Bryant Heating & Cooling

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and when I can get through to someone at the ###-###-#### number to set up an appointment to speak, I will see exactly how the business is planning to refund me, and I will need to understand exactly the terms of the extended warranty Regards, [redacted]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved Regards, [redacted] **

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved Regards, [redacted] That is acceptable but as of today's mail we have yet to receive anything from Bryant

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/10/15) */
October 15,
Mr*** ***
StLouis Park, MN 55416-
Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the charges assessed to your
account
Your complaint mentions two charges which you have disputed: a balance transfer of $and accumulated service charges of $A review of our records indicated that you should not have been billed for either of these charges
First, the $balance transfer to your account was made in errorAs you note, this has been removedSecond, you also note that you have been assessed the basic customer charge of $per month, although your gas meter was disconnected during the time the charges accrued
I have removed the $charge from your account and your balance is currently $I would also like to apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused
If you have any further questions, please contact me
Sincerely,
***
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
***

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/10/08) */
October 8,
Mr*** ***
***
Maple Grove, MN 55311-
Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding scheduling for the repair of your
furnace
Your complaint states that you called Home Service Plus (HSP) on October 6, 2014, to request a repair of your furnace at ***, Maple Grove, MinnesotaAt that time, the soonest available date for the repair was on October This delay in scheduling is due to a higher than anticipated workload due to the recent change in weather and lower than expected temperatures during the last several daysTo alleviate this problem, CenterPoint Energy has required phone center staff and HSP service technicians to work overtime in an effort to serve our customers as quickly as possible
As we discussed in our phone conversation today, I have rescheduled your repair for October 9, which is the soonest that HSP can respond to your request
I would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused by the delay in scheduling your repairPlease contact me if you have any further questions or concerns regarding this issue
Sincerely,
***
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
***

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2015/01/21) */
January 20,
Ms*** ***
***
Fridley, MN 55432-
Ms***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the repair of your
dishwasher
CenterPoint Energy records show that you enrolled in our Home Service Plus (HSP) Repair Plan in September for repair coverage (parts and labor costs) for your furnace, water heater, oven/range, clothes washer, clothes dryer, and dishwasher, for a total of $per month
As you note, you requested repairs for your dishwasher on several occasions since you first called for service on November 10, After multiple attempts to repair your appliance, our Master Technician was able to correctly identify the cause of the issues, which included a plumber repairing the incoming water line to your dishwasher, which is not covered with HSPAt this time, your appliance is functioning correctly and the repair has been completed
I would like to apologize for any inconvenience that you may have experienced due to our inability to repair your appliance in fewer visits
We look forward to serving you in the future
Sincerely,
***
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 10, 2015/01/26) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Error code no longer presents, and I felt that having the plumber come out was a very nice thing to doVery appreciatedBut every time I need to run my dishwasher, I have to go out to the garage and throw breakers to reset it and get it powerAnother appointment has been scheduled
Final Business Response /* (4000, 12, 2015/02/05) */
Ms***:
Our records show that your dishwasher repair was completed on February 3, 2015, and the appliance was functioning correctly after our technician installed the new touchpad
However, we also found that the dishwasher was connected to multiple circuits at your breaker boxBecause of this issue, our technician advised you to have an electrician verify that this is safely and correctly wired
Please contact me if you have further questions regarding this issue
Sincerely,
***
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
***

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/03/13) */
March 13,
Ms***
***
Minneapolis, MN 55417-
Ms***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding responsibility for natural gas service for your
rental property at ***, Minneapolis, Minnesota
You noted in your complaint that your tenant should be responsible for gas charges at the above addressCenterPoint Energy records show that gas service was put into your name on April 14,
This initially occurred due to an error made by a customer who gave their new address as ***, Minneapolis, and requested that the gas service be put into their name on that dateThis customer subsequently called back to correct this error and initiated gas service at the correct addressHowever, after the error was corrected on that customer's account, CenterPoint Energy failed to continue billing the previous tenant, and responsibility for the gas service was put into your name as the property ownerAnd, because your account is enrolled in Automatic Bank Draft, the monthly invoices were drafted from your bank account until the error was corrected in September
At this time, I have corrected the error by reverting responsibility for gas service to your tenant, which removed the gas charges invoiced to your account since the date the error occurredBecause you had already paid these bills, this has resulted in a credit balance on your account of $2,
Due to our accounting process, $1,will be automatically refunded to you, and the remaining credit balance of $1,will remain on your accountPlease contact me if you wish to be refunded this total amount
CenterPoint Energy regrets the error that caused your complaint, as well as any inconvenience you may have experiencedPlease contact me if you have any further questions
Sincerely,
***
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
***

