Respond Power

Review: We live in State College, PA at the [redacted]. Last August, about a day after we just moved into our apartment, a Respond Power representative knocked on our door and was persistent in telling us that the [redacted] required us to buy their product. This was false advertising, and as college students who just moved into the [redacted] complex a day before, they took advantage of our situation to say the very least. The [redacted] has a high tech security system, where only students can enter the building with various forms of keys. Respond Powers did not and does not to this day have a soliciting license to sell products to the [redacted] Apartment residents nor did they or do they have permission by the [redacted] to enter the building. Respond Powers representatives entered the building illegally by "piggy-backing" onto students who were entering the building. The representative did not fully explain to us what we were signing for, but was persistent in telling us it was required. In past months, our electricity bills have exceeded $200 a month. This month alone, we were charged more than $500 for our electricity, while in the past months, the amount that other [redacted] residents were paying for their electricity bills outside of Respond Powers was around four times less. This is not only a complaint coming from our apartment in the [redacted], but this has also negatively affected many residents here who were also illegally solicited to in the fall of 2013. In addition to illegally soliciting and unfairly charging us, the particular representative that we encountered was on the verge of harassment in the way he approached his sale. The representative lied about his occupational background, was unpleasant and insulting to my roommates and me.Desired Settlement: Today, we cancelled our contract with Respond Powers. We spoke with a representative and he informed us that even though we cancelled our account, Respond Powers still had the ability to charge us for two more month's billing cycles, which could potentially cost us $1,000. This is unacceptable and we do not have that kind of money whatsoever. We are using all that we have to pay this month's bill. It is our highest priority to receive a complete refund of our bill from this past month and to have the contract cancellation complete before receiving any other bill. Secondly, we are looking to receive a refund for the excessive charges we were faced with from previous months from this scam company. We are currently looking into our legal rights in receiving all of our money back, but we wanted to contact the Revdex.com as well, before taking extensive measures. Please do what you can to aid in this process.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,We are sorry the customer has had a bad experience with our company. We will take the customer's comments into account as we continually evaluate the sales practices of our independent partner vendors. The customer validly enrolled in a variable rate plan with our company. I have attached the signed sales agreement as confirmation. The rates on a variable rate plan are subject to change based onmarket conditions. Unfortunately, the energy market performed very poorly thispast winter due to decreases in energy supply and increases in demand due tothe cold weather. While suppliers like Major Energy/Respond Power base the rateon a daily rolling average and hedging, most utilities purchase energy inmassive block and adjust quarterly or semi-annually. Because of that, sometimessuppliers find themselves with higher rates than utilities. Eventually trendsreverse and utilities are forced to adjust their rates to make up for lossesdue to underpriced supply sold to customers during high markets.The customer's account has now been cancelled. As the customer notes, it usually take the utility company one to two business cycles to process the switch. We unfortunately have no control over that time period. Please contact your utility directly for questions about when you will return to the utility company and also for budget billing questions.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:

We understand all of those circumstances. We are well aware that we signed a contract, and the representative we spoke to on the phone yesterday made it clear that last winter was cold. The problem more specifically that we have with Respond Power is deeper than just a signed contract and a cold winter. Our issue is in the fact that we were falsely given information, being told by the sales representative that it was required to purchase the product in order to set up our electricity at the [redacted]. We used this information in deciding to sign the contract, and like I mentioned in the previous complaint, it was our first day of college and first time at the [redacted], so Respond Power took full advantage of our vulnerable situation to say the least. Not to mention they did it illegally. We have three witnesses of this encounter. Our other issue is that Respond sales representatives were illegally trespassing into the [redacted] Apartment complex, and soliciting without a proper soliciting license. Because we were informed that this product was required to live with electricity in the [redacted], there was no way that we could have been aware of this trespassing factor and other illegal circumstances. Respond Power also did not address our desire to get a refund, and before taking other measures, we wanted to give them the opportunity to do so. It is our greatest priority to get a full refund, and we will do what is necessary to get our money back.

