Puget Sound Energy, INC.

Thank you for forwarding the complaint of *** *** to our office for reviewWe appreciate him bringing this matter to our attentionMr*** states that he is on the budget billing plan and that his bill reflects a higher amount due than what his total consumption charges amount to
PSE offers and Mr*** subscribes to a Budget Billing Plan, which is designed as a convenient payment option for customersIt is not a cost saving or discount programThe goal is to avoid large payment fluctuations during the year, making it a little easier to manage a household budgetThe plan is based on a year that ends in JunePSE’s billing system will estimate the total cost of energy usage between the time a customer signs up and JuneThe amount is then divided by the number of months it includes to estimate a monthly average
On Mr***’s monthly bill, the correct amount to pay is the amount listed in the ‘Total Due’ gold box at the top of the first pageThis is the amount of his budget payment and his monthly consumption charges may be higher or lower than the budget payment amount, as it is an estimateIf Mr*** would prefer to pay his monthly consumption charges rather than a budget payment, he may contact PSE Customer Service at 1-888-225-to remove his account from the Budget Billing Plan
We trust that this information will assist you in closing the complaintWe apologize for any inconvenience Mr*** has experienced regarding this matter
Sincerely,
Puget Sound Energy

Complaint: ***I am rejecting this response because: I made a payment for $before any action should have been takenyour online system has a bug that caused the amount to go into a closed account! I should only owe $Also the $was applied to a new account that I had no knowledge of being created towards a deposit that you set up in installments over the next following months, not towards my current bill as the representative stated it would beYour payment system is faulty, a supervisor(Tracey) admitted it was as well, and the man who re-connected my power stated that the payment system has a lot of bugs that need fixed.I feel that it is unacceptable practiceIf money is token out of my bank account towards my power then there should be no reason for it to go anywhere else but towards my bill! I'm asking to have this corrected, the money should be returned from the deposit, and any re-connection fees credited back as wellSetting someone behind months on their power bill, shuting off their power and taking their money, because of a faulty payment system should be made right!Sincerely,*** ***

Dear Mr***,
Thank you for taking the time to notify us of your billing concerns. We have reviewed your account and as a result have corrected the move out date for the service address of *** *** ** * *** in Puyallup from 6/17/to 5/31/16. Attached is a corrected Final
Bill in the amount of $71.91 for the service period of 5/14/to 5/31/16. The due date of the corrected bill is August 29, 2016. If you would like to set up payment arrangements on this amount, please contact us at 1-888-225-
Sincerely,
Puget Sound Energy

Dear Mr***,
Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns with PSE's disconnection process. Our records do show that a hour notice was left at the *** * *** ** property address on 5/19/at approximately 1:11pm. Our records also show that a letter was mailed to the
property address on 4/30/which I have also attached a copy of.
As a regulated utility, PSE must comply with the Washington Administrative Code and the rules for disconnecting service when there is unsigned usage on a meter do not require us to send a letter to the location or leave any notice prior to disconnection, PSE does this as part of our internal process.
We have forwarded your recommendations to our field services department and thank you for providing us with your feedback
Thank You,
Stacey H
SrEscalated Complaints Examiner
Puget Sound Energy

Thank you for forwarding the additional correspondence provided by *** *** to our office for reviewWhile there are no specific terms of service to be referenced, the corrected statement Mr*** received was in compliance with the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), Washington Administrative Code (WAC), and state tariffs and rules. If Mr*** feels this is not the case, he may contact the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission at *** to request a complaince checkWhen a consumer's meter is registering zero or unusually low consumption, PSE will dispatch a serviceman to investigate the matterIn this instance, the serviceman was able to identify that Mr***'s meter was not operating at all, and replaced it with a functioning meterThis was identified by inspection of the meter and there was no test performedWe apologize for any frustrations Mr*** has experienced regarding this matterSincerely,Puget Sound Energy