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/11/04) */
November 4,
Ms*** ***
***
Plymouth, Minnesota 55442-
Ms***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com of Minnesota regarding the refund of payments you
submitted in July
CenterPoint Energy records show that you inadvertently overpaid your bill by $on July 8, You then contacted us on July and requested that the overpayment be refunded, which was processed as two refund checks (in the amounts of $and $83) were mailed to you on July However, the checks were returned to CenterPoint Energy by the United States Postal Service (USPS) on August 5, who noted that the mailing address (***, Plymouth, MN 55442) was incorrect
The refund checks were then re-issued on August (at your request), but were not cashed, and were then voided on September so that they could again be re-issued, as you had still not received the checksThese checks were sent again and returned on October by USPS as undeliverable
At this time, your refund checks have again been mailed to your address as of October The address they were mailed to was:
***
***
Plymouth, MN 55442-
CenterPoint Energy has attempted to refund your overpayment four timesI would like to confirm that the above address is correctAlso, if you wish, I will update your CenterPoint Energy account to reflect your name change
I would like to apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced as a result of this issuePlease contact me if you have any further questions regarding this issue
Sincerely,
***
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
***
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2014/11/09) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Dear ***,
Thank you for responding to my complaintI have checked with my landlord and my postal carrier and they have not seen the refund checks/mail you indicate have been sent multiple times
I also had my landlord check with the tenant in my old apartment (I transferred to a different apartment within the same complex last February), and they also have have not received these checks
You indicate in your response that the checks were most recently sent again on 10/30/As of 11/8/these checks have not arrived to my residence
Are you able to expedite my checks and/or send them via a traceable method? There really seems no logical explanation to how if the checks have been mailed as you've indicated - and the address is correct - that no one on my property (me, USPS mail carrier or landlord) has seen them
Sincerely,
***
Final Business Response /* (4000, 10, 2014/11/20) */
Ms***:
I see that you have corresponded with our Online Customer Service group yesterday regarding this issueI would like to outline the steps taken to rectify this payment issue
First, your account has been updated to reflect your full last name: ***As such, the refund check will be made out to your full name, which will also display on the envelope used for mailing
Second, we have cancelled the checks that were last issued, and will send new refund checks with your updated name as soon as possibleTypically, we have a day policy before checks can be reissuedHowever, given the circumstances and continued difficulty you have experienced, we will expedite the processing of your refundIt will be issued next week no later than November 26,
Finally, I understand that the mailbox at your property has been updated with your full nameI am hopeful that this will resolve any issues the postal office may have had in delivering your checks
I would like to apologize again for the delays in delivering your paymentPlease contact me if you have any further questions regarding this issue
Sincerely,
***
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/10/08) */
October 8,
Mr*** ***
***
Cedar, MN 55011-
Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the repair of your furnace at
***, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
As noted in your complaint, you called CenterPoint Energy's Home Service Plus (HSP) department on October 4, 2014, to request a repair for the furnace at your rental property at the above addressAt that time, the soonest available appointment was October 8, as CenterPoint Energy had received a large volume of repair requests in a short period of timeThis was due to the recent change in weather and colder than average temperatures in MinnesotaTo alleviate this issue, CenterPoint Energy has required our phone center and repair technicians to work overtime in an effort to serve our customers as quickly as possible
We spoke with you again on October and explained that the soonest HSP could respond to your repair request was on October During that conversation, we offered a credit of two month's HSP cost to apologize for the scheduling delay, which you declinedYour complaint to the Revdex.com was received on October 7, and again, the soonest available time for the repair was October As of the time of this writing, our technician has been dispatched to complete the repair
Your complaint also requests that the money you have paid for HSP be refundedOur records show that you requested service on your furnace at this property on December 7, 2013, and that HSP responded that same day within the promised time windowAlso, when you called that day to check the status of that order, our representative credited your account with three months of HSP cost ($55.50) to assuage your concernsThe cost of that service call ($164.76) was covered by the monthly cost of your HSP Repair PlanThen, on January 30, 2014, an HSP technician was dispatched to repair the water heater at your propertyThis repair was requested at 5:08PM and our technician arrived at 7:19PM that same dayThe cost of this repair ($137.98) was again covered by your monthly HSP Repair Plan cost
I would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused by the delay in scheduling today's service callHowever, because CenterPoint Energy has honored the terms of your Repair Plan contract each time you have requested repairs, we respectfully decline your request for a refund of the money you have paid for your repair plan
Sincerely,
***
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
***

