied to. I used to sell this service door to door in the hot Texas heat.. But no more am I a supporter.
This company has horrible sales methods!!! He basically told my husband we were required to give him our electric bill, that he works with the township and several nearby areas. I was supposed to have received a letter requiring me to show them my energy bills for proof of overpayment. My husband KNEW that I wouldn't be interested and yet he insisted! My husband told him I wasn't well, that I was in bed, but he said he had to see my bills, it was "required". I finally heard enough and went out there and asked him what service he was selling, electric, solar or gas, he lied, said neither. Then he told me he has to see my bills to show me "proof". I said no that I wasn't well and needed to rest and this wasn't a good time, he said, "Good then I'll be quick." "No no no," I finally lost my cool and told him I wasn't continuing the conversation with him and he said, "Well then, no worries, we'll be back."
Such a disturbing incident, I've never in my life seen such strong arm tactics to get customers! This borders on extreme and desperate tactics to keep their pockets fattened with all the money they're duping people out of by forcing them into joining. Sickened by this company. I will file a complaint the next time they come to my door!
I moved out of my apartment on December 4th, having paid up through the end of November. Accordingly, I asked this company to send me a break down of the actual charges for the last 4 days, and I will pay it. They ignored me twice, then finally mailed me a bill for 2 months claiming it was due the day before I had even received it in the mail. I would never do business with these folks. Avoid them and choose someone else - you'll be much happier!
I wish there was something like "zero" stars. I would give that to Green Mountain Energy. Beware of this business and do not get their service at any cost. I had a single bedroom apartment, I used to travel for work so I wasn't home Mon to Thu yet my bill was $200 a month. Then I called and inquired after 4-5 months and they changed my plan and brought it down to $100 a month which also I thought on the high side. But the best was yet to come...I bought a house in Aug and moved out. However, I kept my apartment lease until the end date of Oct as it was cheaper to keep the lease and run out its due course than cancel it. So Aug to Oct I did not live in the apartment at all - and guess what my bill was??? $125 a month! I called them and they had no explanation. Do not sign up for them at all.
I've lived in my current house for 10 years and have used Green Mountain for 10 years. We live in an established 30 year old neighborhood with trees that line and cover the streets, but most of the house is not covered. I'm guessing our neighborhood is at least cooler overall than some of the newly built neighborhoods. We get the Texas heat with maybe some shade on the house when the sun rises and sets. Our house is 2,200 square feet, running on one A/C unit and we keep it at 75 degrees when we're home in the summer, 78 when we're out of the house at work, with little/no-use of the A/C in the winter (gas heater). We have those black solar screens on our windows, the original windows (none of that fancy gas filled energy saving double pane windows), the A/c is about 2 years old, and all brick construction.
Our bills for 2019 have ranged from $60 in January to $125 in July and the highest was $162 in September. I've never had a ridiculously high bill like one person said >$300 in a small apartment. When they e-mail me to let me know my contract is about to expire, I get on top of that to avoid what these other reviewers are probably experiencing (suddenly higher rates). I've actually received a call from a rep one time to ask me if I wanted to renew over the phone since I didn't respond to the e-mail. I hope this review is helpful and that more people consider using a green energy company.
I have been with Green Mountain Energy for 2years. I live in a one bedroom, square foot 759. It is sad to say, but Green Mountain is dishonest. Honesty and loyalty goes a long way. I don't need you to discuss my bill, I need the company to be honest with their customers! For a one bedroom my bill is $347. If Green Mountain has any regards to their customers!?! Hopefully, the representatives will be honest when signing up customers! No, worries I will not be recommending anyone I know to do business with Green Mountain! Integrity?
While I don't know if their practice is unique, the average billing feature is a scam. Essentially they are supposed to average your bill, giving you a reasonably consistent rate month to month. Sounds great, right? However, they raise rates constantly - which means you quickly begin accruing a monthly balance from the amount 'over the average' (the average is based on previous usage, so if the rate constantly goes up, you'll never be paying a consistent amount - it will ALWAYS be more). So when you want to cancel average billing, or switch providers, you owe the full deferred amount. Basically this functions as a unlimited-length contract with an extremely high cancellation fee. Awful and deceptive practice that should be illegal.
