Respond Power

Review: I have tried to contact Respond Power on multiple occassions only to be meet with a recorded message regarding high call volume. On my last attempt, I waited on hold for over 1 hour. I am trying to cancel my electric supplier service with them. I am not pleased with the current amount I am being charged. My bill increased by $120 from the previous month, but my usage amount remained very similiar to previous months.Desired Settlement: Written verification of cancellation of supplier service at my current address.

Business

Response:

Review: I was told in person that the rate offered would be lower than my existing rate. I was told it was a fixed rate. However I was actually on a variable rate plan. The cost of services initially was ok, but then this past winter the cost for my electric bill was jacked up. During the same period the estimated price from [redacted] for comparison rate was $0.0877 per kWh. Respond Power was charging $0.34990 per kWh. (If you used 3,000 kWh, [redacted]'s price would have been $263.10. With Respond Power's rate for the same usage was $1,049.70). This caused my electric bill to be more than I could afford over a 4 month period. One month my electric bill alone was more than my mortgage payment. They increased the price and blamed the cold weather, but meanwhile [redacted]'s price didn't jump up more than a penny in the same period of time.Desired Settlement: Refund of the difference in the price per kWh plus interest compared to [redacted]'s price for the months of January-April 2014. $1636.31 + interest.

Business

Response:

We apologize for any inconvenience the customer has experienced.

The customer enrolled in a

variable rate plan with our company via a door-to-door sale on April **, 2012. The

customer’s signed application is included for confirmation. T

Unfortunately, the energy

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

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

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

utilities purchase energy in massive block and adjust quarterly or

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

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

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

customers during high markets.

The reason the local utility company's rate was less is due to the fact that they purchased the energy for their customers months prior to the spike in prices. Since the customer was on a variable rate plan, the energy was purchased on a month to month basis at the then current market prices.

Customer has also submitted a complaint to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. An investigation was undertaken and it was determined that no refund or adjustment is due.

The customer’s account was

cancelled on 3/**/2014 and was processed by the utility on 4/**/2014. No

termination fees were assessed. Because the customer validly enrolled in a

variable rate plan, no refund or adjustment will be given.

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:

BUYER BEWARE. Respond Power sent out door-to-door sales reps and in person they give you promises to provide lower FIXED rates than my prior supplier. Then when they provide you with the paper work and invoices it does not match, it is a variable rate and they do not meet what they promise you in person.

Respond Powers rates .35 cents per kWh. Other power companies rates are 0.07-.09 cents per kWh during the same period of time. It is not only the local company that has these low rates. Current market prices do not support these crazy price hikes they are charging. Please note that I have been aware by the ** Attorney General office, they have a file open regarding Respond Power.

And per their response below they are not willing to rectify their price gauging. I tried working it out with them directly, and when they were not willing, I cancelled my account for a better more honest company.

Yes, I did contact the Public Utility Commission and they were not able to help me, but they did recommend another course of action that I am taking as well.

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

We apologize for any misunderstanding the customer may have. Customer's allegation of price gauging is factually incorrect. As stated before, no refund or adjustment is warranted as customer was billed in accordance with the terms and conditions

Review: 2 problems: Method of enrollment and unable to contact about higher than expected bills. I am concerned I have been scammed since switching to Respond Power, my rates are much higher than in the initial billing cycles and higher than my original rates from PECO. I have called their number [redacted] to inquire about the costs, but am unable to reach anyone. The phone rings endlessly or there is a message that "due to high call volume, there is a greater than 20 minute wait." I have left automated message for return call when prompted but have not received one. I tried going on their website at 4:45 PM for online chat, but got a window that live chat is closed for the day, even while clearly posting business on chat line hours 9-5 EST. I have faxed and mailed them a complaint letter requesting to be switched off their program. Meanwhile, I am upset at the way the company got me to enroll on 10/**/2013. Their rep. knocked in my door in a secured apartment building. I assumed they had right of access from our manager as our power company so I signed the form. When I went to the building manager to ask about the high bills I got, she was furious since she had expressly told the Respond Power rep that he was NOT allowed to solicit in this building. The representative did NOT have right to gain access to building and knock on individual apartment doors.Desired Settlement: I have sent them a fax, left a phone message, and sent letter via mail that I wish to be unenrolled from the program without any cancellation fees or penalties. I have switched to PECO's Smart Energy Program, and I am hoping they will comply without penalty.

Business

Response:

We would like to apologize to [redacted] for the difficulty she had reaching our offices. We have been experiencing an extremely high call volume and many customers are experiencing long wait times for their concerns to be addressed. We do show that her account received a cancelation notice from PECO on 2/[redacted]/14 and will return to PECO on 3/[redacted]/14. [redacted] agreed to a market based variable rate contract on 10/**/13 (see attached) and her 2/**/14 bill reflected a rate based on the skyrocketing US Energy market in January. We will reach out to her regarding her account at the number provided in the complaint.

