Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2014/08/26) */
August 26,
Mr*** ***
***
Mound, MN 55364-
Dear Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the estimated gas usage billed to your
account
CenterPoint Energy records show that your natural gas meter ceased registering gas consumption in May Our technician then confirmed that the meter had failed in December 2012, and the meter was ultimately replaced in September Finally, because you had been billed only for the basic customer charge (and no gas consumption) each month, your account was rebilled for estimated usage from September through September
The twelve bills from September through September represent CenterPoint Energy's estimation of the amount of gas used during that time periodThese estimates are based off of your historical gas consumption patterns, as well as the temperatures during each billing cycleThis is allowed for by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, as outlined in Minnesota Administrative Rule 7820.3900, subp2, which states:
Meter fails to register or registers intermittently:
When the average error cannot be determined by test because the meter is not found to register or is found to register intermittently, the utility may charge for an estimated amount of gas used, which shall be calculated by averaging the amounts registered over corresponding periods in previous years or in the absence of such information, over similar periods of known accurate measurement preceding or subsequent thereto, but in no event shall such charge be for a period longer than one year
As noted above, even though your gas meter was not registering for twenty eight months, you were charged for estimated gas consumption for only twelve of those monthsIn other words, you were billed (and you paid) for only the basic customer charge ($- $per month) for sixteen of those months, which included the entirety of the 2011-heating season
Please note that since your gas meter was repaired in September 2013, you have been invoiced for the actual (i.enon-estimated) amount of gas used each monthAnd, as you note, you paid $1,in March 2014, which covered the entirety of your estimated bills (which totaled $853.52) and $of the actual gas usage since September However, your gas service was disconnected in May, 2014, because your account is still past due $This amount represents actual gas consumption and not estimated gas usage
However, due to the delay in repairing your meter and rebilling your account, CenterPoint Energy is willing to reconnect your gas service and establish a payment plan for the total amount currently owed on your account
If you would like to establish a payment arrangement and restore your gas service, please contact me
Sincerely,
***
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 10, 2014/09/04) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
What is in dispute is the estimated amount of gas usageYou state above, that I was only charged an estimated amount for a little less than half the time period when the meter was not functioningThat was not made clear to me as I have yet to see an itemized billInstead I just received a lump sum bill which any reasonable person would questionWe have contacted you several times and the billed amount/period has not been made clear nor have we received a detailed billing statement
Please send us a detailed billing statement which breaks down the $estimated billingAlso, we would like to see something for the $which was applied to actual gas usageAnd finally, we'd like to see what the $is for
We use online bill pay so we have only seen total amounts dueWe have received some paper bills but I believe they only showed totals as well
Are you expecting us to pay huge late fees over this misunderstanding? Are you waiving the reconnection fees?
Final Consumer Response /* (3000, 14, 2014/09/26) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The response is fine and we can send payment immediately
But, there is no mention that this misunderstanding was sent to collections
I would like the damage done to my credit files repaired
Final Business Response /* (4000, 17, 2014/09/29) */
Mr***:
Your total balance was sent to collections as it was past due, but per your request, I have withdrawn your account from collections
Again, CenterPoint Energy does not report to credit bureaus or agencies so there is no credit damage to repair
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/08/28) */
This resolution is in reference to complaint #: XXXXXXXX
Thank you for contacting CenterPoint EnergyWhen it comes to offering quality service, you can count on CenterPoint Energy to be "always there"
We are the transmission and
distribution company for electric service in the Greater Houston areaWe own, maintain, and repair the power lines and other electrical equipment used to deliver and register electricity usage
We are not, however, an electric provider or company that sells/bills customers for electricityTherefore, we are not able to provide you with rates for electricity
Houston is served by more than Retail Electric Providers (REPs), which are companies that sell electric plans for homes and businesses
Please forward all of your billing concerns to your REPWe are not responsible for your electric billing and/or rate plan
Respectfully,
CenterPoint Energy
Executive Administration Office
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2014/09/25) */
September 25,
Ms*** ***
***
Fridley, MN
Dear Ms***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the replacement of your gas service
line
You contacted CenterPoint Energy on June 30, 2014, to request that your gas service line and meter be replacedOur representative quoted a total cost for this work at $1,855, which you paid when the work began on September As you note, however, you were not advised (until the work began) that CenterPoint Energy does not reconnect customer's gas piping on these types of jobs
Your complaint also stated that you were not contacted prior to the work beginning, and that no appointment had been scheduled before this job beganPlease note that a member of our field staff made a pre-job visit on September (from 2:to 2:PM) prior to the service work beginning, and did communicate that the job would begin on September However, again, it was not made clear that CenterPoint Energy does not reconnect customer's gas piping at that time
Because you were not informed of the need for a gas plumber to restore your gas service after this work was done, CenterPoint Energy is willing to reimburse you for the cost of hiring the plumberPlease contact me or reply to this letter along with a copy of the receipt or work order from the gas plumber so that I can complete the reimbursement
I would also like to apologize for the lack of communication and any inconvenience this issue may have causedI look forward to your response so that this matter can be resolved
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/08/06) */
August 6,
Mr*** ***
***
Eden Prairie, MN 55347-
Dear Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com of Minnesota regarding the refund of the credit balance on
your account
CenterPoint Energy records show that your account was overpaid by a total of $921.52, and that you requested that this amount be refunded to you on July 25, This request was entered on that date and subsequently processed by our Remittance Department on July Please note that this process required that two separate checks be mailed to you due to the forms of payment receivedOne check was in the amount of $485, and the other (which totaled several overpayments made) was in the amount of $Both checks were mailed to you on July 30,
Your complaint also mentions that you were told that the refund process could take "two to four weeks" which was not the caseI would like to apologize for the incorrect information you were given and for any inconvenience it may have caused
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2014/08/06) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I have yet to receive any checks in these amounts quoted
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2014/08/11) */
Dear Mr***:
Our records indicate that both checks (in the amounts of $and $436.52) have been cashed as of today's date
Again, I would like to apologize for any misinformation you were given and for any inconvenience this may have caused
Because the money has been refunded and the refund checks cashed, CenterPoint Energy considers this matter resolved
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/09/12) */
September 12,
Ms*** ***
***
Farmington, MN 55024-
Ms***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the estimated usage billed to your
account
As you note, the gas meter at your property ceased registering usage in April 2013, which caused your account to be invoiced for only the basic customer charge ($8.24-per month) until the meter was repaired in August At that time, your account was manually re-invoiced for estimated gas consumption for the twelve month billing period from August through August CenterPoint Energy rebilled your account in compliance with Minnesota Administrative Rule (Inaccurate Natural Gas Meters), subp(Meter fails to register or registers intermittently), which states:
When the average error cannot be determined by test because the meter is not found to register or is found to register intermittently, the utility may charge for an estimated amount of gas used, which shall be calculated by averaging the amounts registered over corresponding periods in previous years or in the absence of such information, over similar periods of known accurate measurement preceding or subsequent thereto, but in no event shall such charge be for a period longer than one year
CenterPoint Energy is regulated by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC), which approved the above RuleAlso, please note that although the gas meter at your property registered no consumption for more than fifteen months, you were invoiced for only twelve of those months
You have also noted that your property was insulated shortly before the meter failedTo account for this, CenterPoint Energy will offer a one-time credit of 20% of the total estimated bills (or $106)However, if the upcoming 2014-heating season shows a further reduction in your gas usage beyond the 20% currently offered, a larger credit may be warranted so that our estimates more accurately reflect your gas usage during the 2013-heating seasonBut, CenterPoint Energy respectfully declines your request to "give me my credit back," as our estimates are based off of prior usage at your property as described in the above Rule
You are eligible for a payment plan equivalent to the amount of time that you were billed for estimated usage (months)If you would like to enter into this payment arrangement, your future bills would be $per month, plus the current usage each month
Finally, CenterPoint Energy retains gas consumption history from the date that you moved into the propertyI have attached a copy of this information to our complaint response
Please contact me if you have further questions, or if you wish to enter into the above payment arrangement
