Company records show that the customer made a payment of $1,on May 24, 2017, after service was disconnected that day due to nonpayment. Service was reconnected that day. On June 7, 2017, the customer entered into a four-month payment arrangement to pay the remaining balance of
$On June 13, 2017, the payment of $1,was returned for nonsufficient funds cancelling the payment arrangement. On June 16, 2017, customer was advised to pay $to hold the account from disconnect. The electric service was subsequently disconnected on June 19, 2017, for nonpayment. After service was disconnected, customer was required to pay $2,018.89. On June 20, 2017, the Customer Advocate contacted the customer and agreed to accept a $payment to restore service along with a $payment on June 23, 2017. The balance was set on a four-month installment payment. Customer's service was reconnected the morning of June 21,
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/10/14) */
I called *** on 10/and left a vm message to return my call, no responseI attempted to call *** again on 10/but was unable to leave a vm message as the customers' mailbox was fullReview of the acct indicates disconnections
notices have been sent to the customer each month and have not been returnedThe most recent disconnection notice was sent on 9/and not returnedDisconnection notices were sent to the billing/mailing address at ***, Columbia Heights, MN Last payment of $(from the customer) posted to the acct on 4/15/Review of the acct indicates *** made a payment of $that posted the acct on 10/and due to the Cold Weather Rule (CWR), a reconnection order was sent on 10/and service was reconnected on 10/A fixed + current pay arrangement was established on the acct, customer agrees to pay her current bill + fixed amount of $126/mos and $131.54/moI apologize for any inconvenience this matter caused
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/10/23) */
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/09/24) */
Good Morning Ms***,
Yes, thank you for your patience as I researched your neighborhood concern
Our restoration standard is to use black dirt, grass seed and Futerra mattingHowever, many Mounds View residents requested that
sod be installed to match the City's restoration project area, which is adjacent to our restoration area
We've been working with the City of Mounds View's general contractor to use the same sod mater that they used on the rest of the city projectIt is anticipated that this will be completed by the end of September, with 30-days before freezing temperatures to allow time for the sod to become established
I hope you find this information helpful and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused
Sincerely,
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/10/02) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
All of the Pleasant View Drive residents who have filed a complaint the same as or similar to mine for the same problem have all received responses from Xcel Energy representativesThey were all from a different respondent and said the same thing word for word
To date, none of the restorations have been startedI find it highly unlikely any sod planted this late in the season will survive the winterThis means that I and my neighbors will be filing complaints for a redo of the restoration of our boulevards and lawns again next spring
Since they began this project at the end of July, it was very obvious the subcontractor they hired, Q3, was unqualified for the jobI would hope that Xcel Energy will never again hire them for any of their projects
I'd also like to add a few items about my neighbor's yard to the south of my propertyHe has two settling sink holes in his yard; one of them is three feet deepIf those holes are still there on Halloween night, I am afraid there will be injured children who are trick-or-treating on our streetWe have a notoriously high volume of trick-or-treaters in our neighborhoodThis settling that was the result of non-compacted fill and has also resulted in the settling of the slab that the Xcel Energy transformer for a section of our neighborhood sits onIt will be interesting to watch the transformer fall into a sink holeBad thing about that is we will most likely not have power for a week or more after that
Please pass these comments on to Xcel Energy, specifically my concerns about the integrity of the transformer
Thank you for your assistance,
*** ***
Records show that there was a restoration order for August 4, after a fault that occurred in July 2015- that area was restoredI contacted our field specialists who confirm that a restoration order was faxed to Qon August 6, to repair the areas on this block after a cable replacement
job. On August 31, the Qsupervisor stopped at this address and knocked on the door. But, there was no answer. The supervisor confirmed that that the property looks restored
Initially spk w/cust to discuss concern filed w/Revdex.comAttempted to contact cust on 8/& 8/25, leaving vm messages for a return call and no responseSent follletter advising cust that field tech was at cust property on 8/& mgmt confirmed the tech failed to knock on the door before
performing the non-emergency work (tech tightened & adjusted the connections to eliminate the leak), which he should have doneMgmt has addressed this with the employee as well as reminding all crews of this simple courtesy when performing non-emergency work at a cust propertyI thanked the cust for bringing this matter to our attention & said to call w/any add'l questions regarding this matter
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2015/09/28) */