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/12/29) */
December 29,
Mr*** ***
***
Minneapolis, MN 55419-
Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com of Minnesota (Revdex.com) regarding the gas consumption at your property,
*** Minneapolis, from November to December
In your complaint, you dispute the $total cost for gas used during November billing cycle because, as you state, "the meter was not working at all." I would like to explain the amount of your bill as well as the reason that it was estimated
CenterPoint Energy records indicate that the Encoder Receiver Transmitter (ERT) on the gas meter was replaced on December The ERT device is the component that transmits (via radio waves) the gas meter's reading each monthThe ERT on the gas meter at your property was replaced with a new ERT module as part of regular maintenancePlease note that the ERT is separate from your meter's index, which is the numerical display that counts the gas which passes through the meterThere is no indication of a problem with your meter's index, which was confirmed by our technicians and meter readings both before and after the ERT was replaced
Your gas meter was read via ERT on November with a reading of When the ERT was replaced on December 4, our technician recorded a meter reading of Finally, your meter was manually read (via visual inspection of the index as well as the ERT) on December 18, which confirmed a reading of
As is the case with many CenterPoint Energy customers, your gas usage will increase as outdoor temperatures decreasePlease note that your current gas usage is comparable to the historical usage for your property during previous wintersIf you would like further information regarding the usage history at your property, please contact me
You may be interested in enrolling in CenterPoint Energy's Budget Billing Plan, which spreads the cost of high winter bills over the course of the year by billing you only for the twelve month average usage at your propertyAt this time, your property uses an average amount of $of natural gas per monthPlease let me know if you are interested in the Budget Billing option or if you would like more information
Because there is nothing to indicate that your November bill was inaccurate, CenterPoint Energy declines your request to reduce your bill "in half."
If you have further questions about this issue or your account, please contact me
Sincerely,
***
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
***

*** *** did contact on a Saturday for no A/CWe went on the call, found new A/C that was completely out of freon The homeowner stated that she couldn't get the other company that installed it to call her back We found a leak at a joint and fixed itrefilled the freon
The system was working 100% when we left Gave Ms*** the bill and she asked for a discountGave her a $discount Ms *** did call us back later with the same problem, found another leak, recharged at on charge to herShe did call us again weeks later and we advised her to call the company that installed it, to fix it

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/02/23) */
February 23,
*** ***
***
Shakopee, MN
***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the charge for service to your fireplace
CenterPoint
Energy records show that you called for service on your fireplace on December 29, 2014, and that you also requested to cancel your Home Service Plus Repair Plan on that same dateOur representative did not explain that you would be liable for the cost of our technician's visit to repair your fireplaceAs a result, you were charged $for the cost of that service call
At this time, I have removed the $charge for the service callYour account balance is currently $(the current month's gas charges) and is due on March 6,
Please contact me if you have any further questions
Sincerely,
***
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
***

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/01/06) */
January 5,
Mr*** ***
***
Andover, MN 55304-
Mr***:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the reinstatement of your Home Service Plus
(HSP) Repair Plan contract
CenterPoint Energy records show that your HSP contract, which covered the cost of repairs for your furnace, water heater, stove, clothes dryer, and air conditioner, was cancelled due to non-payment in October In February 2014, the past due balance of $in HSP arrears was sent to a collection agencyCurrently, $of that balance remains outstanding
On December 17, 2014, you called CenterPoint Energy to report that your gas appliances were not working and that there was a lock on your gas meterHowever, when our technician arrived onsite, it was found that the gas meter at your property was not locked and that your appliances were functioning properly
You then called CenterPoint Energy again on December 22, to inquire about HSP coverageOur representative informed you that the contract was cancelled in but agreed to reinstate the coverageYou were also informed that the service call you requested for your furnace would qualify as a pre-existing condition, and that the service call would be charged at our Time and Materials rate
However, our representative should not have reinstated an HSP contract on your account, as you not only owe $for your previous HSP contract, but $1,in arrears for the air conditioner you purchased from HSP in June This policy is outlined in the HSP Terms & Conditions, section 10, which states: "If payments are missed or late, CenterPoint Energy may demand immediate payment of the entire amount you owe or immediate payment of the cost of all service provided to you less any payments made by you to CenterPoint Energy."
Because your account owes a total of $1,in HSP merchandise and HSP contract arrears, I have canceled the HSP contract that was setup on December You have not been charged for this contract
Please contact me if you have further questions regarding this issue
Sincerely,
***
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
***