Review: A company representative came to my home to solicit company services misrepresenting themselves as being connected with [redacted], tried to push a sale by calling off their personal phone and literally wrote down the word "yes" trying to get me to mindlessly agree to their services which I refused and asked them to leave my home. Weeks later I received a bill from my current power supplier ([redacted]) saying Respond Power LLC switched my energy supplier without my consent.Desired Settlement: Misrepresentation of company as well as switching my energy supplier without my consent is completely and utterly unacceptable. I have already contacted [redacted] to make them aware of Respond Power LLC soliciting and misrepresenting themselves, as well as them changing my energy supplier without my consent. Not only do they need to properly represent themselves and not solicit, they can most certainly not change people's personal choices with no consent. I expect an apology as well as nothing to do with their services as if I find myself connected to this supplier in any way, shape, or form I will be contacting my lawyer.

Business

Response:

We apologize for any inconvenience the customer experienced. A customer service representative will contact the customer to better address the complaint.

Review: I was told that I would save money on my electric bill if I switched to respond power, so when I got my first bill from the electric company with respnd power as the supplier, it was tripled from what it usually was! I called the company to see if it was a mistake, and they told me that it was because of the weather (which was not the case)they were charging me a much higher rate than what they promised,and I asked to be removed from their services, I didnt look at my bill the month after that because we lost employment and I couldnt have paid the bill, so the next month I got my bill and wanted to pay it and I was never removed from their services and my bill is outrageous!

Respond power lied to me and told me that my bill would be much lower than it had been in the past when it ended up being 3 times HIGHER than before I was with them and then when I asked to be removed, they did not remove me! I was told that I would recieve a call back from a [redacted], I never got a call back. I tried calling again and again, and could not get anyone to speek toand finally I called once again and spoke with someone, they agreed once again to remove me but will not do anything about the previous months! I am unsure if they will actually remove me this time, but I dont believe that I should have to wait nother month and hope that they actually did their job correctly nor do I feel that I should be responsible for charges from them when I clearly called to be removed from their servicesDesired Settlement: Refund the money that they charged me over the past few months

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

We are sorry if the customer had a bad experience

with our company. The sales representatives of our partner vendors are strictly

prohibited from guaranteeing savings, although they may state that historically

we have saved customers money. This customer was enrolled in a variable rate

plan. 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 account has now been cancelled. We have no record of prior attempts to cancel the account. Please contact your utility directly for budget billing options.

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 was in fact promised a drastic reduction on my electric bill by the respond power employee. I was not informed of a variable rate. My bill after adding respond power to my electric bill was NEVER lower, it was always 3 times more than ever before! I was. Promised to be removed from their services and was not removed. I was promised that a [redacted] would return my call, I never received a call! Their customer service is unprofessional and disrespectful! I am extremely dissatisfied with everything about this company!

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are the sorry the customer remains dissatisfied. The customer's enrollment in a variable rate plan was confirmed by a signed sales agreement. We have no record of the customer attempting to cancel prior to April. We encourage the customer to contact our customer service department if there are remaining questions.

Regards

Review: We were approached at our door by 2 men selling electric transmission. Told that we would save a lot with low prices. That when everyone's rates went up, theirs would go down. We were not notified of any cancellation fees. We are an older couple. I am in my early 70's. I have no idea what the rate cap expiring really means and when approached by them, I trusted what they were saying. My youngest daughter looked over our bills and noticed what was going on. There is indeed a cancellation fee and every month our price per KWH has risen drastically, this month it is at 24.98 cents. We were also notified by a neighbor that this company is a scam and that we need to report it.

This is a recap of the latest 4 bills with this company, bill due in:

Jan - 10.99/kwh@838kw

Feb - 12.98/kwh@782kw

Mar - 14.99/kwh@719kw

Apr - 24398/kwh@1551kwDesired Settlement: I would like the price per kwh matched at [redacted] rate during those months since I feel that those rates are way above the current rates at those given times.

Also I would like the cancellation fee waived since I have already switched suppliers with the help of my youngest daughter.

Also, we would love it if this company was shut down so that no one else can fall victim to their lies and scams.

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

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:

Their response is repetitive and ridiculous. It's the same one they've used in other complaints and it holds no ground for me. Indeed this past winter was very cold, but their rates were way above average, way above! I understand about variable rates and I understand that they can fluctuate drastically, but 3 times the amount of competitive suppliers? That's just absurd!

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer is unhappy with our response.

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:

All the business did was apologize about me not being happy with their service. I want the actions taken that I requested in my first complaint. I want a refund of the balance owed to me, which is an offset of what their rates were compared to those of [redacted] for the months of January, February and March 2014.