I researched the neighborhood concern and found our restoration standard is to use black dirt, grass seed and Futerra mattingHowever, many Mounds View residents requested that sod be installed to match the City's restoration project area,
which is adjacent to our restoration area
We've been working with the City of Mounds View's general contractor to use the same sod mater that they used on the rest of the city projectIt is anticipated that this will be completed by the end of September, with 30-days before freezing temperatures to allow time for the sod to become established
I have provided the concerns about the street near this home for our contractor Qto review and addressRegarding the storm drain and sewer grates, we will have an inspector check this out
For replacement of Hosta's we will have to estimate a compensation value and review the information with QUnfortunately we do not have an exact amount at this time but will provide the compensation by mail with a check
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 10, 2015/10/04) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
It is now October (Excel response stated completion at end of September), and other than being contacted by Excel Energy via email with the above response, nothing has yet been doneI would like to leave this complaint open until I have been compensated for lost plants and until the lawn has been repaired
Final Business Response /* (1000, 15, 2015/10/19) */
The sod work out by the streets was completed October and Qperformed restoration restoration near the homes and meter locations October
Final Consumer Response /* (2000, 18, 2015/10/26) */
I am rejecting this response because:
I never used the gasexcel energy failed to inform me that if I do not use any gas that I still pay for the gaseven though I did not use there servicesI am still requesting a credit to my account in the amount of $
I am rejecting this response because: You basically said the same thing that xcel said. They control their own smart meters. I ran nearly the same amount of energy in November as I did in December but my bill was 70 dollars higher. My heat is not controlled by a thermostat, meaning that it does not matter what temp it is outside it puts out the same amount of energy. I ran it the same no difference between November, and December. Why was my bill 70 dollars more for using the same amount of energy? That question has not been answered. Just because they said they tested it doesn't mean they did. I asked for a copy of that test myself and did not receive a copy. I want to know how using the same amount of energy my bill jumps 70 dollars.
Our vegetation department contacted the customer and discussed our process and procedures. During the normal course of business, all brush and debris will be left on site for tree owner disposal. However, a business decision was made to remove the debris.There is nothing further...
Good Morning Mr. [redacted], I received details about the outages you experienced at your home and some additional information from our vegetation management manager who patrolled your lines last week. My attached letter will be mailed to you today and will also be provided to the Revdex.com in...
response to your complaint filed with their office. Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. I hope you find this information helpful and I apologize again for any inconvenience these outages may have caused. Sincerely,
Good Afternoon, Our motorized vehicle in your neighborhood was onsite conducting a mobile gas main survey. Our gas main is located within a dedicated utility easement, which is roughly 10 feet from the right-of-way on your property. The location of the dedicated easement was...
determined by the City of Hudson and should appear on your plat drawing. Other utilities may have services within this easement as well. For safety reasons, we have the right to access our equipment. Our motorized vehicle is equipped with sensitive detection equipment used to identify gas leaks in the gas main. No leaks were identified. In most cases, any required repair work would be completed on foot. We are required by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to conduct these surveys annually. They are typically completed in late fall/early winter and take our crews about 30 minutes to complete in your neighborhood (longer if leaks are detected). We do not anticipate that our motorized equipment will cause harm your lawn. However, if you identify any issues in the spring please contact our Operations Manager Dan [redacted] at ###-###-####. Thank you for bringing your concern to our attention. Hope you find this information helpful and I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
[redacted] contacted the MN Revdex.com regarding a portion of her account balance that was generated at a prior residence. Ms. [redacted] does not dispute living at the residence. Ms. [redacted] disputes that she was designated as the account holder.
Records find the property manager for...
1231 40th Ave NE in Columbia Heights, MN called to notify us of his new tenants. The property manager provided Ms. [redacted]'s contact information to begin billing effective July 6, 2013. The property manager was in his right to request the new account. This is referred to as a third party request for new service.
Ms. [redacted] states she had other roommates listed on her lease. If the roommates were responsible for any of the unpaid balance, Ms. [redacted] must pursue them for any unsettled balances. We are not able to mediate a dispute among roommates.
We have previously offered a payment arrangement of $225 per month to Ms. [redacted]. Considering the account balance and average monthly bill at her residence, we are not able to negotiate a lower amount for an arrangement.
I have been unable to speak directly with Ms. [redacted]. On March 22, 2016, I mailed a letter with our response. The letter also advises Ms. [redacted] to seek energy assistance if she qualifies.
Company records show that Mr. [redacted] was billed a deposit of $539.00 in May 2015 due to a bankruptcy filing and subsequent write off of his outstanding balance. The Deposits and Guarantees tariff that is approved and on file with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission states that “The Company...
will refund by direct payment, or as a credit on the customer’s bill, a customer’s deposit after 12 consecutive months of prompt payment of all utility bills.” A review of Mr. [redacted]’s payment history shows late payments in June 2015, July 2015, and June 2016. According to the tariff, Mr. [redacted]’s deposit would have been refunded in August 2015, but with the late payment in June, 2016, the earliest his deposit can be refunded is in July 2017.
Called customer 8/16/16, left vm message to return my call, no response. Sent follow-up letter. Cust upset w/recent disc of the service, didn't feel she should have to pay the $50 reconnection chg since she was w/o service the entire wknd. Cust also is requesting compensation for...
lost food/suffering. Sent letter on cust on 8/23 advising records indicate service was initially disc on July 25, 2016 for $172.90; however, usage continued and services were relocked on Aug 12. Cust called on Aug 12, made a check by phone payment for $173 and a reconnection order was sent. Review of the recorded call from Friday, Aug 12 confirms cust was properly advised that reconnections are done between 7:30 to 6 PM, with reconnections occurring by the end of the next business day. There was no guarantee of same day reconnection and service was reconnected Monday, Aug 15. Based on the tariff which is approved by the Minnesota Public Utility Commission, Xcel Energy is allowed and in compliance by charging $50 for reconnecting of the electric service that was originally disconnected for non-payment. In addition, a $100 relock charge will also be assessed due to tampering. Advised both charges will be reflected on cust nxt bill statement. Xcel Energy does not compensate for lost food or suffering due to the disc of service. I extended an apology and said to call w/questions or if a pay arrangement is needed on the current balance of $230.40. See attached letter and copy of the tariff.
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/01/25) */
Payment arrangements allow customers to divide a total arrears balance over multiple months. Reasons for removal of a payment arrangement include a missed installment, short payment or payments returned from the bank (exampled Non-sufficient...
funds). If a payment arrangement has been removed for any reason a customer is typically asked to pay the total balance in arrears to avoid disconnection.
I spoke with the customer of record January 21, 2016 and agreed as a one-time alternative to paying the balance in full to re-establish the payment arrangement and reconnect service if they pay the installment amounts plus bills accrued from when the previous payment arrangements were removed.
The customer was satisfied with this solution.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2016/02/04) */
The customer indicated that he/she ACCEPTED the business response.
I am rejecting this response because:
The following points are taken directly from an xcel representative. Regarding Xcel complaint: On May,20, at I spoke on the phone for 24 minutes with “customer advocate manager for Xcel”, Tom [redacted], who assured me several times that he was authorized to speak officially for xcel and it’s policies. 1)Mr [redacted] assured me several times that xcel’s only obligation was to send a single letter by mail to customers whose power was to be turned off. The letter is not tracked and has nothing to distinguish it from junk mail. Mr [redacted] informed me several times that any records regarding their attempts to inform me of the impending shutoff could only be obtained by a subpoena. 2) They specifically do not send emails letting customers know of impending shutoffs although he admitted that Xcel sends marketing materials,etc. to customers’ email address. 3) In regard to xcel’s claim that the person sent to shut off the power tries to get payment first, a few points refute this claim: The person who pulled our meter did not ring the doorbell or knock. I and my dog were both home when it happened and would have heard them. Mr [redacted] admitted that they have outside people doing the shutoff who drive their own unmarked vehicles and may not have xcel identification visible or on them. It became clear talking to Mr [redacted] that Xcel tries to disassociate themselves and their logo from the shutoff process. The person who did our shutoff was obviously trying to be unnoticed, drove an unmarked car and did not have visible identification on them. I saw this person as he was exiting our fenced yard hurriedly. My impression is that the whole process is done in a quick “repo” style. I suspect that xcel tries not to be be associated with the denial of power to their customers to protect their image and therefore have no interest in risking a confrontation with homeowners by notifying them of their presence when they come to turn off power. 4) Mr. [redacted] said xcel tried to call several times to inform me of the impending shutoff, however, they do not leave a message regarding their intent. I pointed out that since they were aware that they had not spoken with me by phone and had not left a message regarding their intent that they necessarily knew that I had not been informed by phone. I informed Mr. [redacted] that I was recording our conversation (following state law) and I will make it available to the Revdex.com at your request to validate the points above. Thank you, [redacted]
because:
I did receive a call from Xcel's cutomer care advocate and for the first time felt like I was speaking with someone that actually had empathy for my situation. However, I do not appreciate the tone of this response as it suggests that I needed some kind of help in understanding what happened. I am Not the one that was ever confused by what was going on other than the confusion as to the vast incompetency of this corporation. The man I spoke with Did apologize and stated that none of these things should have happened. I was assured as to what the amount was that would be what I am to pay regarding the current charges including usage from my actual meter and not for someone else's meter for the past 6 mmonths. As to any confusion that needed to be explained to me, I was advised that of the 3 separate bills I had received for this last month that none of the amounts were correct and assured me that my actual amount due was $157.39. The most recent bill I have received says there is a past due balance of $206.32 and that my current charge is $15 with the $48 credit I received. The bills I had received that were all showing due for the beginning of March, 2017 were for the amounts as follows, $381.96 due on 3/3/17, $206.32 due on 3/9/17, $111.31 due on 3/9/17, & $0 due on 3/9/17. It does not appear that I am the one that needs the situation explained to them.
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/07/02) */
I contacted our Insulation Rebate Department who informed me that the customer is entitled to the 30% rebate. A check in the amount of $127.49 will be paid to the customer as requested.
We apologize for any inconvenience this matter may have...
caused.
Thank you
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 9, 2015/07/03) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
I am satisfied with their response --
I spoke with Ms*** today and confirmed that she has recieved the check and is satisfied
Company records show that the customer made a payment of $1,on May 24, 2017, after service was disconnected that day due to nonpayment. Service was reconnected that day. On June 7, 2017, the customer entered into a four-month payment arrangement to pay the remaining balance of
$On June 13, 2017, the payment of $1,was returned for nonsufficient funds cancelling the payment arrangement. On June 16, 2017, customer was advised to pay $to hold the account from disconnect. The electric service was subsequently disconnected on June 19, 2017, for nonpayment. After service was disconnected, customer was required to pay $2,018.89. On June 20, 2017, the Customer Advocate contacted the customer and agreed to accept a $payment to restore service along with a $payment on June 23, 2017. The balance was set on a four-month installment payment. Customer's service was reconnected the morning of June 21,
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/10/14) */
I called *** on 10/and left a vm message to return my call, no responseI attempted to call *** again on 10/but was unable to leave a vm message as the customers' mailbox was fullReview of the acct indicates disconnections
notices have been sent to the customer each month and have not been returnedThe most recent disconnection notice was sent on 9/and not returnedDisconnection notices were sent to the billing/mailing address at ***, Columbia Heights, MN Last payment of $(from the customer) posted to the acct on 4/15/Review of the acct indicates *** made a payment of $that posted the acct on 10/and due to the Cold Weather Rule (CWR), a reconnection order was sent on 10/and service was reconnected on 10/A fixed + current pay arrangement was established on the acct, customer agrees to pay her current bill + fixed amount of $126/mos and $131.54/moI apologize for any inconvenience this matter caused
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/10/23) */
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/09/24) */
Good Morning Ms***,
Yes, thank you for your patience as I researched your neighborhood concern
Our restoration standard is to use black dirt, grass seed and Futerra mattingHowever, many Mounds View residents requested that
sod be installed to match the City's restoration project area, which is adjacent to our restoration area
We've been working with the City of Mounds View's general contractor to use the same sod mater that they used on the rest of the city projectIt is anticipated that this will be completed by the end of September, with 30-days before freezing temperatures to allow time for the sod to become established
I hope you find this information helpful and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused
Sincerely,
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/10/02) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
All of the Pleasant View Drive residents who have filed a complaint the same as or similar to mine for the same problem have all received responses from Xcel Energy representativesThey were all from a different respondent and said the same thing word for word
To date, none of the restorations have been startedI find it highly unlikely any sod planted this late in the season will survive the winterThis means that I and my neighbors will be filing complaints for a redo of the restoration of our boulevards and lawns again next spring
Since they began this project at the end of July, it was very obvious the subcontractor they hired, Q3, was unqualified for the jobI would hope that Xcel Energy will never again hire them for any of their projects
I'd also like to add a few items about my neighbor's yard to the south of my propertyHe has two settling sink holes in his yard; one of them is three feet deepIf those holes are still there on Halloween night, I am afraid there will be injured children who are trick-or-treating on our streetWe have a notoriously high volume of trick-or-treaters in our neighborhoodThis settling that was the result of non-compacted fill and has also resulted in the settling of the slab that the Xcel Energy transformer for a section of our neighborhood sits onIt will be interesting to watch the transformer fall into a sink holeBad thing about that is we will most likely not have power for a week or more after that
Please pass these comments on to Xcel Energy, specifically my concerns about the integrity of the transformer
Thank you for your assistance,
*** ***
Records show that there was a restoration order for August 4, after a fault that occurred in July 2015- that area was restoredI contacted our field specialists who confirm that a restoration order was faxed to Qon August 6, to repair the areas on this block after a cable replacement
job. On August 31, the Qsupervisor stopped at this address and knocked on the door. But, there was no answer. The supervisor confirmed that that the property looks restored
Initially spk w/cust to discuss concern filed w/Revdex.comAttempted to contact cust on 8/& 8/25, leaving vm messages for a return call and no responseSent follletter advising cust that field tech was at cust property on 8/& mgmt confirmed the tech failed to knock on the door before
performing the non-emergency work (tech tightened & adjusted the connections to eliminate the leak), which he should have doneMgmt has addressed this with the employee as well as reminding all crews of this simple courtesy when performing non-emergency work at a cust propertyI thanked the cust for bringing this matter to our attention & said to call w/any add'l questions regarding this matter
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2015/09/28) */
I researched the neighborhood concern and found our restoration standard is to use black dirt, grass seed and Futerra mattingHowever, many Mounds View residents requested that sod be installed to match the City's restoration project area,
which is adjacent to our restoration area
We've been working with the City of Mounds View's general contractor to use the same sod mater that they used on the rest of the city projectIt is anticipated that this will be completed by the end of September, with 30-days before freezing temperatures to allow time for the sod to become established
I have provided the concerns about the street near this home for our contractor Qto review and addressRegarding the storm drain and sewer grates, we will have an inspector check this out
For replacement of Hosta's we will have to estimate a compensation value and review the information with QUnfortunately we do not have an exact amount at this time but will provide the compensation by mail with a check
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 10, 2015/10/04) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
It is now October (Excel response stated completion at end of September), and other than being contacted by Excel Energy via email with the above response, nothing has yet been doneI would like to leave this complaint open until I have been compensated for lost plants and until the lawn has been repaired
Final Business Response /* (1000, 15, 2015/10/19) */
The sod work out by the streets was completed October and Qperformed restoration restoration near the homes and meter locations October
Final Consumer Response /* (2000, 18, 2015/10/26) */
I am rejecting this response because:
I never used the gasexcel energy failed to inform me that if I do not use any gas that I still pay for the gaseven though I did not use there servicesI am still requesting a credit to my account in the amount of $
I am rejecting this response because: You basically said the same thing that xcel said. They control their own smart meters. I ran nearly the same amount of energy in November as I did in December but my bill was 70 dollars higher. My heat is not controlled by a thermostat, meaning that it does not matter what temp it is outside it puts out the same amount of energy. I ran it the same no difference between November, and December. Why was my bill 70 dollars more for using the same amount of energy? That question has not been answered. Just because they said they tested it doesn't mean they did. I asked for a copy of that test myself and did not receive a copy. I want to know how using the same amount of energy my bill jumps 70 dollars.
Our vegetation department contacted the customer and discussed our process and procedures. During the normal course of business, all brush and debris will be left on site for tree owner disposal. However, a business decision was made to remove the debris.There is nothing further...
pending at this time.Thank you
Good Morning Mr. [redacted], I received details about the outages you experienced at your home and some additional information from our vegetation management manager who patrolled your lines last week. My attached letter will be mailed to you today and will also be provided to the Revdex.com in...
response to your complaint filed with their office. Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. I hope you find this information helpful and I apologize again for any inconvenience these outages may have caused. Sincerely,
Good Afternoon, Our motorized vehicle in your neighborhood was onsite conducting a mobile gas main survey. Our gas main is located within a dedicated utility easement, which is roughly 10 feet from the right-of-way on your property. The location of the dedicated easement was...
determined by the City of Hudson and should appear on your plat drawing. Other utilities may have services within this easement as well. For safety reasons, we have the right to access our equipment. Our motorized vehicle is equipped with sensitive detection equipment used to identify gas leaks in the gas main. No leaks were identified. In most cases, any required repair work would be completed on foot. We are required by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to conduct these surveys annually. They are typically completed in late fall/early winter and take our crews about 30 minutes to complete in your neighborhood (longer if leaks are detected). We do not anticipate that our motorized equipment will cause harm your lawn. However, if you identify any issues in the spring please contact our Operations Manager Dan [redacted] at ###-###-####. Thank you for bringing your concern to our attention. Hope you find this information helpful and I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
[redacted] contacted the MN Revdex.com regarding a portion of her account balance that was generated at a prior residence. Ms. [redacted] does not dispute living at the residence. Ms. [redacted] disputes that she was designated as the account holder.
Records find the property manager for...
1231 40th Ave NE in Columbia Heights, MN called to notify us of his new tenants. The property manager provided Ms. [redacted]'s contact information to begin billing effective July 6, 2013. The property manager was in his right to request the new account. This is referred to as a third party request for new service.
Ms. [redacted] states she had other roommates listed on her lease. If the roommates were responsible for any of the unpaid balance, Ms. [redacted] must pursue them for any unsettled balances. We are not able to mediate a dispute among roommates.
We have previously offered a payment arrangement of $225 per month to Ms. [redacted]. Considering the account balance and average monthly bill at her residence, we are not able to negotiate a lower amount for an arrangement.
I have been unable to speak directly with Ms. [redacted]. On March 22, 2016, I mailed a letter with our response. The letter also advises Ms. [redacted] to seek energy assistance if she qualifies.
Company records show that Mr. [redacted] was billed a deposit of $539.00 in May 2015 due to a bankruptcy filing and subsequent write off of his outstanding balance. The Deposits and Guarantees tariff that is approved and on file with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission states that “The Company...
will refund by direct payment, or as a credit on the customer’s bill, a customer’s deposit after 12 consecutive months of prompt payment of all utility bills.” A review of Mr. [redacted]’s payment history shows late payments in June 2015, July 2015, and June 2016. According to the tariff, Mr. [redacted]’s deposit would have been refunded in August 2015, but with the late payment in June, 2016, the earliest his deposit can be refunded is in July 2017.
Called customer 8/16/16, left vm message to return my call, no response. Sent follow-up letter. Cust upset w/recent disc of the service, didn't feel she should have to pay the $50 reconnection chg since she was w/o service the entire wknd. Cust also is requesting compensation for...
lost food/suffering. Sent letter on cust on 8/23 advising records indicate service was initially disc on July 25, 2016 for $172.90; however, usage continued and services were relocked on Aug 12. Cust called on Aug 12, made a check by phone payment for $173 and a reconnection order was sent. Review of the recorded call from Friday, Aug 12 confirms cust was properly advised that reconnections are done between 7:30 to 6 PM, with reconnections occurring by the end of the next business day. There was no guarantee of same day reconnection and service was reconnected Monday, Aug 15. Based on the tariff which is approved by the Minnesota Public Utility Commission, Xcel Energy is allowed and in compliance by charging $50 for reconnecting of the electric service that was originally disconnected for non-payment. In addition, a $100 relock charge will also be assessed due to tampering. Advised both charges will be reflected on cust nxt bill statement. Xcel Energy does not compensate for lost food or suffering due to the disc of service. I extended an apology and said to call w/questions or if a pay arrangement is needed on the current balance of $230.40. See attached letter and copy of the tariff.
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/01/25) */
Payment arrangements allow customers to divide a total arrears balance over multiple months. Reasons for removal of a payment arrangement include a missed installment, short payment or payments returned from the bank (exampled Non-sufficient...
funds). If a payment arrangement has been removed for any reason a customer is typically asked to pay the total balance in arrears to avoid disconnection.
I spoke with the customer of record January 21, 2016 and agreed as a one-time alternative to paying the balance in full to re-establish the payment arrangement and reconnect service if they pay the installment amounts plus bills accrued from when the previous payment arrangements were removed.
The customer was satisfied with this solution.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2016/02/04) */
The customer indicated that he/she ACCEPTED the business response.
I am rejecting this response because:
The following points are taken directly from an xcel representative. Regarding Xcel complaint: On May,20, at I spoke on the phone for 24 minutes with “customer advocate manager for Xcel”, Tom [redacted], who assured me several times that he was authorized to speak officially for xcel and it’s policies. 1)Mr [redacted] assured me several times that xcel’s only obligation was to send a single letter by mail to customers whose power was to be turned off. The letter is not tracked and has nothing to distinguish it from junk mail. Mr [redacted] informed me several times that any records regarding their attempts to inform me of the impending shutoff could only be obtained by a subpoena. 2) They specifically do not send emails letting customers know of impending shutoffs although he admitted that Xcel sends marketing materials,etc. to customers’ email address. 3) In regard to xcel’s claim that the person sent to shut off the power tries to get payment first, a few points refute this claim: The person who pulled our meter did not ring the doorbell or knock. I and my dog were both home when it happened and would have heard them. Mr [redacted] admitted that they have outside people doing the shutoff who drive their own unmarked vehicles and may not have xcel identification visible or on them. It became clear talking to Mr [redacted] that Xcel tries to disassociate themselves and their logo from the shutoff process. The person who did our shutoff was obviously trying to be unnoticed, drove an unmarked car and did not have visible identification on them. I saw this person as he was exiting our fenced yard hurriedly. My impression is that the whole process is done in a quick “repo” style. I suspect that xcel tries not to be be associated with the denial of power to their customers to protect their image and therefore have no interest in risking a confrontation with homeowners by notifying them of their presence when they come to turn off power. 4) Mr. [redacted] said xcel tried to call several times to inform me of the impending shutoff, however, they do not leave a message regarding their intent. I pointed out that since they were aware that they had not spoken with me by phone and had not left a message regarding their intent that they necessarily knew that I had not been informed by phone. I informed Mr. [redacted] that I was recording our conversation (following state law) and I will make it available to the Revdex.com at your request to validate the points above. Thank you, [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
When I call back I keep getting different stories from representatives. Excel is a bully and that's that!
I am rejecting this response...
because:
I did receive a call from Xcel's cutomer care advocate and for the first time felt like I was speaking with someone that actually had empathy for my situation. However, I do not appreciate the tone of this response as it suggests that I needed some kind of help in understanding what happened. I am Not the one that was ever confused by what was going on other than the confusion as to the vast incompetency of this corporation. The man I spoke with Did apologize and stated that none of these things should have happened. I was assured as to what the amount was that would be what I am to pay regarding the current charges including usage from my actual meter and not for someone else's meter for the past 6 mmonths. As to any confusion that needed to be explained to me, I was advised that of the 3 separate bills I had received for this last month that none of the amounts were correct and assured me that my actual amount due was $157.39. The most recent bill I have received says there is a past due balance of $206.32 and that my current charge is $15 with the $48 credit I received. The bills I had received that were all showing due for the beginning of March, 2017 were for the amounts as follows, $381.96 due on 3/3/17, $206.32 due on 3/9/17, $111.31 due on 3/9/17, & $0 due on 3/9/17. It does not appear that I am the one that needs the situation explained to them.
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/07/02) */
I contacted our Insulation Rebate Department who informed me that the customer is entitled to the 30% rebate. A check in the amount of $127.49 will be paid to the customer as requested.
We apologize for any inconvenience this matter may have...
caused.
Thank you
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 9, 2015/07/03) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
I am satisfied with their response --