Hiko Energy

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:

getting in touch with the customer service department was only part of the issue.  Price gouging was the main issue since they increased the price by about 3 times their previous month's rate with no notification and no listing of their prices anywhere on their website.  Their website states in the Terms and Conditions section that you can find their prices on their website.  This is still not true as I just checked their website again today.  I finally was able to contact someone via e-mail, and even though I was overcharged by well over $1000.00 (compared to the previous month's rate which was still a little higher than average), I asked for a change in the energy rate which they did not want to do.  They said they would send me a check for $311.04 even though I asked for a refund of $840 (for one month's bill, which would bring the rate from .289 cents per KWH to their previous month's rate of .099 cents per KWH) they said the other amount was the best they could do.  I still have not received that check.  The next month after that bill, our provider was switched and my bill for only 5 days from HIKO was $248.17 (about $50 per day!!!)  HIKO claimed their rate was average but checking over 50 companies online, none of the prices were even close to the rate HIKO charged.  
 
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
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.
Sincerely,
[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:

[Your Answer Here]
 Hiko failed to inform me that I would be getting billed by both  their company and [redacted] and the representive did not contact me I finally spoke to a customer service representive after I don't know how may attempts to get a human person on the phone I constantly got a voicemail for this business and after speaking to their representive  nothing was resolved and she couldn't explain why I was being charged by both companies . I had to contact [redacted] to have them cancel services with Hiko  because I couldn't get a person on the phone. Again they are misleading and are ripping people off. Only an it would sign up to be billed by 2 different companies paying almost $800 a month for gas they tell you they will lower your Gas bill but fail to tell you. you will be charged a equal amount of money  for delivery  of the gas services. This company need to be investagted and charged with fraud.
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[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:

[Your Answer Here]
The sales representative only explained that no matter what my bill would be that HIKO would ensure that whatever I would be charged per therm would be cheaper than the rate of PSE&G because of the fact that they were distributing my gas and electric from a location that was closer than PSE&G.  After reviewing my bill with them, it was determined that my bill would have been about $600 cheaper had I not gone with HIKO.  It does not help that it has been well over a week from my email to the Revdex.com that prompted a response from them.  I called them two weeks before that to no avail.  Not the type of service I expect from an upstanding organization.  
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]r

Revdex.com:
Somehow [redacted] from Hiko Energy replied to my emails and she has initiated the cancellation of my choice program for having HIKO energy as my supplier. As per their letter received from their side, my electricity will be switched back to PSE&G by...

04/[redacted]& Gas by 05/21. That's satisfactory to me and agree with their cancellation terms in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

The business has responded.  Please find their statement below:
In regard to the complaint filed by [redacted], please see our position below. 
HIKO has investigated and resolved this customers complaint. The customer has agreed to a monetary...

settlement which was accepted as a final resolution to this complaint.

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.
IT IS WHAT IT IS!!
Sincerely,
[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:Hiko Company hasn't given me any kind of reimbursement they never returned my calls after leaving numerous messages. IM not the first person that they rip-off and its not fare to any person they lie, they make you believe one thing when its another. They claim to be from PSEG where's the fairness in that?
someone needs to close down these company's that claim to work with or for PSEG. I will let this go when they really reimburse me.
Thank you.
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[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:
Nothing in the paperwork that I received stated anything about an "annual" savings.  The letter stated that my price is guaranteed to be 1-7% less than my local utility's price to compare for the first six billing cycles.  The word annual is not in that sentence.  My bill was substantially higher than my local utility's price to compare, which I believe is price gouging and illegal. 
The variable rate should kick in after the first six billing cycles, as those were guaranteed to be lower. Which they were not. Again this is all wording taken from paperwork that was sent to me by HIKO. 
I would like the $125 I was already overcharged to be refunded.  I have one more bill to receive from HIKO, which will most likely be an overcharge as well which will need to be refunded.  
 
