Respond Power

Review: Respond Power LLC put a charge on our electric bill, we did not authorize them as a carrier we would like charges for current and next month removed from out Penelec billing..... I spoke with them they said they spoke to someone here at the home that said it was ok. My husban and myself his wife were the only 2 living here at the time frame they gave, did not give permission to them to be added. They refuse to assist us in this matter and are also charging customers an outrageous amount per KWH like 19 cents per.Desired Settlement: Refund of Billed amount from Respond Power LLC for March **, 2014 and what will be billed in April of 2014 by Respond Power LLC. They have been removed from our account as of today March **, 2014.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

According to the complaint, the

customer states that she is unhappy with the current rate being charged and

didn’t believe that our company had contacted properly signed anyone in the

household up..

The customer’s husband agreed to a

variable rate contract (verification call attached), meaning her rate would be

determined by the energy market. We did

send the customer a notification as indicated by the contracted salesperson

(Please see attached for proof of mailing).

As has been widely reported, there

has been a spike in the wholesale energy market which was reflected on the most

recent bill. This is merely a reflection of the current energy market where a

shrinking supply of electricity is under the strain of massive demand due to

one of the coldest winters on record. We are referring customers to the

February **press release from the PUC regarding this issue. (Please see

attached) In addition, this is not just happening in Pennsylvania.

Please see this link relating to New York prices as well. [redacted]

Finally, the account has been

canceled and it is now up to the utility to process the cancellation. Please contact your utility for budget

billing concerns.

We are truly sorry for your

experience and advise you to sign up on a fixed rate that will ensure price

protection.

Regards

In addition please see this informative article.

Why Have

Energy Bills Increased – Explaining Price Volatility

It has

been a record cold winter across much of the country, and many have been

expressing deep concern as to why energy bills have been so high. Regardless of

whether energy is purchased from a utility or a competitive energy supplier,

customers have seen electricity and natural gas prices spike in many parts of

the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Why did

prices rise?

Simply

put, the issues at hand are the cold weather, electric grid and natural gas

pipeline capacity, and the increasing use of natural gas not just for heating

purposes, but to create electricity.

There is

ample gas supply in the United States, especially given the boom in shale gas.

What customers are feeling are the results of a strained transportation and

infrastructure system that delivers electricity and gas. When demand is high

and capacity is constrained, costs increase.

This

winter’s “polar vortex” has increased the demand for both natural gas and

electricity, resulting in significant congestion in the natural gas pipelines

and on the electric grid (the highways of the energy system). Everyone relies

on these natural gas pipelines and the electric grid to get energy from where

it is produced to where it is used by the homeowner, the tenant, and the

business owner. Just like only so many cars can efficiently travel along a

highway, only so much natural gas and electricity can move through the natural

gas pipeline system and the electric grid.

Also,

while more and more people are using natural gas directly for heating purposes,

electricity generators are also increasingly using natural gas to produce

affordable power. In the short-term, this electricity generation is putting

further strain on the natural gas capacity in certain parts of the country. At

the same time there are also bottlenecks on some parts of the electric grid,

preventing electricity from getting from the generators to the consumers in an

efficient manner.

It’s

known from economics that constraints on supply (such as not being able to get

gas from where it is plentiful to where it is needed) cause prices to rise, and

this has occurred in the wholesale energy markets. The result? Competitive

energy suppliers and utilities alike are paying higher than normal prices when

purchasing from the wholesale market in order to provide energy to homeowners,

tenants, and business owners. This is causing everyone’s bills to rise.

As the

winter weather gradually improves and temperatures rise, the demand for energy

to heat homes and businesses will decrease, placing less pressure on the

nation’s electricity grid and allowing energy prices from suppliers and

utilities to normalize. However, winter weather may very likely be around for

some weeks to come. Despite the unusual weather, the gas and electric delivery

systems have proven to be highly reliable this winter. A number of new natural

gas pipelines and electricity transmission lines are planned or under

construction which should reduce the chances of a similar price spike in the

future.

In the

meantime, there are some things that can be done to help manage energy bills.

Conserve energy as much as possible. For example, make sure

doors and windows are well insulated, seal any air leaks, and lower the

water temperature setting to 120 degrees on the water heater.

Customers using a competitive supplier and who are on a

variable rate plan or whose fixed contracts have expired, should review

their contract to confirm the accuracy of the pricing and call their

supplier if they have any questions.

Customers interested in price stability can also investigate

fixed price options that many suppliers offer.

Customers in need of financial assistance should investigate

their state’s home heating assistance programs. In many states, a customer

can stay with a competitive supplier and still receive assistance paying

utility bills.

Customers should visit their

state’s “energy shopping” websites to compare offers from different suppliers.

For a list of shopping websites, visit http://www.CompetitiveEnergy.org.

Review: In September 2013 door to door salesmen convinced me to switch my electric provider to Respond Power. The wording on their variable rate contract is that they strive to provide electricity at a rate lower than the average market price however, at times, the rate may increase due to increased costs to generate electricity. The rate I was offered which I received on my first month's bill for 10/**/13-11/**/13 was .069. The next month my rate doubled to .129 for the period of 11/26/13-12/30/13. I immediately contacted Respond Power to cancel my service and was told it would be approximately 8 weeks until my service could be returned to PPL. The next two bills I received were at a rate of over.22/KWH. I understand that I agreed to a variable rate however, I believe that Respond Power is grossly overcharging for electric generation. I have read the other Revdex.com complaints and expect to receive the standard polar vortex, increased demand, etc. response. This response is unacceptable for several reasons. First of all, there was no polar vortex in December when my bill first doubled. Secondly, other electric providers were subject to the same weather conditions and were able to keep their rates competitive. Thirdly, if it is costing Respond Power so much to generate electricity that my cost must be increased to excess of .22/KWH, how can they afford to continue to offer a fixed rate of .09/KWH to new customers? I think it is by design that their salesmen go door to door in September when electric use is at the lowest and then inflate the price as soon as usage increases and then keep you on the hook throughout the coldest months. I have contacted them and of course, their is nothing they can do since I agreed to a variable rate.Desired Settlement: The PUC has advised that several electric providers are offering rebates to customers who were overcharged. I don't expect a rate as low as the teaser rate of .069 even though the contract states that they strive to provide a rate lower than the average market, but I think the double rate of .129 is more than sufficient. I would like a rebate for a rate adjustment on my last two months of service. If Respond Power is unwilling to offer a rebate that does not require me signing up for more service with them, then I would like other consumers to be advised of how much their rates will increase when they agree to a variable rate with this company.