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

Sincerely,

Review: This company came to my door telling me I am paying too much for electric. They asked for my bill , wrote down my account number and now I have them on my electric bill. My bill last month was 147.00$ for a bill that was only supposed to be 48 dollars. I just assumed I used more electric. This bill came in and I took a good look at it, My bill with west Penn Power is only 22$ and this other company is on my bill adding an additional $172 for nothing. so my bill is 200$ when it should only be $22. I called west penn power and they said I need to contact the other company even though I pay west penn. I have been on the phone for 2 hours yesterday. And 45 minutes today so far and cant get ahold of anyone to cancel.Desired Settlement: Pay back for the extra money I paid last month, and also get this months bill waived and I pay the amount of $22 that it should be, and get back with just west penn power and get this scam company out of my life.

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

According to the complaint, the

customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged.

The customer agreed to a 12 month fixed rate plan. After that 12 months, the account switched 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.

If

you are interested in enrolling in another fixed rate plan, please

contact customer service and they will be happy to assist you.

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 business contacted me and told me to leave there company because they do not offer a fixed rate. I also sent them a picture of every powercompany rate compared to others. At this time the avg rate is 6 cents per kwh. They arr the only company charging 19 cents . No one else is even past 9 cents. I told them that I already canceled and they replied that they were goin to give me a discount but now that I cancled they will bot gice me a discount, the representative even told me to cancel! He stated in his honest opinion they cant lower it and it is extremly high and I only have a variable rate available and to go back to my original supplier. These people lied and said they would lower my bill by 30% when I signed up. Said nothing about variable rates and are now charging me ten times ehat I shouldve paid for the past 3 months. I work so much overtime and its not to pay someone to rip me off. I want a refund asap!

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 is dissatisfied with our response. The average rates that are often quoted are really a mix of fixed offerings and introductory rates. While you may not see a comparable rate to our current variable rates, please know that many suppliers have been charging even more to their current customers. Those offering 10 cent variables now are either offering an introductory rate or an estimate. Again, we apologize that the customer had a bad experience.

Regards,

Review: In January, I received a bill that reflected a charge of about 21 cents per kilowatt. Up until this time, I had received bills that were about 7 cents per kilowatt. I was never informed that there was going to be a change in my bill. Now I get a shut-off notice from PPL because I am unable to pay for this outrageous amount. My bill went from about $150 to over $400. I contacted PPL and they told me it was Respond Power at fault. I immediately called them to cancel. I got no explaination as to why my bill increased out of nowhere. I feel as though I have been scammed.

Then, I contacted Respond Power by their Chat option online and the representative would not help me. They said "someone would call me." Nobody ever called me. On a side note, I received the same chat representative twice and they cannot spell or use proper grammar. This worries me. Again, I feel as though I have been scammed. Nobody in customer service helped me when I asked for a credit or refund. All I ask is I pay a FAIR bill.Desired Settlement: I want to be reimbursed for this jump in price per kilowatt. I was never informed of this change and their customer service would not help me.

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

According to the complaint, the

customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged.

The customer agreed to a 12 month fixed rate plan. After that 12 months, the account switched 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.

If

you are interested in enrolling in another fixed rate plan, please

contact customer service and they will be happy to assist you.

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:

[Your Answer Here]

My response to the company: You never contacted me to inform me that my rate would triple. Your lack of customer service was and still is atrocious. I don't feel this has been resolved. Your customer service representative ensured me that someone would assist me and they never did. I feel as though I deserve compensation.

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

Sincerely,

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:

An apology does not resolve the issue. I asked to be compensated as a customer. I do not feel as though this company values me as a customer.

My message to the company: Since you are unwilling to make your customers happy, I will be sure to inform all of my friends and family as to what kind of a company you run. In addition, I'll make a few announcements on all of the social media websites I am a part of to warn people of your company. I don't want what happened to me to happen to them. Your deceptive marketing and lack of customer service is appalling. Have a great day!

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

We are sorry that the customer is unhappy. We are also sorry that no refund is due in this case.

Regards,

Review: Dear Revdex.com Respond Energy promised me over the phone that my electric bills would be cut in half. In fact, they were always $200.00 or more than when I was just with [redacted]. I asked [redacted] to cancel me with Respond. Respond in turn sent me a letter stating that I had an early termination fee of $ 75.00 that I needed to pay. I requested a letter that I had signed stating that I would pay an early termination fee, because I was never told of an early termination fee. So I wanted proof that I indeed said I would pay this fee. I have now received another bill for the $75.00 but have not received proof that I said I would pay this fee. In closing the bills were higher than what they said they would be so they did not do what they had said they would do for me, so I am refusing to pay a fee for something I never said I would do.. I wanted it noted so that my credit rating will not be affected by this situation. I will gladly pay the $75.00 if they provide me with a document with my signature on it stating I would pay an early termination fee. Respectfully submitted by [redacted]Desired Settlement: I want them to stop sending me bills for an early termination, and accept that the money they have received for all the electric bills to be payment in full.

