Initial Business Response / [redacted] (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 Thank you for contacting CenterPoint EnergyAs 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 respectfullyPlease accept our apology for the way you were treated by our Customer Service departmentAnd thank you for bringing this matter to our attentionPer your complaint we have refunded the $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 / [redacted] (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 We contacted Mrs [redacted] to discuss her complaintIt was resolved that her account would be credited for $The credit has posted to her account and the current balance if a credit of $ Respectfully, CenterPoint Energy Executive Administration Office
Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2014/07/14) */ July 14, Mr [redacted] Edina, MN Dear Mr***: 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 homeAs discussed in our July 9th conversation, our Restoration supervisor agreed to place sod in your yard in an effort to address your concernsAnd, 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 issueBecause the restoration of your yard has been scheduled, CenterPoint Energy considers this matter resolved Sincerely, [redacted] Customer Services CenterPoint Energy [redacted]
Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2014/09/16) */ September 16, Ms [redacted] Bethel, MN 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 $was owed on your accountAfter your payment of $was received on September 11, 2014, your account was still past due $To meet our requirements for reconnection (without submitting Proof of Hardship documentation), your service can be restored for a verified payment of $ Please note that CenterPoint Energy takes into consideration financial and extenuating circumstances when offering a payment arrangement to restore a customer's gas serviceTowards that end, we may require Proof of Hardship from customers who may be facing financial or otherwise extenuating circumstancesIf 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 gasCenterPoint Energy takes these medical situations into account with regards to restoring gas service and preventing disconnection of that serviceA "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 customerPlease 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 / [redacted] (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 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 / [redacted] (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 $to have your service restored You contacted CenterPoint Energy on July 17, (the date your service was initially disconnected) and spoke with a representative who informed you that $would be the minimum payment required to restore your serviceThen, on September 10, you were given two offers of $as a down payment via our self-service websiteAnd, when you called on September 11, you were again given our initial offer of $down to restore your service I have listened to the recorded phone conversations you had with our representatives on July and September 11, and at no point did CenterPoint Energy offer you a reconnection amount less than $ However, as stated in our previous written response to your Revdex.com complaint, your service can be restored for an additional verified payment of $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 / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2014/08/13) */ August 13, Mr [redacted] Brainerd, MN 56401- Dear Mr***: 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, 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 installedAnd, when a second technician was sent to relight the pilot lights, we were unable to reach you at the phone number providedThis necessitated a second service call which was completed on August 7, I would like to apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced as a result of this issueBut, because your gas service has been restored, CenterPoint Energy considers this matter resolved Sincerely, [redacted] Customer Services CenterPoint Energy
Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2014/09/24) */ Please see attached document for complaint response September 24, Ms [redacted] Eden Prairie, MN 55347- Ms***: This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the increase in your budget billing amountYour complaint mentions an increase in gas rates and higher cost for gas each monthAs a regulated utility, CenterPoint Energy does not control the cost of natural gas, but only passes along the market price during each billing cycleTherefore, the rates you are charged for natural gas each month are not increased or decreased by CenterPoint EnergyHowever, your Budget Billing Plan (BPP) amount has increasedBelow, I have provided a billing summary which outlines your monthly balance and explains the increase in your current budget amountThe difference between your actual gas cost each month and the BBP amount is tracked monthly and listed as the "Deferred Balance" belowAlso, 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 monthsThe 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 $in gas charges from the 2013-heating season, as your previous budget amount of $was insufficient to cover the amount of gas consumedTo 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 $in July To resolve your concern, CenterPoint Energy can manually adjust your BBP amount to $per month, which is your average cost of gas throughout the last twelve monthsHowever, please be aware that if $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 / [redacted] (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 After a thorough review of our records we were able to determine that the account for [redacted] was established on 05/07/ Please be