Business

Response:

Review: There was a door to door salesperson that came to my home in 2012, where they convinced my daughter to sign a form which she felt was crucial to sign. It turned out to be a contract to switch my current electric provider (PPL) to theirs (Respond Power). I believe at the time not only was my daughter under age, she did not have any authority to sign over my account. I called respond power and requested to have that contract null and void. Which they agreed it would be. It wasn't until today, that a customer service representative at PPL informed me I was not receiving my power through them. I called respond power and informed them, I never authorized the switch, my signature will not be on this contract and have asked for the service to be immediately cancelled and should be issued a refund for all overages charged from their rate to that of PPLs. They refused and said they considered the contract to be a valid contract.Desired Settlement: I would like to be refunded the difference of what I would have paid had my account had not been switched over.

Business

Response:

We apologize for any inconvenience the customer may have experienced. As customer states, the account was active since August of 2012. Since then, our company name and contact information has appeared on her electricity bills 28 times. Customer states that she called to cancel in August of 2012. All calls to/from our customer service department are recorded and stored. Upon searching for a call from the customer, none exists, other than the call from earlier today (10/**/14).

Further, customer was enrolled by her daughter who stated she was over the age of 18 and authorized to make decisions on the account. It is the company's position that the enrollment was valid and no refund will be issued.

A cancellation request on customer's account was made today. The utility company will fully process the cancellation in 1-2 billing cycles. The customer may contact her local utility company and inquire into the exact date the service will be dropped.

Consumer

Response:

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:

My bill is paid electronically and notices are easily missed, especially if they are on auto pay. I personally never authorized this transaction. My daughter did not have authority over my account. She nor anyone else pays for that account. If she were to call she would not be given any information on the account because her name isn't on the account. She is not an authorized entity

Therefore she should not have any authority to sign to switch my account either. I did call the same week the sales person came to my house and did speak with someone. The scam you are trying to pull should be illegal. Furthermore, I have asked for a copy of the contract to see the exact date of it as my daughter was not 18 yet! And was told they didn't have a copy. this is truly unfair. Took advantage of a child, who was scared into signing. She thought they were some government official. I did call and because you claim not to have a record of it, is just your word versus mine. I'm the one that was ripped off for several of thousands of dollars due to your high prices. For which I DID NOT ASK for. I did not authorize this transaction. Speaking with PP&L they confirm they have seen this happen all the time. They take advantage of people. Again, I did not authorize this transaction. If my signature was on that contract, I would not be disputing it.

I would like a copy of that contract. If this is not resolved to my satisfaction, I will seek counsel.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

We again apologize for any inconvenience. Customer's records were kept in accordance with all applicable regulations. We refer the customer to the following link [redacted], and specifically section 111.7(b)(4). We again state that customer was enrolled for 28 cycles and upon searching for a phone call from the customer, none was found, other than the call from last week.

Further, customer's daughter stated she was over the age of 18, authorized to make decisions on the account, and that her choice was voluntary. As such no refund will be issued.

Review: I have been wondering why my electric bill has been so high. And I started to look at it and realized that respond power is my electric supplier and also penelec. Penelec is to be my main power supplier and not respond power. I never signed an agreement with them. I talked to penelec and they said that respond has been my supplier since Sept 2013 and I never signed or talked to anyone to change my supplier.Desired Settlement: I would like to have them not be my supplier and refund all the money they have charged me for service I have never agreed on..

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

We have included the signed sales agreement as confirmation of enrollment. If you have any other questions, please contact our customer service department directly.

Thank you,

Review: We have been trying to contact Respond Power for over a month regarding the rates we were charged on our electric bills for February and March. We were charged 3.5 times our normal rate and have paid in 2 months more than we normally do in an entire year. We believe this is an unfair business practice, that we have been taken advantage of and are asking for this company to fulfill the promises they posted on their website, to provide fair prices and customer service. We have called their toll free number and have never been able to speak to anyone. The phone system always forwarded us to a voicemail that said we would be contacted back in 24 hours. We never received any call backs. We have spent hours on hold and no one ever answered. We also wrote an email several weeks ago and did not get a response either. We do not know how to resolve this problem if we cannot ever get in contact with them.Desired Settlement: We would like to be issued a refund for the ridiculously high rates we were charged. We have friends that had the same thing happen to them and their company took their average rate and issued a refund based on that kWh rate. We were at about $0.08-$0.10 kWh but were charged $0.28 kWh in February and then $0.20 kWh in March. We would like a response from the comany since we can't ever get in touch with them.

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

According to the complaint, the

customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged and has been having difficulty reaching us. We apologize that the the customer has had trouble reaching our customer service department but due to ongoing repercussions of the Polar Vortex, we are experiencing an extremely high call volume.

The customer agreed to a variable

rate contract, meaning the rate would be determined by the energy market.