Called on three separate occasions to set up new service. Was given the wrong information the first two times. At the end of the third time, I asked if there was anything else needed or would I walk into my new house in three days and the power would be on. I was told "Yes, there is nothing else needed. Your power will be on in 24-48 hours."
Arrived at the house on a Saturday Evening...guess what...NO POWER! The morons sent an email requesting more information even though I was assured I was 100% good to go. They then let me know that it would be another 48 hours, but with the weekend, like 72, before they would turn my power on. RIDICULOUS! I asked for a manager and after another hour of wasted time, mainly waiting on hold (Likely because they have so many other customers they have screwed over) and he said he would escalate it IF after he listened to a recording of the call that the email part was not explained to me. He, of course came back and said it was, even though it was NOT.
They have my SS, my new home address, all the information they could need in the world and the morons can't turn on my power. Utter incompetence. I will NEVER use GME, nor NRG, their parent company's products or services again. I will warn everyone I know or even bump into about their CRAPPY lack of customer service.
First of all I want to say this is one of the most ridiculous energy company. I have been with GME since 10/2019 and for the first few months it was good until lately when my bill spiked up and up and up but I never bothered to check. I just made my payments. When my bill was due I paid it always on time only for me to move from my 1 bedroom apartment to a new house some few days ago and I get a bill of $500.73 and when I called them I was told it was money that accumulated from my bills since January 2019 saying that I signed up for average billing which I did not. Neither did I have any knowledge of that.
Now they are telling me I signed up for it and that I have to pay for it or that they can do a payment plan for me and I am wondering if I was paying almost $130 monthly for a 1 bedroom apartment and then they still say that's just part of the bill and they were keeping part of it aside which is what accumulated to $500.73 and am letting them know I didn't sign up for the average billing stuff. I am just gonna go ahead and file a lawsuit because I am not going to pay that money.
My rates went up after the contract period. But, it's up to you to ask the right questions when signing up and read the agreement to understand what you are getting. They do send a notification in the mail when your term is coming up. All you need to do is call and request a new contract rate at that point. With that being said, I called and was given excellent service from their customer service team in getting everything resolved and back at the preferred rate. I don't mind paying an extra $10/month to support green energy.
The first 3 months of the agreement you're lulled with a low cost per kw/hr. It was about a penny higher - I was fine with that. All of a sudden it over DOUBLED. I didn't catch it until summer when we started our pool. Over the past 8 months.... Green Mountain Energy has cost me an additional $1,019.44. The latest cost per kw/hr is .149. I have dropped Green Mountain.
At first, I was super satisfied with the company, the price was great and I was only paying 0.07 - 0.08 a kwh... I had my electric bill on autopay and never really thought twice about it until I saw my bill one month was over $350.. (Normally around $120) When I finally looked into it I noticed that they had spiked my rate to over 0.016 WITHOUT emailing or calling me or anything and I had in fact been paying double and almost triple what my old rates were for the past few months AND the current month that I was on was somehow $630!!!!
I called the customer service and of course, he wasn't able to help me with any of the previous bills but offered "the best price on the market" at 0.011 kwh.... OH but the kicker was that I had to lock into a 5 year contract AND I HAD to do it right then and there over the phone before we hung up if I wanted to make sure that I got locked into that "Great Deal." You could tell he was reading off a script and taught to pressure people into locking into long term contracts. I felt more like I was talking to the wolf of wall street than I did a customer service representative that actually wanted to help me..
Because we are very conservationist in our use of resources, we signed up with Green Mountain Energy a year ago. Our Illinois electric provider (ComEd) offers a current rate of 6.725 per kilowatt hour. We just today received a bill with Green Mountain charging us a whopping rate of 14.9 per kilowatt hour. That rate is way out of line and not acceptable. We canceled our Green Mountain account effective as immediately as possible. We have solar panels installed (they were leased), and we hope removing Green Mountain and using our solar panels will restore some sensibility to our electric bills.