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

Sincerely,

Review: Like so many others, a few months ago a representative from Respond Power came to my apartment building. They claimed that everyone in my downtown area was complaining about electric prices being too high, and that they were sent to offer a cheaper option. They told me my electric bill would IMMEDIATELY see 10% drops in cost once they were established as our service provider, so we accepted the switch in providers. This month's billing cycle came around and Respond Power showed up on our electric bill, only to show an outrageous bill of $120. Before Respond Power, we had never exceeded about $70 for one month's billing cycle, and the most recent bills had only been around $30-40. Yes, they offered a variable charge, but they also said these prices would be competitive with other suppliers. This was NOT the case by any means, and I feel like what they do is such a scam and is completely unacceptable. They did not live up to what the representative informed me would happen. I tried calling them multiple times today and was unsuccessful with getting through, and when I finally was able to speak to someone they were of no help in resolving the matter and told me to find help elsewhere. Respond Power has been nothing but unprofessional with their services, blatantly lying that I would see decreases in my electric bill when they knew this wouldn't be the case. They failed to honor the expectations that were told to me from the beginning, and this has been such an unpleasant experience with them.Desired Settlement: I have already discontinued our service with Respond Power and gone back with West Penn Power, our original supplier. However, I am told the next month's billing cycle will ALSO be from Respond Power until West Penn Power officially is back with us, so I am sure they are going to make another outrageous claim for that electric bill. All I want is that the current bill and the next (final) bill to be adjusted and priced at what West Penn Power is charging, currently 4.96 cents per KWH, as valued on my current electric bill statement. This would end all interaction with Respond Power and they would no longer be seen on my electric bill.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

Please provide the cr for this account as well as the account holder name so that we can properly respond to this complaint.

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 account holder's name is [redacted] and the account number is [redacted]

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 has been unhappy with his experience. As the customer notes, he enrolled in a variable rate plan, meaning the rate would be effected by the energy market. We never guarantee savings, although our customers have historically enjoyed them.

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.

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[redacted]

Review: Respond Power offered a variable rate electricity plan that the salesman guaranteed would be lower than or comparable to my local utility (PPL). My first bill with them my per kwh charge jumped from 6.9 cents per kwh to 34.9 cents per kwh. Certainly this is not comparable or even close to PPL. I find the company's actions bordering on criminal. I spoke with a PPL representative who stated their per kwh charge for the month (March 2014) actually went down slightly. I called the PUC and was told there was nothing anyone could do about this predatory practice and that they could charge us whatever they wanted.Desired Settlement: I doubt that Revdex.com could assist us in getting a billing adjustment. I would just hope that you could publicize my experience on your website/company review to help others avoid this company

Consumer

Response:

I WOULD LIKE A PARTIAL REFUND - PERHAPS 50%.- IF I CANNOT GET A PARTIAL REFUND I WOULD LIKE THE Revdex.com TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS COMPANY

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.

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 [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 price that Respond Power charged was not a result of higher energy prices. I spoke with a representative of my local utility (PPL) who stated that their energy charges for the month were actually slightly lower than the previous month. This is simply a case of Respond Energy "gouging" customers with absurd charges (cost per kwh increased from 6.9 cents to 34.9 cents).

I know there is nothing I can do to force the company to provide a partial refund, I would just like Respond Power's predatory pricing practices to be publicized so that others know what this company does and, with full knowledge, can avoid doing business with them.

I thank you for your assistance with this matter.

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 dissatisfied. Briefly, let me try to explain why PPL can offer lower rates right now. While suppliers like Major Energy/Respond Power base their 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. We are sorry to lose you as a customer.

Regards,

Review: Company triples my monthly billing charge from Jan. to Feb. And again from Jan. to March.Desired Settlement: Want to pay the original rates.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer is unhappy after staying with us for so many years. The customer was enrolled in a variable rate plan, meaning the rate would be determined by the energy market. The severe winter, combined with less energy supply, caused rates to rise steeply these past months. I have included some additional information on why rates rose. Your account has been canceled. Please speak with your utility for budget billing options. Again, we are sorry to you as a customer, but we will not be issuing a refund in this situation.

Regards,

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 [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:

As per this following webpage -

States this about Respond Power...

Review: I understand the spike in electric rates this winter. I was a customer on a fixed rate plan. Respond Power changed my plan to variable without notifying me and hit me with huge electric bills.

I have tried many times to contact them. For a week their phone went to a message voice mailbox is full. Then for a week it was a message to leave your name and # and they would get back to you. I did that 5 times with no result. Then the message changed to email them. I emailed with my information and times I could be reached. I had a call and email when I was at work.