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2014/09/16) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I appreciate the credit however, I have a bill dated August 2, that states after all corrections the adjusted balance is
So as a customer that means my credit was taken away and I now owe and once that is paid we are at zero balance going forward
I then a week or so later get a bill dated 8/1/that I have a debit of meaning I owe
My letter dated 8/which is the most recent dated communication states after all corrections my balance is so I feel once the was paid my bill should be zero and then I should be charged for that months charges which were
I did not see when I first submitted my complaint where I could attach files so I have included copies of my letter and the bills
Final Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2014/09/29) */
September 29,
Ms***:
You are correct in stating that our 'Multiple Month Correction' letter listed a corrected balance of $However, this amount only represented your current balance, not your Budget Plan's deferred balance, which is listed on the left side of your bill (under the 'Did You Know' column) dated August 1,
I apologize for the confusion regarding these amountsPlease note that I have applied the $credit to your accountThis will apply to your current balance, but can be credited to your Budget Plan's deferred balance if you wish
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/08/08) */
August 8,
Ms*** ***
***
***
Dear Ms***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the repair of your refrigerator
Our technician
responded to your request for service on your leaking refrigerator on July 5, 2014, and determined that the water filter likely needed to be replacedBut, because we were unable to pull the refrigerator out, we could not complete the diagnosisDuring this service call, you turned the water on the refrigerator so that we could attempt to diagnose the source of the leakAfter we were unable to do so, our technician instructed you to turn the water off to the applianceAt no point did our technician come into contact with the water shutoff valve at your home
You then called on July to report that water had leaked into the basement from the refrigerator, which caused damage to your home's electrical systemOur supervisor and the technician visited your home to assess the situation, and it was determined that the Water Piercing Valve that supplies water to your refrigerator had failed, which caused the leakAt this time, you also stated that on July 5, our technician advised you to watch the refrigerator to make sure it did not continue to leak water
Because you agreed to watch the refrigerator for any leaking water, and because you confirmed that the water to the refrigerator had been shut off before our technician left, CenterPoint Energy respectfully declines your request for reimbursement and denies responsibility for the damage to your home
Please contact me if you have additional questions regarding this issue
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2014/08/14) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
My request for service did not include a "leaking refrigerator"My request was to have my ice maker fixedTherefore centerpoint did not have to "attempt to diagnose the source of the leak" as indicated in their letterMy water valve to the fridge was off and therefore the fridge did not have ability to leak prior to 7/5/During the service the technician could not pull the refrigerator out to fix the ice maker, but for some reason I was instructed to turn the water valve to the refrigerator onAt that point the water began flowing heavily onto the floorHe then had me turn the water valve offAfter 5-minutes, he asked that I leave the towels in front of the refrigerator because the pan was still full of waterHe said the water would be gone by morningHe requested that I put the lower front panel back on the front of the fridge in the morningThe technician leftI never agreed to "watch" the refrigerator to make sure it did not continue to leak waterI did say that I changed the towels on the floor before I went to bedI never agreed to stay up all night watching the refrigeratorI called centerpoint the next morning when the house flooded and the electricity was sparkingThey told me to call They sent a technician out who left immediately although the door to the house was open and the city of *** water utility truck was in my drivewayOnce the home was dehumidified and dry, I called centerpoint to come out and assess the damage and the situationAlthough the technician and the supervisor looked at the water valve to the fridge, there was no way of knowing whether the valve had failed to stop the waterThe waterline had been disconnected by the city of ***A diagnoses was not conducted regarding the valveCenterpoint was scheduled to fix my ice maker and sent a technician who couldn't pull out the fridge but could instruct a homeowner to turn on the water to the fridge for unknown reasonsCenterpoint sent a technician who left the property not fully knowing the water had stoppedCenterpoint sent a technician who did not check the valve to make sure the water was not going to leak throughout the night even though the water pan wasn't emptyCenterpoint did not ever come in contact with the water shut off valve but has made an assumption that this was the reason the water leakedIf this is the assumption, the Technician should have had this homeowner call a plumber to disconnect the water to the fridgeCenterpoint failed to repair an ice maker and in attempting to do so created an opportunity for significant water damage to my home
Final Consumer Response /* (3000, 12, 2014/09/08) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Yes, Centerpoint sent a Technician to the house but he left while I was attmpting to shut off the water to the house, I was unavailable to answer the door or the phone for approximately minutesGiven the fact that was ordered by your telephone representative, it would surprise me that Centerpoint would encourage their Technician to leave after knocking and calling just onceI wouldn't expect anyone to enter the home without my permission, however, I would expect the Technician to try knocking for more than minutes given the situation and knowing someone was home (door open, *** water in the driveway)
If the Technician was unable to gather the parts information to determine how to fix the ice maker, I'm unclear as to why he needed to have my water to the fridge turned onHe wouldn't have been able to place an order for parts and I don't need my water turned on if the ice maker isn't working properly
The Technician left knowing the fridge pan was still full and instructed me that it would be evaporated by morning when I could put on the base plate to the fridgeAs a homeowner, I trusted his instructions and was not told the leak would be ongoing throughout the night
Your response states "It is not a procedure for Centerpoint to determine" if water is leakingIs it a procedure to have a Technician instruct the homeowner to turn the water on/off and then leave a house unsure if the water would continue to leak throughout the night? That is what happenedAnd again, the water never needed to be turned on with the Technician unable to pull the fridge out from the cabinet
Centerpoint created an opportunity for significant water damage to my home
Final Business Response /* (4000, 14, 2014/09/16) */
Ms***:
Home Service Plus responded to the service call that you ordered on July Our technician arrived at your residence at 8:a.mand departed at 8:a.mThe technician's remarks stated that no one answered the phone or the door, so he tagged the door and leftThere were no emergency vehicles onsite including any fire trucks or other emergency vehiclesIndication on the order remarks was that water was "now leaking badly from refrigerator", and that you were calling the fire department because you smelled smokeAnd, as you agreed, we cannot enter a home without permission
The water needed to be turned on to the refrigerator to diagnosis the problemOnce the water was on, the technician determined that he needed to pull out the refrigerator to complete the diagnosis, but was unable to do so, as the refrigerator was built into the surrounding cabinets and could not be pulled out because the wood cabinets were swollen, which made it impossible to pull the refrigerator outHe did not attempt to pull it out as it was obvious that the cupboards were swollen and the unit could not be moved
You also stated that you had turned the water off completely to the refrigeratorAlthough the drain pan had water in it, you indicated that the water was offAlso, the refrigerator could not be pulled out to remove the water from the panThe technician did discuss the water in the refrigerator drain pan with youAnd, at the time of Home Service Plus supervisor *** ***' visit to your residence on July 29, you stated that you agreed to keep an eye on the water at the refrigerator for any additional water accumulation
The water leak was due to a failure of your water piercing valve, which controls the water to your refrigeratorThe technician has no control whether or not your water piercing valve that shuts the water on and off to your refrigerator was working properly
Finally, section of the 'Conditions of your Repair Plan' states: CenterPoint Energy's Home Service Repair Plan does not cover any material, parts and labor required as the result of abuse, vandalism, fire, freezing, acts of God, power or water supply outages, flooded cellars other than main sewer back-ups (if coverage has been selected), or other abconditions
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/08/06) */
August 6,
*** ***
***
Minneapolis, MN
Dear Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) in which you stated CenterPoint Energy will not allow you to set up
payment arrangements on your closed account
CenterPoint Energy does not allow payment arrangements for gas charges on any closed accountsCenterPoint Energy allows payment arrangement on active gas accounts only, because they still receive a monthly statementOnce an account is closed all payment arrangements are cancelled, and the total balance becomes due on a customer's final bill
If your total remaining balance of $is not paid days after your final due date of September 9, it will be sent to a collection agencyOur collection agencies do not report to any credit bureaus, and this will not affect your credit scoreYou will have the opportunity to make a payment arrangement with the collection agency if you are unable to make payment of your balance in full at that time
I understand this is an inconvenience to you; however, CenterPoint Energy respectfully denies your request for a payment arrangement on your final balance
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me directly
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2014/07/18) */
This is response to Revdex.com Complaint # *** submitted by *** *** for service address *** Houston, TX
After receiving Mr***'s concerns, they were forwarded to our Claims Department***, Claims