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

We have reached out to this customer and are in the process of working out a resolution

[redacted]
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.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

In regard to the rebuttal complaint filed by [redacted], please see our position below. 
This customer enrolled in a monthly variable rate plan with no guaranteed savings. 
We have explained that the website [redacted] is not owned or maintained by HIKO. 
The [redacted] Disclaimer clearly states “may not represent a complete and/or accurate listing of all offers in the Connecticut marketplace”. As with any contract, you should call individual suppliers to confirm offers, terms, and conditions before enrolling. 
The customer must also complete the HIKO enrollment screen, this is where the customer provides their personnel account information and has to agree to the terms & conditions of a variable rate service with HIKO. This is added as second layer of protection for customers so they are fully aware of the variable rate, and other important information about the contract they are agreeing to. 
If the customer does not agree by checking off to the terms and conditions of the variable rate contract, the enrollment can not be processed. HIKO only offers a variable rate service. 
This customer voluntarily chose to enroll his account disregarding the [redacted] disclaimer, and the terms and conditions on the HIKO enrollment screen.
Unfortunately, this customer did not fully understand the variable rate service they signed on for. 
We feel that we have been compliant with the enrollment, we also have been diligent in answering and providing a full explanation to all of the customers complaints. There is nothing further we can do for this customer.

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Our call volume had drastically increased during the period the customer tried to contact us, we expanded our CSD over the past few weeks and have representatives working around the clock to respond to all customer inquiries. Upon thorough review of the enrollment, the offer was a variable rate plan with one free month of energy supply after 12 months of services. Term is month to month and can be canceled any time without any termination charges. The variable rate fluctuates daily based on the movement of the wholesale energy market and can increase at any moment without notice.
On the grounds that this winter we’ve seen some of the harshest weather in years. The cold affected electricity generation systems, particularly natural gas, in the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast such that supply weakened and prices skyrocketed, catching many homeowners and business by surprise. For the following reasons the HIKO’s variable rate went up to reflect our cost. Unfortunately, because we feel that we have been compliant with the enrollment offer we will not be able to honor the refund request. A copy of the Third Party Verification recording is available if the customer wishes to listen to the enrollment offer by calling our Customer Service Department at ###-###-####.

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]

Our call volume has drastically increased recently, but to ensure that customers are able to reach us, we have doubled our Customer Service staff this week.
The customer enrolled on a variable rate plan with savings up to 10% over the course of one year and one free month of energy supply...

after 12 months of services. The rate that we offer is a variable rate. Unfortunately, due to the big increase in the cost of the energy, our rate has gone up. Although we can't guarantee savings every month, it is always our intention to do so. On a variable rate there will be times we can be higher or equal to the utility company’s rate. The variable rate is determined by HIKO Energy, based on numerous key factors, including current market conditions and climate. The account started service 03/**/2013 and cancelled 03/**/2014. We reached out to customer by email with our final resolution.

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Regarding our offers and rates, HIKO does try to stay as competitive as possible. The rate that we offer is a variable rate with savings over the course of one year plus one free month of energy supply after 12 months of services. Unfortunately, because of the extreme weather and other determining factors, the cost of electricity and natural gas skyrocketed this winter. Because we only offer variable rates, our rates went up to reflect our cost. Although we can't guarantee savings, it is always our intention to do so. Upon thorough review of the enrollment, The account has been with Hiko for the 6 billing cycles, and 4 months out the 6 our rates have been lower than the utility’s rate. We have reached out to customer by email with our final resolution.

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Good Afternoon,
This customer enrolled her account on our monthly variable rate plan in January of 2012. Although she was on a variable rate, we kept our rates lower than the utility’s supply rates for most of the years of 2012 and 2013. During this past winter, however, the cost of energy skyrocketed, causing our rates to increase as well. As stated in our Terms and Conditions, our variable rate is based on the market, cost, supply and demand, and other determining factors.
On 04/**/14, we contacted the customer and confirmed that her electricity and natural gas supply accounts will be cancelled as of 05/**/14 with out any penalty. Also, that her cancellation does not affect negatively in her receiving her Free Month promotion. In which a refund check has been issued to her.
A copy of this resolution has been sent to this customer.
Thank you.

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Good Afternoon,
We have investigated this complaint and advise that this be forwarded over to this customer's utility. Please see below.
Customer was with HIKO since June 2013. We supplied him at competitive rates and his electricity bills stayed between $40 and $60 (for usage between 100 and 800 kWh) throughout the months, and gas bills were around $20 every month (for usage of 9 to 25 therms per month). These charges were pretty consistent until March 2014. On 3/**/14, we received a meter read from PSE&G stating that this customer used 1,496 therms for one month (actual meter read), compared to his last month which was only 25 therms for the month. Because of this unimaginably high meter read, customer's supply charge (which is based on his usage) was $1,735. If customer's usage would have stayed around 20-25 therms (which was the norm for the past 5 months), his supply charge would have only been $30. I advised customer to contact PSE&G regarding this complaint, because they read the meters and are responsible for relaying the correct usage to the Supplier.
This account has been cancelled without penalty and returned to PSE&G on 3/**.

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]