I replied and heard nothing back.

on 3/**, and 3/**/14 I left a total of 16 voice mails in the agent, and customer service mailbox with no reply.

The evening of 3/**I changed providers, and spoke to PPL the main supplier. I then contacted the Attorney General, and PUC and filed complaint. Miraculously I had another email while I was at work saying they cancelled my account. I tried to contact the agent on 3/** and the # she gave me now is dead, I emailed her, as well as a phone message and another email through their website where they promised to get back to me within a day.

Of course, still nothing.

I would like to be reimbursed the overcharge of electricity that they overcharged me.Desired Settlement: $367.46 for the past 2 months overcharge, and any overcharge incurred before they stop my account.

Business

Response:

Review: When I enrolled with Respond Power, I was told that my charges per KWL would be lower than that of [redacted]. In January, My bill was over $170. I called in February to [redacted] and switched to them as my provider because they were offering the price at .05 where Respond was charging .10. The bill for February was over $200. I received my March bill and Respond Power is still the provider (although I had received a call from them about a week before my bill came asking why I was no longer with them, to which I responded that the energy charge was double what [redacted] was and the caller hung up on me). My March bill is now just over $400! I m paying over $.25 per KWL.

This is unethical and deceptive practice on Respond Power's part. I assume that my bill spiked because they were aware that I was no longer keeping them. The excuses of the "polar vortex" do not carry much weight in March. Also, [redacted] explained to me that Respond Power failed to buy enough energy, which is why [redacted]'s price is much lower than Respond Power's. I signed up with respond Power based on their agreement that their price would be lower. They have not kept their end of the deal and I do not feel that it is my duty to remain compliant with their rules of payment when they clearly broke the agreement in the first place. I am willing to pay a fair share of the bill, but only one that is comparable to my previous bills, not this outlandish March bill.Desired Settlement: I would like my bill adjusted. I think that charging me the $.10 should be what I am charged (even though it is ABOVE the price they told me I would be paying since [redacted] was half that and Respond Power told me I would pay LESS than [redacted]). I would like for my bill to be adjusted at once.

Business

Response:

Review: Electric rate. I only sign up for fixed rates... Yet... after bills of about $100 to $150 per month... they have skyrocketed to $300 to $600 per month. I have never been able to get a live person on the phone via "customer service."

I believe I have been ripped off by this company for at least three months and unable to talk to any human being. The pre-recorded problem voicemail at customer service about a letter being sent doesn't cut it.Desired Settlement: I want a refund to the correct rates... $0.34kWh is NOT correct.

I believe I have been ripped off by this company for at least three months and unable to talk to any human being.

Business

Response:

Review: I recently posted a complaint and because of no response it was closed before I had chance to respond accordingly. Since I never got results to my satisfaction, I'm requesting another try to this issue with Respond Power/[redacted]. Now because of my not responding to the original request they have still continue add charges to my bill when they say I had cancelled back in January, so why for February-till now I have charges from them, which are outrages. If I cancelled why are they charging me anything and why are they still on my account at all. if I have too I can show you the bills. I need an #800 number for you please.Desired Settlement: I would like to have charges removed and have them show that they are off my billing from here on.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

Apparently there was a problem with your utility processing the cancellation. It has now been cancelled and we will not appear on any of your bills going forward.

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]

If they had made a mistake, why do I have pay for it in terms of charges that have happen since I was suppose to have cancelled back in January, I want these charges taken care of and remove from that time also. This is part of this company bad business tactics.

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Customer should contact the local utility company to address the billing concerns in this circumstance. The utility company must process a cancellation request before it becomes effective and here, there was an error by the utility company in processing the initial cancellation request in January.

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]

[redacted] has said that they read the meter in April and that I shouldn't have any further dealings with respond energy. But it has been nothing short of the high charges that I have received from this company and you can be sure I will warn all my friends to stay away from this company and their miss representation, which is false and you don't know that until your caught up in this whole thing. I still would these charges looked at and removed. Can I have a #800 number for the respresentative that looks at this, so I need to I can call.

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

Sincerely,

Review: Respond Power called me this evening requesting my electric supplier account number, claiming to save me 10% off [redacted]'s price. While it appears this is a legitimate company, there sales practice is deceptive, and I especially dislike their practice of asking for account numbers before describing their service.Desired Settlement: Knock 'em down a notch on their rating.