Supervisor, contacted Mr*** to discuss his concerns and requested a copy of the electrician's billWe are now in receipt of the bill and will further investigate the claim and provide a response as soon as possible
Respectfully,
***
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 9, 2014/07/21) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The company has had the information, since July 10, *** notified us by email that she was going to call meShe failed to do soCenterPoint has been afforded ample amount of time to respond and refund our money, to date they have not done soThe reason we know that this was a CenterPoint responsibility is because a CenterPoint employee informed us of thisTheir response is not sufficient
Final Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2014/07/30) */
July 2,
*** ***
***
Houston, TX
Re: Claim Number: ***
Dear Mr***:
Your patience during our investigation of your recent claim has been appreciated
CenterPoint Energy makes reasonable provisions to supply steady and continuous electric service to its customers, but we do not guarantee service against fluctuations or interruptionsCenterPoint Energy responded to a trouble call at your home on December 23, Crews found that you had an opening in your underground service drop and referred you to an electrician to have your wires replacedNo repairs were made on the CenterPoint Energy facilities
A trouble call was received on April 18, for dimming lights, the crew found and repaired a connection inside the CenterPoint Energy transformer and your power was restored to normal
In Texas, a public utility's tariff governs its dealings with its customers and has the force and effect of the lawUnder its Tariff, on file with the Texas Public Utilities Commission, CenterPoint Energy cannot pay your claim for damage to your customer owned underground service dropA copy of Paragraph of the Tariff is attached for your convenienceAdditionally, the Tariff, in Paragraph provides that it is the customer's responsibility to provide protective devices for equipment whose performance may be altered by fluctuations in voltage or single phasing
Certainly, we regret your expense and inconvenienceHowever, based upon the provisions in the attached Tariff, we will be unable to assist you in this particular instance
Sincerely,
CenterPoint Energy
Sandra Rawls
Claims Representative
(713) ***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/07/24) */
July 24,
Mr***
***
Burnsville, MN 55337-
Dear Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding CenterPoint Energy's response to your
request to repair your air conditioner
CenterPoint Energy records show that you purchased the property at ***, Burnsville, on July 1, 2014, and that the air conditioner at the property had recently been serviced at the request of the previous ownerDuring that service call, our technician replaced the furnace's blower motor because it was repeatedly tripping the circuit breakerHowever, this issue continued intermittently after the service call, but because the previous owner had moved out, the appliance was no longer covered with their Home Service Plus (HSP) Repair Plan contract
Your complaint to the Revdex.com was received on July 21, 2014, but CenterPoint Energy records also show that you called to have your air conditioner serviced on that date, and that HSP responded that same dayThis service call (totaling $315.60) was covered under HSP's warranty policy at no cost to youAgain, our technician replaced the blower motor and tested the electrical system to ensure that it would no longer trip your home's circuit breakerAfter replacing the motor, your air conditioner was found to function properly
Because your appliance has been repaired and CenterPoint Energy has received no additional communication to the contrary since the repair, we consider this matter resolvedIf the problem with your air conditioner continues, please contact us
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/07/31) */
July 31,
*** ***
***
New Hope, MN
Dear Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) in which you stated CenterPoint Energy had the wrong area code on your primary
telephone number, and you did not receive past due notifications
In May CenterPoint Energy did upgrade our system; however, this had no effect on customer's contact informationThere are a couple of reasons your primary telephone number's area code was wrong: someone that was able to authenticate your account contacted us to update the phone number, or a customer service representative mistakenly changed the area code
You requested CenterPoint Energy make sure your phone numbers are not listed on another customer's accountI have searched our database with your phone numbers and your account is the only account with the phone numbers *** and ***
If you have questions regarding Online Billing in the future, please feel free to contact me directly
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/08/05) */
August 5,
*** ***
***
Hastings, MN
Dear Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) in which you stated CenterPoint Energy disconnected your natural gas by mistake
I
show the previous owner of *** contacted CenterPoint Energy, and requested to disconnect gas service on July 24, You contacted CenterPoint Energy to start service as of June at this locationThis transaction should have cancelled the existing disconnection order in our system, but it did not
Your gas service was disconnected on July 24th in errorYou contacted CenterPoint Energy on July 25th to have services restored, and service was restored to your address later that day
I understand this was an inconvenience to you; however, CenterPoint Energy denies your request for a credit on your natural gas account
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me directly
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/09/05) */
September 5,
*** ***
***
Minneapolis, MN
Dear Ms***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) in which you stated CenterPoint Energy charged you for natural gas
usage after you sold your home
The new owner of *** Minneapolis, MN has contacted CenterPoint Energy and assumed the responsibility for gas service as of June 13, We have backdated your end of service date to June 12, 2014, and reversed all charges in your name after that dateThe charges from June - 12, are $
You will be receiving a refund check of $for payments made after June 12, I have updated your mailing address to *** Anoka, MN for mailing of your refund check
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me directly
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/07/24) */
July 24, 2014
[redacted]
Albertville, MN 55301
Dear Ms. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) in which you claim that CenterPoint Energy's phone representatives gave...
you inadequate information to complete an online payment, and because of that, you were unable to make an online payment.
Your complaint also states you have spoken with five different phone representatives, none of which could provide accurate information on how to make an online payment.
Our records indicate your last contact with CenterPoint Energy was on September 20, 2013. Our notes indicate you spoke with a phone representative in regards to making an online payment, and on the same day made a One-time Payment through our online services.
You then enrolled in our Online Billing program on January 16, 2014, and have made all payments online since that date. You have made all of your payments on time and have incurred no late fees.
If you have questions regarding Online Billing in the future, please feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
[redacted]
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/09/16) */
September 16, 2014
Ms. [redacted]
Bethel, MN 55005
Ms. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding reconnection of your natural gas...
service.
As you note, your gas service was disconnected on July 15, 2014, as $606.43 was owed on your account. After your payment of $225 was received on September 11, 2014, your account was still past due $381.43. To meet our requirements for reconnection (without submitting Proof of Hardship documentation), your service can be restored for a verified payment of $100.72.
Please note that CenterPoint Energy takes into consideration financial and extenuating circumstances when offering a payment arrangement to restore a customer's gas service. Towards that end, we may require Proof of Hardship from customers who may be facing financial or otherwise extenuating circumstances. If you are able to provide Proof of Hardship, you may be eligible for a lower down payment to restore your service.
Your complaint also makes mention of a possible medical need for natural gas. CenterPoint Energy takes these medical situations into account with regards to restoring gas service and preventing disconnection of that service. A "Notice of Medical Emergency" form (which must be signed by a medical professional) can be sent at your request.
You may be eligible for financial assistance as a low income customer. Please contact Anoka County Energy Assistance at [redacted], Emergency Assistance at [redacted], and Heatshare at [redacted].
Finally, to discuss the options available to you to restore your gas service, please contact our Credit Department at [redacted].
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2014/09/17) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I just think it is on fair when I was told if I can pay 225.00 that they would have my services back on so I got the money to pay it.so im still not happy cause with my husband laidoff for the whole month of august it put my bills behind even my house payment I dont like being lied to so please fix it and fast
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2014/09/19) */
Ms. [redacted]:
I have reviewed CenterPoint Energy records and found no indication that you were given a down payment quote of $225 to have your service restored.
You contacted CenterPoint Energy on July 17, 2014 (the date your service was initially disconnected) and spoke with a representative who informed you that $425.55 would be the minimum payment required to restore your service. Then, on September 10, you were given two offers of $447 as a down payment via our self-service website. And, when you called on September 11, you were again given our initial offer of $425 down to restore your service.
I have listened to the recorded phone conversations you had with our representatives on July 17 and September 11, and at no point did CenterPoint Energy offer you a reconnection amount less than $425.
However, as stated in our previous written response to your Revdex.com complaint, your service can be restored for an additional verified payment of $100.72. I would also like to encourage you to apply for the assistance programs I suggested in our last response to your complaint.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/08/13) */
August 13, 2014
Mr. [redacted]
[redacted]
Brainerd, MN 56401-2727
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complain to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the reconnection of your natural gas service...
after your meter was replaced.