Business

Response:

We apologize for any inconvenience the customer may have experienced.

The customer called our customer service center on 4/**/14 and agreed to enroll on a 12 month fixed rate. Upon reviewing this phone call, our company's representative failed to mention that there would be an early termination fee if the customer was to cancel the account in the middle of the 12 month term. Since the customer was not properly informed of the early termination fee, we will no longer assess the fee. No further collection attempts will be made. Again, we apologize for the inconvenience.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Sincerely,

Review: For the last two months (February and March) we have been getting charged a higher rate for our electricity. When I called to report the problem, someone from the company said it was a mistake that we were charged incorrectly and that they would be fixing the issue by sending us a check within 5-14 days to make up for the difference on the bill. In the meantime, I was told to just pay PECO the distribution charge only, so that is what I did. Well more than two weeks has gone by and we have yet to receive a check from this company. Today, I received March's bill and the same error has occurred. In February, our commodity charge rate was .25516, and this past month it is .24990. When I called last I was told our new rate would be .01899. I refuse to pay this bill until I speak and/or get this mistake rectified. To make matters worse, when you attempt to call the company at ###-###-#### they recommend you email them at [redacted]. I emailed them and chose to wait on the line in which after 10 minutes it beeped and the phone call was disconnected. It is impossible to get a hold of anyone at this company. Furthermore, when I did get a hold of someone last month they couldn't tell me how much the check would be that they were planning on sending us.Desired Settlement: I would greatly appreciate it if someone would return my phone call, rectify this situation by correcting the commodity rate charge, and sending us a check sooner rather than later so we can pay PECO accordingly. We live in a townhouse, and our bill should be not this much! It's more than my parents bill and they live in a huge house in the same area! Lastly, most of our house uses propane and not electricity, so I don't understand why our usage is so high. Thank you for your help in getting this situation fixed.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

The customer has been interacting with our customer service department since posting this complaint and should continue to do so.

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.

However, we feel we have been robbed. There was NO notification that the price was going up, and they charged 4x the standard rate. We normally had a $100 dollar charge to a $400 charge, it is INSANE. It's highway robbery. Since filing this complaint, we have canceled our services and have gone elsewhere. Unfortunately, we are stuck paying our bill for the time being, but this company is just awful.

I must say I'm very impressed with the Revdex.com's communication. Thank you for your help in this matter.

Sincerely,

Review: On January [redacted] an energy solicitor ([redacted], agent #[redacted]) under the employ of [redacted]/Respond Power appeared at my home and offered a lower rate of billing thanks to recent energy deregulation. Agent #[redacted] falsely told me that if I switched energy suppliers that my new rate would be cut in half to roughly 4 cents per kilowatt, and that I would no longer receive distribution charges on my bill. I accepted and he placed me on the phone with a representative that stated the same. By March I received by first bill from [redacted] in which Respond Power was the supplier. I was billed at the insane rate of .24990385 per kilowatt hour, nearly three times my precious rate of 7.5 cents. In addition, other charges Agent #[redacted] claimed would be gone continued to appear. I was the victim of a door-to-door billing scam like thousands of others.

I immediately contacted [redacted] and they were helpful with giving a reasonable payment plan, switching energy suppliers on April **, and guided me to file a complaint with the PUC.

On April [redacted] I was finally able to get a representative from Respond Power on the phone, [redacted], at 12:09 pm. [redacted] was a helpful phone rep, and apologized. He informed me that Agent #[redacted] placed me in a variable rate contract. [redacted] offered me a refund of two $50 checks to offset the high cost of the bill. Unfortunately, I would not receive a refund unless I agreed to a 12 month fixed rate contract at 9.6 cents per kilowatt, which is higher than the 7 cent average in Pennslyvania, and comes with a $100 cancellation fee. After being burnt on the very first billing cycle, the inflated 9.6 rate, and cancellation fee, there was no way I would ever agree to another 12 months with Respond Power. In this way Respond Power can hit the customer with on outrageous variable rate bill, then offer a small remedy in order to trap the customer into a long term contract in which the customer loses even more money.

I did not wish to escalate the matter with the PUC or PA State Attorney General, and called Respond Power again on April [redacted], 12:06pm in order to negotiate for a partial refund. I spoke with a phone representative, [redacted], who was very rude and unhelpful. I asked for the identity of the energy solicitor whom I spoke with on January [redacted], and that agents ID number which they must carry by law. She refused to provide me with that information. I also asked for a copy of Respond Powers contract which they claim I signed, and [redacted] also refused. She attempted to talk over me as I calmly asked to speak with a [redacted] three times. She claimed that my service was terminated, and that any contract information was the sole property of Respond Power.

