Central Hudson Gas & Electric

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved. Thank you for taking the time to resolve this misunderstanding.  I had been in and out of town and must have missed some of your replies.     Again Thanks,[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

Central Hudson was sent a doctor's note for Ellen who resides with me and whom is over 62 and disabled.They had knowledge of her disability and should have a record of the note her doctor sent back in 2015.When Ellen told the rep on the phone on May [redacted] 2016 about her being disabled,the rep just kept talking over her and did not acknowledge what she was relaying to the rep. Central Hudson shut off the electric after they accepted full payment. 
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

[redacted]       
[redacted]      
[redacted]       Dear [redacted],   We are responding to your recent NYS Revdex.com complaint ID [redacted]  regarding your billing issues. I...

have attached a copy of your billing and payment history for your review.   You are correct that an offered payment arrangement was accepted, with a down payment of  $191.98 and  two (2) monthly payments of $60.31 and a final payment of $10.30.   This arrangement was for the past due amount at that time, which was $383.21.   On 7/**/15 you made a payment of $60.31, leaving you a balance of  $131.67 which had to be paid by 8/**/15 to keep the terms of the payment arrangement.   On 8/*/15 a payment of $114.75 was received and on 8/**/15 a payment of $17.00 was received. The final payment was received after the 8/**/15 reminder notice date given to you. The payment was not reported after it was made so our computer system defaulted the arrangement, if it had been reported we could have manually updated the arrangement for you.   Late fees in the amount of $2.87 and $2.91 were added to your billing, and a current two month bill was issued to you on 9/**/15 for $174.61 bringing your total amount due to $371.54 of that $196.90 was past due at that time.   Since receiving your correspondence we have waived a total of $30.96 in late fees. A customer payment was also received in the amount of $300.00. Currently your past due amount is $45.76   If you still have any questions after this breakdown and review of the billing/payment history, please call us to discuss in more detail.   Regards,     [redacted] Customer Service Representative

Revdex.com:At this time, I have not been contacted by Central Hudson Gas & Electric regarding complaint ID [redacted].Sincerely,[redacted]

On September *,2016 a message was left on customer's voicemail to return our call.  On September **, 2016 Central Hudson contacted [redacted] again and spoke with her regarding her complaint.  She was advised how the basic service charge and rates are approved by the Public Service...

Commission.  Customer has recently moved to a new location where it looks like that location the usage is lower than the one she moved from; however, we cannot guarantee that her bill will be lower because it is based how her household uses electricity.

Tell us why here...
Central Hudson has assisted [redacted] and provided a payment agreement that is in a current status.  At this time, [redacted] is not in jeopardy of termination of Service as long as she complies with the terms of the agreement which she signed.  If she has any...

further questions or needs, Central Hudson is more than happy to assist.
Thank you

[redacted] bill was mailed to him on 3/**/16, he had until 4/*/16 to make the payment in full or make a payment agreement on it.  If the bill is not paid by the due after 4/*/16, collection notices and phone calls are made to remind the customer to make the payment.  All of this is in...

compliance with the Home Energy Fair Practices Act (HEFPA).  A collector is only sent to a customer's home if they did not respond to any of the outreach Central Hudson made to assist the customer in making a payment to avoid a termination. When the collector is at a cusotmer's home, they will have to make the payment in full. Once the service is turned off, we will restore the service within 24 hours.  [redacted] service was restored the same day it was locked.  Central Hudson waived the reconnection fee of $20.00 as a courtesy to [redacted].  All of this is in compliance with the Home Energy Fair Practices Act (HEFPA).  This procedure is in compliance with the Home Energy Fair Practices Act (HEFPA).

The business has responded.  Please see below:Please see email below regarding action and resolution being taken with Complaint #[redacted]. I am unable to access your website to update the actions being taken by [redacted], so I will ask that your office make the update for me based on the...

email (to customer) noted below. I also left a v/m for Revdex.com staff at ###-###-#### (ext. [redacted]) with the same content. Please confirm that your office will “close the loop” on this matter. Thanks.  [redacted]Hi [redacted], This is a follow up to last Sunday’s email dialogue regarding the status of your $2,000 reward check. I now have your check in my possession, so it will be mailed out today. You should expect to receive it in 2-3 days. The mailing address on record for your account is [redacted]. If that has changed, please notify me at your earliest opportunity.  Please contact me when you have received the check. Once I have your confirmation, I will contact the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) and notify them that your complaint has been resolved. In the meantime, I will advise the Revdex.com that we have mailed out your check so they are aware of the latest status and action taken. I sincerely apologize for the delays that you incurred while we processed your reward check.  Congratulations on making the switch to natural gas heat for your home. I’m confident that you’ll enjoy the many benefits of natural gas heat for years to come. Please let me know if you require additional assistance.  Thank you.  [redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