[redacted] and [redacted] did purchase a new unit in 2009.  In order to get the 10 warranty on parts they where to register the Heat Pump. 
We have responded to there calls, Problems from low on Freon one time (Unit installed in December 2009)  Broken wire outside and a...

capacitor.  The Unit was at full charge the last time we where out in May.  The [redacted] have not been billed.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/12/31) */
December 30, 2014
[redacted]
Brooklyn Park, MN 55428
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) regarding interruption of your natural gas service.
Your gas service...

was disconnected on July 28, 2014 for non-payment. CenterPoint Energy found there to be gas usage on your meter which was supposed to be locked, and because of this, CenterPoint Energy again locked your meter on November 25, 2014. You stated in your complaint that you do not want to be "fined" $740.00 for tampering with CenterPoint Energy's meter, but you were only charged a total of $200.00 for tampering fees.
After your meter was locked on November 25, 2014, CenterPoint Energy again found there to be gas usage on your meter, although no CenterPoint Energy technician had unlocked the meter. On December 16, 2014 a CenterPoint Energy technician went to your home, confirmed the meter was unlocked again by someone other than CenterPoint Energy, and relocked the meter. Two $100.00 tampering fees were added to your account for these incidents.
CenterPoint Energy reconnected your gas service on 12/19/2014 after you contacted our call center and established a payment plan for your past due gas charges. The $200.00 in tampering fees have been added to this payment plan, which has changed the amount of your payment arrangements. Your next instalment will be for $208.47 due on or before January 16, 2015. Your following instalments will be $208.47 plus your gas usage during the billing cycle of that month. If you are unable to pay this, you may contact CenterPoint Energy to establish different arrangements.
In your complaint you also stated, "If I don't call and settle my bill immediately. CenterPoint claims that they are going to have to dig up the front yard so they can 'examine' the gas line, which I am informed, will be a cost added onto my bill." This is not accurate. A CenterPoint Energy representative explained that for safety reasons, any future tampering of the gas meter at your property may result in manual disconnection of your service at the gas service line underground. The cost of this disconnection, $740.00, could be passed on to you.
You also stated CenterPoint Energy did not notify you of the subsequent disconnections that followed your original interruption of service for non-payment. CenterPoint Energy does not need to inform you of disconnection of a meter when there is unauthorized use or tampering per Minnesota Administrative Rule 7820.1100 (Permissible Service Disconnection Without Notice), which states:
Without notice a utility may disconnect service to any customer for any reason stated below:

A.in the event of an unauthorized use of or tampering with the utility's equipment; or
B.in the event of a condition determined to be hazardous to the customer, to other customers of the utility, to the utility's equipment, or to the public.
Even though CenterPoint Energy does not need to inform you of disconnection under this rule, there were attempts to contact you prior to all disconnections.
You requested that CenterPoint Energy provide you with written documentation that your gas services will not be disconnected again during the cold weather season. Although your current payment plan protects your gas service as long as the payment plan is in place, if your payment plan is broken, you could receive a disconnection notice and subsequently be subject to disconnection if that notice expires.
In summary, I have updated your payment plan to include your tampering fees, and there will be no $740.00 reconnection fee as long as no further tampering of CenterPoint Energy's equipment occurs at your property.
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Customer Services
CenterPoint Energy
[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/11/13) */
November 13, 2014
Mr. [redacted]
[redacted]
Minneapolis, MN 55405
Mr. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the relocation of the gas meters at...