As has been widely reported, there

has been a spike in the wholesale energy market which was reflected on the most

recent bill. This is merely a reflection of the current energy market where a

shrinking supply of electricity is under the strain of massive demand due to

one of the coldest winters on record. We are referring customers to the

February **press release from the PUC regarding this issue. (Please see

attached) In addition, this is not just happening in Pennsylvania.

Please see this link relating to New York prices as well.

We are truly sorry for your

experience and advise you to sign up on a fixed rate that will ensure price

protection.

Regards

In addition please see this informative article.

Why Have

Energy Bills Increased – Explaining Price Volatility

It has

been a record cold winter across much of the country, and many have been

expressing deep concern as to why energy bills have been so high. Regardless of

whether energy is purchased from a utility or a competitive energy supplier,

customers have seen electricity and natural gas prices spike in many parts of

the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Why did

prices rise?

Simply

put, the issues at hand are the cold weather, electric grid and natural gas

pipeline capacity, and the increasing use of natural gas not just for heating

purposes, but to create electricity.

There is

ample gas supply in the United States, especially given the boom in shale gas.

What customers are feeling are the results of a strained transportation and

infrastructure system that delivers electricity and gas. When demand is high

and capacity is constrained, costs increase.

This

winter’s “polar vortex” has increased the demand for both natural gas and

electricity, resulting in significant congestion in the natural gas pipelines

and on the electric grid (the highways of the energy system). Everyone relies

on these natural gas pipelines and the electric grid to get energy from where

it is produced to where it is used by the homeowner, the tenant, and the

business owner. Just like only so many cars can efficiently travel along a

highway, only so much natural gas and electricity can move through the natural

gas pipeline system and the electric grid.

Also,

while more and more people are using natural gas directly for heating purposes,

electricity generators are also increasingly using natural gas to produce

affordable power. In the short-term, this electricity generation is putting

further strain on the natural gas capacity in certain parts of the country. At

the same time there are also bottlenecks on some parts of the electric grid,

preventing electricity from getting from the generators to the consumers in an

efficient manner.

It’s

known from economics that constraints on supply (such as not being able to get

gas from where it is plentiful to where it is needed) cause prices to rise, and

this has occurred in the wholesale energy markets. The result? Competitive

energy suppliers and utilities alike are paying higher than normal prices when

purchasing from the wholesale market in order to provide energy to homeowners,

tenants, and business owners. This is causing everyone’s bills to rise.

As the

winter weather gradually improves and temperatures rise, the demand for energy

to heat homes and businesses will decrease, placing less pressure on the

nation’s electricity grid and allowing energy prices from suppliers and

utilities to normalize. However, winter weather may very likely be around for

some weeks to come. Despite the unusual weather, the gas and electric delivery

systems have proven to be highly reliable this winter. A number of new natural

gas pipelines and electricity transmission lines are planned or under

construction which should reduce the chances of a similar price spike in the

future.

In the

meantime, there are some things that can be done to help manage energy bills.

Conserve energy as much as possible. For example, make sure

doors and windows are well insulated, seal any air leaks, and lower the

water temperature setting to 120 degrees on the water heater.

Customers using a competitive supplier and who are on a

variable rate plan or whose fixed contracts have expired, should review

their contract to confirm the accuracy of the pricing and call their

supplier if they have any questions.

Customers interested in price stability can also investigate

fixed price options that many suppliers offer.

Customers in need of financial assistance should investigate

their state’s home heating assistance programs. In many states, a customer

can stay with a competitive supplier and still receive assistance paying

utility bills.

Customers should visit their

state’s “energy shopping” websites to compare offers from different suppliers.

For a list of shopping websites, [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

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:

The response made by the company offered nothing. It was simply justification of the rates they charged. They use technical terms like "polar vortex" to try to make it acceptable to price gauge their customers. Respond Power has "The Respond Power Promise" listed on their website, [redacted]. In dealing with Respond Power, they have broken every one of the things they promise to their customers. Choosing Respond Power has been the biggest mistake we ever made.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

We are sorry the customer remains dissatisfied.

Regards,

Review: I had Respond Power come to my door and tell me that they would save me money on my elect. bill. I was told that I would see a savings on my next bill. When Respond was added to my bill, my bill become much much higher. In 3 months it was over $400 for Respond ON TOP OF MY ELECTRIC BILL!! I tried calling Respond numerous times with no answer. When I finally got them on the phone, there was no talking to them. I got the run around. I told them what was said when they came to my door and their response was I was on a variable rate. I was not told that they can charge whatever they want, and have been charging many customers way more than their electric bill. There was no disclosure about how the billing was done. When I finally got Respond off my bill it took another month to have them taken off, which was another month of bills. I feel that they are scam artists and take advantage of people by telling them that they will save money and not telling them about how their system works. I now have a cut off notice and a $1,100 elect bill.Desired Settlement: They full payment made to Respond was 477.00.

Review: Respond power told me I would be getting a cheaper rate for my electric bill, when in fact it was much higher, almost four times the amount I was paying.Desired Settlement: They hiked up my prices and as a college student trying to get by I would like my normal rate and for the company to be shut down or to stop soliciting because they are a scam and nothing more.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

We are sorry the customer has had a bad experience with our company. The sales representatives of our partner vendors are prohibited from guaranteeing savings, although they may state that historically our customers have saved money. The customer enrolled in a variable rate plan, meaning the rates would fluctuate with the energy market. Unfortunately, the energy

market performed very poorly this past winter due to decreases in energy supply

and increases in demand due to the cold weather. While suppliers like [redacted]

[redacted]/Respond Power base the rate on a daily rolling average and hedging, most

utilities purchase energy in massive block and adjust quarterly or

semi-annually. Because of that, sometimes suppliers find themselves with higher

rates than utilities. Eventually trends reverse and utilities are forced to

adjust their rates to make up for losses due to underpriced supply sold to

customers during high markets.