After a brief period on hold I did speak with a [redacted], [redacted], and asked again for the identity of the energy solicitor. She did provide me with this information, but would not provide me a copy of Respond Powers contract with me. [redacted] stated that it was not Respond Powers policy to release that information, and again would not issue any refund unless I agreed to a 12 month fixed rate contract. At this point I confronted [redacted] with the fact that on March *, 2014, [redacted] of Pennslyvania issued a state of cold weather emergency, during which it is illegal to gouge energy prices. Then [redacted] became very defensive, as if somehow exposed. She said that's the job of our "legal department" and that there was nothing she could do. She said "Call the PUC, it's not our problem."

This is my final attempt to mediate a settlement with Respond Power for a partial refund. I want to say again that I {do not} wish to escalate this into a legal/state matter, which is far more costly and time consuming to Respond Power than a meager $100 refund.Desired Settlement: 1. I want a copy of the contract Respond Power holds, as it may differ from mine. I want it emailed to me and mailed in document form.

2. A $100 partial refund, as originally offered on April [redacted]. This would be acceptable.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

I am sorry you had a bad experience with our customer service representatives as well as with the agents of our partner vendor. I have attached your signed sales agreement as verification of your enrollment in a variable rate plan. 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 [redacted]

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

utilities purchase energy in massive block and adjust quarterly or

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

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

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

customers during high markets.

Regards,

Review: Respond is violating its contract with us by charging an inflated rate that is far in excess of the market price for electricity. We have been charged an unreasonable amount per kwh on my bill when they offer a published rate that is 4 times less for new customers. Clearly, the inflated rate is not the market rate. Our most recent electric bill was at 0.349 per kwh resulting in a bill of $902.54 for the month of February 2014; a bill of $531 for the prior month; and a bill of $600+ for December 2013. Our bills for a year earlier were nearly the same kwh usage and was 4 times less. On the PaPowerSwitch website they are offering a rate of 0.0908 that is fixed for 12 months.

I called them Respond repeatedly and was in a 30 minutes waiting for customer service. I waited patiently and never got to speak with a customer service representative.Desired Settlement: Reduce my charge from .35 per kwh to the advertised 0.0908 for the months of December 2013, January 2014 and February 2014, and credit my account accordingly.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

According to the complaint, the

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

The customer agreed to a variable

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

As has been widely reported, there

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

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

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

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

February 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.

We are truly sorry for your

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

protection. If you would like our fixed rate, please let us know and we can work with you.

Regards

In addition please see this informative article.

Why Have

Energy Bills Increased – Explaining Price Volatility

It has

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

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

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

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

Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Why did

prices rise?

Simply

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

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

purposes, but to create electricity.

There is

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

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

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

and capacity is constrained, costs increase.

This

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

electricity, resulting in significant congestion in the natural gas pipelines

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

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

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

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

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

gas pipeline system and the electric grid.

Also,

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

electricity generators are also increasingly using natural gas to produce

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

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

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

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

efficient manner.

It’s

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

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

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

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

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

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

As the

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

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

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

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

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

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

gas pipelines and electricity transmission lines are planned or under

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

future.

In the

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

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

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

water temperature setting to 120 degrees on the water heater.

Customers using a competitive supplier and who are on a

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

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

supplier if they have any questions.

Customers interested in price stability can also investigate

fixed price options that many suppliers offer.

Customers in need of financial assistance should investigate

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

can stay with a competitive supplier and still receive assistance paying

utility bills.

Customers should visit their

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

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

Review: My senior father was approached by a sales rep. of this company to lower his electric bill. He and my disabled mother live in a trailer and are on a limited income. He was told his bill would be cheaper and they neglected to tell him how much he would be charged per kilowatt hour. His electric last year was about $199 for a month of electricity. Respond energy charged him $432.61 for a month. They charged him $.15 per kwh. He was with another electric company that was .05per kwh. How is that saving money? This company is taking advantage of senior citizens. I would like the bill adjusted to reflect .05 per kwh because they misrepresented their product. This would have made the bill $144.20! This is more like their usual electric bill. They can't afford to pay this amount. They have since switched back to West Pen Power. I have tried contacting Respond Power by chat and phone and can not get a hold of anyone.Desired Settlement: I would like Respond Energy to contact West Pen Power and reduce their bill by $292.41. This would make their bill $144.20.

Business

Response:

We have spoken with the daughter and will be sending a $75 courtesy check to her parents.

Review: I will attempt to be succinct in our dilemma. My fiancée and I were contacted by a canvasser a year ago who was working for Respond Power and informed us that we were eligible for a fixed rate that was cheaper than what we were paying at the time. We invited this canvasser into our home and were then placed on his cell phone to speak with someone from Respond Power's office regarding our switching over to them which was then done.

