Oklahoma 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.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

This customer has made this same complaint with the OCC.  The OCC has closed the complaint and did not find OGE in any violation.  Below is the OCC that closed the complaint: The customer agreed to pay $8.41 per month plus any current bills that came due. In order for the...

arrangement to be satisfied the customer would have to pay the current bill plus the remaining account balance on the installment plan before the new bill comes out. Once the new bill comes out each month that becomes part of the arrangement as the arrangement terms state that you agree to pay any new current bill that is invoiced. The customer did not pay the current bill and the arrangement amount in full before the new bill was issued so that now becomes part of the arrangement. The customer will need to pay $198.72 on or before 08/30/16 to avoid disconnection of service.

In regard to the rejection by the customer:  As we have reviewed with the customer on multiple occasions through our Customer Service department, and through the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, OGE cannot know definitively why a customer uses a certain amount of electricity, whether it be higher or lower than in months past.  As the meter is simply a kWh recording device, all we can do is relay the exact amount of recorded usage to the customer and can only suggest possible causes of usage differences when asked.  It is not the responsibility of OGE to determine what inside the home or any condition on the customer's side of the meter may be using the electricity or may be the cause of claimed abnormalities in usage, this would be the customer's responsibility.  The customer was not billed "extra" as claimed in the rejection, the customer was billed based on the recorded usage, the same as they always have been billed, the same as all OGE customers are billed.  However, if the customer believes that there is a problem with the meter not accurately recording the usage, they do have the option to request a meter test be performed and can be present during the test.  The customer will need to contact Customer Service for instructions on submitting the request.  As OGE has responded to this customer issue as requested, unless the Revdex.com has further need of specific information related to this customer issue, we will consider the matter as closed.

This customer established new service at the location beginning 7/22/16 and 2 bills have been issued so far.  The 1st bill issued 8/9/16 for a total of $134.11, this included the SIF of $25.00, the remainder $34.50 of a reconnection fee due to disconnection for non-payment of the $150.00...

deposit (that was since satisfied with a payment of $150.50) and the usage amount of that bill being just $74.61.  The 2nd bill issued on 9/9/16 and the total amount on that bill was $239.12, this included the previously unpaid balance of $136.07 ($134.11 + late fee) and the current usage amount of $103.05.  The cusotmer then made a payment of $137.00 on 9/9/16 that satified the past due amount.  There is a current balance remaining on the account of $102.12 due by 10/3/16.  In researching the usage history at the location, the customer is actually using less electricity than previous tenants have here over the past few years, in some cases by about half as much.  The billing is correct at the location, but there is the option of a meter test available to the customer, and can contact cusotmer service for the details regarding what is required to submit the request.  Regarding the flickering lights issue reported by the customer; we do show a blinking lights ticket was issued on 9/21/16 and a tech checked the voltage and load and all OGE equipment was found to be in good order, the issue may be on the customer side of the meter which OGE is not responsible for.  Please let us know if you should need any further information on this issue.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:I still maintain that my pay card would have declined the transaction even if I was a few pennies short. Also, if a portion or all of my deposit payment was accepted, then why was my power on to begin with? No notification whatsoever was given to me otherwise. They had several warm days to turn the power off being their intention, and did nothing. They waited until the weather was colder, then that night, I caught pneumonia and was in the ER at St. Anthony's Hospital in downtown OKC. I also maintain, that when they shut the power off, even though they were notified of my illness, they did nothing about it, further jeopardizing my health. I have not been at work in two to three weeks because of this illness.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/06) */
When customer's request new service with OG&E it is our policy to perform a soft credit check with Equifax. This process does not put a hard inquiry on the customer's credit report and it does not provide OG&E with the customer's credit score. ...