The account has already been cancelled.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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:

You will continue to go to other college students and rip them off in the same way that I was. My bill doubled in price because of your services and they were unnecessary for me to have.

I will be satisfied with there response when I know that they will stop going door to door, praying on college kids to make a profit. What they do is both immoral and wrong and should be stopped.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

We are sorry the customer remains dissatisfied. We will take the customer's comments into account as we continue to evaluate the sales practices of our partner vendors and grow as a company.

Regards,

Review: I have submitted multiple calls and emails to Respond Power concerning a double in our rate/kWh. I have still failed to receive any response and consider this to be a completely unethical and unprofessional way of conducting business. I have read several other complaints made against this company and they all "play out" the same way. People can not reach this company after they essentially "bait and switch" and the company comes back with a response some where along the lines of the "customer being unaware that they did not have a fixed rate, etc. etc." I believe that this is a complete avoidance of the issue at hand, this company is tricking it's customers into a contract that is not being upheld. Not only are they doing wrong contractually wise they are price gouging as well. After speaking to several other customer service people at both PPL and AEP I was informed that the rates being charged by this company were 'astronomical" and was advised by eat one of them to contact the Revdex.com. The people who run Respond Power should be ashamed of them selves.Desired Settlement: I would like an adjustment to my bill and I would be happy to know that this so called business no longer able to do this to their customers. If this "business" also continues to exist I would recommend that they really work on their customer service issues since it appears I am not the only one to have problems contacting them.

Business

Response:

Review: Back on October **, 2013, a young man knocked on my door selling Respond Power as an electrical supplier. He went on and on about how my bills would be instantly reduced from what I was paying with [redacted], etc. I agreed to try their services and he signed me up for the variable rate. They showed up on my bill for the first time on my bill that was due as of February **, 2014 covering Dec **through Jan **and their rate was 0.136 compared to [redacted]'s rate of 0.104. I called them on February [redacted]and told them I would like to cancel their services. The representative at that time asked me why and when I explained that their price was higher than [redacted]'S price, he immediately offered me a rate of .09, BUT it would be at a fixed rate. Well, I've read the fine print on their contract and if you sign on for a fixed rate, you are locked in for a year and if you try to cancel they charge you a hefty penalty. I told the representative that I was not interested in doing that and to please cancel me. He assured me this would be done immediately. I received my next bill on March **and Respond Power was still on my bill, but now their rate was 0.201, double what I was paying with [redacted]. I also on the same day received a notice from [redacted] stating that Respond Power "has elected to end its contract with you on your first scheduled meter-reading date after March **, 2014. WHAT????????????? First of all, I cancelled them and I did so on February [redacted]. Why are they still on my bill and why are they continuing to be on it for another month???? I have tried calling Respond Power on several occasions and only get a busy signal. When I finally got through I was told the wait time was over 30 minutes. I am absolutely livid that they are allowed to operate this way. They false advertise, albeit not in writing, by promising lower bills and then they hit you with a bill that's double what it used to be. They should be shut down!!!Desired Settlement: I want them removed from my bill IMMEDIATELY and I want to be reimbursed for my present bill where I am paying double what I should be!!

Business

Response:

Review: I was under contract with this company for a year purchasing electricity from them at a fixed rate.

Closer to the expiration of the contract I decided to wait and stay with them for a little bit longer since the rate was still competitive with other.

The first bill I received after the expiration of the contract I was shocked to see that the rate had suddenly doubled.

I called them asking why, without any notice, they had done that but they were not able to answer.

They asked me to email them a copy of the bill which I did.

Another month went by but I didn't hear from them. I just received another bill with again a charge double in rate.

I had to pay both bills in order to keep my electricity running.

I have emailed them and called and left messages but nothing accomplished.

The point I was trying to make with them is: first of all they should at least inform you if they intend to double the rate from one month to another and more important if they really intended to retain a customer even after the contract expires why in the world would they double the rate and make them lose a customer who, more likely, would have stayed?

In the two bills in question I was over charged $905 which as you can see is a lot.Desired Settlement: I would expect only what is fair, honest and logical.

A refund of what I was charged extra, nothing more, nothing less.

Business

Response:

To whom it may concern; Thank you for reaching out to us regarding your issues. After a review of your account I have been able to investigate your complaint. As you mention in your complaint, you validly enrolled in a fixed rate agreement with Major Energy for a rate you felt was competitive at the time. You further state that "closer to the expiration of the contract I decided to wait" instead of contracting for a new known fixed rate. Instead you decided to "wait" and see what would happen. Once your fixed rate ended your contract defaults to a variable rate, as noted in your contract, and the market takes over control of the prices charged each month. If you would like to re-enter our services, many times we are able to retroactively assist in times such as this, however, you should be made aware that if you ever let a fixed rate expire, it will default to a variable rate and on a variable rate plan you will loose the price protections afforded to fixed rate contract prices. Thank you for your time and effort in this matter. Customer Service Representative

Consumer

Response:

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:

To Whom it might concern,I can understand rate changing after the contract expires, I can understand the rate going up to a fair market amount.But double then what it was and then what other companies charge? I kindly ask you to put yourself in my shoes to see my point. I don't mind paying a little higher rate after contact is up, but double I feel I am being stolen from.I would like to receive a small token of understanding in the form of credit toward my bill, I think it will be more then fair and honest.Please let me know[redacted]

