I hate Direct Energy! (Rant) - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Gundo · 01-28-2009, 02:01 PM

So a couple months ago I had a fellow knock on my door and tell me about some fancy fluctuating rate system that would make my Direct Energy billing lower, I cant get into all the details because I dont really remember them all. But I was perfectly clear with him that I DID NOT want to be on any kind of fixed rate program. So I get my bill last month and it was horrible, charged me a FIXED rate of $11.99/GJ even though I was told I had signed up for a flex rate program. I took it in stride because they had not done a meter reading, but I also had them come out to my house and do a gas usage test and meter reading the day after I received my gas bill from hell.

So I pay my bill assuming the estimated usage was high expecting perhaps and that I would get some kind of credit this month. This morning I see in the mail I have another bill, So I open the bill........... and want to hit something after I see that my current bill is HIGHER! So I go and find the contract I signed and sure enough I some how ended up signing a fixed rate contract (I know my fault, I get this) So I look through the paper work and notice that the numbers and figures I was shown, if you look are based upon Gas trading back when I was at its highest levels last year. So paying $11.99/GJ seemed like a good idea, its a piss off they don't show or tell you that the open market price is $5-$8/GJ which would make my gas bill roughly $150 less.

So I call Direct Energy to cancel the fixed program which naturally doesn't come free or cheap, thats another $200 hit which I figure will pay for itself in savings in about 6 weeks. But Im just wondering how many other people signed onto the same contract when they hit the streets with prices based on such high gas prices. I explained this to them and was told the fixed rate plan price has since gone down since Oil & Gas prices have too, and I could resign at the lower price, and that the high rate was based on spring and summers oil & gas prices from about Jan 1 till Aug 30 you know when they were at their all time highs so $11.99/GJ was GREAT rate because prices were going up up up. GRRRRRRR

Long story short folks, dont just be a sucker and eat the bait like I did find out all you can first, unless you like gas bills that are on par with a car payment.

Rathji · 01-28-2009, 02:10 PM

My mom signed up for a Direct Energy lock in contract when I counseled her against it. She apparently has a $1,000 cancellation fee tied to her account.

ken0042 · 01-28-2009, 02:13 PM

This leads to one of my personal rules. Never buy anything from somebody selling door to door; unless it's some kid selling candy or cookies for school.

habernac · 01-28-2009, 02:13 PM

They give you two weeks to cancel the agreement. Then you have to pay a penalty. I told him I was satisfied with my current agreement. Almost had to kick him out the door to get him to go away. Gotta get one of those "Please Eff Off" solicitor signs on my door.

FlamesKickAss · 01-28-2009, 02:13 PM

wow, I had that under enmax easymax (a fixed rate) just changed last month to floating. Should save about have, the lock in rate was 10.25. They don't charge a thing to change, you just have to be on a plan for 30 days.

octothorp · 01-28-2009, 02:20 PM

Yeah, I had initially signed one of these contracts once, looked into it, and then called and canceled the next day. Except that about two months later, I start getting bills from them, as they initially claimed that I had canceled one service but not the other. Fortunately, I was able to get this resolved at no charge to myself through some utilities ombudsman through the provincial government. If you think you're getting screwed over by them, I highly recommend using this ombudsman service.

4X4 · 01-28-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by habernac

They give you two weeks to cancel the agreement. Then you have to pay a penalty. I told him I was satisfied with my current agreement. Almost had to kick him out the door to get him to go away. Gotta get one of those "Please Eff Off" solicitor signs on my door.

Back in the day I did a short stint working for Canada Post. At xmas time, I got extra money for delivering parcels. I'll never forget the delivery I made to a house in Bridlewood that had a sign on the front door threatening that anyone who knocks on the door had better be there for a good reason, lest they feel the wrath of the Hells Angels. I can't remember exactly how it was worded, but that was the gist of it. And they proceeded to add a little picture of a motorcycle on the bottom.
Lol. I didn't even bother to ring the doorbell. Just stuck the parcel inside the screen door and left.

pepper24 · 01-28-2009, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesKickAss

wow, I had that under enmax easymax (a fixed rate) just changed last month to floating. Should save about have, the lock in rate was 10.25. They don't charge a thing to change, you just have to be on a plan for 30 days.