CenterPoint Energy records show that your gas meter was replaced on August 6, 2014. Because no one was home at the time, our service technician was unable to relight the pilot lights on your appliances after the new meter was installed. And, when a second technician was sent to relight the pilot lights, we were unable to reach you at the phone number provided. This necessitated a second service call which was completed on August 7, 2014.
I would like to apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced as a result of this issue. But, because your gas service has been restored, CenterPoint Energy considers this matter resolved.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/08/14) */
This is in response to Revdex.com Case #[redacted] submitted by [redacted] regarding the premise at [redacted] Little Rock, AR 72206.
After a thorough review of our records we were able to determine that the account for [redacted] was...
established on 05/07/2013.
Please be advised that the $100.00 that the customer refers to is not a late fee, but a Security Deposit. In accordance with the Arkansas Public Service Commission (APSC) General Service Rule's utility companies are encouraged to require a deposit for customers who prove to be a credit risk. The purpose of the Security Deposit is to decrease the likelihood of an outstanding balance in the event the account is closed for non-pay. By keeping bad debt write offs down other rate payers are protected as well, since a portion of bad debts are recovered under rate structure. The General Service Rules allow for a deposit to be required or increased when the following circumstances occur to name a few:
Payment is received beyond the due date three times in any twelve month period.
Payment is received beyond the due date in two consecutive months.
Account is disconnected for non-pay.
Payments are returned any two times in a twelve month period by a financial institution.
Listed along with this letter is the ledger showing all of the debits and credits applied to the account since the account was established (please note overlap starting with 04/04/2014 date). As you can see from the information below the account we regret has been paid after the due date on several occasions, which is considered late. Specifically, the time frame from October 28, 2013 to January 28, 2014. This three month period with no payment alone would be sufficient reason to require a security deposit on the account. Regrettably, no payment has been made on the account since 05/10/2014.
In addition, we regret the account was disconnected for non-payment on 03/07/2014. That is when the Security Deposit of $100.00 was required on the account. The deposit was billed to the account on 03/14/2014 along with the connect fee of $37.00. The only other charges billed to the account are for the actual gas consumption and the late fees billed to the account, once the due date has passed and the balance is still outstanding. Please be advised that the late fee is being billed in accordance with our approved company tariffs and the APSC General Service Rules.
On 01/27/2014 the customer advised the company that she had a hot water leak and wanted to know if that would impact her usage. The representative informed her that it would as well as informed her of her options at that time to make payment arrangements on the account or seek a Medical Certificate. The customer advised she would be seeking assistance from an Agency the next day.
The next time that we visited with the customer was on 02/27/2014 when the customer called to see if we had received a payment from an Assistance Agency, which we regret we had not. Subsequently, the service was disconnected for non-payment on 03/07/2014. We spoke with the customer again the next day on 03/08/2014 when she called to see why she did not have gas service. We advised that the service had been disconnected for non-payment. On 03/10/2014 the customer attempted to reconnect service via the web, but was denied due to lack of payment. On 03/13/2014 a payment was made and the service was reconnected on 03/14/2014.
The $100.00 Security Deposit was billed to the account in two installments of $50.00 with the next two invoices due to the account being turned off for non-pay.
Our records reflect that the customer spoke to a Supervisor on 08/13/14, and the late fees and billing were explained in detail. An agreement was made to reverse the late fees in question as a onetime courtesy.
At this time the customer owes a balance of $264.79, which is an accumulated balance for gas consumption and the unpaid deposit for the past several months. The ledger below clearly shows how the balance was accumulated. As a onetime courtesy the late fees that were charged on the following dates for a total of $31.30 have been reversed. Therefore, the current invoice that was mailed on 08/12/14, in the amount of $296.09 is minus $31.30, leaving the customer a remaining balance of $264.79 due 09/08/14.
01/03/14 - $4.33
02/06/14 - $5.39
03/12/14 - $5.34
04/09/14 - $4.22
05/08/14 - $3.90
06/09/14 - $3.24
07/31/14 - $2.76
08/11/14 - $2.12
We hope this information will provide clarification to Ms. [redacted]'s concerns. We regret any inconvenience that Ms. [redacted] may have encountered as a result of this matter. We thank Ms. [redacted] for allowing us the opportunity to respond and for making her concerns known to us.
Respectfully,
[redacted]
CenterPoint Energy
One item to note: When a customer makes a payment over the phone or through BILL MATRIX this is a multiple step process and shows as three transactions on the account, for example the payment for $150.00 on 05/10/2014. The balance owed on the account before the payment was made was $335.06 and after the payment settled the balance owed was $185.06.
Customer Name: [redacted]
Service Address: [redacted] Little Rock, AR 722206
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2014/07/31) */
This resolution is in reference to complaint #: [redacted].
Please be advised that we have reviewed the account located at [redacted] Lawton, OK 73505.
Thank you for contacting CenterPoint Energy. As one of our valued customers, we...
want your experience with CenterPoint Energy to be exceptional.
We value all our customers and expect that our employees demonstrate this to our customers by treating each of them fairly and respectfully. Please accept our apology for the way you were treated by our Customer Service department. And thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. Per your complaint we have refunded the $75.00 Security Deposit back to your account.
Again we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you and thank you for making us aware of this issue.
If you need further assistance, please contact Customer Service at [redacted].
[redacted]
Executive Administration Office
Business Response /* (4000, 18, 2014/08/28) */
This resolution is in reference to case # [redacted].
Please be advised that we were able to locate the natural gas account at [redacted] Lawton, OK 73505.
We contacted Mrs. [redacted] to discuss her complaint. It was resolved that her account would be credited for $75.00. The credit has posted to her account and the current balance if a credit of $25.81.
Respectfully,
CenterPoint Energy
Executive Administration Office
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/09/24) */
Please see attached document for complaint response.
September 24, 2014
Ms. [redacted]
[redacted]
Eden Prairie, MN 55347-3149
Ms. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota...
regarding the increase in your budget billing amount. Your complaint mentions an increase in gas rates and higher cost for gas each month. As a regulated utility, CenterPoint Energy does not control the cost of natural gas, but only passes along the market price during each billing cycle. Therefore, the rates you are charged for natural gas each month are not increased or decreased by CenterPoint Energy. However, your Budget Billing Plan (BPP) amount has increased. Below, I have provided a billing summary which outlines your monthly balance and explains the increase in your current budget amount. The difference between your actual gas cost each month and the BBP amount is tracked monthly and listed as the "Deferred Balance" below. Also, the "Settlement Balance" column on the right lists the amount
that would be billed if your account was removed from the BBP.
A customer's BBP amount is based on their average cost of gas over twelve months. The amount
recalculates every six months to account for changes in gas consumption over the previous six months, as well as projected gas usage for the subsequent six month period.
As you will note from the table above, your account currently owes $128.32 in gas charges from the 2013-14 heating season, as your previous budget amount of $44 was insufficient to cover the amount of gas consumed. To account for your gas usage during the previous heating season, and to accumulate a credit to be used during the upcoming heating season, our system automatically calculated a new budget amount of $71 in July.
To resolve your concern, CenterPoint Energy can manually adjust your BBP amount to $58 per month, which is your average cost of gas throughout the last twelve months. However, please be aware that if $58 per month is insufficient to pay off your current deferred balance and cover the amount of gas used during the upcoming heating season, your BBP amount may increase again in six months.
Please contact me if you would like your BBP amount adjusted or if you have any further questions.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
[redacted]
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/07/14) */
July 14, 2014
Mr. [redacted]
Edina, MN 55439
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) regarding restoration of your lawn after the gas service main was replaced.
Your...
complaint states that CenterPoint Energy did not properly restore your lawn to its previous state after we replaced the gas service main at your home. As discussed in our July 9th conversation, our Restoration supervisor agreed to place sod in your yard in an effort to address your concerns. And, we extended this offer to any other customers in your neighborhood who were affected by this problem.
