Reliant Energy Reviews

My light bill jumped from $150.00 to $320.00, July to August. When I complained, they said they read the meter wrong but I still have to pay the bill. In the 50 years I've been here, this is a first. I run two 6000 BTI window air conditioners, stay in one room most of time when I'm home only to cool the bedroom. This is a hell of an increase. If I'm not home for them to read the meter, it seems that they charge whatever they want to. This should be against the law.

On the 17th, I switched apartments. It's the exact same complex, just a different apartment. The month prior, I had signed up for Reliant's Average Billing program to stop the steadily rising prices I was being charged. One month, it was $60-something; the next, $100; the next, $120; and this last, if not for average billing, it would have been $170. Well, after changing apartments, I checked the status of my bill to make sure the electricity was shut off at the old apartment on the date requested, so I wouldn't be charged anything for it. And that's when I got the news that I owed $177 for this month's electric.

I have one very specific suggestion. We really need to do something to stop this dirty company (Reliant Energy) to stop their dirty charge. I have experienced the same problem you guys are experiencing. In one month alone, they charged me $350. I called them and asked why my bill was so high. They told me it is what I used. I said no, I have never paid this much money for electricity in my entire life. I told them there is no way I am going to pay this much money. I called them 5 times disputing about the bill. Unfortunately, they were unwilling to listen to me. Finally, I filled a complaint with the BBB. They called and said they will investigate. I forgot them and changed my provider to a different provider. I use AC 24/7 and I really pay less than $200. We really need to stop these thieves before they victimize more innocent people. Let’s act together and write to our congress, guys.

My last bill from reliant is $700 for a 1200 square foot apartment. I mean are you serious? Reliant Energy would rather you pay in full $700 rather than work with you, keep you as a customer and take off $200 (even though a $500 bill for that space is stupid!). I will never ever use their services. I felt like an Enron stockholder with these guys. The lady said everything is accurate and I disagreed. This is what is wrong with America. No wonder people are going bankrupt.

My mother's husband passed away in February of 2008. We sent Reliant the death certificate in March 2008 and had the bill transferred into her name so I could pay the bill online for her. In February of 2009, I switched her to another provider and received a cancellation bill of $200 from Reliant in March 2009, because her husband apparently signed up for a 2-year agreement with Reliant before he died. We were being told that since she is his spouse, she is responsible for fulfilling the contract.

My family and I moved to a new address and asked Reliant to transfer service beginning August 11. We received an invoice at the end of December stating that we owed over $600 from the month of August. After reviewing previous months' bills, my wife and I discovered that Reliant transferred our service to our new address but never ended service at our old address. They were billing us for the usage of the people we sold our house to! After being told that the matter would be reviewed, the service at our new address was disconnected due to non-payment...of someone else's bill! After giving in to this extortion and paying the $600, Reliant sent another bill for almost $700 which included a disconnect fee and a reconnect fee... again for both addresses!

I was going to switch electric provider on August 2008. On 8/04/08 the power to my home was turned off, by my provider which at time was Green Mountain Energy. I called them and asked why. They said that another provider submitted a move out request. That provider was Reliant Energy. Reliant Energy said they had did not submit any request, that it was my current provider. I cannot get a straight answer. I have documentation from both companys.

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.

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.

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.

March of 2007, I lived in an apartment, my light bills had begun to be $300 or more each month. All of a sudden I was not getting a light bill, so I tried on several occasions to contact Reliant, finally did and made them aware of the fact that I had not received a light bill, I was put on hold for at least 45 minutes, and when the lady came back she said that she needed to research more and that they would get back to me. Well some time had passed before I realized I had not gotten a call back from Reliant.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.