We made all of our monthly bills until last month when we were hit with a bill over $400 dollars and were charged almost triple the average going Kilowatt Hour rate (approximately 24 cents per KWh). I was shocked and immediately contacted PPL whom informed me to contact Respond Power which I did.

I reviewed our past bills and noticed that the rates were indeed well beyond what we had agreed to. I can't believe that there is no legislation in this state from utility companies performing such practices of raising rates to such a degree without informing the consumer.

Respond Power attempted to offer me a fixed rate of 10 cents a KWh agreement despite my protestations that I was given a fixed rate last year. The customer service representative informed me that I had a variable rate. I stated that he was wrong and asked for a copy of my contract/agreement. His response was, "Don't you have yours?" I stated that I did not and that was the reason for my requesting a copy. I was then astonished by his next response, "We do not keep records such as that." I am flabbergasted that such a thing could be possible. Without my copy there was nothing for me to do to substantiate my case according to this gentleman. I hung up and ransacked my office searching for the contract/agreement to no avail.

I then called Respond Power back and terminated them as my service provider and switched to another utility offering 8 cents a KWh for four years on a fixed rate. I would never have accepted a variable rate had I been informed of such a thing. They were very deceitful and I believe criminal in their marketing practices.

Their customer service is quite suspect as well. When I requested a confirmation number or something similar regarding the termination, all that she offered me was her first name and informed me that all calls were recorded. Hopefully the assertion that they do not hold contracts/agreements/customer documents was recorded as well.

Today we received another bill totaling 800 dollars and I am incredibly upset and fearful of our losing power due to our inability to make such a payment.

Respond Power's representative lied to us about the fixed rate and we were then denied copies of our contract which they claim that they do not file or keep.

I have contacted the Pennsylvania Utility Commission to lodge a complaint and am in the process of attaining a attorney regarding this matter as well.Desired Settlement: That Respond Power honor their representative's claims requiring their adjusting our bill and that they produce our contract.

Business

Response:

We apologize for the inconvenience the customer experienced with our company. Attached is the customer's agreement wherein both variable rate boxes are clearly marked. Unfortunately, the energy market performed very poorly this past winter due to decreases in energy supply and increases in demand due to the cold weather. While suppliers like [redacted]/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.

Customer's account is fully cancelled. Unfortunately, because the customer was validly enrolled in a variable rate plan, no refund is warranted.

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:

First, in my phone conversation with Respond, they claimed that they do not hold onto contracts and that since I had lost mine I was out of luck. The conversations are recorded as stated by the customer service representatives. I would like to have a copy of that conversation which will validate my claims that Respond Power lied to me regarding my account not only on the phone, but also the individual who signed us up claiming that it was a fixed rate. Why was this agreement not produced when I had asked for it and why was I informed that they do not hold onto such paperwork. I have since discovered of numerous other individuals whom have filed complaints with being deceived during the sales pitch and outright misinformed over the offered rates.

Additionally, their ridiculous response to charging such outrageous rates is preposterous. This state of Pennsylvania was targeted by these nefarious utility companies upon the utilities being deregulated and simply preyed upon the citizens of this state. Only a handful of such companies took advantage of the situation which is resulting of our legislators to confront the issue and pass legislation to avoid such practices in the future.

Therefore, to prove my claims of their deceitfulness, I would like to attain a copy of the conversation with the customer service representative who outright lied to me which will highlight the tactics that Respond utilizes to deceive customers.

Thanks for your time and efforts.

[Your Answer Here]

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 with our customer service department. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide any recordings from our call center due to company policy prohibiting the distribution of the recordings. The specific recording will be reviewed for quality assurance.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Respond Power, LLC regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Sincerely,

Review: Respond Power LLC came door-to-door in our neighborhood and explained what the functions and benefits of Respond Power LLC was all about with promises of giving us discount on our bill.

Background about our home...

Currently the only residents in our home is my husband and I and our two dogs. We use electric heat to heat our home as well as we use electricity as a form to light our home. My husband and I both work two jobs and we are only home to sleep and sometimes, we are home about an hour per day. We also did not put up Christmas lights this year as well.

Our primary supplier is Penelec and we received a bill with Penelec and saw the bill was high last year and we resolved that issue with Penelec quickly and was set up with a budget plan and our bills were fine up until this last billing cycle (March 2014 bill).

Total charges on our bill $7X.XX to Penelec and then $13XX.XX (estimate) to Respond Power LLC. Needless to say, we feel as though we were scammed and we feel that it is unnecessary to even pay our bill (or at least pay our portion that rightfully goes to Penelec) because we don't feel we use that much electricity. We have 4 thermostats set for 65-degrees throughout our home (and our home square footage is 1900 sqft.