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

To whom it may concern, Thank you for reaching out again regarding this matter. Since you were a valued customer for multiple years we can offer you a courtesy refund to show our appreciation for your time with us, however, given that you are requesting over $900, I find it impossible to offer you such a large amount and I would not want to offend you with a "small token" that you find offensive. Having said that I can offer you a $50.00 courtesy refund. Please feel free to contact me directly at ###-###-####. Sincerely, Customer Service Representative

Review: Despite their rep stating and offering up electric prices that were cheaper than my default provider, my bills have skyrocketed despite consistent usage. For example, my most recent bill is $70 with a 222 kw usage; prior to the switch, a 235 kw usage cost me $25. They're a ripoff, as others have said. Luckily my account is being canceled at the end of this month.Desired Settlement: Be honest about prices and that their service is a ripoff. Of course I'd like to be compensated financially with a fair bill/price, but that will never happen.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry that the customer has been dissatisfied with our service. The customer enrolled in a variable rate plan with our company. The rates on a variable rate

plan are subject to change based on market conditions. Unfortunately, the

energy market performed very poorly this past winter due to decreases in energy

supply and increases in demand due to the cold weather. While suppliers like

Major Energy/Respond Power base the rate on a daily rolling average and

hedging, most utilities purchase energy in massive block and adjust quarterly

or semi-annually. Because of that, sometimes suppliers find themselves with

higher rates than utilities. Eventually trends reverse and utilities are forced

to adjust their rates to make up for losses due to underpriced supply sold to

customers during high markets.

As the customer notes, the account has now been cancelled.

Regards,

Review: In the fall of last year a persistent door-to-door saleswoman convinced my family to switch to Respond Power under the pretense of receiving a competitive rate lower than my current utility company and delivered through my current provider. I was hesitant to switch but listened to her offer. She asked to see our current bill, and I responded that it was gone because it had been paid for the month. My husband came home during the visit and found an old copy of a bill. She pointed out our current rate and compared it to the offered rate. There was no clarification of the extreme variability the rate could become subject to. The letter we got after our bill jumped to three times its average amount ( $70 to $200+ for example) pointed out some "polar vortex" claim. My bill for February lists a commodity charge at 0.18983(R and March lists .39990(R while my previous company's price to compare is $0.08754. I don't see double and quadruple rates as "competitive" by any means, or ethical, or fair. We are a working family of five and have been greatly upset by this gross overcharge.Desired Settlement: I want a bill adjustment to the rate I was lured with, or at the very least an actual competitive rate. I will not be paying a dime until this is remedied and I will not stand for this company's practices.

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

According to the complaint, the

customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged.

The customer agreed to a variable

rate contract, meaning the rate would be determined by the energy market.

As has been widely reported, there

has been a spike in the wholesale energy market which was reflected on the most

recent bill. This is merely a reflection of the current energy market where a

shrinking supply of electricity is under the strain of massive demand due to

one of the coldest winters on record. We are referring customers to the

February ** press release from the PUC regarding this issue. (Please see

attached) In addition, this is not just happening in Pennsylvania.

Please see this link relating to New York prices as well.

Finally, the account has been

canceled and it is now up to the utility to process the cancellation. Please contact your utility for budget

billing concerns.

We are truly sorry for your

experience and advise you to sign up on a fixed rate that will ensure price

protection.

Regards

Consumer

Response:

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:

The business simply reiterated the same old unsubstantiated excuse they have given each other complaint, citing market prices that I clearly refuted as false, with examples from my former company's "price to compare" for the billing period. They have claimed that they are not profiting in other responses to complaint, but it's hard to believe this with so many examples of price gouging. The main issue wasn't even addressed, which is the blatant misrepresentation of the variable rate customers were to receive. This scam of a company has made headlines in my area after doing this to so many people. I don't know how they can claim "Revdex.com Accredited" on their website with such a bad reputation.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We will not be issuing a refund in this situation. The customer enrolled in a variable rate plan. Historically, such plans have saved customers money. However, we never guarantee savings.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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:

Good afternoon, this customer is not satisfied with the reply from Respond Power and will continue to reject replies offering no resolution in the case of false advertisement of competitive prices. Charging four times the competitor's price is not "comparable rate" pricing.

Sincerely,

Review: In Febuary 2014 a representative from a "utility company" called Respond Power came to my door. He asked to see a bill from my then current electric supplier [redacted] ([redacted]), and I complied. He then stated that by allowing the switch to Respond Power I would save 10% on my electric bill. I was dubious at first, but he assured me that by switching I would save immediately and have lower bills. I informed him that I am disabled myself and care for my disabled son who is a minor, and was not feeling very well, but he was very very pushy and insistant...... promising that if there were any issues at all I could drop them at any time. However, I have a received a bill from them, for the month of April 2014, for $554.32!!! Having spoke to [redacted] (who is the supplier) my bill SHOULD have been $188.00, a very large difference, and not at ALL what the representative PROMISED. The representative's name was [redacted], agent code [redacted]. My cr is [redacted]. There is no way I can afford this bill! I did call Respond Power, 2 times in fact, today (May [redacted] 2014), but they were VERY abrupt, rude even, and would not help in any way...Desired Settlement: I would like the service stopped, and the charges from Respond Power credited back to Penn Power, for this bill and next billing cycle, leaving me responsible only for the 188.00 I would have billed had the switch not been made.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer was unhappy with her selection of our company. The customer enrolled in a variable rate plan with our company. The rates on variable plans fluctuate with the energy market. Unfortunately, the energy

market performed very poorly this past winter due to decreases in energy supply

and increases in demand due to the cold weather. While suppliers like [redacted]

[redacted]/Respond Power base the rate on a daily rolling average and hedging, most

utilities purchase energy in massive block and adjust quarterly or

semi-annually. Because of that, sometimes suppliers find themselves with higher

rates than utilities. Eventually trends reverse and utilities are forced to

adjust their rates to make up for losses due to underpriced supply sold to

customers during high markets.