 With respect to the response from Central Hudson: A phone call was not made to me from Central Hudson with respect to the possibility of a disconnection of my service. There was no outreach from them to assist me whatsoever. I made a payment of $200. to them on May * 2016; confirmation #[redacted]. Nothing on that date was relayed to me about a disconnection. Then on May [redacted] 2016  a payment was accepted over the phone yet the technician disconnected my service anyway and said he did not care. As I stated previously he was rude to me which is why I phoned in the payment. I did not get service restored until the evening of the 10th around eight p.m. Also I have a person residing with me who is over 62 and who is disabled. They are aware of this as her Doctor sent them a note in the past. 
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Our Customer Service Representative called [redacted] to discuss his concerns and to learn more about the over 62 person in his home to see what programs he/she may be eligible for.  [redacted] stated that he has filed his complaint and did not want to speak with her and he hung up the phone. 
Central Hudson would be happy to discuss this further should [redacted] wish to.  He can contact Paula Coppin at [redacted].

I called [redacted] on 8/**/2016 and discussed her concerns.  I advised her to check with her local Post Office as she is receiving some of the correspondence we send and not others.  I reviewed her account and saw that she may be eligible for a program that we offer to assist with Monies owed in arrears.  Elise had to go as she was at work.  I advised I will call her back within the next 2 days as well as send her an application for the program.  She was appreciative of the return call and said we can discuss the account further.

Central Hudson spoke with the customer to resolve her issue.  We sent her the following letter to confirm our conversation with her:
[redacted]Dear [redacted], We are responding to your recent NYS Revdex.com complaint #[redacted]...

 regarding the cost of budget plan.  To avoid confusion on how our budget plan works I would like to explain the program.  I will also provide to you a breakdown of your actual costs. Please note the high costs during the cold month, due to the fact that your main source of heat for your home is electric.The budget is designed to level out your yearly costs. To avoid the seasonal fluctuations of energy bills that can be caused by hot or cold weather extremes, Budget Billing spreads your bill payments evenly over 12 months (rather than our usual every-other-month billing plan.) Your monthly budget payments will be uniform for 11 months, based on your usage history. The bill for the 12th month will include a plus-or-minus adjustment to reflect your actual usage and energy prices for the year.Electric Usage History Meter Read Date Number of Months Total Usage - KWH Amount Billed Plus Sales Tax[redacted] Please note the usage above is the actual usage and cost for your home, this is what is used to base your monthly budget cost.  The reason for the increase in your monthly budget is to level your cost on a monthly basis.  We always offer payment agreements to our customers for outstanding past due amounts, please call our office to review your account and determine what payment agreement would work best for your specific circumstances.Regards,SimonCustomer Service Representativecc: Revdex.com

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved. The company has contacted me back on their own volition to explain what can be done  thanks...

for the assistance  
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Tell us why here...
[redacted],
I apologize for any inconvenience that you experienced while trying to make a payment online.    I have removed the $.30 late fee as well as the $20 fee that was automatically applied to your account when you stopped payment on your check. ...

Your account is in excellent standing. 
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me at ###-###-####.
Regards,
Paula C[redacted]
Consumer Outreach

A telephone message was left for customer to call our office to discuss her concerns at ###-###-####.

Revdex.com:
I have...

reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that the matter has been resolved.However the job was done @ 5:45 pm on May [redacted] just because we contacted the parent company legal department. It took about 45 minutes to complete but my family was deprave from power/electricity for a month.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

On 8/**/2016 Marlo D[redacted] in the Outreach Department contacted [redacted]. Also, On 8/**/2016 all of [redacted] financial documentation were reviewed and she was approved for a Minimum Payment Agreement. The original reinstatement amount to get [redacted] back into the agreement and...

get her service restored was $1348.14.  This is only a portion of her current account balance of $2865.39 that is outstanding.  As an extended courtesy I offered for [redacted] to only pay $500 to get her services restored and get her back into the payment agreement. She states that she understands and will contact Marlo back this afternoon.  I am working directly with her to resolve her concerns. She has my direct line as well incase she needs additional assistance.

Review: I struggle to pay my electric bill at my current address, however it always gets paid and is current. I recently received a transfer of debt from FOUR YEARS AGO from an unpaid account that was continued by a vindictive ex girlfriend who ran several utility bills up in my name. My credit has suffered considerably already, and I've had to pay into secured credit cards to regain any sort of credit. They recently applied this disputed debt that has already been sent to collections to a current account in my name LONG AFTER I have suffered at the hands of others. I may see my lights be turned off over this utter greed. I spoke with a manager who refused to even reduce the debt by a cent. Why didn't they do this to me 4 years ago? My account was active. Well, apparently according to [redacted] at billing - their systems were upgraded so that's why I had to go to collections AND be forced to pay. I'm so upset with this company, I'd move to solar panels if I could afford it. Unfortunately, there's no way I can stop giving this company money unless I decide to sit in a house with no electric. I would if I could. I'm livid.Desired Settlement: Stop making people pay for what has already been sent to collections. You have already ruined my credit. I can't take her to small claims, she's in another state. I'm being victimized here and you wont listen. My advice to anyone reading this. Don't live in their service area. It's awful.

Business

Response:

Customer's Statement was that the company transferred a 4 year old debt into his active account. He claims that his ex-girlfriend ran up several utility bills in his name and that his credit suffered because of this. He maintains that the company should have held him responsible years ago for these balances.

The company researched the customers complaint by reading all the notes on the accounts (old & new) and by pulling the recordings of the conversations the customer had when the old account was requested to be turned off and the new account put into his name. In those recordings the customer advised that he wanted the old service taken out of his name "whenever" (it was done next available business date), stated he was moving to a location where utilities were included, and wanted to take over his deceased parents account; after he stated he couldn't pay the new account's bills (accumulated after the accountholder was deceased), a deposit (due to poor payment history), and his old bill, he was advised to pay the old bill in full in order to get the new service in his name and he would not be held responsible for the deceased parties billing (even though he stated he had been paying the bills there), or a deposit. The new service was put into his name and he never paid the old bill. In that recording the customer never mentions another person being responsible for that bill, he took full responsibility for paying the bill on his old account. His current conversations were no different, he took full responsibility for the bill being his, he just thought someone else was going to pay it. The company maintains that since the bill was in his name, when he saw it had been left unpaid, either with us or with a collection agency, he should've paid the bill, or called the collection agency for a deferred payment agreement, and then attempted to get reimbursement (either payment or through legal means) from the other party he mentioned.

After that bill was left unpaid it was sent to a collection agency for payment as that is the collection process. After two collection agencies did not collect the bad debt it was returned to Central Hudson for possible internal collection. Since the customer has an active account with us the balance still due was transferred to the active account and the customer was requested to pay in full or make a deferred payment agreement. He refused stating he shouldn't be responsible for the bad debt because it was so old and claims wasnt used by him. It was explained to the customer that there is nothing precluding the company from collecting any aged bad debt as long as its still on our books. It was also advised that he could have paid this bad debt, disputed it or handled it legally at any time in the past four years while it was on his credit report. It was also explained to the customer that by the company taking it back internally for collections it was removed from his credit report, thereby helping the customer to clear up his credit. The customer was advised he has until [redacted] to either pay in full or make a Signed deferred payment agreement with us to pay off this balance over time based on a financial statement and supporting documentation if necessary. The customer stated he didnt have time to do the financial statement at the time of the discussion and he would call back. He was advised of the call center hours for him to call back. Currently the customer is in arrears and due to be locked for non-payment after [redacted]

Review: Hello,

I'm Writing about my account. Account # [redacted]. My current bill is wrong. My previous balance which was due on 7/**/15 was $191.98 which included $ 60.31 for budget billing that was due 7/**; Plus an old balance of $130.92 that I was making payments on for a total of $322.90. I made payments totaling $191.06, which left a balance of $130.92. My current billed charges according to central hudson are $174.61, I owe the 8/** and 9/** budget plan payments currently which is $60.31 each plus one final payment due on 10/** of $10.30 for a total of $130.92, so those two balances plus a late charge totals $ 305.53 my current bill is for $371.54. I have not attempted to Get this issue resolved with the company because I would Like help in getting this resolved. I have emailed [redacted] to inform the accounts Unit of the situation.Desired Settlement: I would like the bill to be reviewed and adjusted, previous bills for the last 6 months sent to me so I can check for errors and my meter reread.

Business

Response:

[redacted]

[redacted] Dear [redacted], We are responding to your recent NYS Revdex.com complaint ID [redacted] regarding your billing issues. I have attached a copy of your billing and payment history for your review. You are correct that an offered payment arrangement was accepted, with a down payment of $191.98 and two (2) monthly payments of $60.31 and a final payment of $10.30. This arrangement was for the past due amount at that time, which was $383.21. On 7/**/15 you made a payment of $60.31, leaving you a balance of $131.67 which had to be paid by 8/**/15 to keep the terms of the payment arrangement. On 8/*/15 a payment of $114.75 was received and on 8/**/15 a payment of $17.00 was received. The final payment was received after the 8/**/15 reminder notice date given to you. The payment was not reported after it was made so our computer system defaulted the arrangement, if it had been reported we could have manually updated the arrangement for you. Late fees in the amount of $2.87 and $2.91 were added to your billing, and a current two month bill was issued to you on 9/**/15 for $174.61 bringing your total amount due to $371.54 of that $196.90 was past due at that time. Since receiving your correspondence we have waived a total of $30.96 in late fees. A customer payment was also received in the amount of $300.00. Currently your past due amount is $45.76 If you still have any questions after this breakdown and review of the billing/payment history, please call us to discuss in more detail. Regards, [redacted] Customer Service Representative