I would like to apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced as a result of this issue. Because the restoration of your yard has been scheduled, CenterPoint Energy considers this matter resolved.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
[redacted]
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2014/08/26) */
August 26,
Mr*** ***
***
Mound, MN 55364-
Dear Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the estimated gas usage billed to your
account
CenterPoint Energy records show that your natural gas meter ceased registering gas consumption in May Our technician then confirmed that the meter had failed in December 2012, and the meter was ultimately replaced in September Finally, because you had been billed only for the basic customer charge (and no gas consumption) each month, your account was rebilled for estimated usage from September through September
The twelve bills from September through September represent CenterPoint Energy's estimation of the amount of gas used during that time periodThese estimates are based off of your historical gas consumption patterns, as well as the temperatures during each billing cycleThis is allowed for by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, as outlined in Minnesota Administrative Rule 7820.3900, subp2, which states:
Meter fails to register or registers intermittently:
When the average error cannot be determined by test because the meter is not found to register or is found to register intermittently, the utility may charge for an estimated amount of gas used, which shall be calculated by averaging the amounts registered over corresponding periods in previous years or in the absence of such information, over similar periods of known accurate measurement preceding or subsequent thereto, but in no event shall such charge be for a period longer than one year
As noted above, even though your gas meter was not registering for twenty eight months, you were charged for estimated gas consumption for only twelve of those monthsIn other words, you were billed (and you paid) for only the basic customer charge ($- $per month) for sixteen of those months, which included the entirety of the 2011-heating season
Please note that since your gas meter was repaired in September 2013, you have been invoiced for the actual (i.enon-estimated) amount of gas used each monthAnd, as you note, you paid $1,in March 2014, which covered the entirety of your estimated bills (which totaled $853.52) and $of the actual gas usage since September However, your gas service was disconnected in May, 2014, because your account is still past due $This amount represents actual gas consumption and not estimated gas usage
However, due to the delay in repairing your meter and rebilling your account, CenterPoint Energy is willing to reconnect your gas service and establish a payment plan for the total amount currently owed on your account
If you would like to establish a payment arrangement and restore your gas service, please contact me
Sincerely,
***
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 10, 2014/09/04) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
What is in dispute is the estimated amount of gas usageYou state above, that I was only charged an estimated amount for a little less than half the time period when the meter was not functioningThat was not made clear to me as I have yet to see an itemized billInstead I just received a lump sum bill which any reasonable person would questionWe have contacted you several times and the billed amount/period has not been made clear nor have we received a detailed billing statement
Please send us a detailed billing statement which breaks down the $estimated billingAlso, we would like to see something for the $which was applied to actual gas usageAnd finally, we'd like to see what the $is for
We use online bill pay so we have only seen total amounts dueWe have received some paper bills but I believe they only showed totals as well
Are you expecting us to pay huge late fees over this misunderstanding? Are you waiving the reconnection fees?
Final Consumer Response /* (3000, 14, 2014/09/26) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The response is fine and we can send payment immediately
But, there is no mention that this misunderstanding was sent to collections
I would like the damage done to my credit files repaired
Final Business Response /* (4000, 17, 2014/09/29) */
Mr***:
Your total balance was sent to collections as it was past due, but per your request, I have withdrawn your account from collections
Again, CenterPoint Energy does not report to credit bureaus or agencies so there is no credit damage to repair
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/08/28) */
This resolution is in reference to complaint #: XXXXXXXX
Thank you for contacting CenterPoint EnergyWhen it comes to offering quality service, you can count on CenterPoint Energy to be "always there"
We are the transmission and
distribution company for electric service in the Greater Houston areaWe own, maintain, and repair the power lines and other electrical equipment used to deliver and register electricity usage
We are not, however, an electric provider or company that sells/bills customers for electricityTherefore, we are not able to provide you with rates for electricity
Houston is served by more than Retail Electric Providers (REPs), which are companies that sell electric plans for homes and businesses
Please forward all of your billing concerns to your REPWe are not responsible for your electric billing and/or rate plan
Respectfully,
CenterPoint Energy
Executive Administration Office
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2014/09/25) */
September 25,
Ms*** ***
***
Fridley, MN
Dear Ms***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the replacement of your gas service
line
You contacted CenterPoint Energy on June 30, 2014, to request that your gas service line and meter be replacedOur representative quoted a total cost for this work at $1,855, which you paid when the work began on September As you note, however, you were not advised (until the work began) that CenterPoint Energy does not reconnect customer's gas piping on these types of jobs
Your complaint also stated that you were not contacted prior to the work beginning, and that no appointment had been scheduled before this job beganPlease note that a member of our field staff made a pre-job visit on September (from 2:to 2:PM) prior to the service work beginning, and did communicate that the job would begin on September However, again, it was not made clear that CenterPoint Energy does not reconnect customer's gas piping at that time
Because you were not informed of the need for a gas plumber to restore your gas service after this work was done, CenterPoint Energy is willing to reimburse you for the cost of hiring the plumberPlease contact me or reply to this letter along with a copy of the receipt or work order from the gas plumber so that I can complete the reimbursement
I would also like to apologize for the lack of communication and any inconvenience this issue may have causedI look forward to your response so that this matter can be resolved
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/08/06) */
August 6,
Mr*** ***
***
Eden Prairie, MN 55347-
Dear Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com of Minnesota regarding the refund of the credit balance on
your account
CenterPoint Energy records show that your account was overpaid by a total of $921.52, and that you requested that this amount be refunded to you on July 25, This request was entered on that date and subsequently processed by our Remittance Department on July Please note that this process required that two separate checks be mailed to you due to the forms of payment receivedOne check was in the amount of $485, and the other (which totaled several overpayments made) was in the amount of $Both checks were mailed to you on July 30,
Your complaint also mentions that you were told that the refund process could take "two to four weeks" which was not the caseI would like to apologize for the incorrect information you were given and for any inconvenience it may have caused
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2014/08/06) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I have yet to receive any checks in these amounts quoted
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2014/08/11) */
Dear Mr***:
Our records indicate that both checks (in the amounts of $and $436.52) have been cashed as of today's date
Again, I would like to apologize for any misinformation you were given and for any inconvenience this may have caused
Because the money has been refunded and the refund checks cashed, CenterPoint Energy considers this matter resolved
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/09/12) */
September 12,
Ms*** ***
***
Farmington, MN 55024-
Ms***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the estimated usage billed to your
account
As you note, the gas meter at your property ceased registering usage in April 2013, which caused your account to be invoiced for only the basic customer charge ($8.24-per month) until the meter was repaired in August At that time, your account was manually re-invoiced for estimated gas consumption for the twelve month billing period from August through August CenterPoint Energy rebilled your account in compliance with Minnesota Administrative Rule (Inaccurate Natural Gas Meters), subp(Meter fails to register or registers intermittently), which states:
When the average error cannot be determined by test because the meter is not found to register or is found to register intermittently, the utility may charge for an estimated amount of gas used, which shall be calculated by averaging the amounts registered over corresponding periods in previous years or in the absence of such information, over similar periods of known accurate measurement preceding or subsequent thereto, but in no event shall such charge be for a period longer than one year
CenterPoint Energy is regulated by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC), which approved the above RuleAlso, please note that although the gas meter at your property registered no consumption for more than fifteen months, you were invoiced for only twelve of those months
You have also noted that your property was insulated shortly before the meter failedTo account for this, CenterPoint Energy will offer a one-time credit of 20% of the total estimated bills (or $106)However, if the upcoming 2014-heating season shows a further reduction in your gas usage beyond the 20% currently offered, a larger credit may be warranted so that our estimates more accurately reflect your gas usage during the 2013-heating seasonBut, CenterPoint Energy respectfully declines your request to "give me my credit back," as our estimates are based off of prior usage at your property as described in the above Rule
You are eligible for a payment plan equivalent to the amount of time that you were billed for estimated usage (months)If you would like to enter into this payment arrangement, your future bills would be $per month, plus the current usage each month
Finally, CenterPoint Energy retains gas consumption history from the date that you moved into the propertyI have attached a copy of this information to our complaint response
