Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:22/11/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We sold our house in ************** ** in May 2022. We had been on the equalization payment for both gas and electricity. On the gas side we had a balance owing of $426.78 which we paid on May 30 2022. On the electrical side, we had a credit of $1273.20. We have still not received any monies owing to us (as of November 22, 2022). We were first told ***** days. Then we were told they had refunded the credit card and to deal with the bank. The bank said we had to wait 30 days, then 30 BUSINESS day and in the end told us they never received the funds and to take it up with Direct Energy. On October 4, Direct Energy said to email the credit card statement to them to prove we never received the refund, which we did. On October 7, we received an email from Direct Energy saying they were going to cancel the credit card refund and issue a cheque. When we called today, the payment had not been reversed; the person on the phone said she was reversing it and we can expect a cheque in ***** days. In light of the fact that we have been told several times over the last 6 months that it was going to be ***** days, we have our doubts that we will receive it and are hoping that this complaint may help in receiving it.

  Business Response

  Date: 24/11/2022

  • Upon review, services ended for electricity site ID ************* for address **************************************************************** on May 22, 2022. 
  • On August 9, ********************************************************************** ****. The agent advised the credit had been processed to the card in two amounts. $1255.52 on July 6, 2022 and $17.68 on July 11, 2022. The agent contacted the remittance department and was advised the refund was processed successfully. 
  • On August 9, ********************************************************************** ****. The agent advised the credit had been processed to the card in two amounts. $1255.52 on July 6, 2022 and $17.68 on July 11, 2022. The agent contacted the remittance department and was advised the refund was processed successfully on our side and advised the customer should contact their bank. 
  • On August 9, 2022 the customer called to request the refund to their credit card and wanted the refund transaction numbers sent to them by email. The agent contacted the remittance department and was told the customer needed to speak to their bank. The agent provided the requested information over the phone.  
  • On August 12, 2022 correspondence was received from the customer requesting transaction receipts for the credits processed to their **** card as they had contacted **** and they did not have a record of the transactions. The agent submitted an investigation.  
  • On August 12, 2022 the agent working on the investigation sent correspondence to the customer advising the refund of amounts $1255.52 and $17.68 have been issued to card ****************************************************************************** number could not be provided, only the doc numbers of ********* for the amount of $17.68 and ********* for the amount of $1,255.52.  
  • On October 4, 2022 the customer called regarding the refund. The customer advised their bank needed documentation regarding the refund. The agent advised the customer to provide the statements indicating the refund had not been received for further investigation. 
  • On October 6, 2022 correspondence was received from the customer with the requested credit card statements.  
  • On October 7, 2022 correspondence was sent to the customer advising the credit was processed successfully from Direct Energy Regulated Services and if this credit had not been received it can be cancelled and a refund cheque issued instead.  
  • On November 22, 2022 the customer called to inquire about the refund. The agent advised of the prior investigation resolution.  The agent contacted remittance to have the refund reissued through cheque and verified the mailing address on the account.  
  • On November 22, 2022 the refund cheque request was submitted and is pending. 
  • The refund cheque has been issued in the amount of $1273.20 and can take up to 14 days after it is mailed to reach the customer.  
    We contacted the customer and advised the cheque has been issued for the amount of $1273.20 and provided cheque number *********. We advised of the standard time to receive the cheque of 14 days.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:15/09/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  August 2022-rec'd a first call from *** ***************** that I owe some money for unpaid bills with direct energy which I was unaware of. Unpaid bills were from a house that I had sold.Contacted direct energy myself to see if we can investigate why the bills were so high since there was noone living in the house. They did not get back to us. Followed up again a few times. They said that they did not have any contact details to send us anything, but, we have an active account for our second/new home. Escalated to supervisor-agreed to settle this directly with direct energy rather than going to collections. This is the crux of my problem! Why send us there when we've been in good standing all along.Didn't hear back again, but, continued to get emails from them and *** about owed money.Followed up again and escalated higher to a manager. Manager said that he cannot help us (******, I believe). We just don't want to tarnish the credit. I've never had this throughout my adult life where I've gone to collections, even through covid. I'm ready to pay anything but just don't want to have my name be involved with collections and they won't do that.

  Business Response

  Date: 19/09/2022

  • Upon review of the account, we found that the gas service for site ************* at address **************************************************************** was enrolled under Ms. ******* account due to the vacancy process (land title search) on December 31, 2021 backdated to December 1, 2021.
  • **************** was sent reminder letters for their outstanding balance on February 8, 2022, February 18, 2022, and March 29, 2022 respectively. The reminder letters that were sent to **************** were received back as return mail, but no attempts were made to contact **************** via telephone regarding their outstanding balance.
  • **************** called our office on August 26, 2022. **************** was advised by the agent that they were enrolled via the vacancy process. **************** asked for the statements and said they will review and will call back.
  • On August 30, 2022, we received a call from **************** disputing the collections activity on the account as well as the balance. The agent gave **************** their outstanding balance. 
  • On September 9, 2022, **************** called our office again and advised that they want to be removed from the collections agency. **************** says they are fine with paying the balance but wants to be taken off collections. The agent simply created a case to see if there is a way to remove Ms. ******* account from collections. This agent is coached accordingly.
  • On September 12, 2022, the agent that received the prior case created for Ms. ******* collections concern sent them an email which stated that since the account has been sent off to the collections agency, **************** needs to contact the collections agency directly to make payment arrangements and settle the balance, but did not give **************** the option to simply pay the balance with Direct Energy Regulated Services which would eventually take **************** out of collections. This agent is coached accordingly.
  • On September 13, 2022, **************** calls back into our office for the same issue. The agent advised them that there is nothing we can do with regards to the balance as this was already sent off to collections, and that they would need to contact the collections agency to resolve it. 
  • **************** advised that they have sold the house, but no dates were given. We have requested for the land title to see the rightful property owners of site *************.
  • As per the land title received, **************** is the owner of the site ************* for the period between November 2014 and June 2022. **************** is responsible for charges incurred for the period of December 1, 2021 to February 22, 2022.