The sales representatives of our independent partner vendors are strictly prohibited from guaranteeing savings. The account has been cancelled and should be processed by the utility within one to two billing cycles.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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 response while appreciated does not solve the problem of the "one or two" billing cycles I must contend with! The bill I received for just the one billing cycle so far is so ridiculously high I cannot possibly pay it, let maybe receiving one or two more. The representive, who's name I supplied to you, totally misrepresented your company and policies. I should NOT be held responsible for any of these billing cycles because your representive outright lied about what to expect from your company and made promises he should not have. I will not consider this matter resolved the matter of the price increase over what I SHOULD have paid is removed from my bills. It was YOUR company respresentive that misrepresented your company, after being informed of the disabilities of the residents in this home.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

We understand the customer's concerns and will keep them in mind as we continue to evaluate the sales practices of our partner vendors. The customer's account has already been cancelled and we will not appear on anymore bills. We note, however, that we have no control over the time it takes the utility to process a cancellation. We apologize if the customer has had a bad experience.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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]

There is still a balance owed that is well over and above what I would have been charged by [redacted] that I feel should be waived by respond power.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Review: The [redacted] bill is not in my name but im my fiance's name which is [redacted]. I am aurthorized to make changes and to handle his account. I signed up with respond power because I was told that their rates where alot lower then [redacted]'s rates. I continued to get these extremely high bills and didnt realize why they where so high. So I tool the time to actually look over the bill and I saw that respond power had charged me $870.00 for one month. I contacted them and they said they couldn't help me but to cancell.Desired Settlement: I want the the charges to be taken away or decreased an extreme amount.

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

According to the complaint, the

customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged.

The customer agreed to a variable

rate contract, meaning the rate would be determined by the energy market.

As has been widely reported, there

has been a spike in the wholesale energy market which was reflected on the most

recent bill. This is merely a reflection of the current energy market where a

shrinking supply of electricity is under the strain of massive demand due to

one of the coldest winters on record. We are referring customers to the

February ** press release from the PUC regarding this issue. (Please see

attached) In addition, this is not just happening in Pennsylvania.

Please see this link relating to New York prices as well.

Finally, the account has been

canceled and it is now up to the utility to process the cancellation. Please contact your utility for budget

billing concerns.

We are truly sorry for your

experience and advise you to sign up on a fixed rate that will ensure price

protection.

Regards

Consumer

Response:

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]

When I had originally signed up I was promised that their energy costs would always be lower then [redacted]'s. That was a lie due to their charges being at 34.999 and [redacted]'s charges being at 8.399. They lied to me to have me sign up and now my electrics getting ready to b turned off because of the lies they had told me. Their company tells people false information.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer is unhappy with our previous response. We never guarantee lower rates. Please contact your utility directly for budget billing plan information.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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:

I was promised lower rates. And if thats not what it was then they have their people saying and promising the wrong thing.

[Your Answer Here]

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Review: First and foremost... the unprofessionalism of the person showing up at my door was ridiculous. The language used was inappropriate for business conduct (especially sales), and the identification of who she was, was simply falsified.

I got home from work around 7 pm or so, to someone knocking at my door as I approached. I was friendly, but cautious, since I do not know many of my neighbors. She told me she was a PECO employee and they were doing checks to see if people had been overpaying on their bills. "Great," I thought, anything to lower a bill. She asked to see a PECO bill, which is no problem, as I had the previous month's available. She answered a phone call after asking me to see the PECO bill. Clearly not a business phone call by the tone and topic discussed. After phone call, and her sales pitch continued, her language included inappropriate assumptions about my lifestyle and family, and how we live. I really could care less if one of your salesman's boyfriends yelled at her because she was "too stupid" to realize what a great deal this could be to sign up. She then said my wife would probably yell at me when she got home when she heard I passed up these great deals. You have no idea what my family and I do or talk about, and especially how we interact. We would never yell at each other for something this trivial.

Also, I understand sales and that you need to have some persistence, but after quietly listening to the company's offerings, by the fifth "I am not interested, but thank you," take the hint and leave my home. You can see I am just getting in from work, and was patient enough to listen thoroughly to everything you had to say. I show you, a complete stranger, respect enough to listen to your offer, you can show me some kind of courtesy in my refusal. Clearly the door-to-door salesman are getting paid by the accounts they secure, because even when I asked her if I could think about it and talk it over with my wife, she gave me that beautiful scenario that I wrote above. And you are not PECO. You are an alternative energy supplier, who works in conjunction with PECO (the one's who then deliver the electricity.) Identifying yourself as anything but, is just a cheap trick to see the PECO bill and start the sales pitch.

I believe I was overly accommodating to one of your employees and I was shown nothing but disrespect.Desired Settlement: I don't need anything from this company at all, but I do feel they need to know how their employees behave and treat potential consumers.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We apologize for the customer's experience. The sales representatives of our independent partner vendors are strictly prohibited from representing themselves as agents of a local utility. Moreover, we certainly expect these representatives to behave more professionally than what the customer describes. We will take the customer's comments into consideration as we continue to evaluate the sales practices of our partner vendors. If the customer can provide a name or identification number for the sales representative he spoke with, we will investigate further. Again, we are sorry.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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,

Review: Advertising big savings on electric bill. My last bill was over $800 dollars after 2 months of very little savings.Desired Settlement: I no longer want to be associated with this company. They are [redacted].

Consumer

Response:

I am looking to get reimbursed for what I think is unreasonable price increase in energy bill. Normal bills used to be around $300-$350. My last bill was close to $800.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer had a bad experience. The customer was previously enrolled in a variable rate plan with our company. Since making the complaint, the customer has enrolled in a fixed rate plan.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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,

Review: A Rep. from Respond Power came to our door last year, reviewed our electric bill and told us if we switched to their company they would save us money. Now a few months passed, they didn’t save us any money as she promised, on the contrary, we paid much more money compare with our previous bills!!! I reviewed all of our electric bills carefully and found out before we switched to this company, our rate was only around $0.055 per KWH and it was even lower than the Domestic Service rate which can be found on the left side of our electric bills. After we switched, the rate this company charged is even much higher than the Domestic Service rate: On Dec **, 2013, the rate this company charged was $0.079899 per KWH, the Domestic Service rate was only $0.0577 per KWH; On Jan **, 2014, the rate this company charged was $0.109906 per KWH, the Domestic Service rate was only $0.0561 per KWH; And on Feb **, 2014 the rate this company charged was $0.149896 per KWH, the Domestic Service rate was only $0.0561 per KWH.

They may say that I signed an agreement with a variable rate, but that is not an acceptable explanation! Our previous supplier also charged us based on a variable rate, and that supplier always charged based on a reasonable rate! And the only reason I switched to Respond Power is that they promise to charge lower rate than our previous supplier to save us money!!! I can provide our last 12 months electric bills as evidence.Desired Settlement: We require Respond Power use the Domestic Service rate which can be found on the left side of our electric bills to recalculate our electric bill on last three months and refund the amount that they over charged.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

According to the complaint, the

customer states that she is unhappy with the recent rate being charged.

The customer agreed to a variable

rate contract, meaning her rate would be determined by the energy market.

As has been widely reported, there

has been a spike in the wholesale energy market which was reflected on the most

recent bill. This is merely a reflection of the current energy market where a

shrinking supply of electricity is under the strain of massive demand due to

one of the coldest winters on record. We are referring customers to the

February ** press release from the PUC regarding this issue. (Please see

attached) In addition, this is not just happening in Pennsylvania.

Please see this link relating to New York prices as well.

Finally, the account has been

canceled and it is now up to the utility to process the cancellation. Please contact your utility for budget

billing concerns.

We are truly sorry for your

experience and advise you to sign up on a fixed rate that will ensure price

protection.

Regards

Consumer

Response:

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:

The

company’s explanations are unacceptable! According to their explanations, the

wholesale energy market is influent which means even if we didn’t switch to

their company our electric bills will be still so high. This is NOT TRUE!!! The

following link shows the rates of all the suppliers that are available to us: [redacted].

You can see that this company’s rate is the highest of all suppliers!!! This is

FRAUD!!! We just received another bill for period Feb **, 2014 to Mar **, 2014,

the rate this company charged is $0.249905 per KWH, which is not only the

HIGHEST PRICE among ALL available suppliers, but also is FIVE times higher than

the domestic service ($0.051 per KWH, which can be found on the left side of

the bill). Also you can find on the above link that our previous supplier [redacted]’s rate is only $0.0493 per KWH.

This company sent a Rep. to our door

and promised we could save money (many of our neighbors can prove we are telling

the truth, there were several representatives showed on our neighborhood to persuade

people to switch to their company at the same time), that’s the ONLY reason

that we switched to this company. Now we don’t expect to save money, but we

require this company to refund the amount (which is $301.95) that they

overcharged up to the most recent bill. We are not the only household that suffers

from the overcharge. This is actually happening to many of our neighborhood.

Note this is our last negotiation and we have all supporting materials. If they

not refund the required amount ($301.95) immediately, we will work with our neighborhood

in the community and jointly sue this company on local court to defend our

right!

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer remains unhappy.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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:

[Please DO NOT choose this company! After you switch to this company, it will not keep it's promise! This company does not care lose any customer since it can get money by charging extremely high rate of new customers that switch to this company by its false advertisement!!!]

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Review: When the worker from Respond Power came to my house, she said she was checking [redacted] bills to make sure we were not being overpaid. I showed her my bill and she said I should be paying less because [redacted] was overcharging me 2 distribution charges. With [redacted], my bills never rose above $70. I get my 1st bill, it was about $55 the next bill shot up to $102 and the last bill shot up to $180. I was not told about being on a "variable" rate. They automatically set you up to pay these high bills and reading some of the complaints, I'm wondering why they are still in business. There is no way my bill should be that high especially since I haven't been home in the past 3 weeks! How can you charge someone if they are not even using the services? Then they have an estimation on my bill. I want them to justify how they are charging me for an estimate and how am I being charged for using electric if I wasn't home. I am NOT paying that bill and if I don;t get some kind of fix here, I will take this higher if I have to!Desired Settlement: The best outcome they could have would be to reduce my bill. I am NOT paying for what I did not use!

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

According to the complaint, the

customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged.

The customer agreed to a variable

rate contract, meaning the rate would be determined by the energy market.

As has been widely reported, there

has been a spike in the wholesale energy market which was reflected on the most

recent bill. This is merely a reflection of the current energy market where a

shrinking supply of electricity is under the strain of massive demand due to

one of the coldest winters on record. We are referring customers to the

February ** press release from the PUC regarding this issue. (Please see

attached) In addition, this is not just happening in [redacted].

Please see this link relating to New York prices as well.

Finally, the account has been

canceled and it is now up to the utility to process the cancellation. Please contact your utility for budget

billing concerns.

We are truly sorry for your

experience and advise you to sign up on a fixed rate that will ensure price

protection.

Regards

Consumer

Response:

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]

Regardless of a spike, I was not home for 3 weeks and I live alone. There was nothing running to make my bill go up to almost $200. Sending me a copied article is not resolving the problem I am having with this company over charging me!!!

