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This profile includes complaints for Pacific Utility Audit, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Pacific Utility Audit, Inc.

  Markleeville, CA 96120

• 

  Pacific Utility Audit, Inc.

  279 Pomeroy Trl Eureka, MT 59917-9000

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:02/19/2025

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  On February 8, 2024, a formal notice of cancellation was sent to Pacific Utility Audit, Inc. On February 21, 2024, **** ***** of Pacific Utility Audit confirmed the cancellation in writing. Despite this, on February 18, 2025nearly a year after the confirmed cancellationErin ***** sent an invoice for $1,893.91.This company has provided no measurable benefit to the **********************, only continued attempts to collect funds unjustly. Their ongoing billing practices appear predatory, and I urge the BBB to investigate their business conduct.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/14/2025

  BACKGROUND:

  The Studio *********************************** board of directors hired Pacific Utility Audit in 2021-  before ******* from The Hills Premier Corporate, was their manager.

  We worked with the prior manager from HOA Organizers and the association board of directors and ***** (*****************************************) to successfully correct an electric billing rate error, obtain a refund from LADWP for them and also help them lower their electric bill each month thereafter by placing their common-area electric  meter on a less expensive electric rate schedule.

  The prior manager, **** ******* of ********************** and the ************************* of directors were extremely happy with the results.  Please see the attached Utility Analysis Summary Report from August 30th, 2021, detailing the results of our utility audit.

  Our first invoice to the homeowners association was in February, 2023,  for 50% of the actual electric cost savings to them for the 12-month period of February, 2022 to February, 2023 and they paid in a timely manner.

   

  CONTRACT TERMS DEFINED:
  
  The contract term is one year,to comply with the CC&R's for California associations.  The payment terms are 50% of any utility refunds and 50% of any ACTUAL, not estimated,utility cost savings for 36 months. 
  
  Here is how our utility audit contract works:
  
  If we cannot save the association any money, there is no fee - we still do the onsite inspection of the property and send them a Utility Analysis Summary report.
  
  If we find a billing error that just occurred 1x - for instance a misread meter reading or decimal point error - that is not recurring each month, we obtain a refund or credit adjustment and we invoice for 50% of that refund or credit adjustment amount after they receive it - one time only.
  
  If we find a recurring billing error that occurs every month - for instance sewer fees billed to irrigation water, wrong rate classification, etc. - we obtain a refund or credit adjustment and we invoice for 50% of that refund or credit adjustment amount after they receive it - and we invoice for the actual, not estimated, utility savings due to the billing correction, each month thereafter for 50% for 36 months.
  
  If we do not find any billing errors, but we find that there is a less expensive rate available through the same utility provider, then we change the rate schedule and invoice the association for the actual, not estimated, utility savings due to the rate schedule change we made, each month thereafter for 50% for 36 months.
  
  We also have two short videos on our website - one that explains utility auditing and one that explains how we get paid.  Our website is:  ******************************
  
  
  WHAT WE DID FOR STUDIO VISTA LIVING HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION:
  
  As part of our utility audit for the association, we requested ***** in September, 2021 to change the association's electric rate schedule from R-1-A to A-1-A. (both rates are available for condominiums, but based on their electric consumption, the A-1-A electric rate schedule is less expensive over a 12-month period)
  
  The new electric rate of A-1-A was effective on the association's 12/8/2021 - 2/9/2022 ************** bill.
  
  We have shared the actual electric cost savings with them from 2/9/2022 - 2/9/2024.

  When we invoiced them last year, in 2024, ******* from ***************** Corporate, paid our invoice, then canceled the contract. We explained to him that we would be invoicing in February, 2025 for the final 12 months of shared utility savings, per our business contract with the association, and that the contract cancellation would only prohibit us from auditing future utility bills or making future utility error corrections for Studio ************************************

   

  CONTRACT CANCELLATION DEFINED:
  
  Although the association cancelled the contract, that only means that we can not make any future changes or audit future utility bills for the association - it does not negate our fees for 50% of the electric cost savings to the association due to the electric rate schedule change that was already completed.
  
  
  PRESENT:
  
  

  When we invoiced the homeowners association in February, 2024 for 50% of the actual electric cost savings to them for the final 12-month period of February, 2024 to February, 2025, he immediately 1) refused to pay our invoice, stating that he had cancelled our business contract with the association 2)  filed a negative online ****** review, slandering our business without verification of the facts,, 3)  threatened to sue us and 4) filed this complaint with you.
  

  We asked ******* from The Hills Premier Corporate to call LADWP ****************************** order to verify with anybody at ***** that the homeowners association is still paying significantly less on the new multi-family electric rate schedule of A-1-A, versus their old single family electric rate schedule of R-1-A each month, as it is a black and white accounting issue, and not subjective to our interpretation. 

  LADWP could verify with him or anybody else who called, that this electric account is paying less on their new electric rate schedule each month - significantly less than they would be paying if they were still being billed on their old electric rate schedule.

  Nobody from The Hills Premier Corporate called LADWP.

  When we sent him copies of the old and new electric rate schedules, available at LADWP's website, showing him the actual cost difference between the old and new electric rates, he declined to review the information, stating that he had canceled this contract and therefore, would not pay our invoice. 

  We take the actual bills, if the customer provides them to us, on the new rate and recalculate them on the old rate to determine the actual cost difference between what they would have paid on the old rate and what they paid on the new rate.
  