Business

Response:

We would like to apologize to Ms. [redacted] for any complaints she may have regarding the marketing call she received. We have forwarded her concerns to the Marketing team to address with the agent who contacted her.

Review: [redacted] from Respond Power knocked on my door inquiring if I would switch suppliers from Peco. [redacted] guaranteed a competitive rate that would not exceed peco's. Steadily I noticed increases in bill but then this month's bill came & I was completely floored. After realizing how these charges came to be by trying to educate myself I realized I was being charged a commodity charge MORE THAN 4X AS MUCH AS PECO. I tried to call Respond Power & the automated system said hold times to exceed 30 minutes. I waited on hold for 47 minutes at which time their phone system disconnected my call. I then sent the following email dated 3/**/2014 & to date have received ABSOULUTELY NO RESPONSE!!To whom it may concern, I recently received astronomical charges in regards to my electric & am highly upset by the figure. As it was explained to me when I signed up Responds pricing was competitive with PECO & would not exceed PECOs premiums. However I called PECO and they confirmed their commodity charge right now for electric is .0877 vs. Responds commodity charge of .3990. This has created a $193.60 difference in the electric portion of my bill (Responds charges being $256.48 vs. PECO being $62.88.) I feel swindled! I cannot afford to pay this outrageous amount & strongly feel that this company has taken advantage of its consumers by spiking their charges to such an unobtainable amount (MORE than 4x PECO.) This is consumer ABUSE at its worst. I also called to try & address this issue and the automated system informed me that the hold times were exceeding 30 minutes. After waiting on hold for 47 minutes, Responds phone system then disconnected. I dont know another way to say that I am outraged. I am hoping this company will find its in their best interest and adjust my bill accordingly. I have always paid my bill & honored your charges & now as the consumer I am hoping you honor my request to reduce this bill. since December I paid $331.81 more than I would've with Peco.Desired Settlement: Reduced bill to match what my bill would've been with peco for this month & the coming month since I switched back to peco but the billing from respond will continue through next month. This billing period had a been with peco the charge would've been $62.88.

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 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.

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 [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:

Response power misrepresented itself/fees. I understand the concept of a variable rate however your company misrepresented itself when I was told the pricing was competitive with Peco. COMPETETIVE! The bill was 4x as much! So although you may attach all the verbiage you would like, this has not been resolved to any satisfaction at all. I would of at least expected for respond to have credited this months bill to what it would've been with Peco. In such desperate economic times I find it completely reprehensible that this huge company has decided to take such extreme advantage over it's consumers.

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

We are sorry that the customer is dissatisfied with our response. However, the customer signed up for a variable rate plan. The account has been canceled. We are not issuing a refund.

Regards,

Review: A young door to door sales representative visited my home a little over a year ago to talk me into switching my electric service to their service saying [redacted] would still be handling my billing and service but they (Respond Power LLC) would be providing me with the electric product in order for me to recieve a discounted price. I specifically told the representative I did not want to be scammed in any way and end up paying higher monthly bills or ANY higher bills in the future. He told me if I signed up I would be getting nothing but discounts on my bills and I could cancel anytime. My bills seemed normal, didn't really notice any discounts though. On March **, 2014 my statement balance was $0, I had paid my bill in full about a week prior. My next bill which is dated March **, 2014 has a balance of $811.50 which is much higher than the $200-$300 I'm used to paying. I called [redacted], they told me to call Respond Power. I did and they told me they can't do anything and I must pay the set amount. I told them their representative flat out lied to me and they basically told me too bad, you signed up, pay us. I cancelled service with Respond Power immediately, especially after I was told I'm pretty much paying two electric companies for one service. Also [redacted] and Respond Power both have two different stories of what they are responsible for. I tried explaining my bill is rediculous and I should not have to pay more than double my usual rate. I said I understand the bills won't always be the same and prices kilowatt per hour fluctuate but almost three times my regular bill is out of control.Desired Settlement: Respond Power should contact [redacted] and have [redacted] erase all charges owed to Respond Power from me. I say ALL charges owed to Respond Power by me simply because nobody is trying to help me and I'm here wasting my time doing all the legwork just so I can be billed fairly. I'm making calls, waiting on hold, and now filling out forms online because Respond Power's representative lied to my face.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer has been unhappy with our service. As the customer notes, he enrolled in a variable rate plan, meaning that rates would fluctuate with the energy market. While we can't get into the specifics of the customer's bill in this public forum, please note that we are only responsible for the commodity charge that appears on your bill. We are sorry to lose you as a customer. Please speak to your utility directly for budget billing options.