OG&E will receive 1 of 3 codes and this will determine if the customer will be required to pay a deposit. The response that OG&E received after performing the soft credit inquiry was a "c2" which means that the customer's account would be required to be secured by a deposit. OG&E has not received the customer's full credit report or score so OG&E does not have anything to provide to the customer. The customer was not denied credit in any way by OG&E. The customer was simply required to pay a deposit to secure his account.
Our customers also have the option to provide a letter of credit from another gas or electric company to have the deposit waived. OG&E's policy with accepting a letter of credit from another gas or electric company must meet the following:
The letter must show 12 months of payment history with no more than 2 late payments, no disconnect orders, and no returned checks on the account. The letter of credit must also be within the most recent 24 months.
Mr. Knutson was given this option and he did supply OG&E with a letter of credit from Northwest Energy; however the letter did not meet our guidelines. The letter only showed 8 months of service from a time period of 10/21/2013 to 05/30/14.
At this time the customer would be required to a pay a deposit of $275.00.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/08/08) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
This response is entirely insufficient. I have now provided OGE letters of credit exceeding 20 months from my current energy provider noting "excellent" credit. I am more than willing to pay any deposit or any sum requested, that is not my issue here. What I want is the Fair Credit Reporting Act adverse action notice that federal law allows me to obtain. Under federal law (the FCRA) when my credit report is accessed and I am either denied credit or my credit is used adversely, I am allowed this notice, which should state the specific reason why the action was taken. This is so I can then make sure that there are no errors on my report. When OGE initially told me I had to contact Equifax, I did. They indicated zero delinquiencies and problems on my credit report. They also indicated to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that this was an OGE decision. Here OGE says Equifax made the decision. OGE is clearly wrong as they did make the decision. Since OGE seems to be struggling so terribly with this idea, I have provided the direct link to the Federal Trade Commission website which covers what they are supposed to do: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/using-consumer-reports-...⇄ This report is the only way I can then correct an error. I have never missed a utility payment, purchase new cars, mortgage, etc. Equifax said there is no history of delinquiency or any problem with my utility payments. Yet OGE says otherwise. So I want this report so that I can see exactly what was used and fix the problem. This is, after all, the very reason Congress passed the FCRA. I will get this report from OGE or I will get it from a Court.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/08/20) */
OG&E will be mailing Mr. [redacted] a letter regarding the reasons we were unable to waive his deposit based off his credit information. OG&E has reviewed both letters of credit that Mr. [redacted] has sent in and both letters must be denied. The reason for the denial is that the letters of credit do not meet OG&E policy. In order for OG&E to accept a letter of credit the customer would need to supply a letter that shows 12 months of continuous service within the most recent 24 months. The first letter that was sent in by Mr. [redacted] only shows 8 months of service and the 2nd letter does show 12 months of service however, it is not from the most recent 24 months. The second letter shows a service period of 04/20/2012 to 04/01/2013. These dates are outside of the most recent 24 months.

The customer's deposit payment was not honored by their bank therefor the payment was returned unpaid by the customer's bank.  Until the deposit is paid the customer is not a customer of OGE.  In most cases when a customer moves into a location the service is on and the customer has 3 business days to make payment.  Service is left on as a courtesy; however in some cases the service is off at the address that the customer is moving into and then the deposit must be paid before the service will be turned on.  The customer will not receive notification of disconnection if the disconnection is due to an unpaid deposit.  The customer actually made his payment online via www.oge.com and OGE does not accept credit/debit card payments via our website.  The customer paid by electronic transfer and the payment was denied by the customer's bank due to insufficient funds.  The customer is not eligible for a any type of extensions unless the deposit has been paid.  If the customer's payment would not have returned as insufficient funds then the customer would have been able to make a payment arrangement on the remaining balance or enter into a life threatening claim.  At this time there is nothing further that OGE can do and OGE considers this matter closed.

OGE is confident that the previous response was wholly adequate in addressing the original complaint from our customer.  There remains a past due amount from the previously broken payment arrangement of $36.08.  Once this amount is paid, the customer will again be eligible for another payment arrangement should the need arise.  Save for any further responses that may be required, OGE considers this matter to be closed.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/01/27) */
OGE has not denied service to this customer or any other customer at the address that is listed in the complaint. OGE has confirmed that at [redacted] in [redacted] that we have an active customer that has had service at this location since...

05/23/14. This account is current and there have not been any request from [redacted] to start service at this location. Please confirm the address with the customer or have them provide an account number for further research.