  We attach these calculations to our invoice.
  
  Here is a link to the electric rates for LADWP:  ******************************************************

  You can compare the R1A and A1A rates.  R1A rates are for small KWH consumption accounts like single family homes, and are heavily penalized for KWH consumption over 350 KWH each month.($.28155 per KWH)  A1A rates are for smaller multi-family or commercial accounts and are less expensive for customers that use over 500 KWH each month.($.05484 per KWH)
  
  Any ***** employee can verify that Studio Vista Living HOA's electric account is saving money on the A1A versus R1A electric rate schedule.
  
  This homeowners association is still paying significantly lower electric costs on their new electric rate schedule with LADWP.

  This homeowners association is still liable to us for the last 12-months of shared electric utility savings, per Item III. of our business contact with them.
  

  IN SUMMARY:

  As a prior community manager, I always took the time to familiarize myself with all of the vendors, contracts and issues of a new property in order to avoid misunderstandings like this and to build on the goodwill and relationships established by the prior manager and/or management company.

  Not only has ******* from The ************* Corporate, refused to pay a legitimate invoice, but he has slandered our business name on ****** reviews, all without legal counsel or investigation of the legitimacy of our business contract or the facts of the actual utility cost savings that Studio *********************************** is still realizing each month.

  His entire case is based on false accusations and spite, not facts.

  Pacific Utility Audit has 3 decades of successful client relationships and verified client utility savings.

  I would be happy to speak with anybody from the Better Business Bureau if you need additional information or documents.

  Thank you, 

  **** *****, Director Of Operations

  PACIFIC UTILITY AUDIT INC.

  **************

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/15/2025

  I am rejecting this response because: We categorically reject the claims made by your business regarding the alleged savings generated through the ***** rate change and your entitlement to a portion of those so-called savings.
  Let us be crystal clear: management and the Board of Directors did contact ***** directly, and ***** expressly refused to validate your savings calculations or confirm your claim that the *** is saving significantly under the new A-1-A rate schedule. Contrary to your statement, we did not rely on general website rates or make assumptionswe went straight to the source. The information youve repeatedly cited as black and white is neither verified by ***** nor supported by any independent audit or objective utility billing review.
  Furthermore, the ***s legal counsel has reviewed the contract in detail and deemed it to be one of the worst-drafted agreements he has seen. The attorney found no measurable or enforceable benefit to the ***, no clear methodology for calculating savings, and no transparent or mutually verifiable process for invoicing or validation. In short, the contract is not enforceable, and your invoice is not supported by legally or financially credible documentation.
  As to your accusations:
  Yes, the *** rightfully declined paymentbecause the invoice is unsubstantiated and the contract has been terminated.
  Yes, a negative ****** review was posted, which reflects a genuine and fact-based expression of concern about your business practices. Criticism is not slander when its based on facts.
  Yes, legal remedies were consideredas any responsible board would do when faced with unsupported billing practices and potential misrepresentation.
  Yes, a complaint was filed with the appropriate authoritiesbecause thats what ethical and transparent organizations do when they believe a third party is acting in bad faith.
  You repeatedly reference actual savings based on your own internal calculations using estimated rate differentialsbut you have refused to engage with our management team in good faith, failed to provide verifiable third-party validation, and instead continue to assert subjective claims as fact.
  To be clear:
  The *** did not solicit your services with full awareness of the risks;
  There is no contractual language obligating the *** to pay unverifiable estimates; and
  There is no supportlegal or factualfor your demand.
  Unless you can produce:
  An independent audit confirming actual dollar savings verified by *****,
  A contract amendment signed by both parties explicitly agreeing to your method of calculation,
  And *****'s written confirmation of the rate shift being applied and its financial effect on this specific account,
  the *** will not revisit payment of your invoice.
  We respectfully request that you cease making unsubstantiated public claims and stop contacting our representatives with misleading information.
  Studio Vista Living *** stands by its decision and reserves all rights.
  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/25/2025

  Here are the verified facts of this situation:

  1)  Attached please find actual documentation from the Rate Applications Staff of the ***************************************** (LADWP), verifying that Studio *********************************** is actually saving money on the A1A electric rate schedule versus their old R1A electric rate schedule.  There is no outside auditor or 3rd party who can confirm this better than their actual utility company.

  2)  We made this rate comparison request to rates@ladwp via email at 8:53 a.m. on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025 and LADWP replied at 3:18 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025. 

  3)  With regard to unsubstantiated utility savings, our current outstanding invoice to Studio *********************************** was based on estimated electric utility savings for February, 2024 - February, 2025 because their manager, ******* *********,  did not provide us with copies of their actual ************** utility bills for this 12-month time period.. (See Business Contract Item VI. COOPERATION - attached, which states the 'the CLIENT shall give full cooperation to PUA, as well as copies of appropriate documented backup, in a timely manner, including but not limited to utility bills') 

  4)  Despite ********* opinion, or the opinion of his attorney, our contracts are legal, the electric utility savings have been verified and the client owes us money.

  5)  There is no risk to our utility audit service.  If our clients do not obtain refunds or actual utility savings, we do not invoice them.

  6)  As a representative of The Hills Premier Corporate and Studio ***********************************, ******* ********* made no attempt to mitigate this issue before launching his assault against our company, our contract and our service.  He simply received the invoice, and immediately  informed us that he would not pay the invoice, threatened to sue us and then proceeded with his ****** and Better Business Bureau complaints, all in the same week.