Please contact me if you have further questions, or if you wish to enter into the above payment arrangement
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2014/09/16) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I appreciate the credit however, I have a bill dated August 2, that states after all corrections the adjusted balance is
So as a customer that means my credit was taken away and I now owe and once that is paid we are at zero balance going forward
I then a week or so later get a bill dated 8/1/that I have a debit of meaning I owe
My letter dated 8/which is the most recent dated communication states after all corrections my balance is so I feel once the was paid my bill should be zero and then I should be charged for that months charges which were
I did not see when I first submitted my complaint where I could attach files so I have included copies of my letter and the bills
Final Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2014/09/29) */
September 29,
Ms***:
You are correct in stating that our 'Multiple Month Correction' letter listed a corrected balance of $However, this amount only represented your current balance, not your Budget Plan's deferred balance, which is listed on the left side of your bill (under the 'Did You Know' column) dated August 1,
I apologize for the confusion regarding these amountsPlease note that I have applied the $credit to your accountThis will apply to your current balance, but can be credited to your Budget Plan's deferred balance if you wish
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/08/08) */
August 8,
Ms*** ***
***
***
Dear Ms***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the repair of your refrigerator
Our technician
responded to your request for service on your leaking refrigerator on July 5, 2014, and determined that the water filter likely needed to be replacedBut, because we were unable to pull the refrigerator out, we could not complete the diagnosisDuring this service call, you turned the water on the refrigerator so that we could attempt to diagnose the source of the leakAfter we were unable to do so, our technician instructed you to turn the water off to the applianceAt no point did our technician come into contact with the water shutoff valve at your home
You then called on July to report that water had leaked into the basement from the refrigerator, which caused damage to your home's electrical systemOur supervisor and the technician visited your home to assess the situation, and it was determined that the Water Piercing Valve that supplies water to your refrigerator had failed, which caused the leakAt this time, you also stated that on July 5, our technician advised you to watch the refrigerator to make sure it did not continue to leak water
Because you agreed to watch the refrigerator for any leaking water, and because you confirmed that the water to the refrigerator had been shut off before our technician left, CenterPoint Energy respectfully declines your request for reimbursement and denies responsibility for the damage to your home
Please contact me if you have additional questions regarding this issue
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2014/08/14) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
My request for service did not include a "leaking refrigerator"My request was to have my ice maker fixedTherefore centerpoint did not have to "attempt to diagnose the source of the leak" as indicated in their letterMy water valve to the fridge was off and therefore the fridge did not have ability to leak prior to 7/5/During the service the technician could not pull the refrigerator out to fix the ice maker, but for some reason I was instructed to turn the water valve to the refrigerator onAt that point the water began flowing heavily onto the floorHe then had me turn the water valve offAfter 5-minutes, he asked that I leave the towels in front of the refrigerator because the pan was still full of waterHe said the water would be gone by morningHe requested that I put the lower front panel back on the front of the fridge in the morningThe technician leftI never agreed to "watch" the refrigerator to make sure it did not continue to leak waterI did say that I changed the towels on the floor before I went to bedI never agreed to stay up all night watching the refrigeratorI called centerpoint the next morning when the house flooded and the electricity was sparkingThey told me to call They sent a technician out who left immediately although the door to the house was open and the city of *** water utility truck was in my drivewayOnce the home was dehumidified and dry, I called centerpoint to come out and assess the damage and the situationAlthough the technician and the supervisor looked at the water valve to the fridge, there was no way of knowing whether the valve had failed to stop the waterThe waterline had been disconnected by the city of ***A diagnoses was not conducted regarding the valveCenterpoint was scheduled to fix my ice maker and sent a technician who couldn't pull out the fridge but could instruct a homeowner to turn on the water to the fridge for unknown reasonsCenterpoint sent a technician who left the property not fully knowing the water had stoppedCenterpoint sent a technician who did not check the valve to make sure the water was not going to leak throughout the night even though the water pan wasn't emptyCenterpoint did not ever come in contact with the water shut off valve but has made an assumption that this was the reason the water leakedIf this is the assumption, the Technician should have had this homeowner call a plumber to disconnect the water to the fridgeCenterpoint failed to repair an ice maker and in attempting to do so created an opportunity for significant water damage to my home
Final Consumer Response /* (3000, 12, 2014/09/08) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Yes, Centerpoint sent a Technician to the house but he left while I was attmpting to shut off the water to the house, I was unavailable to answer the door or the phone for approximately minutesGiven the fact that was ordered by your telephone representative, it would surprise me that Centerpoint would encourage their Technician to leave after knocking and calling just onceI wouldn't expect anyone to enter the home without my permission, however, I would expect the Technician to try knocking for more than minutes given the situation and knowing someone was home (door open, *** water in the driveway)
If the Technician was unable to gather the parts information to determine how to fix the ice maker, I'm unclear as to why he needed to have my water to the fridge turned onHe wouldn't have been able to place an order for parts and I don't need my water turned on if the ice maker isn't working properly
The Technician left knowing the fridge pan was still full and instructed me that it would be evaporated by morning when I could put on the base plate to the fridgeAs a homeowner, I trusted his instructions and was not told the leak would be ongoing throughout the night
Your response states "It is not a procedure for Centerpoint to determine" if water is leakingIs it a procedure to have a Technician instruct the homeowner to turn the water on/off and then leave a house unsure if the water would continue to leak throughout the night? That is what happenedAnd again, the water never needed to be turned on with the Technician unable to pull the fridge out from the cabinet
Centerpoint created an opportunity for significant water damage to my home
Final Business Response /* (4000, 14, 2014/09/16) */
Ms***:
Home Service Plus responded to the service call that you ordered on July Our technician arrived at your residence at 8:a.mand departed at 8:a.mThe technician's remarks stated that no one answered the phone or the door, so he tagged the door and leftThere were no emergency vehicles onsite including any fire trucks or other emergency vehiclesIndication on the order remarks was that water was "now leaking badly from refrigerator", and that you were calling the fire department because you smelled smokeAnd, as you agreed, we cannot enter a home without permission
The water needed to be turned on to the refrigerator to diagnosis the problemOnce the water was on, the technician determined that he needed to pull out the refrigerator to complete the diagnosis, but was unable to do so, as the refrigerator was built into the surrounding cabinets and could not be pulled out because the wood cabinets were swollen, which made it impossible to pull the refrigerator outHe did not attempt to pull it out as it was obvious that the cupboards were swollen and the unit could not be moved
You also stated that you had turned the water off completely to the refrigeratorAlthough the drain pan had water in it, you indicated that the water was offAlso, the refrigerator could not be pulled out to remove the water from the panThe technician did discuss the water in the refrigerator drain pan with youAnd, at the time of Home Service Plus supervisor *** ***' visit to your residence on July 29, you stated that you agreed to keep an eye on the water at the refrigerator for any additional water accumulation
The water leak was due to a failure of your water piercing valve, which controls the water to your refrigeratorThe technician has no control whether or not your water piercing valve that shuts the water on and off to your refrigerator was working properly
Finally, section of the 'Conditions of your Repair Plan' states: CenterPoint Energy's Home Service Repair Plan does not cover any material, parts and labor required as the result of abuse, vandalism, fire, freezing, acts of God, power or water supply outages, flooded cellars other than main sewer back-ups (if coverage has been selected), or other abconditions
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/08/06) */
August 6,
*** ***
***
Minneapolis, MN
Dear Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) in which you stated CenterPoint Energy will not allow you to set up
payment arrangements on your closed account
CenterPoint Energy does not allow payment arrangements for gas charges on any closed accountsCenterPoint Energy allows payment arrangement on active gas accounts only, because they still receive a monthly statementOnce an account is closed all payment arrangements are cancelled, and the total balance becomes due on a customer's final bill
If your total remaining balance of $is not paid days after your final due date of September 9, it will be sent to a collection agencyOur collection agencies do not report to any credit bureaus, and this will not affect your credit scoreYou will have the opportunity to make a payment arrangement with the collection agency if you are unable to make payment of your balance in full at that time
I understand this is an inconvenience to you; however, CenterPoint Energy respectfully denies your request for a payment arrangement on your final balance
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me directly
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2014/07/18) */
This is response to Revdex.com Complaint # *** submitted by *** *** for service address *** Houston, TX
After receiving Mr***'s concerns, they were forwarded to our Claims Department***, Claims