Regards,

Review: On 9/**/13 a man named [redacted]Agent code: **came to our door. He said he was with West Penn Power which was false. He said that they were doing analysis for bills to see if there was a better plan for electricity. He looked at our two last bills and said that there was a better plan. English is our second language. We told him that we were not interested but he guaranteed our bill would be lower. We have a family of 3 kids and one on the way and one income. Our pills went from 200 to 298 to 530 the last month. We can't afford that. The gentleman lied to us and he was walking around the whole neighborhood saying the same thing. He never explained that the price would be variable of kilowatts. When we tried to contact the business, no one has been getting back to us for weeks. It's like a scam and we don't have money to pay for this. I hope that they stop. When we called [redacted], they told us Respond Power was a separate company and that we were scammed into purchasing an expensive company.Desired Settlement: We don't want anyone else to be caught in the mess. If there is anyway for us to get some kind of help paying for to stop the company from doing that. We have so many people in our neighborhood that don't know the English language and can be taken advantage of like we were. Please help.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

According to the complaint, the

customer states that she thought she would save money on her energy bill and is unhappy with

her current rate.

Customer agreed to a variable rate contract, meaning the rate would

be determined by the energy market (Please see attached application and Verification). It is clear that our company is separate from the Utility. It is not possible that West Penn Power told the customer that they were scammed, as we are an approved energy supplier. We do not produce any literature that advises

that our rates will always be lower than the utility.

Additionally,

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 January’s on record.

We are

referring customers to the February 14 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.

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 man that came to my home did not explain variable rates. He scammed not only me but a number of people in our neighborhood. I have a big family to feed and 530 bill which the company has not called back regarding. I have called and left messages to RESPOND POWER and no one has called back. The issue is not resolved! They know they scammed people and won't call back because they will lose money. I am still upset and by telling me that there is a high peak in energy costs, I get that but what about the business contacting us and at least working with us in paying the bill off. The man flat out lied to us and we did not understand and when we called to cancel, we couldn't and we called again-next time we got someone that said it's not a problem. A lot of inaccuracy and would like additional follow up and to speak with someone about the bill to see what can be done. THAT is not fair.

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

We apologize that the customer has been dissatisfied with her experience. We issued a refund check to the customer on 3/**/2014 for $100 and her account has been cancelled. We now consider this issue resolved.

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,

On Oct. ** 2015 a representative of this company rang our doorbell and spoke to my 85 year old husband. She called a number and entered our account numbers for electricity & gas. She had no information in writing and my husband was unable to explain what he agreed to. We still have nothing in writing and it is Oct. **. We are told we will have to pay a $200.00 early cancellation fee. For what? We have not signed anything and have no paperwork from Respond Power. We have cancelled this agreement, whatever it is, and think undue influence was used on my husband.

Review: This company has taken advantage of me and changed the rate I was getting from .094903 to an unbelievable .34990. This means that the rate increase was for a 368.7%

I don't know if this is legal but it sure feels like this company is steeling my hard earned money. If we look at the rest of the market this rate is the rate of a scalper at the door of a stadium and further more comparing the rate I was paying to the rate of [redacted] the company that was supplying the energy I was using it was still a higher rate. They should feel good with that alone. Not to ignore that if you try to reach them on the phone you will be put on hold for as long as it take for you to hang up or to click you of the connection without talking to anyone. This company is NOT A CUSTOMER FRIENDLY company and altho it may have the qualifications to be part of the Revdex.com IT sure don't act in such manner.Desired Settlement: I feel that because the rate that I was charged in the month of February was still higher that the rate the original supplier would have charged me it should stay at that rate. These are few words and straight to the point and IF I NEED TO SPEND MORE TIME SOLVING THIS ISSUE IT WILL ESCALATE TO A MORE SERIOUS ACTION

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]

The information they show as an excuse for this Abusive company to have an outrages 368% increase in the price of electricity does not show in the market, at least in [redacted]. If that would be the case I would call any company and be offered a rate at least close to this rate. Instead I call a company and receive a very compatible rate to the one I was paying before. To be clear my rate was .094903 x 514kwh = $48.78 and the next month the rate according to Respond Power should be adjusted to .34990 x 462 kwh = $161.65. After using less kwh and as you can see the use was not out of the normal and the increase due to the weather was not so great to merit this increase. After calling some power providers including [redacted] the rate I was offered was .087. If the market has increased the rates due to use the why these rates are available to anyone. I have 5 cars in my house and if I go to fill the tank of all of them at the same time or just one I still get the same rate (the determined rate by the market) and going anywhere it would not change 368% for no reason. I think that there should be a FEDERAL department involved in these types of increases to determine If this is an abuse of power on behalf of the provider.

And to be clear on the cancelation of this account, "It was me that called to cancel this out rages business relation". And [redacted] was more that glad to take care of my account at a rate less than the one I was paying Respond Power.

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 that the customer was dissatisfied with our response. The customer has cancelled his account, but should be aware that it usually takes 1-2 billing cycles for the account to return to the utility. Again, we apologize for your 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]

I spoke with [redacted] and they said the transaction will be made at the end of the billing cycle unless there is another loop found to continue taking advantage of the client.

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

Sincerely,

Review: their sales person stopped in our office stating that he guarantee they are always the lowest rate. HE LIED !!! Our Electric rate has tripled. I called the company, spoke with a customer service rep and ask for an adjustment to what the price of what West Penn would have charged us. He said a supervisor would have to call. I said fine. No one ever called. Another thing the sales person listed us as a

residential account. I questioned that as we are a business. He said it didn't matter. Well it does matter because they are not on the

commercial list of suppliers.

THIS IS FRAUD AND WE WANT A REFUNDDesired Settlement: WE WANT OUR BILL ADJUSTED TO WHAT WEST PENN WOULD HAVE CHARGED SINCE TRANSFERRING TO RESPOND POWER

(THE FRAUD COMPANY) WE HAVE SWITCHED BACK TO WEST PENN BUT OUR COST HAS TRIPLED. WE WANT AND EXPECT A

REFUND. THEY OWE US MUCH MONEY THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD.

THEY ARE FRAUDS, UNETHICAL AND MORE I COULD SAY.

PLEASE HELP US.

Business

Response:

Review: Respond Power signed me up for their service and I did not agree or sign. [redacted] (Agent Code: [redacted]) from Respond Power came to my door when I was not home and spoke with my fiance. She is not an authorized user on my [redacted] account and she also stated that she will not sign for anything without speaking with me. So disregarding her, [redacted] signed us up for their services and left a carbon copy of the contract with no signature in my mailbox. I was not aware of all this until recently when I saw my [redacted] bill and I saw that I owed over $600. When I was with [redacted] only, I always received a credit from my equal payment plan.Desired Settlement: I have recently canceled with Respond Power, but since I had never authorized services with them, I am looking for a refund of my last bill in April of $297.20

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

The customer's fiance enrolled in a variable rate plan and confirmed that she was authorized to make changes to the account. I have attached the signed sales agreement as confirmation. The customer was enrolled with our company for over a year. The account has now been cancelled. We are sorry if the customer 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]I Have uploaded my copy of the contract and you can clearly see there is no signature. But regardless of the signature, how could someone who is not authorized to make changes on MY [redacted] account; change my terms of service? I called [redacted] and they confirmed no one but an authorized user can make changes and last I checked 4/**/14, she was NOT an authorized person and nor was she ever. It would be the same if they came to my door and a cleaning person answered but they got a signature, so it's ok to change the owner's bill. Not saying my fiance is a cleaning person, but it's the same principal; a cleaning person is not authorized and neither was my fiance. I am the only person on the bill and my signature should be the only one to make changes.

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

We have been in contact with the customer via email.

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 company is stating that since they saved me money, around $98; they are not going to issue a refund. I do not accept this answer because, I am not only disputing the ridiculous up charge in March, where my rates went from $.08 to $.29; I am also disputing the fact they forged a signature and signed us up for a service we did not agree upon. I have uploaded a scan of my fiance's signature; you can clearly see it's not the same on their copy of the contract and my copy has no signature.

So I believe I am not asking for much when I only want some reasonable refund for the insane up charge in March. And not for the entire year.

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

Sincerely,

Review: The problem started when we switched to respond power, we had a individual stop at are door a few days in a row saying he was from respond power and he could save us money. A first we told him we wasn't interested but it seemed he wasn't gonna stop. So one day he stopped and I'm not exactly sure of the date but he continued to tell me that he could safe us money which the area in which I live is low-income housing which at the time they seemed as though they were just trying to save us money that [redacted] was charging us to much. He proceeded to tell me that if I switched that my rates would always be a few sense cheaper than [redacted] that even though it could go up and down that it wouldn't go above what we were already paying with [redacted]. Well we didn't notice at first cause are bill was already 0$ for months do to the fact we had money left over from liheap because we don't use that much electric. But when we started getting a bill they were upwards of 400+ a month which is absolutely absurb. And we spoke with a [redacted] rep that said other people are having problems paying for their insane rates. We were under the understanding and was told we wouldn't pay rates that high ever, we were not only blatantly lied to but we were swindled into signing for this service expecting that it would help us save money not put us in a situation were are electrics being shut off cause we can't afford it. I'm am so mad about the situation its unreal, my landlord is even aware of the rates that they were charging us and he even contacted the [redacted] township police to remove the individuals off the premises. Every year are liheap last us through-out the year, and its ridiculious that a business can lie to you about their services and their rates and get away with it, I consider this theft by deception because clearly I was decieved in the situation....Are service is to be terminated on 8/**/2014 I do not know what to do about this situation but I'm very upset about it I've never had a problem like this with [redacted]s service and they are willing to help. But I do need help taking care of this situation I know many others that are in the exact situation and obviously ppl and the Revdex.com is aware of the problems with Respond Power please please help me. Also have spoke with [redacted] reps that agree with me about the situation and say how outrageous the killowatt rate is, I was told it wouldn't be that and expect this to be handle soon thank you for your time.

Elect. Acct. Number: [redacted]Desired Settlement: I want the charges from respond power removed from my bill immediately I was lied to about the service and their rates and its ridiculous. Or I want the respond power to match [redacted]s lowest killowatt since we have had their service since they said it would always be a few cents cheaper which it was.

Business

Response:

We apologize for any inconvenience the customer experienced. A customer service representative will contact the customer as more information is needed before the account can be reviewed.

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'm completely unsatisfied with how this situation was handled at all. Yea, They contacted and said they understood what the problem was then nicely offer me a 100.00$ to pretty much shut my mouth. First off I was lied to about what kind of service and fees there was going to be in the first place after having respond power stop at my place multiple times, shortly after my landlord calling the police and asking them to remove them for soliciting unwanted services. I feel like not only was I lied to now like they know they lied and that and accept that then offer me pretty much nothing to resolve it cause 100$ isn't even nothing compared to what I was charged. I want this issue resolved and would like to know how to go further, I've already contacted the PA utility commission even though they reside in NY, and I've contacted my local Representative [redacted] and am currently awaiting a call from him. The individual that offered this lied to me and they handled it unprofessionally and pretty much laughed in my face for offering me 100.00. I would like to pursue any avenue I need to get this handle. thank you.

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

We apologize for the inconvenience the customer experienced. As was explained to the customer when speaking to a representative of the company, 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.

The refund provided was offered as a courtesy and customer accepted the refund. At no time did any representative of our company make light of the situation. The company was aware of customer's intentions of going to the PUC, notwithstanding the courtesy refund.

Since the customer has filed a complaint with the PA PUC, all allegations regarding our business practices will be addressed by the PUC. The PUC is a regulatory body that regulates companies like Major Energy. Since our company does business in Pennsylvania and the dispute is in regards to services performed in Pennsylvania, the PUC has the authority to investigate customer’s complaint. As part of the PUC complaint process, our company will be submitting a report to the investigator assigned to the customer’s case. The investigator will examine the report and any further information required in order to make a determination as to customer’s complaint. The PUC will also determine what, if any, refund is warranted. If customer should have any inquiries as to the status of the case, customer should direct those inquires to the PUC.

Review: Respond Power is more of a "Bait and Switch" type of business to rip off customers. They offer a rate of .069 per KW for their service however there was never any information stating that price will increase to .129 after just 1 month. The increased price is higher than any other power company. The only way to learn of the price increase is after you receive the bill...you can than change your supplier however it does not happen on the fly and you are stuck paying extremely high rates.Desired Settlement: I have changed suppliers however I would like to be reimbursed for difference of the price increase and have the rate of .069 until change takes place. Total difference for December is $217.67. The supplier can not be changed until the beginning of next month. I want the rate of .069 until the change takes place.

Business

Response:

In regards to the complaint,

Review: In October of 2013 a representative from Respond Power came to my house; the agent was [redacted] (code [redacted]). She explained that she worked for an electric supply company, Respond, that could offer us a lower price for our electricity. She explained that there was no contract and that the rate was variable. She requested to look at our electric bill from our current company, [redacted]. After looking at the bill she said we definitely qualified for their services and that we would save a decent amount on our electric bill. She explained that [redacted] would still handle our service, billing and meter reading. Respond would supply the electricity and bill [redacted] based off our usage. We signed up after being assured we would save money. Our first bill was in December and our amount due was only $94.00 which was good considering our previous amount had been $130.00 with [redacted]. We are signed up for the Equal Payment Plan so we expected to bill to represent the average cost per consumption just like it had been with [redacted]. The rate was about 5 cents per Kilowatt Hour. The total balance did not reflect our actual consumption at this point. Each month we paid $94. In April 2014 when I went to pay our bill I noticed that the total account balance was about $1700. I thought it had to be a mistake. I contacted [redacted] and they explained that there was a catch up month with Respond and that their rates went from 5 cents to 10 cents to near 25 cents per kilowatt hour! They explained that [redacted]'s current rate was still 5 cents per kilowatt hour and they did not know why Respond's rates sky rocketed. They recommended I contact Respond.

When I spoke with a Respond representative on the same day, April [redacted], I was shocked to hear that there wasn't a mistake and that 25 cents per kilowatt hour was their current rate. I asked why I wasn't notified that the right was making a drastic change and how the bill jumped from a $0 balance to $1731 within a couple of months. The representative could not answer my questions. She only stated that the cost is going up. I explained that [redacted] still has a reasonable rate still so why is Respond's rates so high. She said they bought into another company or something and costs are going up. I asked to speak to a supervisor to get more information and she assured me they wouldn't say anything different and that there wouldn't be any adjustments to the total amount due. I asked to cancel my services with Respond immediately. My electric bill with [redacted]r, even over the winter months, never exceeded a few hundred dollars. I always pay the amount due and never pay late. I feel betrayed and that the company misrepresented their services when the agent came to my house and promised Respond would save me money!Desired Settlement: I would like to be billed for a reasonable rate for my electric usage over the months I used Respond as my electric supply company. They say that they offer competitive rates and 25 cents per kilowatt hour is not competitive; 5 cents per kilowatt hour is competitive. I will email my past several bills from [redacted]. Thank you

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer has been displeased with her experience. 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.

The customer's account has already been cancelled. We will not be making any adjustments or refunds in this situation. Please contact your utility company directly for budget billing questions.

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]

I am disappointed in Respond's response. I think they misrepresented their services when they sent an agent to my house and promised they could save me money by switching to their company for my electricity supply. Within a few short months by bill skyrocketed to over $2000 and my rate nearly quadrupled. They claim on their website to offer competitive rates, my local electric supply company maintained a 5 cent per kilowatt hour rate over the winter. How is it that Respond couldn't compete with this fair and reasonable rate? How are customers supposed to afford 25 cents per kilowatt hour? I still request an adjustment based off of a reasonable and "competitive" rate. I have sent all of my bills since switching to Respond.

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

Our last answer was responsive to the customer's complaint.

Regards,

Review: I was promised a lower rate after renewing my contract with Respond Power. After receiving my next billing statement, they did not use the fixed rate electricity price agreed upon, but kept the inflated variable rate. I'm unable to get in contact with a representitive of their customer service department at any time during their business hours.Desired Settlement: I want them to honor the new contract rate agreed upon and adjust my bill.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

The customer agreed to 12-month fixed rate plan starting on 2/**/2014. Because of the way billing cycles work, the bill the customer is complaining about is a "blended rate," meaning that it is combination of his previous variable rate and his new fixed rate. His next bill will reflect that the fixed rate has kicked in and he will enjoy the price he locked into. If the customer has further questions he should contact our customer service department.

Regards,