So i found this company a couple of months ago, and I have nothing but good things to say. It looks like they might have done things differently in the past, but the negative comments I'm reading here are nothing like my experience. My bill went up about $8 from before i signed up, which is right about what they said it would do. I know that my flat rate is only good for 12 months but i can just call them up and get a new flat rate. It's pretty easy, and i feel really good about how i get my electricity now.
This is a scam electric provider who will up your rate after the first 3 months of promised low rate to an insane level. I have lost 300-400 dollars over a year not noticing their scam! Taking advantage of people who have a soft spot for the environment is truly evil. DO NOT USE THEIR PRODUCT!
These people are disreputable. They lure you in with promises and treat you horribly once they have a contract. My bill went from $127 to $345. They suggested average billing which is a trap. They average the bill, but they hold a deferred amount in an account that you are liable for paying at the end of the contract or if you try to get out of the contract. With all of their shady bills, it will cost me over $1000.00. I thought was helping to save the planet, not take advantage of people.
Most cost-effective way to get 100% renewable energy. I found this company to be true to its word. As long as you understand that product you are signing up for and the term of the contract, there should be no issue in prices raising after the fact. Just remember to call customer service at the end of your term to negotiate a new rate!
I have been with Green Mountain Energy for all most 2 yrs. I have enjoy the service & pricing of my plan but the end of my contract is in June and the price has almost double. This is the only negative comment I can make. I will not be renew my contract Green Mountain because of this.
I held off writing a review for sometime because these guys had me quite worked-up. These guys misrepresent themselves. I ran into them at a Home & Garden Show on a Sunday, and they verbally let you know that you need to reach out to them should you change your mind by Friday of the upcoming week. I guess, I have no one to blame but myself for not asking specific questions and questioning why they needed so much of my information and signatures. The representative signs up as someone who may be interested in their business and further exploring the possibility of using their service. After you are finally done, they tell you make sure you reach out to them by Friday in case you change your mind otherwise you are signed up for their service.
Okay big flag there but I didn't question it. I thought okay, after I review my current rates in more detail, I can make an informed decision. I called the representative on Monday and Tuesday as I had a few questions and after reviewing, I expressed that I am not interested. The representative acknowledge my non-interest and we agreed to check in a few months to see if perhaps something changes. Early the next week, I realize that my provider has changed and I am now a Green Mountain Energy customer. I expressed my concern to my representative who tells me he will take care of it. He fails to do so, after I given him 48 hours. So I call again, and he tells me that he cannot take care of it and that I need to talk to Green Mountain Energy customer service directly.
I explain the situation, they respond with - "It's a valid contract." The only way I can get out of it it by paying the early termination fee. Needless to say, I go around in circles with both Sales and Customer Service. I also realize by this time that the day, I spoke to them, they had send me a contract (to the email, I seldom review.) It also turns out that in Texas you only have 3 business days to change your mind. At any case, they invoiced me the early termination fee ($300 for a 60 month contract) which I refuse to pay and of course, it will hit my credit history. My advisc is to stay away from these guys and avoid them at all cost.
My house kept on being knocked by their rep. They have no business card, and when I asked what was being sold, they only insisted that I showed them my electric bills. They said they have an information to confirm based on my electric bill. I told them that I am not interested, and if the electric bill company does have something to say to us, they can definitely email or call us directly, not sending someone to our home. I asked kindly for my house to be taken off the list, but they said they could not. So, I asked them the phone number of the company, which they did not disclose. Please be careful.
My mother got very ill due to error made by Green Mountain. They wanted to disconnect service saying someone called to other company to connect service at her residence where she is a homeowner, widow and elder. She did not request this but they insist on charging her and making her pay for something she didn't request. She is on a fixed monthly budget and are still forcing her to pay.