[redacted], Minneapolis.
As noted in your complaint, our field crew moved the gas meters at your property from the inside of your property to the outside. This was done due to safety reasons; a leak was found on the gas service inside of the property during an Atmospheric Corrosion Inspection (ACI) in August 2014.
CenterPoint Energy's right to move the gas meter is outlined in our Tariff, which states "gas meters will normally be installed on the outside of the building to be served on the face or at the corner of the building in closest proximity to the gas main to which the gas service line is to be attached."
Please also note that we were unable to place the gas meters on either side of your building, as the north side does not have sufficient clearance to the property line, and placement on the south side would obstruct a driveway.
Because CenterPoint Energy has the right to locate your gas meters according to our Tariff, we must respectfully decline your request to relocate the meters to another location.
I would like to apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please contact me if you have further questions regarding this issue.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/02/02) */
February 2, 2015
Mr. [redacted]
Albertville, MN 55301-3994
Mr. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the disconnection of your natural gas service...

at your property at [redacted], Albertville, Minnesota.
CenterPoint Energy records show that you contacted our office on January 21, 2015, to state that you had mailed a payment for the balance owed on your account. However, because our representative failed to note that your account was past due, your gas service was disconnected on January 22. And, as you note, although you had submitted monthly payments, they had been applied to your previous account at [redacted], Albertville, Minnesota, which was not discovered until after your gas service had been disconnected. Although your payments were made to your previous account (which is now closed), they have since been refunded to you.
Please note that a new account was created for your account at your current address, which includes a new account number ([redacted]-7). Please reference this account number so that you are credited properly for future payments.
As a goodwill gesture, I have removed the reconnection fee of $28 from your account. I would also like to apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced as a result of our error.
Please contact me if you have any further questions regarding this issue.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/10/17) */
October 16, 2014
Ms. [redacted]
[redacted]
Savage, MN 55378-2117
Ms. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding the estimated consumption billed to...

your account during the time your meter was not registering.
The gas meter at your property at [redacted], Savage, Minnesota, did not register gas consumption from the time you moved into the property in September 2013 until the meter was replaced in July 2014. As you note, you called CenterPoint Energy to report this issue in December 2013, but the gas usage billed to your account continued to be estimated until July 2014.
To resolve this issue, I have credited your account in the amount of $1,033.63, which is the total amount of estimated consumption from the time you called until the time the meter was replaced. After this credit is applied, your account balance will be $48.99, which accounts for the actual consumption (less the payments you have made) since the meter was replaced.
Although CenterPoint Energy does have the right to estimate gas consumption for up to 12 months in these cases, because you called to report this issue, you will be billed estimated consumption only until the time that you called.
I would like to apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced as a result of this issue. Please contact me if you have any further questions regarding this issue.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/11/14) */
This is in response to Revdex.com Case #[redacted] submitted by [redacted] regarding the premise at [redacted] Katy, TX 77450
On behalf of CenterPoint Energy we would like to extend an immediate apology to Ms. [redacted] in...

regards to her customer service experience as she felt that she did not receive the highest quality of customer service that we strive for and are accustomed to providing.
After a thorough review of our records we were able to determine that on 10/10/14, an invoice was mailed for $55.71. This includes a disconnect notice for $37.14 with a final payment date of 10/20/14, plus the current bill $18.57 due 10/27/14. Regrettably, the account remained unpaid and service was disconnected for non-payment on 10/22/14. An eligible reconnection offer was made and accepted by the customer on 10/22/14 in the amount of $182.14. This amount includes the past due amount of $37.14, a $20.00 collection fee, a $40.00 reconnection fee and a $85.00 deposit.
On 10/24/14, Ms. [redacted] requested to speak with a supervisor. The supervisor explained the disconnection and reconnection process as well as the collection and reconnection fees in detail. In addition, the process to get the account transferred into another parties name was also discussed. On this same day Ms. Liz [redacted]'s account was forced out by a new party. The supervisor agreed to waive the $40.00 reconnect fee and it was reversed on this same day. The customer was advised that the collection fee was warranted and did apply.
Additionally, we have attached the disconnect notice for your review: The disconnect notice states as follows:
IMPORTANT NOTICE - TEXAS CUSTOMERS
The bill for your natural gas service is seriously past due. Please note
that your regular bill also serves as a "Disconnect Notice" and should
receive your immediate attention.
If your payment is not received in our office by the specified date for the
past due balance, a collection charge may be made or your service may
be disconnected without further notice.
If service is disconnected, you must pay your bill in full in addition to
a reconnect charge. Your deposit requirement will be re-evaluated and
may be increased if necessary to cover payment for future service.
A final bill was mailed on 10/28/14, for $77.26 due 11/12/14. This includes the a reconnection fee of $40.00, a $20.00 collection fee and a final bill for $17.26. The $40.00 reconnection fee was reversed, therefore leaving a remaining balance of $37.26. On 11/10/14, payment was received for $37.26. We were unsuccessful in our attempts to contact Ms. [redacted], however a voicemail message was left with our contact information.
In addition, we would like to provide clarification, that CenterPoint Energy does not accept or process payments from customer's by phone. While CenterPoint Energy offers, many alternative options, mail in, sign up for automatic bank draft, pay over the phone via the IVR and make a One Time Payment for free with your checking or savings account or through [redacted], as well as make payment at an authorized payment location such as HEB, Kroger, etc and on-line; you can pay through [redacted] online and through your online account (MAO) or a One Time Payment for free. By no means is a customer obligated to pay via [redacted], a third party vendor, it is an option and the customer may decline or accept making payments via the third party vendor as there is a convenience fee of $2.95 that [redacted] charges for processing the payment.
We thank Ms. [redacted] for allowing us the opportunity to research this issue. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience Ms. [redacted] may have encountered as a result of this matter. Unfortunately, the collection fee is warranted and CenterPoint Energy is unable to honor Ms. [redacted]'s request to waive the fee.
Respectfully,
[redacted]
CenterPoint Energy.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2014/11/20) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I would like to respond to the recent communication from Centerpoint. First an invoice was never mailed out. I receive electronic communication from Centerpoint. The email I received on 10/10 stated I had a bill due on 10/27 in the amount of $55.71. There was no mention as to an unpaid balance or a disconnection notice.When a note appeared at the residence I called immediately asking why there was a shut off notice for service on my door when the communnication I received stated 10/27 due date. I was told that was for the current bill and there were in fact 2 different due dates.I promptly paid the bill while I was on the phone and tried to come to a resolution.
After payment was made I was told I still had a balance to pay even though it was not reflected on my account online. I was told service could not be reconnected without payment, which left me in a position to not be able to turn my service back on since there is not a way to pay a $0 balance.
I never accepted a reconnection offer at any time. I requested to speak to a supervisor who said in so many words "if I don't pay my bills that's not their problem and they will not credit anything off my bill for a mistake". I then asked to speak with her manager. I was told I would receive a call back within 24-48 hours. I provided my current phone number [redacted]. At no time was there mention of a $20 reconnect fee at this point, siply the $85 deposit and the $40 reconnect fee.
On 10/23 I called back at approximately 5:50 pm asking to please speak with a manager that I was never called and the matter was urgent. At this point the elderly resident in the home was without service for 2 days on one of the coldest nights in months with no gas for cooking, heat, and hot water. I again provided my current number of [redacted] for the call back.
On 10/24 I called yet again on 10/24 to get all the options available since no one would call me back. The lady I spoke with told me I would have to pay $40 for reconnect, $85 for a deposit, and if I called her back within a few minutes she could have someone out there that evening to turn the gas on. I confirmed 3 times if the only fees on my account were the $40 reconnect and the $85 deposit and I was told yes. I then asked if the current tenant called to put the service in their name what fees would be associated with this option. I was told I would pay the final balance for usage and the tenant would pay a $40 connect charge and a deposit which is based on credit. I hung up the phone discussed my options with the tenant and had the tenant call back with a decision.
The tenant called back to start service in her name and have the technician come out that night to avoid waiting until Monday, a total of 6 days from the initial call. She was told that was not an option and who ever told her that was wrong. The cut off for that option was hours before the call, which occured 5 minutes prior to her call.
I then called back to speak to another supervisor to address the incorrect information I received. I gave my number again to have a supervisor call me back. I received a call around 7pm addressing my concerns. It was at this time after numerous conversations I was told about a $20 reconnect fee. I told him I confirmed numerous times with the other agents and not one of them discussed this fee. His response was "I didn't ask the right questions". I would assume asking for any and all fees associated would include this particular fee. He then told me it is on the bill, which again is emailed to me, not mailed. I read the statement to him which discusses the fee. It states..
"If your payment is not received in our office by the specified date for the
past due balance, a collection charge may be made or your service may
be disconnected without further notice."
I emphasized the fact that the statement reads "or" not "and", which I was subject to both a collection charge and a disconnection. He ignored my response and said he would not reverse any charges.
As you can see I made numerous attempts to rectify the situation. I was given different answers by numerous employees on the same topic. I also don't believe that my treatment in this situation was warranted.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2014/11/26) */
This is in response to case # [redacted]. We thank Ms. [redacted] for allowing us another opportunity to respond.
We would like to provide clarification in that Ms. [redacted] was correct that her invoices were being sent electronically. The invoice dated 10/10/14, that was sent electronically to the customer as well as mailed to the service address. Please be advised that when a customer is registered in Online Billing their invoices are sent electronically and the only invoice that is mailed is the disconnect notice. In which our records indicate the invoice dated 10/10/14, was sent electronically to the customer as well as mailed on this date.
We have attached a copy of the invoice that was sent electronically as well as mailed and it can be viewed online under Billing & View Payment History. The invoice was for a total of $55.71.This included a disconnect notice for the past due amount of $37.41 with a final payment date of 10/20/14, plus the current bill in the amount of $18.57 due 10/27/14. The invoice is pink in color and in bold white letters stated DISCONNECT NOTICE as well as stated as follows:
IMPORTANT NOTICE - TEXAS CUSTOMERS: The bill for your natural gas service is seriously past due. Please note that your regular bill also serves as a "Disconnect Notice" and should receive your immediate attention. If your payment is not received in our office by the specified date for the past due balance, a collection charge may be made or your service may be disconnected without further notice. If your service is disconnected, you must pay your bill in full in addition to a reconnect charge. Your deposit requirement will be re-evaluated and may be increased if necessary to cover payment for future service. Please notice the attached invoice for your review.
Unfortunately, we will be unable to refund the $20.00 Collection Fee. The fee is valid because on 10/20/14, due to no payment received. The Past Due notice was mailed on 10/10/14. It clearly stated that a payment in the amount of $37.14 was due on or before 10/20/14, in order to avoid the service being disconnected. This fee was applied to the account because our technician had to travel to the premise to actually disconnect the service on 10/24/14.
Therefore, the collection fee of $20.00 is warranted and was applied to the customers natural gas account. This fee was not erroneously billed to the customer. As a regulated company we are required to list all charges and the collection fee of $20.00 was billed on the final invoice dated 10/28/14.
We sincerely 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

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/11/10) */
November 10, 2014
Mr. [redacted]
Prior Lake, MN 55372-5106
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
This letter responds to your complaint to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) of Minnesota regarding your application for gas service...

at [redacted], Prior Lake, Minnesota 55372.
In your complaint, you state that you "contacted CenterPoint for a new house gas line months ago" and at that time, you were told that you were "added to the schedule." You also stated that you wrote a letter to CenterPoint Energy's CEO and that no action took place in response.
I spoke with you when your initial complaint to our Executive team was received on October 13, 2014, and explained that CenterPoint Energy had no record of any contact with you regarding this property prior to receiving your New Service Application on October 7. You also spoke with our Construction Services representative on October 8, who confirmed that your application had been received and then outlined the installation process.
In our October 13 conversation, I agreed that if you could provide a copy of the original service line application from July 2014 (which you claimed that CenterPoint Energy had lost or ignored) that your request could be expedited. You stated that you would send it to me directly, but to date I have not received that application and have had no further contact with you.
Because there is no evidence that you submitted an application for gas line installation prior to October 7, service line installation will take place within the eight week timeline as promised in the October 8 conversation you had with our Construction Services representative.
Please contact me if you have further questions regarding this issue.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy
[redacted]
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2014/11/11) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Hostile response
I wish I had other options :(
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2014/11/17) */
Mr. [redacted]:
I understand your frustration, but again, CenterPoint Energy plans to have your gas service installed within the six to eight weeks from the time your application was received.
Please let me know if you have further questions regarding this issue.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Regulatory Liaison
CenterPoint Energy