Dear Ms***,
We have reviewed the information provided by you to the Revdex.com and find that when you contacted our call center on October 7, to inquire on the Budget Payment Plan our agent accidentally created the Budget Payment Plan instead of backing out of the transaction when you said you
were going to talk to your family and call us back if you wanted to set up the Budget Payment Plan. Our investigation shows that the present account balance of $is accurate and we have attached a spreadsheet showing the charges billed and the payments received to show you how we validated the account balance
Our investigation showed that on May 13, you contacted us and requested to be removed from the budget payment plan which we did. When the next statement generated on May 16, the amount of the actual usage billed that was not paid for during the time you were on the Budget Payment Plan was $and this amount became due when it was billed on this statement with a due date of June 6,
In your information provided to us from the Revdex.com you stated you were told you would be credited $247.21. If you were told this then you were provided inaccurate information. As a regulated utility we are required to bill you for the actual consumption used and are not able to write-off any actual usage. What we can do however is offer you an interest free installment plan on your remaining balance of $370.68. We can set up monthly installments up to months which would give you the opportunity to pay off the $monthly over months in addition to your current charges instead of the $being paid in full at one time. Please let us know if you would like to accept the month installment plan of $per month for the next months
We apologize for any inconvenience this caused and will be providing feedback to our customer service department so the appropriate training and coaching can be delivered
Sincerely,
Puget Sound Energy

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:
Thank you for the lettter, but as mentioned there are multiple accounts that were paid in full and are still appearing on our credit report, not one. The account number listed in the letter does not correlate with the account numbers on the credit report. As of 6/10/16, the accounts listed on the credit report are from RPM and show one as $609 (#[redacted]) and the other is for $187 (#[redacted]). Both were paid in full in July 2016. Also, I tried to call you with the number you provided, but that is not a direct line. Please reply back with a direct way to reach you. Also, these are reporting to all 3 credit bureaus, can you confirm that the letters will be sent to all 3?Sincerely,[redacted]

Thank you for forwarding the additional remarks of Ms. [redacted] to our office for review. Her meter test was assigned on 2/29/16 to a journeyman who attempted to contact her to schedule a date and time for her meter test. The journeyman will make another attempt to reach Ms. [redacted].
 
Sincerely,
Puget Sound Energy

Dear [redacted]
[redacted],
We
have reviewed your account and disconnection of services for non-payment. 
The bill received in April was $446.70 in part due to a returned
payment to PSE.  The previous bill, dated March 30 was $447.74 due to the
payment of $143.00 made on...

2/28 being returned on 3/14/2017.  This amount
consisted of the budget payment plan amount due 4/19 of $143.00, the previous
budget payment plan amount due 3/21 of $143.00,  and the returned payment
of $143.00, along with the returned payment fee of $17.45 and late fees in the
amount of $1.29. Payment of $143.00 was received on 3/31, leaving a balance
$304.74 outstanding due on 4/19/2017. The April bill sent for $446.70
consisted of the outstanding $304.74, the budget payment of $141.00, and late
fees of $0.96.  Notices were sent on 4/27/2017 and 5/8/2017 warning of
disconnection of service due to nonpayment of the past due amounts. 
Service was disconnected as these amounts were not paid in full.  When
service is disconnected for non payment, the account is closed, and a
new account is started.  A security deposit is charged on the new account,
and half of this amount is paid for reconnection of service.  A final bill
is sent on the closed account, along with payment arrangements for any
remaining security deposit to be paid on the new account which is what you
received.  At this time, the closed account is paid in full, and the
balance is $154.31 due 7/20/2017.  No reimbursement of funds will be
issued, as all charges and disconnects are valid.  If you have additional questions about this process,
or the balance on the accounts please call PSE Customer Care at 1-888-225-5773.
PSE is a regulated utility governed by the WUTC. If you feel PSE is not in compliance with the
rules we must adhere to as a regulated utility, you may contact them at 1-888-333-9882
or 1300 S Evergreen Park Dr SW, Olympia, WA 98504.
Thank
you,
PSE
Customer Care

Thank you for forwarding the additional information provided by [redacted] to our office for review. We have reviewed Ms. [redacted] additional correspondence and the company's position has not changed. Sincerely,Puget Sound Energy

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: Our account may be closed now, but there is still a $237.43 balance remaining. That balance is the accumulation of late fees you tagged on the deposit you have now reveresed. So if you reversed the deposit and credited it to my account , why should I have to pay eighteen months of late fees for a charge that no longer exists? I will be satisfied when you remove the remaining $ 237.43 of phoney charges on my closed account. I paid every single month, the full electrical charges and taxes of what I used. This balance is not money owed for a service or a loan. An employee pushed a button on their keyboard over a year and a half ago to add a deposit that you have since fixed. Now you can push the same button and remove the year and a half of fees that accrued from your mistake. I shouldn't have to go to collections because of money that never existed.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Dear [redacted], We have reviewed the account referenced here.  Puget Sound Energy does send notices warning of disconnection for a vacant property, and these are sent to the service location.  PSE offers a program to automatically assign service to an owner of a property...

when a tenant notifies PSE that they are no longer responsible for the service to avoid disconnection between tenants.  This does require that a form is filled out and submitted authorizing PSE to bill the owner each time a tenant stops responsibility for service.  When this agreement is active, eliminates reconnection charges for the owner in the event the tenant had service disconnected.  The form can be mailed to you and returned to PSE for this to be active at any rental property you own.  It also can be submitted online at our website under the Accounts & Services Menu, Your Property, Management Agreement.  https://pse.com/accountsandservices/YourProperty/Pages/Property-Managers.aspx �...⇄ does charge billing initiation and connection charges in accordance with our published rates and tariffs and the charges on this account are correct.  If you feel we are not in compliance with our rules and regulations we must adhere to as a regulated utility, you may file a complaint with the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission.  They can be reached at 1-888-333-9882.  Thank you, PSE Customer Care

Thank you for forwarding the additional questions of Ms. [redacted] to our office for review.
If Ms. [redacted] contacts PSE and establishes payment arrangements, she will not be issued late notices as long as she makes each payment of the arrangement by the negotiated due date. Failure to keep payment arrangements could result in Ms. [redacted] being issued additional late notices and being denied future payment arrangements.
Once Ms. [redacted] has paid her deposit in full, it will be returned to her after she has established 12 months of good payment history with PSE. In order to do this, she must be issued no more than 2 late notices in a 12-month period.
If Ms. [redacted] would like to establish a payment arrangement, or if she has further questions regarding her deposit or payment arrangements, she may contact PSE Customer Service at 1-888-225-5773.
 
Sincerely,
Puget Sound Energy

Dear Mr. [redacted],
The basis for the two charges are separate.
Although the current Gas Cost Charge is less than the Delivery
Charge, this isn’t always the case.  The Gas Cost Charge is typically
updated annually based on commodity costs which are always fluctuating. 
In 2015...

for instance, it was higher than the Delivery Charge.
The Delivery Charge includes the costs to construct, maintain
and operate the natural gas distribution system, which delivers gas to the
customer’s meter.    Here is a link to our current price summaries.  In the bookmark section on the left scroll down to the RESIDENTIAL RATE SCHEDULES section and click on Schedule 23.  You’ll see all the component that are included in the Delivery Charge as it appears on the bill.  Each component ties to a Schedule in the tariff and you’ll see those schedule numbers off to the right. http://pse.com/aboutpse/Rates/Documents/summ_gas_prices_2017_01_01.pdf ...⇄ a comparison, the Jan 1, 2016 rate was $0.44391.   Regarding the request for Senior Discounts and a waiver on the delivery charge, PSE is a regulated utility and discounts and waivers are not applicable as a regulated utility as all customer's must be charged the same rates.  You may want to reach out to the Community Action Agency for your mother's county to see if she qualifies for the Low Income Heating Assistance Program which is a federal funded program.  Your mother's address was not provided in the complaint however I found a customer by her name in our system in Lewis County.  If your mother is in Lewis county the phone number for energy assistance is 360-736-1800.  Thank You,Customer CarePuget Sound Energy

Dear
Mr. [redacted],
I have reviewed your additional correspondence regarding your complaint, and the
company's position has not changed. The charges that you received for the time
period in which your equipment was malfunctioning are valid charges for your
household consumption during that time period. PSE is required to bill you for all usage, and no portion of those charges will be removed from
your bill. I apologize for any frustrations you have experienced regarding this
matter.
Sincerely,
[redacted] | Sr. Escalated Complaints Examiner
Customer Care Operations
Puget Sound Energy
www.pse.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. Sincerely, [redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:Any reasonable person would expect a running balance to be visible on the monthly statement. Had I known there was an outstanding balance, I would have paid the amount in FULL, each month, specifically to avoid a "balloon" payment at the end of the service agreement. Once more, I specifically requested the average monthly usage for the condo and was told it varied between $60.00 to $80.00 dollars a month depending on the time of year. I also suspect but cannot verify (yet), that interest is accrued on the outstanding balance and added to the final billing notice solely for the financial benefit of PSE in an effort to improve their bottom line. I will pay the bill immediately, but fully intend to pursue this matter with the State Attorney Generals office. I'm frankly amazed there has not been Class Action law suit filed against PSE for this deceptive practice. If I'm unable to gain any traction with the SAG's office, there's always "[redacted]". Sincerely,[redacted]

Dear Mr. [redacted],
 
Thank you for forwarding your complaint to our office for review. We appreciate your bringing this matter to our attention.  Your complaint states that your payments were misapplied to a closed account rather than to your active account, resulting in disconnection...

of your electric service.
I have reviewed your account and found that your payments were remitted electronically to account number [redacted], which was your account at your prior address. At your new address, you were initially given a new account number of [redacted]. According to our records, your new account number was not added to your online account pay list until April 2, 2015.  You should have received email confirmations upon making payments, and those confirmations would display the account number that payment was remitted to.  I would recommend reviewing those emails and the account number displayed within the payment confirmations.
My review of your account shows that payments were not misapplied. They were posted to the account number specified in the transaction which was not your active account number. This is why your account became past due and your service was ultimately disconnected for non-payment.
In your complaint you request to have your deposit and reconnection fee refunded to you. As my review of your account shows that the disconnection was not a result of a PSE error, those charges are valid and will not be refunded. However, you will be eligible to have your deposit returned to you after it has been paid in full and you have established twelve months of consecutive good-pay history, which means that payment must be received on time and in full for all charges owed.
Please be advised that your account [redacted] was closed when your service was disconnected and that you have a new account number of [redacted]. Please remit payment for all new consumption charges to that new account number.
I trust that this information will assist in resolving your complaint. I apologize for any frustrations you have experienced regarding this matter.
 
Sincerely,
[redacted]Sr. Escalated Complaints ExaminerCustomer Care OperationsPuget Sound Energywww.PSE.com

Thank you for forwarding the complaint of [redacted] to our office for review. We appreciate her bringing this matter to our attention. Ms. [redacted] states that her bill has gone up significantly in the last year, and that she would like credit on her bill for charges she believes were...

speculated.
Ms. [redacted] is receiving monthly bills for electric service that use actual meter reads, meaning that the bills are not calculated using estimates. A PSE technician was dispatched to Ms. [redacted]’s home on May 5, 2016 and tested her meter, which tested accurate. The tech found no problems with Ms. [redacted]’s PSE equipment. As Ms. [redacted]’s meter is functioning correctly and the monthly meter reads on her bill are actual reads, the billing is accurate and will not be adjusted.
We trust that this information will assist you in closing the complaint. We apologize for any inconvenience Ms. [redacted] has experienced regarding this matter.
 
Sincerely, Puget Sound Energy

Thank you for forwarding the complaint of [redacted] to our office for review. We appreciate her bringing this matter to our attention. Ms. [redacted] states that she is disputing a basic charge of $10.29 that she received on her bill, as the bill statement is not for a full billing month.
Ms....

[redacted] began service at her current address on 10/1/16. Her meter read date was 10/5/2016, and her first bill was mailed on 10/6/2016. The bill does contain a charge of $10.29 which is the basic charge for service. The basic charge is outlined in Natural Gas Schedule 23, Residential General Service. Per the tariff, PSE gas customers are billed one basic charge for each billing period. The tariff does not allow PSE to prorate the basic charge; it is a flat rate charge per meter.
We trust that this information will assist you in closing the complaint. We apologize for any inconvenience Ms. [redacted] has experienced regarding this matter.
 
Sincerely, Puget Sound Energy