She got sick. Went to E. R. Due to trying to explain to customer service reps and supervisor Jose badge# **. All they can say is sorry and not their fault. Says it is procedure to not follow up with customer after situation as this one. All be careful that this doesn't happen to your parents or grandparents or to yourself. I as her daughter am stepping up and paying this ridiculous charge to try and get her to feel better and not stress anymore over this issue. Need her to get better from her health. Very dissatisfied with this company. Please spread this message.
As I've seen posted before, I wish I could give them zero stars. As I type, I've been on hold for 42 min. For the 3rd month I'm trying to cancel their service. They charge more than double ComEd. GM Sucks.
Been with GME for 13 years. To the point - NOV 2018 bill was 52.00. December 2018 252.00!!! GME charges what they can get away with. What does that tell you? I live alone and don't use the heat often, that's how people get sick, too much heat. Bill came in just now 200.00!! I rarely use the heat or AC - I use fans. GME is a scam - took me 13 years to decide I'm switching.
I wish I could give negative stars. Takes total advantage of people trying to make a difference. Liars. They make it incredibly difficult to cancel. They change the rate of your generosity without your knowledge. STAY AWAY FROM THIS GREEDY CORRUPT SYSTEM.
They had a table at Hershey Park. Seemed nice and I was interested in going green. Promised comparable rates, and they were for the initial 3-4 months. When I checked a couple of months later they had gone from $0.074 to $.124! Yup that is an increase of 67%. Called and was told read the fine print. I knew that my rates would eventually be variable but to try and take advantage of customers in this manner and to hide their rates is unscrupulous. STAY AWAY.
Was lured in by a kind representative with a table at Lifetime Fitness in Ft. Washington, PA about a year ago. The past two months I noticed very high bills. When I looked into it, lo and behold they were charging .16 per kwh! Average at this time is .45! Quadruple the average rate! This is called the bait and switch. What they are charging is not reasonable according to any standard. I was promised a $421 check reimbursement. Will update this review as to whether that reimbursement is received.
SO..Guy shows up at my door claiming to be from BGE.. He basically used slight of hand to get my wife to acknowledge that we had just signed up for budget billing..He continues on his charade claiming to be from BGE and needing to verify this and that..asks if he can come in. I say yes Which I NEVER do cause it's snowing and very cold.. He gets me to take out my bill so he can "verify" and before I know it I am being asked to sign something on a cell phone screen with NO disclosure of ANY kind..I looked at his phone further and realized he was TRYING to sign me up for something new..GOD only knows what
but I shut that down IMMEDIATELY.
I will never again let ANYONE in my home for any reason. And I would NEVER sign anything without full understanding. I am shocked and disgusted this sales guy LIED TO ME AND MY WIFE'S FACE CLAIMING THE ENTIRE TIME TO BE WORKING FOR BGE..HE WAS NOT. HE left his gloves. After he left they say Green Mtn Energy on them..I wish there was more I could do. This was flat out FRAUD. PERIOD.
I wasn't really looking to change providers, but when a Green Mountain Energy Rep told me that my electricity would cost 9.7 cents and I would have free weekends on a contract for 2 years with no rate increase, this was a deal I could not resist. I agreed on the terms and signed contract based on this rate. Well, long story short, the cost is nearly doubled and I am currently in a battle with the company to make them keep their end of the contract. Just terrible. Definitely not worth it. Now I'm stuck with this company, at a horrible rate for 2 years. But it's current under "investigation"...
My wife, unbeknownst to me, signed us up for Green Mountain Energy. Our electric bills doubled. Unfortunately, I failed to keep track until we got our Christmas Season 2018 electric bill. $368! Over double what it was other years. Do not get sucked in by anything they claim, my wife did, and I ended up paying hundreds of dollars of wasted electric bill money due to her and my ignorance.
Green Mountain Energy Company Information
- Company Name:
- Green Mountain Energy
- Year Founded:
- 1997
- Address:
- 300 West 6th Street, Suite 1600
- City:
- Austin
- State/Province:
- TX
- Postal Code:
- 78701
- Country:
- United States
- Website:
- www.greenmountainenergy.com
You’re signed up
We’ll start sending you the news you need delivered straight to you. We value your privacy. Unsubscribe easily.