Direct Energy Business

Review: On 09/16/14 at 5:10p, a sales rep from Direct Energy first rang my doorbell and directly after banged on my door so loudly, that I was so startled out of my sleep. I have been ill from an auto-immune illness and I am disabled. Because I shaken out of my sleep, I thought it was an emergency. I had to quickly dress to answer the door and climb down the stairs with a bad knee that is about to be replaced only to see three men at my door. It frightened me at first because I knew immediately from their badges they weren't from the police. When I asked from behind my door who they were and they said they were from Direct Energy I then got furious. I opened the door and asked the first person why was it so important for him to bang on my door when he had already rang the bell. His response was HE couldn't hear the bell. I not only explained my sick condition, but the fact that Direct Energy comes around at least once or more a month, and I have told them several times a month to stop coming to my house and to take my name off of their list. He identified himself as the supervisor and said this was his first time. His name on the badge was [redacted] and the phone number was ###-###-####. He said he would take my name off the list. But they all say the same thing and then they send someone different who comes at all hours of the day and night. They don't take no for an answer, and either bang on my door, or ring my bell incessantly. I called the number on his badge first and it only calls this rep. I called their company number from the Revdex.com website and when I said I wanted to talk to someone regarding the sells reps. I was put on hold and no one came back to the phone. If possible, please HELP. I don't want these people to EVER come back to my house. I have been up since this person banged on my door trying to file this complaint.Desired Settlement: I do not want ANY representative from Direct Energy to come to my address ever. I want my address put on their do not solicit or do not call list. I want in writing from them that they will send to their local sales office notification not to come to my house, so that if they do, I will have something to show their sales personnel they are not to be at my home. I need a valid phone number to call them if all else fails.

Business

Response:

SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION:

Ms. Green is not currently enrolled with Direct Energy.

We spoke with the agent who visited Ms. Green’s residence and obtained an agent statement. The agent stated he rang Ms. Green’s doorbell then knocked on the door one time. Ms. Green answered the door and told him she was startled, at which time he apologized for startling her. He states Ms. Green was upset stating door to door salespeople come by often. He states he again apologized and said he had never been there. The agent told Ms. Green her contact information would be added to Direct Energy’s No Contact List.

Direct Energy confirmed with the local office this was the only time an agent visited Ms. Green’s residence.

Ms. Green’s address was added to our Do Not Knock list. Please be advised it can take up to 30 days for all solicitation attempts to cease.

Direct Energy did not attempt to contact Ms. Green due to the nature of the complaint.

COMPANY RESPONSE:

Direct Energy confirms only one door to door agent has visited Ms. Green’s residence. Ms. Green’s contact information was added to Direct Energy’s Do Not Knock list.

Direct Energy prides itself on maintaining and exceeding a high level of customer service, and we regret anything that may be considered below satisfactory. If Ms. Green has any further questions regarding this resolution, she may contact us at 1-866-670-6771, and Direct Energy will be more than happy to discuss this resolution further.

Review: The salesmen stated my electric bill would be cut in half...and guaranteed it. It was indeed cut in half...half now went to Direct Energy. I cancelled my contract with Direct Energy. They are now billing me for $573.23 in damages for canceling the contract improperly.Desired Settlement: I desire for Direct Energy to not charge me $573.23 in damages.

Business

Response:

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing in response to the complaint made by [redacted] (“the Customer”).

According to the Customer, they agreed to a Retail Electricity Agreement with Direct Energy Business (“DEB”) because DEB assured the Customer their invoice would be 50% cheaper. The Customer did not see any savings with DEB and requested to terminate Retail Electricity Services with DEB. DEB invoiced the Customer a $573.00 Actual Damage Fee for terminating their Retail Electricity Services with DEB prior to the end of the Customer’s Retail Electricity Agreement. The Customer is requested to DEB to waive the Customer’s Actual Damage Fee.

According to DEB, the Customer signed a Retail Electricity Agreement with DEB for 24 months of electricity service starting December 2012 for .0719 $/kWh. It was DEB’s position that the Customer's Actual Damage Fee was legitimate as listed in the Customer’s Retail Electricity Agreement:

o Section 10 - Termination: “This agreement may be terminated at any time after the date hereof, (i) by mutual

consent in writing by the Parties, (ii) by either party if there has been an event of default that is not cured within

fifteen (15) calendar days of the defaulting Party’s receipt of written notice from the non-defaulting party, or (iii) by Direct Energy if Buyer fails to provide the credit assurance requested, pursuant to Section 6, within seven (7) days of being requested by Direct Energy , or (iv) during a Monthly Renewal pursuant to Section 3, by either party upon providing the other party with thirty (30) days prior written notice, or (v) by Buyer, upon written notice of rescission of this Agreement within three (3) days.”

o Section 11 - Effect of Termination: “In the event of termination as provided in this Agreement, all further

obligations of the Parties under this Agreement shall terminate without further liability of the Parties, except for

the payment by the owing Party of any sums due and owing to the other Party for services rendered prior to the

termination date, any Actual damages (in the event of termination under subsection (ii) of Section 10 above), any confidentiality obligation of either Party which has arisen hereunder and any other obligation hereunder which by its nature survives the termination of this agreement.”