Enmax >>>>> Direct Energy (that's even factoring in the other post about Enmax under-charging customers then trying to get back that difference)

GirlySports · 01-28-2009, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pepper24

Enmax >>>>> Direct Energy (that's even factoring in the other post about Enmax under-charging customers then trying to get back that difference)

Yes. I switched from Direct Energy to Enmax. I recently just changed from fixed price to floating price cause the original fixed price is now too high!

Rathji · 01-28-2009, 02:32 PM

In fairness, there are 2 difference branches of Direct Energy, one is a scam that fixes your rate and the other is the variable rate division.

Enmax is still better though.

shane_c · 01-28-2009, 02:35 PM

About 5 years ago I worked at a call centre that took calls for Enbridge Gas in Ontario. You would not believe how many calls we got from people who claim they were tricked into signing up with a gas marketer. Especially the elderly and those who had a hard time speaking and understanding English.

Some of the more popular ones I heard were:

1) The customer would call and say that someone would come to their door and say they are from the gas company (Enbridge) and just want to see their bill. They would then take the account # and sign them up.

2) Other's would be told that they just need to sign here so I can show my boss I was here.

3) Or they would ask the person to sign so they could be entered in a contest.

habernac · 01-28-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shane_c

About 5 years ago I worked at a call centre that took calls for Enbridge Gas in Ontario. You would not believe how many calls we got from people who claim they were tricked into signing up with a gas marketer. Especially the elderly and those who had a hard time speaking and understanding English.

Some of the more popular ones I heard were:

1) The customer would call and say that someone would come to their door and say they are from the gas company (Enbridge) and just want to see their bill. They would then take the account # and sign them up.

2) Other's would be told that they just need to sign here so I can show my boss I was here.

3) Or they would ask the person to sign so they could be entered in a contest.

This is what they tried on me. I told him he had no need to look at my energy bill. Lots of people are nonconfrontational and probably let them do it. He was very very pushy.

GirlySports · 01-28-2009, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by habernac

This is what they tried on me. I told him he had no need to look at my energy bill. Lots of people are nonconfrontational and probably let them do it. He was very very pushy.

When are they coming to Chinatown?

shane_c · 01-28-2009, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by habernac

This is what they tried on me. I told him he had no need to look at my energy bill. Lots of people are nonconfrontational and probably let them do it. He was very very pushy.

Some customers would tell me about how the marketer would keep their foot in the door so they couldn't close it on them. And keep saying that they need to see the bill so they can make sure their not being overcharged, etc.

pepper24 · 01-28-2009, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shane_c

About 5 years ago I worked at a call centre that took calls for Enbridge Gas in Ontario. You would not believe how many calls we got from people who claim they were tricked into signing up with a gas marketer. Especially the elderly and those who had a hard time speaking and understanding English.

Some of the more popular ones I heard were:

1) The customer would call and say that someone would come to their door and say they are from the gas company (Enbridge) and just want to see their bill. They would then take the account # and sign them up.

2) Other's would be told that they just need to sign here so I can show my boss I was here.

3) Or they would ask the person to sign so they could be entered in a contest.

That's brutal. Hopefully these companies have been fined accordingly and the employees fired.

shane_c · 01-28-2009, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pepper24

That's brutal. Hopefully these companies have been fined accordingly and the employees fired.

We would always refer the customer to the Ontario Energy Board since it was them who would regulate the marketers. I'm not sure what happened from there but occasionally we would see adjustments come through where the contract was cancelled and they went back to 'system' gas (supplied through Enbridge)

Sylvanfan · 01-28-2009, 03:03 PM

It's a commissioned job that is hired out. It's almost like the Amway pyramid where they work for like the Moneris group of something like that and than they send people out to sell these contracts. If they sell enough they get someone working under them, and if they get enough people under them, they get their own Division. Some guy that my wife went to highschool was selling this last summer and that's what I managed to get out of him. Basically they don't even work for Direct Energy and know absolutely nothing about the Energy bussiness. They're just trying to sell a contract.

FlamesKickAss · 04-24-2009, 03:02 PM

i had someone come to my door from direct energy, told them I had easy max and he said okay well you probably pay less anyways and left.

ooogabooga · 04-24-2009, 03:03 PM

I had the person from Direct Energy come to my door yesterday, trying to get me onto their program, however he just asked for the person "responsible for the bills" and I said my wife is at work, and will be at work quite late, kept on harassing me to find out when he could come back, and I just said don't bother! fools

habernac · 04-24-2009, 03:03 PM

LOL! He'll be in sales a long time.

Fotze, did he demand to see your last energy bill? What a clown show that is.