We attempted to resolve this issue yesterday. My husband spent about 2 hours on the phone trying to come in contact with a representative but no contact was made. I also attempted to come in contact via instant message but waited over 45 minutes to come in contact with a representative. Once someone was able to help me (the representative's name was [redacted]), I was to provide my information to which I didn't have one me but the representative was very rude (or at least appeared to be rude) towards me and also, as I work in the medical field and very well aware of the HIPAA laws, I didn't feel comfortable providing my information for fear of being charged for some outlandish fees and also my information floating in the Internet for a hacker to steal. Needless to say, I disconnected for communicating with that individual because I was so frustrated. I also sent an email to the contact information listed on their website and I have an open case with PUC (Pennsylvania Utility Commission) that is pending, as it is no complete.Desired Settlement: 1. We would like our service with Respond Power LLC to be TERMINATED PERMANENTLY as soon as possible with no cancellation fees included as we are on a limited budget.

2. We also to resume our services PERMANENTLY with Penelec and resume the budget plan program with Penelec.

3. An apology for poor customer service to the American consumer. I highly suggest hiring more employees or file for bankruptcy and never be a part of any business industry. You obviously don't value customer satisfaction like many thriving companies.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

According to the complaint, the

customer states that she is unhappy with the rate being charged and not being able

to contact our customer service department.

We are very sorry that she could not

reach our customer service. We have been

in contact with many customers and are returning calls as soon as possible.

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 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 by our company and it is now up to the utility to process the

cancellation. Please contact your

utility for budget billing concerns.

We are truly sorry for your

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

protection.

Regards

In addition please see this informative article.

Why Have

Energy Bills Increased – Explaining Price Volatility

It has

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

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

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

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

the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Why did

prices rise?

Simply

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

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

purposes, but to create electricity.

There is

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

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

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

and capacity is constrained, costs increase.

This

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

electricity, resulting in significant congestion in the natural gas pipelines

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

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

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

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

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

gas pipeline system and the electric grid.

Also,

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

electricity generators are also increasingly using natural gas to produce

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

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

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

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

efficient manner.

It’s

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

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

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

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

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

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

As the

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

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

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

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

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

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

gas pipelines and electricity transmission lines are planned or under

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

future.

In the

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

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

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

water temperature setting to 120 degrees on the water heater.

Customers using a competitive supplier and who are on a

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

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

supplier if they have any questions.

Customers interested in price stability can also investigate

fixed price options that many suppliers offer.

Customers in need of financial assistance should investigate

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

can stay with a competitive supplier and still receive assistance paying

utility bills.

Customers should visit their

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

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

Review: This energy supply company raised their rates way past what they promised at point of sale. I was told by their sales rep that this was a cheaper solution for energy and ended up being three times the amount of the local energy company [redacted]. I have watched their rates increase every month until it exceeded what I expected, then had their service cancelled. The next invoice sky rocketed with charges from Respond power trying to squeeze as much money they could out of me before the billing cycle was over. I am now in jeopardy of having my electric shut off. I have contacted them about this and it was very difficult to get a hold of them. It took 2 months to get them on the phone, prior to that their automated phone system never got me a phone rep. I called and was bounced around their automated system that takes you back to main menu. When I finally spoke to someone they offered me 2 cheques for 125.00 each IF I signed a one year contract. This company has ruined my relationship with [redacted] and will most likely effect my credit. All rates for both companies were obtained by me and have if needed for this claim. I am 37 years old and have never filed a claim against a company before until now.Desired Settlement: I am willing and able to pay the rates from the local energy company [redacted]. Any class action suit against this company I will gladly participate and contribute.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

The customer enrolled in a variable rate plan. 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 [redacted]/Respond Power base the rate on a daily rolling

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

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

themselves with higher rates than utilities. Eventually trends reverse and

utilities are forced to adjust their rates to make up for losses due to

underpriced supply sold to customers during high markets. The account has now been cancelled.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

This is ridiculous, [redacted] rates never changed the whole time this company raised their rates. I have obtained both companies rates for the past year and compared. this company ended up having 3x the rates as [redacted] and was told that they would be cheaper.

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

Sincerely,

Review: A woman came to my apartment complex claiming to be a part of a utility program that would help lower my electric bill, she said that people in my area were getting charged extra on their electric bill. She switched over my bill to Respond Power with a variable rate, this in turn brought up the charges on my electric bill that is normally never that high to $131.70, I was very upset and also warned by my apartment complex to cancel the service which I did immediately. I am filing this claim to receive my money back because I was lied to and I cannot afford to pay extra charges on my bill.Desired Settlement: $131.70

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

According to the complaint, the

customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged.