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

Please see the previously attached sales agreement where you enrolled in a variable rate plan. Again, we do not have control over your usage. If you dispute a meter reading, you need to contact your utility directly.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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:

I am going to upload a copy of my form. If that is NOT checked off...I am taking you guys to court!!! And this complaint is still NOT RESOLVED!!!!

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Review: I received an outrageous bill in February for my electric when they charged me for $0.20/watt when they advertise $0.08/watt. When I called to complain they told me I was not fixed, but a variable rate and they could charge me that amount. When I questioned what they advertised on the state's website, the gentleman told me he could not give me that rate for February, but for my bills afterward he could. I received my bill in March and instead of the $0.08/watt he said he would charged, they charged me $0.40! Five times what they said they would! I have tried calling, only to be told the line is busy or put on hold for 30-60 minutes at a time. I have also messaged them, which there website says they will get back to you in 24hrs, and a week later I have not received a message for them. I refuse to pay $500 extra a month for their fraudulent pricing practices. You can request the phone call from February [redacted] since they said it was recorded and listen to the gentleman himself say he would give me the advertised price in March, which he did not.Desired Settlement: Bill adjustment for $700

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

According to the complaint, the

customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged.

The customer agreed to a variable

rate contract, meaning the rate would be determined by the energy market.

As has been widely reported, there

has been a spike in the wholesale energy market which was reflected on the most

recent bill. This is merely a reflection of the current energy market where a

shrinking supply of electricity is under the strain of massive demand due to

one of the coldest winters on record. We are referring customers to the

February ** press release from the PUC regarding this issue. (Please see

attached) In addition, this is not just happening in Pennsylvania.

Please see this link relating to New York prices as well.

Finally, the account has been

canceled and it is now up to the utility to process the cancellation. Please contact your utility for budget

billing concerns.

We are truly sorry for your

experience and advise you to sign up on a fixed rate that will ensure price

protection.

Regards

In addition please see this informative article.

Consumer

Response:

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:

When I called to complain in February, the customer service representative told me he would give me the rate posted on the state's website for the next month, but could not do anything about February's bill since the bill was already adjusted once. I did cancel, but that does not mean that they can tell me one rate on the phone and then bill me another one just because the customer cancelled. And I do have a letter from 2011 where they said they offered fixed rates, just like they posted on the state's website when I called to complain. So to say that I initially signed up for a variable rate or that that is what they offer is not true, since that is not what they have been advertising.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer is dissatisfied with our previous response. However, we will not be issuing a refund in this situation.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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:

They are failing to issue a refund or adjust the price of their electric. They advertised a $.08/kilowatt and charged me $.20/kilowatt. When I complained they said they could not adjust but could honor the price thereafter, and instead charged me $.40/kilowatt. How is that acceptable?

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Review: Respond Power doubled their Kilowatt-Hour rates in February and tripled them in March to $0.34990 per KHW. I noticed my usage was much lower and yet my bill was at a record high. I shopped around and found Respond Power to be 300% than all other competitors in my area. I immediately switched back to [redacted] and called Respond Power to let them know of the switch and to requested an adjustment on my last two bills because I was charged unreasonable rates for my electricity.

I was told that they would only refund me 12% of my bill immediately and 12% in July, if I signed a contract to keep them as my electricity supplier for the next two years. Also, they would retroactively adjust my last two bills to a market competitive rate of $0.09 cents per KHW.

Furthermore, I was told that they would not switch me out of their plan until the end of the month and that the rates would not be published until then. The rates could be even higher, essentially whatever they want it to be. And since I have cancelled them as my supplier, I can only imagine that they will increase my rates.

This is not only bait and switch, dishonest and abusive, I believe it in black mail and / or extortion.Desired Settlement: I would like for Respond Power to:

1) Immediately release me from their service on the date I called to cancel which is 4/*/2014.

2) Change my KHW rates in the last two bills, to reasonable rates and not 200% and 300% of the market

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

According to the complaint, the

customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged.

The customer agreed to a variable

rate contract, meaning the rate would be determined by the energy market.

As has been widely reported, there

has been a spike in the wholesale energy market which was reflected on the most

recent bill. This is merely a reflection of the current energy market where a

shrinking supply of electricity is under the strain of massive demand due to

one of the coldest winters on record. We are referring customers to the

February ** press release from the PUC regarding this issue. (Please see

attached) In addition, this is not just happening in Pennsylvania.

Please see this link relating to New York prices as well.

Finally, the account has been

canceled and it is now up to the utility to process the cancellation. While we send the utility the cancellation request within 24 hours of receiving it, we have no control over how long the utility takes to process it. For further questions on the subject, please contact your utility directly. Please note that we would never retaliate against a customer for cancelling and the rates charged are simply a reflection of the energy market. Please contact your utility for budget billing concerns.

We are truly sorry for your

experience and advise you to sign up on a fixed rate that will ensure price

protection.

Regards

Consumer

Response:

Dear

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:

Although the market has had increases due to a cold winter, there is no basis for a 200% increase followed by a 300% increase. Furthermore, it does not compare equitably with their direct competitors, of whom, the 13 closest one are still charging 300% less than they are. Furthermore, they were unwilling to lower my rates to competitive levels, unless I signed a 2 year contract, locking me with them. And finally, they will not let me out of their pricing plan until the end of the month, a full 25 days after I called. So they get to legally "steal" from me for another month, after I have cancelled their service.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

Please note that the time it takes to switch you back to your utility is entirely up to the utility itself. We forward requests for cancellation within 24 hours, but most utilities take one to two billing cycles to process the switch.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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]

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,