DEB received a request to terminate Retail Electricity Services from the Customer on May 9, 2013. The Customer contacted DEB on July 5, 2013 stating that they should not be invoiced for an Actual Damage Fee. DEB informed the Customer that they were invoiced for this since the Customer terminated their Retail Electricity Services with DEB prior to the end of the Customer’s Retail Electricity Agreement. The Customer stated their DEB Sales Representative misled the Customer regarding their savings for their $/kWh.

According to DEB’s standard sales practices, DEB does not guarantee savings to their Customers, but assures their Customers that a DEB Retail Electricity Agreement will protect the Customer from price volatility for their generation services. At this time, the DEB Sales Representative whom the Customer dealt with when they signed their DEB Retail Electricity Agreement is no longer an employee at DEB. Due to this, DEB is unable to obtain additional information regarding the Customer’s Retail Electricity Agreement from the DEB Representative to confirm the Customer’s complaint. As a courtesy, DEB agreed to waive the Customer’s Actual Damage Fee.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 9610155, and find this resolution to be satisfactory if Direct Energy does indeed wave the "Actual damage fee".

Regards,

Review: I had signed a two year contract and was told and then verified that I would only recieve one bill through my main provider which is [redacted], then I get letters stating that I called and canceled my services and owe $2401.89 on one account. and that there was also going to be a huge cancellation fee. I have tried for 2-hours to reach their customer service department at ###-###-#### and after going through prompts it takes you directly into Spanish. I need help please!Desired Settlement: I want them to honor what was stated in contract and for someone to call me

Business

Response:

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing in response to the complaint filed by [redacted] DBA ** of [redacted] ("Customer").

The Customer states they signed a Retail Electricity Agreement with Direct Energy Business ("[redacted]") for 2 years. The Customer believed that they were going to be invoiced by [redacted] for both generation ([redacted]) and transmission and distribution ([redacted]) charges on one invoice. The Customer recently received communications from [redacted] that the Customer owed [redacted] for an outstanding balance and was dropped due to Non-Pay back to [redacted]. The Customer will owe [redacted] for an Actual Damage Fee too. The Customer believed he was supposed to pay [redacted] for all of his Retail Electricity charges. The Customer has been unable to speak with anyone at [redacted] regarding his outstanding charges.

According to [redacted], the Customer entered into a verbal Third Party Verification ("TPV") Retail Electricity Agreement with [redacted] on March 7, 2012 for 24 months of service starting in April 2012. The Customer was to be invoiced by [redacted] for both generation ([redacted]) and transmission and distribution ([redacted]) charges. This is pursuant to the Terms and Conditions of the Customer’s Retail Electricity Agreement listed under Section 5 Billing and Payment:

Buyer will receive from Direct Energy a monthly invoice following its meter read date for Direct Energy services provided under this Agreement as well as for the Host Utility delivery service transmission and distribution charges, unless Direct Energy is not able to provide a single bill option (in such cases, Buyer will receive separate bills for Direct Energy’s charges (as set forth in section 4) and for the Host Utility’s charges until such time that the single bill option arrangement is available through Direct Energy).

Due to an internal processing error, [redacted] did not submit a request to [redacted] to allow [redacted] to invoice the Customer’s [redacted] charges on the [redacted] invoice per the contract terms. The Customer contacted [redacted] on August 28, 2012 to request to have the [redacted] charges appear on the [redacted] invoice. At the time that the request was made, [redacted] was unable to invoice customers on the [redacted] bill.

[redacted] sent a termination letter to the Customer on November 4, 2013 stating the Customer owes $2,148.42 to [redacted] by November 18, 2013 for unpaid charges from April 2012 – October 2013 for #1158179 for [redacted] generation charges. [redacted] did not receive any payment from the Customer and dropped the Customer back to the utility due to Non-Pay. The Customer spoke with [redacted] on December 2, 2013 and submitted a partial payment of $750.00 to [redacted].

Since [redacted] took no action to resolve the Customer’s issue in August 2012, [redacted] has agreed to give the Customer a goodwill credit of $300 (25% of the Customer’s outstanding balance) for [redacted]’s error for #1158179. [redacted] emailed the Customer on December 11, 2013, to inform the Customer of this goodwill credit.

At this time, the Customer still owes [redacted] $1,378.54 for unpaid charges for the invoices [redacted] sent to the Customer from April 2012 – October 2013 for #1158179. Once the full payment is received, [redacted] will reinstate #1158179 for Retail Electricity Services and remove any Actual Damage Fee that have been assessed.

[redacted] will submit a request to [redacted] for #[redacted] to be invoiced by [redacted] for both generation ([redacted]) and transmission and distribution ([redacted]) charges.

If I can provide further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Sr. Customer Operations Analyst

Review: Direct energy has called my home number over 5 times a day for the last 3 months after I have constantly told them to stop these sales calls as I am not interested in switching electricity suppliers. They will not stop calling my home number and it has now become an issue that prevents me from receiving other calls!Desired Settlement: I want the Revdex.com to have Direct Energy remove my phone number from their sales call list!

Business

Response:

Direct Energy apologizes for any inconvenience caused to Mr. [redacted].

Direct energy has placed MR. [redacted]’s phone number of [redacted] on our internal Do Not Call List. In addition; his address of [redacted] has been placed on our Do Not Mail and Do Not Visit list.

Due to the nature of the complaint Direct energy did not attempt to make contact with Mr. [redacted], however if Mr. [redacted] has any further question he is welcome to contact Direct energy’s Resolution Department at [redacted].

Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Direct Energy’s Resolution Department