Supervisor, contacted Mr*** to discuss his concerns and requested a copy of the electrician's billWe are now in receipt of the bill and will further investigate the claim and provide a response as soon as possible
Respectfully,
***
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 9, 2014/07/21) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The company has had the information, since July 10, *** notified us by email that she was going to call meShe failed to do soCenterPoint has been afforded ample amount of time to respond and refund our money, to date they have not done soThe reason we know that this was a CenterPoint responsibility is because a CenterPoint employee informed us of thisTheir response is not sufficient
Final Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2014/07/30) */
July 2,
*** ***
***
Houston, TX
Re: Claim Number: ***
Dear Mr***:
Your patience during our investigation of your recent claim has been appreciated
CenterPoint Energy makes reasonable provisions to supply steady and continuous electric service to its customers, but we do not guarantee service against fluctuations or interruptionsCenterPoint Energy responded to a trouble call at your home on December 23, Crews found that you had an opening in your underground service drop and referred you to an electrician to have your wires replacedNo repairs were made on the CenterPoint Energy facilities
A trouble call was received on April 18, for dimming lights, the crew found and repaired a connection inside the CenterPoint Energy transformer and your power was restored to normal
In Texas, a public utility's tariff governs its dealings with its customers and has the force and effect of the lawUnder its Tariff, on file with the Texas Public Utilities Commission, CenterPoint Energy cannot pay your claim for damage to your customer owned underground service dropA copy of Paragraph of the Tariff is attached for your convenienceAdditionally, the Tariff, in Paragraph provides that it is the customer's responsibility to provide protective devices for equipment whose performance may be altered by fluctuations in voltage or single phasing
Certainly, we regret your expense and inconvenienceHowever, based upon the provisions in the attached Tariff, we will be unable to assist you in this particular instance
Sincerely,
CenterPoint Energy
Sandra Rawls
Claims Representative
(713) ***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/07/24) */
July 24,
Mr***
***
Burnsville, MN 55337-
Dear Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding CenterPoint Energy's response to your
request to repair your air conditioner
CenterPoint Energy records show that you purchased the property at ***, Burnsville, on July 1, 2014, and that the air conditioner at the property had recently been serviced at the request of the previous ownerDuring that service call, our technician replaced the furnace's blower motor because it was repeatedly tripping the circuit breakerHowever, this issue continued intermittently after the service call, but because the previous owner had moved out, the appliance was no longer covered with their Home Service Plus (HSP) Repair Plan contract
Your complaint to the Revdex.com was received on July 21, 2014, but CenterPoint Energy records also show that you called to have your air conditioner serviced on that date, and that HSP responded that same dayThis service call (totaling $315.60) was covered under HSP's warranty policy at no cost to youAgain, our technician replaced the blower motor and tested the electrical system to ensure that it would no longer trip your home's circuit breakerAfter replacing the motor, your air conditioner was found to function properly
Because your appliance has been repaired and CenterPoint Energy has received no additional communication to the contrary since the repair, we consider this matter resolvedIf the problem with your air conditioner continues, please contact us
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/07/31) */
July 31,
*** ***
***
New Hope, MN
Dear Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) in which you stated CenterPoint Energy had the wrong area code on your primary
telephone number, and you did not receive past due notifications
In May CenterPoint Energy did upgrade our system; however, this had no effect on customer's contact informationThere are a couple of reasons your primary telephone number's area code was wrong: someone that was able to authenticate your account contacted us to update the phone number, or a customer service representative mistakenly changed the area code
You requested CenterPoint Energy make sure your phone numbers are not listed on another customer's accountI have searched our database with your phone numbers and your account is the only account with the phone numbers *** and ***
If you have questions regarding Online Billing in the future, please feel free to contact me directly
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/08/05) */
August 5,
*** ***
***
Hastings, MN
Dear Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) in which you stated CenterPoint Energy disconnected your natural gas by mistake
I
show the previous owner of *** contacted CenterPoint Energy, and requested to disconnect gas service on July 24, You contacted CenterPoint Energy to start service as of June at this locationThis transaction should have cancelled the existing disconnection order in our system, but it did not
Your gas service was disconnected on July 24th in errorYou contacted CenterPoint Energy on July 25th to have services restored, and service was restored to your address later that day
I understand this was an inconvenience to you; however, CenterPoint Energy denies your request for a credit on your natural gas account
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me directly
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/09/05) */
September 5,
*** ***
***
Minneapolis, MN
Dear Ms***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) in which you stated CenterPoint Energy charged you for natural gas
usage after you sold your home
The new owner of *** Minneapolis, MN has contacted CenterPoint Energy and assumed the responsibility for gas service as of June 13, We have backdated your end of service date to June 12, 2014, and reversed all charges in your name after that dateThe charges from June - 12, are $
You will be receiving a refund check of $for payments made after June 12, I have updated your mailing address to *** Anoka, MN for mailing of your refund check
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me directly
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/07/24) */
July 24, 2014
[redacted]
Albertville, MN 55301
Dear Ms. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) in which you claim that CenterPoint Energy's phone representatives gave...
you inadequate information to complete an online payment, and because of that, you were unable to make an online payment.
Your complaint also states you have spoken with five different phone representatives, none of which could provide accurate information on how to make an online payment.
Our records indicate your last contact with CenterPoint Energy was on September 20, 2013. Our notes indicate you spoke with a phone representative in regards to making an online payment, and on the same day made a One-time Payment through our online services.
You then enrolled in our Online Billing program on January 16, 2014, and have made all payments online since that date. You have made all of your payments on time and have incurred no late fees.
If you have questions regarding Online Billing in the future, please feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
[redacted]
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/09/16) */
September 16, 2014
Ms. [redacted]
Bethel, MN 55005
Ms. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding reconnection of your natural gas...
service.
As you note, your gas service was disconnected on July 15, 2014, as $606.43 was owed on your account. After your payment of $225 was received on September 11, 2014, your account was still past due $381.43. To meet our requirements for reconnection (without submitting Proof of Hardship documentation), your service can be restored for a verified payment of $100.72.
Please note that CenterPoint Energy takes into consideration financial and extenuating circumstances when offering a payment arrangement to restore a customer's gas service. Towards that end, we may require Proof of Hardship from customers who may be facing financial or otherwise extenuating circumstances. If you are able to provide Proof of Hardship, you may be eligible for a lower down payment to restore your service.
Your complaint also makes mention of a possible medical need for natural gas. CenterPoint Energy takes these medical situations into account with regards to restoring gas service and preventing disconnection of that service. A "Notice of Medical Emergency" form (which must be signed by a medical professional) can be sent at your request.
You may be eligible for financial assistance as a low income customer. Please contact Anoka County Energy Assistance at [redacted], Emergency Assistance at [redacted], and Heatshare at [redacted].
Finally, to discuss the options available to you to restore your gas service, please contact our Credit Department at [redacted].
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2014/09/17) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I just think it is on fair when I was told if I can pay 225.00 that they would have my services back on so I got the money to pay it.so im still not happy cause with my husband laidoff for the whole month of august it put my bills behind even my house payment I dont like being lied to so please fix it and fast
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2014/09/19) */
Ms. [redacted]:
I have reviewed CenterPoint Energy records and found no indication that you were given a down payment quote of $225 to have your service restored.
You contacted CenterPoint Energy on July 17, 2014 (the date your service was initially disconnected) and spoke with a representative who informed you that $425.55 would be the minimum payment required to restore your service. Then, on September 10, you were given two offers of $447 as a down payment via our self-service website. And, when you called on September 11, you were again given our initial offer of $425 down to restore your service.
I have listened to the recorded phone conversations you had with our representatives on July 17 and September 11, and at no point did CenterPoint Energy offer you a reconnection amount less than $425.
However, as stated in our previous written response to your Revdex.com complaint, your service can be restored for an additional verified payment of $100.72. I would also like to encourage you to apply for the assistance programs I suggested in our last response to your complaint.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/08/13) */
August 13, 2014
Mr. [redacted]
[redacted]
Brainerd, MN 56401-2727
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complain to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the reconnection of your natural gas service...
after your meter was replaced.
CenterPoint Energy records show that your gas meter was replaced on August 6, 2014. Because no one was home at the time, our service technician was unable to relight the pilot lights on your appliances after the new meter was installed. And, when a second technician was sent to relight the pilot lights, we were unable to reach you at the phone number provided. This necessitated a second service call which was completed on August 7, 2014.
I would like to apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced as a result of this issue. But, because your gas service has been restored, CenterPoint Energy considers this matter resolved.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/08/14) */
This is in response to Revdex.com Case #[redacted] submitted by [redacted] regarding the premise at [redacted] Little Rock, AR 72206.
After a thorough review of our records we were able to determine that the account for [redacted] was...
established on 05/07/2013.
Please be advised that the $100.00 that the customer refers to is not a late fee, but a Security Deposit. In accordance with the Arkansas Public Service Commission (APSC) General Service Rule's utility companies are encouraged to require a deposit for customers who prove to be a credit risk. The purpose of the Security Deposit is to decrease the likelihood of an outstanding balance in the event the account is closed for non-pay. By keeping bad debt write offs down other rate payers are protected as well, since a portion of bad debts are recovered under rate structure. The General Service Rules allow for a deposit to be required or increased when the following circumstances occur to name a few:
Payment is received beyond the due date three times in any twelve month period.
Payment is received beyond the due date in two consecutive months.
Account is disconnected for non-pay.
Payments are returned any two times in a twelve month period by a financial institution.
Listed along with this letter is the ledger showing all of the debits and credits applied to the account since the account was established (please note overlap starting with 04/04/2014 date). As you can see from the information below the account we regret has been paid after the due date on several occasions, which is considered late. Specifically, the time frame from October 28, 2013 to January 28, 2014. This three month period with no payment alone would be sufficient reason to require a security deposit on the account. Regrettably, no payment has been made on the account since 05/10/2014.
In addition, we regret the account was disconnected for non-payment on 03/07/2014. That is when the Security Deposit of $100.00 was required on the account. The deposit was billed to the account on 03/14/2014 along with the connect fee of $37.00. The only other charges billed to the account are for the actual gas consumption and the late fees billed to the account, once the due date has passed and the balance is still outstanding. Please be advised that the late fee is being billed in accordance with our approved company tariffs and the APSC General Service Rules.
On 01/27/2014 the customer advised the company that she had a hot water leak and wanted to know if that would impact her usage. The representative informed her that it would as well as informed her of her options at that time to make payment arrangements on the account or seek a Medical Certificate. The customer advised she would be seeking assistance from an Agency the next day.
The next time that we visited with the customer was on 02/27/2014 when the customer called to see if we had received a payment from an Assistance Agency, which we regret we had not. Subsequently, the service was disconnected for non-payment on 03/07/2014. We spoke with the customer again the next day on 03/08/2014 when she called to see why she did not have gas service. We advised that the service had been disconnected for non-payment. On 03/10/2014 the customer attempted to reconnect service via the web, but was denied due to lack of payment. On 03/13/2014 a payment was made and the service was reconnected on 03/14/2014.
The $100.00 Security Deposit was billed to the account in two installments of $50.00 with the next two invoices due to the account being turned off for non-pay.
Our records reflect that the customer spoke to a Supervisor on 08/13/14, and the late fees and billing were explained in detail. An agreement was made to reverse the late fees in question as a onetime courtesy.
At this time the customer owes a balance of $264.79, which is an accumulated balance for gas consumption and the unpaid deposit for the past several months. The ledger below clearly shows how the balance was accumulated. As a onetime courtesy the late fees that were charged on the following dates for a total of $31.30 have been reversed. Therefore, the current invoice that was mailed on 08/12/14, in the amount of $296.09 is minus $31.30, leaving the customer a remaining balance of $264.79 due 09/08/14.
01/03/14 - $4.33
02/06/14 - $5.39
03/12/14 - $5.34
04/09/14 - $4.22
05/08/14 - $3.90
06/09/14 - $3.24
07/31/14 - $2.76
08/11/14 - $2.12
We hope this information will provide clarification to Ms. [redacted]'s concerns. We regret any inconvenience that Ms. [redacted] may have encountered as a result of this matter. We thank Ms. [redacted] for allowing us the opportunity to respond and for making her concerns known to us.
Respectfully,
[redacted]
CenterPoint Energy
One item to note: When a customer makes a payment over the phone or through BILL MATRIX this is a multiple step process and shows as three transactions on the account, for example the payment for $150.00 on 05/10/2014. The balance owed on the account before the payment was made was $335.06 and after the payment settled the balance owed was $185.06.
Customer Name: [redacted]
Service Address: [redacted] Little Rock, AR 722206
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2014/07/31) */
This resolution is in reference to complaint #: [redacted].
Please be advised that we have reviewed the account located at [redacted] Lawton, OK 73505.
Thank you for contacting CenterPoint Energy. As one of our valued customers, we...
want your experience with CenterPoint Energy to be exceptional.
We value all our customers and expect that our employees demonstrate this to our customers by treating each of them fairly and respectfully. Please accept our apology for the way you were treated by our Customer Service department. And thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. Per your complaint we have refunded the $75.00 Security Deposit back to your account.
Again we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you and thank you for making us aware of this issue.
If you need further assistance, please contact Customer Service at [redacted].
[redacted]
Executive Administration Office
Business Response /* (4000, 18, 2014/08/28) */
This resolution is in reference to case # [redacted].
Please be advised that we were able to locate the natural gas account at [redacted] Lawton, OK 73505.
We contacted Mrs. [redacted] to discuss her complaint. It was resolved that her account would be credited for $75.00. The credit has posted to her account and the current balance if a credit of $25.81.
Respectfully,
CenterPoint Energy
Executive Administration Office
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/09/24) */
Please see attached document for complaint response.
September 24, 2014
Ms. [redacted]
[redacted]
Eden Prairie, MN 55347-3149
Ms. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota...
regarding the increase in your budget billing amount. Your complaint mentions an increase in gas rates and higher cost for gas each month. As a regulated utility, CenterPoint Energy does not control the cost of natural gas, but only passes along the market price during each billing cycle. Therefore, the rates you are charged for natural gas each month are not increased or decreased by CenterPoint Energy. However, your Budget Billing Plan (BPP) amount has increased. Below, I have provided a billing summary which outlines your monthly balance and explains the increase in your current budget amount. The difference between your actual gas cost each month and the BBP amount is tracked monthly and listed as the "Deferred Balance" below. Also, the "Settlement Balance" column on the right lists the amount
that would be billed if your account was removed from the BBP.
A customer's BBP amount is based on their average cost of gas over twelve months. The amount
recalculates every six months to account for changes in gas consumption over the previous six months, as well as projected gas usage for the subsequent six month period.
As you will note from the table above, your account currently owes $128.32 in gas charges from the 2013-14 heating season, as your previous budget amount of $44 was insufficient to cover the amount of gas consumed. To account for your gas usage during the previous heating season, and to accumulate a credit to be used during the upcoming heating season, our system automatically calculated a new budget amount of $71 in July.
To resolve your concern, CenterPoint Energy can manually adjust your BBP amount to $58 per month, which is your average cost of gas throughout the last twelve months. However, please be aware that if $58 per month is insufficient to pay off your current deferred balance and cover the amount of gas used during the upcoming heating season, your BBP amount may increase again in six months.
Please contact me if you would like your BBP amount adjusted or if you have any further questions.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
[redacted]
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/07/14) */
July 14, 2014
Mr. [redacted]
Edina, MN 55439
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) regarding restoration of your lawn after the gas service main was replaced.
Your...
complaint states that CenterPoint Energy did not properly restore your lawn to its previous state after we replaced the gas service main at your home. As discussed in our July 9th conversation, our Restoration supervisor agreed to place sod in your yard in an effort to address your concerns. And, we extended this offer to any other customers in your neighborhood who were affected by this problem.
I would like to apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced as a result of this issue. Because the restoration of your yard has been scheduled, CenterPoint Energy considers this matter resolved.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
[redacted]