advised that the $that the customer refers to is not a late fee, but a Security DepositIn 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 riskThe purpose of the Security Deposit is to decrease the likelihood of an outstanding balance in the event the account is closed for non-payBy keeping bad debt write offs down other rate payers are protected as well, since a portion of bad debts are recovered under rate structureThe 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/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 lateSpecifically, the time frame from October 28, to January 28, This three month period with no payment alone would be sufficient reason to require a security deposit on the accountRegrettably, no payment has been made on the account since 05/10/ In addition, we regret the account was disconnected for non-payment on 03/07/That is when the Security Deposit of $was required on the accountThe deposit was billed to the account on 03/14/along with the connect fee of $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 outstandingPlease 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/the customer advised the company that she had a hot water leak and wanted to know if that would impact her usageThe 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 CertificateThe 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/when the customer called to see if we had received a payment from an Assistance Agency, which we regret we had notSubsequently, the service was disconnected for non-payment on 03/07/We spoke with the customer again the next day on 03/08/when she called to see why she did not have gas serviceWe advised that the service had been disconnected for non-paymentOn 03/10/the customer attempted to reconnect service via the web, but was denied due to lack of paymentOn 03/13/a payment was made and the service was reconnected on 03/14/ The $Security Deposit was billed to the account in two installments of $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 detailAn 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 monthsThe ledger below clearly shows how the balance was accumulatedAs a onetime courtesy the late fees that were charged on the following dates for a total of $have been reversedTherefore, the current invoice that was mailed on 08/12/14, in the amount of $is minus $31.30, leaving the customer a remaining balance of $due 09/08/ 01/03/- $ 02/06/- $ 03/12/- $ 04/09/- $ 05/08/- $ 06/09/- $ 07/31/- $ 08/11/- $ We hope this information will provide clarification to Ms [redacted] 's concernsWe regret any inconvenience that Ms [redacted] may have encountered as a result of this matterWe 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 $on 05/10/The balance owed on the account before the payment was made was $and after the payment settled the balance owed was $ Customer Name: [redacted] Service Address: [redacted] Little Rock, AR
Initial Business Response / [redacted] (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 Thank you for contacting CenterPoint EnergyAs 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 respectfullyPlease accept our apology for the way you were treated by our Customer Service departmentAnd thank you for bringing this matter to our attentionPer your complaint we have refunded the $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 / [redacted] (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 We contacted Mrs [redacted] to discuss her complaintIt was resolved that her account would be credited for $The credit has posted to her account and the current balance if a credit of $ Respectfully, CenterPoint Energy Executive Administration Office
Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2014/07/14) */ July 14, Mr [redacted] Edina, MN Dear Mr***: 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 homeAs discussed in our July 9th conversation, our Restoration supervisor agreed to place sod in your yard in an effort to address your concernsAnd, 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 issueBecause the restoration of your yard has been scheduled, CenterPoint Energy considers this matter resolved Sincerely, [redacted] Customer Services CenterPoint Energy [redacted]
Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2014/09/16) */ September 16, Ms [redacted] Bethel, MN 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 $was owed on your accountAfter your payment of $was received on September 11, 2014, your account was still past due $To meet our requirements for reconnection (without submitting Proof of Hardship documentation), your service can be restored for a verified payment of $ Please note that CenterPoint Energy takes into consideration financial and extenuating circumstances when offering a payment arrangement to restore a customer's gas serviceTowards that end, we may require Proof of Hardship from customers who may be facing financial or otherwise extenuating circumstancesIf 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 gasCenterPoint Energy takes these medical situations into account with regards to restoring gas service and preventing disconnection of that serviceA "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 customerPlease 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 / [redacted] (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 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 / [redacted] (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 $to have your service restored You contacted CenterPoint Energy on July 17, (the date your service was initially disconnected) and spoke with a representative who informed you that $would be the minimum payment required to restore your serviceThen, on September 10, you were given two offers of $as a down payment via our self-service websiteAnd, when you called on September 11, you were again given our initial offer of $down to restore your service I have listened to the recorded phone conversations you had with our representatives on July and September 11, and at no point did CenterPoint Energy offer you a reconnection amount less than $ However, as stated in our previous written response to your Revdex.com complaint, your service can be restored for an additional verified payment of $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 / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2014/08/13) */ August 13, Mr [redacted] Brainerd, MN 56401- Dear Mr***: 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, 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 installedAnd, when a second technician was sent to relight the pilot lights, we were unable to reach you at the phone number providedThis necessitated a second service call which was completed on August 7, I would like to apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced as a result of this issueBut, because your gas service has been restored, CenterPoint Energy considers this matter resolved Sincerely, [redacted] Customer Services CenterPoint Energy
Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2014/09/24) */ Please see attached document for complaint response September 24, Ms [redacted] Eden Prairie, MN 55347- Ms***: This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the increase in your budget billing amountYour complaint mentions an increase in gas rates and higher cost for gas each monthAs a regulated utility, CenterPoint Energy does not control the cost of natural gas, but only passes along the market price during each billing cycleTherefore, the rates you are charged for natural gas each month are not increased or decreased by CenterPoint EnergyHowever, your Budget Billing Plan (BPP) amount has increasedBelow, I have provided a billing summary which outlines your monthly balance and explains the increase in your current budget amountThe difference between your actual gas cost each month and the BBP amount is tracked monthly and listed as the "Deferred Balance" belowAlso, 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 monthsThe 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 $in gas charges from the 2013-heating season, as your previous budget amount of $was insufficient to cover the amount of gas consumedTo 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 $in July To resolve your concern, CenterPoint Energy can manually adjust your BBP amount to $per month, which is your average cost of gas throughout the last twelve monthsHowever, please be aware that if $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 / [redacted] (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 After a thorough review of our records we were able to determine that the account for [redacted] was established on 05/07/ Please be advised that the $that the customer refers to is not a late fee, but a Security DepositIn 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 riskThe purpose of the Security Deposit is to decrease the likelihood of an outstanding balance in the event the account is closed for non-payBy keeping bad debt write offs down other rate payers are protected as well, since a portion of bad debts are recovered under rate structureThe 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/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 lateSpecifically, the time frame from October 28, to January 28, This three month period with no payment alone would be sufficient reason to require a security deposit on the accountRegrettably, no payment has been made on the account since 05/10/ In addition, we regret the account was disconnected for non-payment on 03/07/That is when the Security Deposit of $was required on the accountThe deposit was billed to the account on 03/14/along with the connect fee of $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 outstandingPlease 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/the customer advised the company that she had a hot water leak and wanted to know if that would impact her usageThe 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 CertificateThe 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/when the customer called to see if we had received a payment from an Assistance Agency, which we regret we had notSubsequently, the service was disconnected for non-payment on 03/07/We spoke with the customer again the next day on 03/08/when she called to see why she did not have gas serviceWe advised that the service had been disconnected for non-paymentOn 03/10/the customer attempted to reconnect service via the web, but was denied due to lack of paymentOn 03/13/a payment was made and the service was reconnected on 03/14/ The $Security Deposit was billed to the account in two installments of $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 detailAn 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 monthsThe ledger below clearly shows how the balance was accumulatedAs a onetime courtesy the late fees that were charged on the following dates for a total of $have been reversedTherefore, the current invoice that was mailed on 08/12/14, in the amount of $is minus $31.30, leaving the customer a remaining balance of $due 09/08/ 01/03/- $ 02/06/- $ 03/12/- $ 04/09/- $ 05/08/- $ 06/09/- $ 07/31/- $ 08/11/- $ We hope this information will provide clarification to Ms [redacted] 's concernsWe regret any inconvenience that Ms [redacted] may have encountered as a result of this matterWe 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 $on 05/10/The balance owed on the account before the payment was made was $and after the payment settled the balance owed was $ Customer Name: [redacted] Service Address: [redacted] Little Rock, AR