The customer agreed to a variable

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

As has been widely reported, there

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

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

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

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

February [redacted]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 http:[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: I'm still getting charges on my next electric bill

[Your Answer Here]

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We forward cancellation requests to your utility within 24 hours. It then usually takes the utility 1 - 2 billing cycles to switch your service. We have no control over this time frame.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Sincerely,

Review: On April **, 2013 a person showed up at my door and introduced himself as sales rep for Respond Power LLC. He said that Respond Power could reduce my electric bills by supplying my electricity at a cheaper rate than Penelec. I agreed to use Respond Power LLC services. Since then my monthly electric bills have steadly increased. I had a friend look at my March 2014 electric bills (I have two meters and receive two separate electric bills from Penelec). He advised that the current rate for Penelec generation and transmission of electricity was 7.38 cents per KWH and that Respond Power LLC was charging 19.99 cents per KWH. Having used 710 KWH on my larger bill the Respond Power charge for generation and transmission was $141.93. Penelec's charge would have been $52.40, a difference of $89.53. I am disabled and live on a meager fixed income and cannot afford to pay nearly triple the Penelec rate.Desired Settlement: I simply want to terminate doing business with Respond Power. When I called the Customer Service number I was told that the wait time could exceed 30 minutes and I could send an email to [redacted] instead. Yesterday I waited over an hour before hanging up. I then sent an email stating the difference between their rate and Penelec's and requested immediate termination of their services. I included my Penelec Account numbers, name, address and phone number.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

According to the complaint, the

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

The customer agreed to a variable

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

As has been widely reported, there

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Finally, the account has been

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

billing concerns.

We are truly sorry for your

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

protection.

Regards

In addition please see this informative article.

Why Have

Energy Bills Increased – Explaining Price Volatility

It has

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

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

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

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

Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Why did

prices rise?

Simply

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

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

purposes, but to create electricity.

There is

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

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

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

and capacity is constrained, costs increase.

This

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

electricity, resulting in significant congestion in the natural gas pipelines

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

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

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

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

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

gas pipeline system and the electric grid.

Also,

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

electricity generators are also increasingly using natural gas to produce

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

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

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

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

efficient manner.

It’s

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

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

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

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

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

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

As the

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

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

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

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

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

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

gas pipelines and electricity transmission lines are planned or under

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

future.

In the

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

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

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

water temperature setting to 120 degrees on the water heater.

Customers using a competitive supplier and who are on a

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

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

supplier if they have any questions.

Customers interested in price stability can also investigate

fixed price options that many suppliers offer.

Customers in need of financial assistance should investigate

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

can stay with a competitive supplier and still receive assistance paying

utility bills.

Customers should visit their

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

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

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. It is ashame that I was not able to contact the business directly and had to involve the Revdex.com to have my service terminated. Thank you for your assistance in resolving this matter in a timely fashion.

Sincerely,

Review: I have attempted several times to contact Respond Power to cancel my services with them. I have called and been told I was in a que and as soon as it was my turn it went to voice mail I left a message for someone to contact me and no response. I have emailed them and no response. After calling today and being told the maximum number of calls had been reached and to contact the administrator - it is very frustrating. This is a very poor business practice, when you cannot contact the company who is supplying your electric and natural gas.Desired Settlement: I would like to cancel my services with both Respond Power and Major energy ASAP as you can not change companies without talking to them first.

Business

Response:

An email was sent to this customer yesterday, confirming cancellation. See below:

Re: Acct: [redacted]

Good evening:

On behalf of Major Energy, I am dedicated to addressing your concerns in a timely manner.

Your cancellation has been submitted for processing, and your service will return to West Penn Power around **March, 2014.

Your confirmation code is [redacted]. Please keep this code for your records.

As your cancellation was activated today, please be advised that it should take 24 hours for your utility provider to acknowledge cancellation through Respond , and 4-6 weeks, or a full billing cycle for us to be removed from your bill entirely.

If you’ve any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call us.

Sincerely,

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,

The utility company should be PPL and not West Penn Power, also I have not heard anything back concerning my natural gas.

Review: This is a claim of electricity generating price gouging. When we moved from Penelec to Respond Power we were 'guaranteed' lower energy price generation. Not only have we NEVER had lower rates than Penelec, the price structure below provides STRONG evidence of purposeful gouging.

Simply put, Penelec, a comparable supplier in PA for the month of November was: 7.48 cents/KWH. Respond Power: 10.99 cents/KWH

Same comparable supplier in PA for the month of December was: 7.17 cents/KWH. Respond Power: 12.99 cents/KWH

The same for January: 7.17 cents/KWH vs. 14.99 cents/KWH

One can expect 'some' increase, but when one supplier is clearly increasing the cost by 50% whereas another has kept the cost the same, an ethical problem exists.Desired Settlement: A price comparable to what we would have paid at Penelec generation charges.

Business

Response: