Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Consumers Energy's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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• 

  Consumers Energy

  530 W Willow St Lansing, MI 48906-4874

  
• 

  Consumers Energy

  330 Chestnut St Cadillac, MI 49601-1821

  
• 

  Consumers Energy

  2500 E Cork St Kalamazoo, MI 49001-5085

  
• 

  Consumers Energy

  4600 Coolidge Hwy Royal Oak, MI 48073-1676

  
• 

  Consumers Energy

  P.O. Box 30162 Lansing, MI 48909

  

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:09/07/2023

  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.

  received notice that credit cards are no longer an option to pay for service. I am not providing my checking account number so a large ********************** can have access to my money in their database. this is ridiculous. then give me the option to be billed on a different frequency and not monthly.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/12/2023

  09/08/2023 06:12:35 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  *****************************
  ACCOUNT NUMBER: 8550
  *************************************************************************-5095
  Dates of Service: October 22, 2020 - Present
  Email Address: *****************
  **********
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY:
  9/7/23
  The following email was sent to *************************** via Riverstar:
  Account Number: ending in 8550
  Service Address: *********************************************************
  Dear ***************************,
  Thank you for reaching out with your concerns. We have received your
  complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau, notification number
  **********. I assure you Consumers Energy takes all customer complaints
  seriously.
  Our Complaints Advocate *************************** will be in touch with you soon to
  discuss your concerns and gather any additional information that *** be
  needed.
  We appreciate your patience and understanding during this process. Please
  feel free to reach out to *************************** @ ************** or
  ********************************************************* if you have any further questions or
  concerns. Our team is dedicated to resolving your issues as soon as
  possible.
  Sincerely,
  Consumers Energy
  **********
  RELEVANT ACCOUNT INFORMATION:
  This customer is enrolled in Recurring Card ***ments.
  All customers enrolled in autopay with a card will be removed from autopay
  by 10/1/23.
  Beginning 10/1/23 customers can still pay with a debit/credit card but
  there will be a $2.99 fee.
  Customers can enroll in autopay with their checking/savings accounts, they
  can pay with a card for a fee, they can also pay with cash, money orders
  or checks.
  **********
  09/08/2023 10:38:24 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY (cont.)
  9/8/23
  I sent the following email to *************************** to *****************:
  Hi ***************************,
  We're following up on the concern you provided to the Better Business
  Bureau notification #**********, regarding our updated credit card payment
  policy. Consumers Energy understands this policy *** be a big change for
  you, however lowering costs for our customers is a top priority. Card
  processing fees have steadily increased, raising rates for all customers -
  even those who don't pay via card. Reducing the cost to the company helps
  to support our larger goals to reduce costs by saving $16-18 million
  dollars per year in card fees.
  Although automatic payments will no longer be offered with a credit card,
  customers that would prefer to make one-time payments via credit card will
  continue to have that option. Beginning October 1st, the fee associated
  with a one-time credit card payment will be $2.99 for residential
  accounts. Companies across industries are adapting to these increased
  costs and have made similar policy adjustments nationwide. This change
  more fairly distributes the cost of card processing to the customers who
  choose to use that payment method.
  We understand customers *** have concerns about using checking account
  information to make their payment, but we can assure you that a secure
  experience is critical to us. Consumers Energy and ** employees do not
  have access to your financial information. We work with a secure, PCI
  (***ment Card Industry) compliant, third party (***mentus) to process
  payments and store sensitive financial information. Automatic Bill *** can
  also be set up with your financial institution.
  If you'd like to remain on automatic payments, we can continue to provide
  that service using an ACH payment at no charge. Additionally, you'll never
  have to update your payment information due to an expired card. You can
  update your payment method by logging into your account via the ** app or
  www.consumersenergy.com. From there, select 'Billing Options,' where
  you'll be able to view and update your autopay information. If you'd like
  to continue to pay with a credit card, setting up payment alerts via your
  online account is a great way to ensure you're informed of when a bill is
  due and will allow you to make a one-time payment with a credit card when
  you receive that alert/notification.
  We hope this information is helpful and appreciate your feedback.
  Respectfully,
  ****
  CC: Better Business Bureau
  **********
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  9/7/23
  ADDRESS NOT TAKING CREDIT CARDS:
  As of 10/1/23 we will no longer allow recurring card payments. Customers
  will still pay with a debit/credit card but there will be a $2.99 fee.
  OPTIONS:
  Customer will still have the option to pay with a debit/credit card with a
  $2.99 fee. They can also set up autopay with their checking/savings
  account. They can pay with cash, check or money order.
  CUSTOMER INQUIRY CLOSED AS OF 9/7/2023
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/07/2023

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  I have used auto pay for 5 years. Now suddenly they can change their agreement and make it harder for me to pay them. This seems very unethical and a scam to try to get people to have late fees and not be able to pay them on time by not knowing if an auto pay went through or not. They should not be allowed to change their terms of service to make it harder for a customer to pay. If we had any choice I would change companies. However they are a monopoly and therefore think they can just do whatever they want.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/12/2023

  09/08/2023 06:24:59 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  ******************
  ACCOUNT NUMBER: 2310
  **********************************************************************
  Dates of Service: October 11, 2017 - Present
  Email Address: ********************
  **********
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY:
  9/7/23
  The following email was sent to **************** via Riverstar:
  Account Number: ending in 2310
  Service Address: *******************************************************
  Dear ****************,
  Thank you for reaching out with your concerns. We have received your
  complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau, notification number
  **********. I assure you Consumers Energy takes all customer complaints
  seriously.
  Our Complaints Advocate *************************** will be in touch with you soon to
  discuss your concerns and gather any additional information that *** be
  needed.
  We appreciate your patience and understanding during this process. Please
  feel free to reach out to *************************** @ ************** or
  ********************************************************* if you have any further questions or
  concerns. Our team is dedicated to resolving your issues as soon as
  possible.
  Sincerely,
  Consumers Energy
  **********
  RELEVANT ACCOUNT INFORMATION:
  This customer is enrolled in Recurring Card ***ments.
  All customers enrolled in autopay with a card will be removed from autopay
  by 10/1/23.
  Beginning 10/1/23 customers can still pay with a debit/credit card but
  there will be a $2.99 fee.
  Customers can enroll in autopay with their checking/savings accounts, they
  can pay with a card for a fee, they can also pay with cash, money orders
  or checks.
  **********
  09/08/2023 10:57:23 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY (cont.)
  9/8/23
  I sent the following email to ********************:
  Hi ****************,
  We're following up on the concern you provided to the Better Business
  Bureau notification #**********, regarding our updated credit card payment
  policy. Consumers Energy understands this policy *** be a big change for
  you, however lowering costs for our customers is a top priority. Card
  processing fees have steadily increased, raising rates for all customers -
  even those who don't pay via card. Reducing the cost to the company helps
  to support our larger goals to reduce costs by saving $16-18 million
  dollars per year in card fees.
  Although automatic payments will no longer be offered with a credit card,
  customers that would prefer to make one-time payments via credit card will
  continue to have that option. Beginning October 1st, the fee associated
  with a one-time credit card payment will be $2.99 for residential
  accounts. Companies across industries are adapting to these increased
  costs and have made similar policy adjustments nationwide. This change
  more fairly distributes the cost of card processing to the customers who
  choose to use that payment method.
  We understand customers *** have concerns about using checking account
  information to make their payment, but we can assure you that a secure
  experience is critical to us. Consumers Energy and ** employees do not
  have access to your financial information. We work with a secure, PCI
  (***ment Card Industry) compliant, third party (***mentus) to process
  payments and store sensitive financial information. Automatic Bill *** can
  also be set up with your financial institution.
  If you'd like to remain on automatic payments, we can continue to provide
  that service using an ACH payment at no charge. Additionally, you'll never
  have to update your payment information due to an expired card. You can
  update your payment method by logging into your account via the ** app or
  www.consumersenergy.com. From there, select 'Billing Options,' where
  you'll be able to view and update your autopay information. If you'd like
  to continue to pay with a credit card, setting up payment alerts via your
  online account is a great way to ensure you're informed of when a bill is
  due and will allow you to make a one-time payment with a credit card when
  you receive that alert/notification.
  We hope this information is helpful and appreciate your feedback.
  Respectfully,
  ****
  CC: Better Business Bureau
  **********
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  9/8/23
  ADDRESS NO LONGER AC**PTING AUTO PAY:
  As of 10/1/23 we will no longer allow recurring card payments. Customers
  will still pay with a debit/credit card but there will be a $2.99 fee.
  OPTIONS:
  Customer will still have the option to pay with a debit/credit card with a
  $2.99 fee. They can also set up autopay with their checking/savings
  account. They can pay with cash, check or money order.
  CUSTOMER INQUIRY CLOSED AS OF 9/7/2023
  09/08/2023 11:03:04 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  CORRECTION:
  CUSTOMER INQUIRY CLOSED AS OF 9/8/2023
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/12/2023

   

  Here is what I responded to *******:

   

  This was not helpful. In a period of time when other companies are making it easier to pay like DTE. I don't understand why you would make it harder on everyone to save a little money. Honestly it sounds like you are just trying to make more money. I don't think I will see a reduction in my bill will I?

  
  

  This is unacceptable and again if I had a choice to switch to anyone else I would. 

  
  

  This is not an acceptable response to just copy and paste your email. 

  
  

  Thank you for your time. 

  
  

  *********************;

   

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your rejection of the business's response. 
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of why I am rejecting this response appear below:
  
  [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution. Please type details here:]
  
  Regards,
  
  ****************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/05/2023

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  Only a small area around my residence loses power multiple times a year not due to weather conditions. They obviously have an infrastructure issue in this area that needs to be addressed and hasn't for the past 10 years.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/12/2023

  09/06/2023 09:49:49 EST (JAGATES)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  *******************************
  Account # ****
  **************************************************************
  Dates of service: 08/03/12 - present.
  Email address: ***************** (on acct), ****************** (provided
  to the BBB)
  09/06/2023 09:58:42 EST (JAGATES)
  THIS HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO GRID INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RESOLUTION.
  CUSTOMER CONTACT:
  09/06/23: 10 am - A text/email has been sent via Riverstar.
  09/11/2023 16:20:48 EST (JAGATES)
  09/11/23: From *******************************, Engineer:
  " I was not able to reach customer by phone. Customer has a ******* call
  filter# which would only take name and message. There is no other contact
  for customer. I left two voicemails for ***************************** and provided my
  call back information."
  - 12-Month Outage History:
  Date Duration Reason/Cause
  09/06/23 55m No Specific
  Cause Found*
  09/05/23 3h 51m Weather
  03/03/23 2h 43m Weather
  02/25/23 10h 57m Weather
  02/22/23 2h 14m Trees
  10/05/22 1h 47m Equipment
  failure
  08/26/23 15m Equipment
  failure
  * Outage 9/6 most recent
  *************************** 02 Wednesday 9/6 18:57 Tangled Primary ****** found some
  phases wrapped together. Untangled the phases and heated it back up.
  Wrapped by the train tracks and not sure what caused the phases to wrap
  around each other. (most likely cause car hitting down guy leaving
  scene)
  09/12/2023 07:57:22 EST (JAGATES)
  09/11/23: The following letter was sent to the customer:
  *****************************
  3725 ********* *****************
  To Whom It May ********************** consistent, reliable energy is a job we take seriously. I have
  received your recent inquiry regarding power outages affecting your home.
  I apologize for not speaking to you directly; I attempted to reach you
  several times by phone, but was unable to get through.
  Your most recent outages have been related to storm/public damage and
  repairs have since been made. In 2022, we have done a complete inspection
  of the equipment and lines serving your home. Any defects or imminent
  failures found were corrected to prevent them from causing issues or
  outages in the future. This minimizes one of the leading causes of outages
  from happening. Our crews are always working to improve your reliability
  and provide you with the best service possible.
  If you are experiencing momentary interruptions, or blinks in your
  service, we understand that they can be a nuisance. However, these blinks
  can help prevent prolonged outages. If these interruptions become
  repetitive, it may be indicative of a larger issue with the system. Please
  notify us of these repetitive conditions to prevent a prolonged power
  outage in the future.
  I would like to apologize for any inconvenience these interruptions may
  have caused you and assure you we will continue to work to provide you
  with safe and reliable electric service. If you have any further questions
  or concerns regarding your electric service, please feel free to contact
  me during regular business hours at **************. At other times, you
  may call our customer service department at **************.
  *******************************
  Electric System Owner
  09/12/2023 08:00:15 EST (JAGATES)
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  - 12-MONTH OUTAGE HISTORY: See above.
  - WHAT IS CE DOING TO MITIGATE THESE OUTAGES: The area engineer will ride
  out the zone that feeds the customer to ensure that there are no
  other immediate hazards that could affect reliability. If issues are
  found, an order will be created to correct/repair. Will also look to
  ensure there are no immediate forestry issues, and if so, will get a
  forester involved to inspect.
  09/12/2023 10:12:28 EST (JAGATES)
  - DOES THE CUSTOMER QUALIFY FOR OUTAGE CREDIT(S): After review, it does
  look like this customer should be receivng an automated outage credit
  within 90 days of the most recent outage (09/06/23).
  COMPLAINT CLOSED 09/11/23
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/31/2023

  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.

  I received an email stating in October we will be charged $2.99 per transaction if we pay with our credit card and you can not have autopay any longer while using a credit card. This is ridiculous, and a VERY BIG inconvenience for the customer. I have been paying it this way for years with no issues. I do not and will not want to have my savings or checking account numbers in the Consumers database. It is safer for the customer to pay with a credit card, we should not be charged extra for this. Consumers needs to do their research and find a better agreement with their bill paying agency they utilize. As a company you waste money with so many "customer savings" yet you add this? How does this make any sense? I am currently looking at what my legal options are here. You will be getting a lot of customers not paying their bills on time or not at all if you continue this new policy. I do not want to be charged extra for paying for a credit card, Consumers has a monopoly, I cannot simply go with a different power company. Please remove this change at once!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/11/2023

  09/01/2023 10:20:40 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  *************************
  ACCOUNT NUMBER: 5375
  ******************************************************************
  Dates of Service: March 2007 - Present
  Email Address: ********************** (from account)
  ******************************** (from notification)
  **********
  RELEVANT ACCOUNT INFORMATION:
  Current Balance: $184.48
  *****
  Customer is enrolled in Recurring Card ***ments. Effective 10/1/23 a fee
  for all one-time card payments for energy services will be implemented.
  Auto-pay accounts that do not change to an ACH-method will be canceled.
  *******
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY:
  9/1/23
  I sent the following email to *********************:
  Hi ***********************,
  We're following up on the concern you provided to the Better Business
  Bureau notification # **********, regarding our updated credit card
  payment policy. Consumers Energy understands this policy may be a big
  change for you, however lowering costs for our customers is a top
  priority. Card processing fees have steadily increased, raising rates for
  all customers - even those who don't pay via card. Reducing the cost to
  the company helps to support our larger goals to reduce costs by saving
  $16-18 million dollars per year in card fees.
  Although automatic payments will no longer be offered with a credit card,
  customers that would prefer to make one-time payments via credit card will
  continue to have that option. Beginning October 1st, the fee associated
  with a one-time credit card payment will be $2.99 for residential
  accounts. Companies across industries are adapting to these increased
  costs and have made similar policy adjustments nationwide. This change
  more fairly distributes the cost of card processing to the customers who
  choose to use that payment method.
  We understand customers may have concerns about using checking account
  information to make their payment, but we can assure you that a secure
  experience is critical to us. Consumers Energy and ** employees do not
  have access to your financial information. We work with a secure, PCI
  (***ment Card Industry) compliant, third party (***mentus) to process
  payments and store sensitive financial information. Automatic Bill *** can
  also be set up with your financial institution.
  If you'd like to remain on automatic payments, we can continue to provide
  that service using an ACH payment at no charge. Additionally, you'll never
  have to update your payment information due to an expired card. You can
  update your payment method by logging into your account via the ** app or
  www.consumersenergy.com. From there, select 'Billing Options,' where
  you'll be able to view and update your autopay information. If you'd like
  to continue to pay with a credit card, setting up payment alerts via your
  online account is a great way to ensure you're informed of when a bill is
  due and will allow you to make a one-time payment with a credit card when
  you receive that alert/notification.
  We hope this information is helpful and appreciate your feedback.
  CC: Better Business Bureau
  **********
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  9/1/23
  ADDRESS CREDIT CARD FEE:
  To help reduce costs for the company as of 10/1/23 all one-time
  credit/debit card payments will be $2.99. This change more fairly
  distributes the cost of card processing to the customers who choose to use
  that payment method.
  ADDRESS SAFETY/SECURITY CON**RNS FOR CHECKING AND SAVINGS ACCOUNTS:
  ** and ** employees do not have access to a customer's financial
  information. We work with a secure, PCI(***ment Card Industry) compliant,
  third party (***mentus) to process payments and store sensitive financial
  information.
  CUSTOMER INQUIRY CLOSED AS OF 9/1/2023
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/13/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your rejection of the business's response. 
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of why I am rejecting this response appear below:
  
  [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution. Please type details here:]
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/31/2023

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  I have the Appliance repair plan, the Gold membership, which I pay $51.99 monthly and I have been waiting for a month to receive a check from Consumers Energy to replace my washing machine.I have called multiple times to inquire about when I will receive the check and I have been given misleading information from multiple representatives. Told it was waiting on approval, told it was mailed out but I wouldn't receive it for up to 2 to 3 weeks, which makes no sense to **** called today 8/31 and was told that the check was still waiting on approval and that someone would call me in 3 to 5 business days. This is unacceptable because I am paying for a service that I have not received.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/07/2023

  08/31/2023 14:32:47 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  *****************************
  ACCOUNT NUMBER: 4580
  *********************************************************************
  Dates of Service: October 2, 2008 - Present
  Email Address: ************************
  **********
  INITIAL CUSTOMER CONTACT:
  8/31/23
  I sent the following text via Riverstar:
  Dear *****************************,
  Thank you for reaching out with your concerns. We have received your
  complaint filed with the Eastern Better Business Bureau, notification
  number **********. I assure you Consumers Energy takes all customer
  complaints seriously.
  Our Complaints Advocate *************************** will forward your concerns to our
  ***************** Plan team. The ***************** Plan is not regulated
  by the ******** ************************** and therefore we are unable to
  provide them your telephone number or email address. They have a
  dedicated voicemail box for escalated concerns at ************. Please
  leave them your name, best contact number, and email address and someone
  will be in touch with you shortly.
  We appreciate your patience and understanding during this process. Please
  feel free to reach out to *************************** @ ******************************************** if
  you have any further questions or concerns. Our team is dedicated to
  resolving your issues as soon as possible.
  Sincerely,
  Consumers Energy
  ASSIGNED TO ASP 8/31/23
  09/05/2023 11:42:42 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  **********
  RELEVANT ACCOUNT INFORMATION:
  The following information was provided by ***** ********************* ASP:
  *********************** called ******************** on Thursday 8/31/23 at 5:23 pm and left a
  voicemail with *****'s contact information and when she will be available.
  ******************** called ***** back at 9:01 am on Friday 9/1/23. Spoke for 9
  minutes about the issue and how it is going to be resolved. ********************
  is very appreciative that someone has reached out to her with what had
  happened and is going to get her the check out for her washer. Ms.
  ******** is upset that she has always had great service with CE and that
  this has been neglected. ******************** had put her new washer on a credit
  card and was going to apply the gold check to her card and has been unable
  to. ***** is sending a care package to ******************** as part of the
  apology for the mistakes and misunderstanding. ******************** is happy with
  that and is looking forward to the package and receiving the check.
  ***** called ******************** Friday 9/1/23 at 11:50 am and spoke for one
  minute. ***** let her know the check has been requested and approved. It
  will be printed on Tuesday and mailed. ******************** is very happy with
  this and will contact ***** to follow up when she received the check.
  **********
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  9/1/23
  ASP - WAITING FOR A CHECK FROM GOLD PLAN WITH MIXED INFORMATION:
  Customer service representative misread the information given in
  Dynamics. Check was stuck in pending status.
  ADDRESS IF CUSTOMER HAS BEEN APPROVED AND WILL RECEIVE A CHECK:
  Customer is approved for the gold check and will receive a check. The
  gold check will mail out on Tuesday. New check has been requested
  manually thru SAP for the washer for $325.00. Also sending customer a
  care package thru V&V.
  CUSTOMER INQUIRY CLOSED AS OF 9/1/2023
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/30/2023

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  Wrongfully estimating gas usage and incorrectly reporting actual meter reads. Consumers has acknowledged an issue, but have been able to find resolution for over 6 months. Bills have likely been incorrect since April 2022. I have requested monthly in person meter reads as a solution, but was informed that this is not a possibility. Past bills have been reevaluated in online account, so I dont have record to initial charges and amounts paid, making it impossible to reference the changes being made to my account. The stress of this ongoing situation is causing me physical problems and interfering with my work and Im no longer able to handle communications on this account on my own.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/18/2023

  09/12/2023 08:21:52 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  08/31/2023 14:46:09 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  ***********************
  ACCOUNT NUMBER: 3190
  ******************************************************
  Dates of Service: February 24, 2023 - Present
  Email Address: *******************
  **********
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY:
  8/31/23
  I sent the following text via Riverstar:
  Dear ***********************,
  Thank you for reaching out with your concerns. We have received your
  complaint filed with the Eastern Better Business Bureau, notification
  number **********. I assure you Consumers Energy takes all customer
  complaints seriously.
  Our Complaints Advocate *************************** will be in touch with you within
  the next couple business days to discuss your concerns and gather any
  additional information that *** be needed.
  We appreciate your patience and understanding during this process. Please
  feel free to reach out to *************************** @ ************** or
  ********************************************************* if you have any further questions or
  concerns. Our team is dedicated to resolving your issues as soon as
  possible.
  Sincerely,
  Consumers Energy
  **********
  RELEVANT ACCOUNT INFORMATION:
  Current Balance: $1,597.87
  *****
  Electric Usage History:
  Date ************************************ 61 Actual
  03/02/22-03/30/22 877 Actual
  03/31/22-05/01/22 **** Actual
  05/02/22-05/31/22 **** Actual
  06/01/22-06/29/22 **** Actual
  06/30/22-07/31/22 **** Actual
  08/01/22-08/29/22 **** Actual
  08/30/22-09/28/22 937 Actual
  09/29/22-10/30/22 781 Actual
  10/31/22-12/01/22 718 Actual
  12/02/22-01/02/23 807 Actual
  01/03/23-01/31/23 958 Actual
  02/01/23-03/02/23 874 Actual
  03/03/23-04/02/23 753 Actual
  04/03/23-05/02/23 **** Actual
  05/03/23-06/01/23 **** Actual
  06/02/23-07/02/23 **** Actual
  07/03/23-08/01/23 **** Actual
  08/02/23-08/30/23 **** Actual
  Gas Usage History:
  Date ************************************ 1.9 Actual
  03/02/22-03/30/22 **** Estimate
  03/31/22-04/29/22 **** Estimate
  04/30/22-05/31/22 3.0 Estimate
  06/01/22-06/29/22 1.0 Estimate
  06/30/22-07/29/22 3.5 4.1 Estimate
  07/30/22-08/29/22 .1 2.3 Estimate
  08/30/22-09/28/22 .1 3.3 Estimate
  09/29/22-10/28/22 .1 8.9 Estimate
  10/29/22-12/01/22 .1 **** Estimate
  12/02/22-12/30/22 **** Estimate
  12/31/22-01/31/23 **** **** Estimate
  02/02/23-03/02/23 **** **** Estimate
  03/03/23-04/02/23 **** **** Estimate
  04/03/23-05/02/23 **** **** Estimate
  05/03/23-06/01/23 6.7 3.0 Estimate
  06/02/23-07/02/23 3.8 4.1 Estimate
  07/03/23-08/01/23 4.2 Actual
  08/02/23-08/30/23 .1 Actual
  09/12/2023 15:19:16 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  *****
  Payment History:
  Date Amount
  04/06/22 $339.31
  05/04/22 $321.19
  06/03/22 $237.50
  07/01/22 $247.23
  08/04/22 $274.23
  09/03/22 $222.22
  10/02/22 $205.91
  11/01/22 $388.71
  12/03/22 $447.39
  01/04/23 $ 31.19
  02/27/23 $483.39
  03/2/323 $259.22
  *****
  *** had been programmed incorrected and was reprogramed on 2/8/23.
  *** was replaced on 9/1/23 as it was programmed incorrectly.
  Due to the issues with the *** gas reads were estimated and the account
  was rebilled several times. After it was replaced on 9/1/23 information
  was sent to Billing and it has been corrected. Per Billing and our smart
  meter team it has been programmed correctly and customer should have
  actual reads going forward.
  **********
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY (cont.)
  9/12/******* pm
  *********************** called and left me a voicemail at 3:11 pm. I called her back
  at 3:32 pm and left a message asking her to call me back to go over her
  concerns. I also left my call back number.
  09/12/2023 15:35:49 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  3:35 pm
  ************** called me back and we spoke of her concerns. I apologized for
  the delay in getting back with her but had been working with Billing as
  the account had been rebilled and I wanted to get things corrected.
  I explained I found the gas portion of their billing had been estimated
  almost every month since they started service. This happened because the
  *** wasn't programed correctly. We were out on 2/8/23 to reprogram it but
  still didn't work right. We were out again on 9/1/23 and reprogrammed it
  again. Per our smart energy team it is now inline with the meter itself
  and the account was rebilled again.
  I told ************** that we are aware that none of the billing issues were
  due to anything they had done. I told her that her balance at this time
  is $1,597.87 and that I would like to remove all of the balance except for
  the last bill based on the correct reads for $229.70. We would remove
  $1,368.17 of the balance. She stated her partner would want to go over the
  numbers before she agreed to anything. She is going to call me back on
  Thursday.
  09/14/2023 15:38:55 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  9/14/23 3:41 pm
  I called ************** at ************ and asked if she had thought about our
  conversation and wanted to accept me removing $1,368.17 and leaving just
  the current bill of $299.70.
  ************** said she doesn't trust CE to get her billing right going
  forward. I apologized to her for the past billing errors and let her know
  that our smart energy team had reached out to me again today and confirmed
  the *** is programmed correctly and working as it should. She said she
  really just wants us to come out each month and read the meters. I told
  her we can do that but she would need to opt out of the smart energy
  program which there is a one-time charge to opt out and monthly fees to
  have us come read her meters. I told her if she chooses to she can take a
  picture of the meters each month and send us the reads and she said didn't
  want to be responsible for that. After we spoke a little longer on this
  she said she was very stressed and wanted to call me back tomorrow.
  09/15/2023 11:40:16 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  **********
  CORRECTION:
  DATES OF SERVICE: FEBRUARY 24, 2022 - PRESENT
  **********
  9/15/23 11:14 am
  ************** called me back and stated they would like to accept the offer of
  removing all but the last bill. She said she appreciated me removing that
  and said they are still concerned and will be watching their bills very
  closely and checking reads against their meters.
  **********
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  9/15/23
  NON-REG GAS METER:
  *** wasn't programmed correctly and we had to reprogram it more than once
  to get it correct.
  ACTUAL READS:
  All electric reads have been actual. All gas reads except for 3 have been
  incorrect due to programing of ***.
  BILLING ADJUSTMENT:
  This account has been rebilled several times due to incorrect read from
  gas meter being sent by ***. Billing was last adjusted on 9/1/23 and
  smart energy states the *** is now programmed correctly and shouldn't be
  any issues going forward.
  PAYMENT ARRANGEMENT:
  It was offered to remove all of the balance for last 8 months except for
  current bill. Customer doesn't need a payment arrangement at this time.
  CUSTOMER INQUIRY CLOSED AS OF 9/15/2023
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/27/2023

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  As a commercial business we are reliant on POWER.Power line was downed at our entrance during a recent storm, we are now on DAY 3 of not addressing our business or power. We are without power and losing thousands of dollars daily. We have no ability to speak to anyone, call anyone, or resolve an issue. In our area, 99% of surrounding properties have had power restored. WE HAVE BEEN IGNORED! We pay extremely high energy rates, for POOR to NO service. This company thrives on the monopoly of the market, and could care less about business. They will not respond, not offer a resolution, or even care because of the nature of their monopoly on the market. One of the largest scams we are forced to contend with.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/30/2023

  08/28/2023 12:11:58 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  ****************** LLC
  ACCOUNT NUMBER: 2891
  ************************************************************
  Dates of Service: January 1, 2021 - Present
  Email Address: ************************* (from notification)
  *********************** (from account)
  **********
  INITIAL CUSTOMER CONTACT:
  8/28/23
  I sent the following text via Riverstar:
  Consumers Energy
  Dear ***************************,
  Thank you for reaching out with your concerns. We have received your
  complaint filed with the Eastern Better Business Bureau, notification
  number **********. I assure you Consumers Energy takes all customer
  complaints seriously.
  Our Complaints Advocate *************************** will be in touch with you within
  the next couple of business days to go over your concerns and gather any
  additional information that *** be needed.
  We appreciate your patience and understanding during this process. Please
  feel free to reach out to *************************** @ ************** or
  ********************************************************* if you have any further questions or
  concerns. Our team is dedicated to resolving your issues as soon as
  possible.
  Sincerely,
  Consumers Energy
  8/28/23 - SENT EMAIL TO GRID INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUTAGE HISTORY
  08/29/2023 10:56:37 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  **********
  RELEVANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
  12 Month Outage History
  Date Duration Cause
  08/24/23 2d 17h 43m Trees (catastrophic)
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY CONTINUED:
  08/29/23
  The following email was sent to the customer:
  Good morning ****,
  Thank you for your Eastern Better Business (BBB) inquiry about the account
  at ************************************************. This email is to follow up with you on
  the outage concerns you brought up. Our records show that your power was
  restored Sunday at 2:11 pm.
  We understand that being without power for so long can be a hardship.
  Consumers Energy crews, as well a record number of crews from six states
  worked around the clock to restore power to everyone impacted by the
  storms on Thursday night. Our lineworkers can put in 16-hour shifts, break
  for eight hours, then return to action, allowing us to do restoration work
  around the clock. This storm was about much more than Consumers Energy.
  We#ve seen devastation from high winds and tornadoes that has damaged
  buildings and even caused deaths. The storm moved with reported 90 mph
  winds from ************ to ******* to the ******* region.
  The damage caused by three confirmed tornados and 90 mph winds is
  significant in numerous areas across the state and has made it difficult
  to accurately estimate outage restoration times, especially in the hardest
  hit communities. We continue to update restoration estimates for those
  remaining without power with the best information possible, and during a
  storm like this one required multiple updates as new information became
  available about the damage and what was needed to fix it. We recognize the
  frustration caused by multiple restoration updates and sincerely apologize
  for the inconvenience. We are striving to be better.
  It is my hope that this email has addressed your concerns. Please know
  that any applicable outage credits will be automatically applied to your
  account within 90 days. If you have any additional questions, my contact
  information is below.
  Best wishes to you.
  Sincerely,
  *********************
  Customer Care Advocate
  ************
  *********************************************************
  **********
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  12 MONTH OUTAGE HISTORY:
  Listed above in "Relevant Background Information".
  POWER OUTAGE:
  Outage was due to huge storm that went across the state causing
  considerable damage.
  LACK OF RESPONDING:
  Crews responded to all downed lines and outages as quickly as possible to
  restore power to all our customers affected by the storm.
  RESTORATION *************:
  Power was restored on 8/27/23 at 2:11 pm.
  CUSTOMER INQUIRY CLOSED AS OF 8/29/2023
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/25/2023

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  We have been left without power for days at a time twice this year. We report an outage, then wait. They give us a restoration time then keep extending it. Then they tell us the power has been restored when it hasnt and then we have to start the whole process again. I have lost groceries, plants, have neatly frozen and have sweltered in the heat without power. Then, I go out into town and see ***** trucks just sitting in a parking lot with crews just hanging out. No one in a hurry to help me or my elderly neighbors. Consumers Energy is the worst power company ever!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/29/2023

  08/25/2023 11:12:37 EST (JAGATES)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  ***********************
  Account # ****
  *******************************************************************************
  Dates of service: 03/28/18 - present.
  Email address: ******************** (on account), ************************************
  (provided to the BBB)
  08/25/2023 11:23:21 EST (JAGATES)
  THIS HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO GRID INFRASTRUCTURE, ELECTRIC OPERATIONS AND
  ************************* FOR RESOLUTION.
  CUSTOMER CONTACT:
  08/25/23: 11:26 am - A text/email has been sent via Riverstar.
  08/29/2023 11:42:57 EST (JAGATES)
  08/28/23: 2 pm - ********************************** Electrical Engineer, attempted to
  call the customer. No answer, left voicemail message.
  3:50 pm - Another call attempted, did not leave a message.
  08/29/23: 9:10 am - Attempted to call, no answer, left a message.
  9:12 am - Tried the phone number on the
  account, no answer, did not leave a message.
  08/29/23: 10:45 am - ***** spoke to the customer, addressing their
  concerns.
  - the customer has had 3 outages in the last 12 months.
  - the recent outage was caused by trees.
  - ***** advised that he would be out to inspect for hazards and tree work
  that might prevent future outages.
  08/29/23: I have also sent the following email to the customer regarding
  changing restoration times:
  Service Address: ******************************************
  Dear *****************************,
  Thank you for your ******** ************************* (MPSC) inquiry about
  the account at *****************************************************. This email is to follow up with
  you on the outage concerns you brought up. Our records show that your
  power was restored on August 24 at 10:58 pm.
  We understand that being without power for so long can be a hardship.
  Consumers Energy crews, as well a record number of crews from six states
  worked around the clock to restore power to everyone impacted by the
  storms on Thursday night. Our lineworkers can put in 16-hour shifts, break
  for eight hours, then return to action, allowing us to do restoration work
  around the clock. This storm was about much more than Consumers Energy.
  We#ve seen devastation from high winds and tornadoes that has damaged
  buildings and even caused deaths. The storm moved with reported 90 mph
  winds from ************ to ******* to the ******* region.
  The damage caused by three confirmed tornados and 90 mph winds is
  significant in numerous areas across the state and has made it difficult
  to accurately estimate outage restoration times, especially in the hardest
  hit communities. We continue to update restoration estimates for those
  remaining without power with the best information possible, and during a
  storm like this one required multiple updates as new information became
  available about the damage and what was needed to fix it. We recognize the
  frustration caused by multiple restoration updates and sincerely apologize
  for the inconvenience. We are striving to be better.
  It is my hope that this email has addressed your concerns. Please know
  that any applicable outage credits will be automatically applied to your
  account within 90 days.
  Sincerely,
  Consumers Energy
  www.consumersenergy.com
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  - ADDRESS OUTAGE DURATIONS/INCONSISTENT ESTIMATED RESTORATION TIMES: These
  are both affected by the size of the storm, the number of customers
  impacted, and the amount of damage done. When additional damage is
  discovered, it can cause a change in the restoration times.
  - 12-MONTH OUTAGE HISTORY:
  DATE DURATION REASON/CAUSE
  08/24/23 11H 36M TREES
  08/24/23 4H 34M WEATHER
  02/22/23 4D 16H 48M WEATHER (CATASTROPHIC)
  - WHAT IS CE DOING TO MITIGATE THESE OUTAGES: The local distribution
  planner will be checking the lines in this area on the week of 8/28 to
  look for additional hazards or deteriorated equipment that could cause
  additional outages. As part of a statewide project, the circuit planner
  will also look for locations to add additional protective devices to help
  sectionalize the circuit more and hopefully prevent larger outages.
  COMPLAINT CLOSED 08/29/23

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/29/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.

  Better Business Bureau:

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

  Regards,

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/24/2023

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  Starting last October of 2022 consumers Energy started sending my billing statements to another address instead of the listed service address that I have had for over 29 years. I have contacted them every month and the agents correct the problem on the call, but the statements continue to be sent to the incorrect address. I have contacted the ************* ************** and they said there is nothing they can do for me as they cannot forward someone elses mail to my address without their consent. I dont understand why Consumers Energy cannot Correct the issue as they advertise they can send your statements to any address you want. They have violated my privacy and my identity and have done nothing to correct the problem. There is no email address to contact a manager or a case worker. This company has hour wait times on the phone to speak to customer service and I am tired of dealing with them with no resolution. I just want my billing statements to come to my home and service address.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/31/2023

  08/25/2023 10:44:04 EST (RNRICHAR)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  ***************************
  Account number: 4486
  ***************************************************-3965
  Dates of service: 05/29/08 to present
  Email: ********************
  08/25/2023 11:24:53 EST (RNRICHAR)
  INITIAL CUSTOMER CONTACT:
  08/25/23 - 11:25 AM - THE FOLLOWING EMAIL ********************** AND SMS
  TEXT MESSAGE (**************) WAS SENT TO TEH CUSTOMER:
  "Thank you for reaching out with your concerns. We have received your
  complaint filed with the BBB, notification number **********. I assure you
  Consumers Energy takes all customer complaints seriously.
  Our Complaints Advocate *************************** will be in touch with you in the
  next few days to discuss your concerns and gather any additional
  information that *** be needed.
  We appreciate your patience and understanding during this process. Please
  feel free to reach out to *************************** @ ************** or
  ********************************************************* if you have any further questions or
  concerns. Our team is dedicated to resolving your issues as soon as
  possible."
  08/29/2023 15:07:20 EST (RNRICHAR)
  RELEVANT ACCOUNT INFORMATION:
  We utilize a third-party vendor called ****** to match our special mailing
  address (SMA) to what is registered at the *****
  How it works:
  Once a month a file is automatically sent to ******
  ****** cross-references customers' name and addresses with
  mailing addresses on file with ****
  o ********** addresses were changed by the customer through
  National Change of Address forms
  If ****** finds a customer has a different mailing address
  with CE, they will automatically update it to the address on file with the
  ****
  If the mailing address is changed in SAP and not at the ***** it will be
  changed back by ****** the following month to ensure our addresses match
  with what is on file at the ***** The customer needs to complete a
  National Change of Address form at the **** to stop this change from
  occurring.
  NOTES FROM ACCOUNT:
  11/02/22 - Returned mail from **** (bill) - ****** updated mailing address
  to ************************************************
  12/02/22 - note from customer service: *** (customer) **** is calling on
  his acct is on the budget plan ** stated that his billing address should
  be the service address ,, updated the information was changed to the
  centerline address ********************************************************** updated the
  mailing address ** **** is calling on his acct is on the budget plan **
  stated that his billing address should be the service address ,, updated
  the information was changed to the centerline address
  *****************************************************-3965 updated the mailing address"
  01/04/23 - Returned mail from **** (bill) - ****** updated mailing address
  to ************************************************
  03/23/23 - note from customer service: " ** CALL AND UPDATED MAILING
  ADDRESS AND ALSO UPDATED BY ADDING SUFFIX ** TO HIS NAME PER ** REQUEST"
  04/20/23 - Returned mail from **** (bill) - ****** updated mailing address
  to ************************************************
  07/03/23 - note from customer service" BILL ADDRESS CHANGED"
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY CONTINUED:
  08/29/23 - EMAIL SENT TO THE CUSTOMER AT ****************************:
  " Good afternoon ****,
  Thank you for your Eastern Better Business Bureau (BBB) inquiry about the
  account at ****************************************** This email is to follow up with you
  on your mailing address concerns.
  I was able to look further into the issue of your bill being mailed to
  ********************************. It was first changed to that address when
  your bill was returned on 11/02/22 as undeliverable.
  We utilize a third party called ****** to match our mailing addresses to
  what is registered at the ***** This ensures successful bill delivery.
  ****** cross-references our customer names and addresses to what is
  registered at the ***** Our *************************** have updated your
  mailing address to your home on 12/02/22, 03/23/23 and 07/03/23, however
  the mail was returned by the **** when we attempted to send your bills to
  your home address.
  I have updated your mailing address again to the service address (3221
  Potomac Ave) and sent out a copy of your bill, and you will need to
  complete a National Change of Address form at the **** to stop the change
  from occurring.
  If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reply to my
  email. I would be happy to assist you further.
  Best wishes to you.
  Sincerely,
  ***************************
  (they/them)
  Customer Care Advocate
  **********************
  **************
  *********************************************************"
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  - (*Address sending bills to wrong address) The mail began getting
  returned in early November 2022. This triggered ****** ( a third party) to
  correct it with the mailing address registered at the ***** This has
  occurred several times on the customer's account. When we change it to the
  service address, the mail is returned.
  - (*Address why CE hasn't corrected the issue) We can send the bills to
  the customer's service address, and they will need to update their mailing
  address with the **** in order for the change to take effect.
  CLOSING CUSTOMER INQUIRY AS OF 08/29/23.
  ______________
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/31/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.

  Better Business Bureau:

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********. If I dont get my billing statement then I cant pay my bills so I guess will be in court soon.

  Regards,

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/17/2023

  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.

  I recently received an email stating in October we will be charged $2.99 per transaction if we pay with our debit or credit card. This is ridiculous, I do not want to have my savings or checking account numbers in the Consumers database. It is safer for the customer to pay with a credit card, we should not be charged extra for this. As a company you waste money with wind and solar power instead of investing in safer, cleaner more efficient nuclear power and the customer pays for this incompetence. I do not want to be charged extra for paying for a credit card, Consumers has a monopoly, I cannot simply go with a different power company.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/22/2023

  08/17/2023 14:41:28 EST (JAGATES)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  ***********************
  Account # ****
  ******************************************************************************
  Dates of service: 10/23/16 - present.
  Email address: ****************** (ebill)
  08/17/2023 14:42:25 EST (JAGATES)
  CUSTOMER CONTACT:
  08/17/23: 2:46 PM - The following email has been sent to the customer via
  Riverstar:
  Account Number: ending in ****
  Service Address: ***************************************************************
  Dear *********************,
  We're following up on the concern you provided to the ******** ***************************** notification # ***, regarding our updated credit card
  payment policy. Consumers Energy understands this policy may be a big
  change for you, however lowering costs for our customers is a top
  priority. Card processing fees have steadily increased, raising rates for
  all customers - even those who don't pay via card. Reducing the cost to
  the company helps to support our larger goals to reduce costs by saving
  $16-18 million dollars per year in card fees.
  Although automatic payments will no longer be offered with a credit card,
  customers that would prefer to make one-time payments via credit card will
  continue to have that option. Beginning October 1st, the fee associated
  with a one-time credit card payment will be $2.99 for residential
  accounts. Companies across industries are adapting to these increased
  costs and have made similar policy adjustments nationwide. This change
  more fairly distributes the cost of card processing to the customers who
  choose to use that payment method.
  We understand customers may have concerns about using checking account
  information to make their payment, but we can assure you that a secure
  experience is critical to us. Consumers Energy and ** employees do not
  have access to your financial information. We work with a secure, PCI
  (***ment Card Industry) compliant, third party (***mentus) to process
  payments and store sensitive financial information. Automatic Bill *** can
  also be set up with your financial institution.
  If you'd like to remain on automatic payments, we can continue to provide
  that service using an ACH payment at no charge. Additionally, you'll never
  have to update your payment information due to an expired card. You can
  update your payment method by logging into your account via the ** app or
  www.consumersenergy.com. From there, select 'Billing Options,' where
  you'll be able to view and update your autopay information. If you'd like
  to continue to pay with a credit card, setting up payment alerts via your
  online account is a great way to ensure you're informed of when a bill is
  due and will allow you to make a one-time payment with a credit card when
  you receive that alert/notification.
  We hope this information is helpful and appreciate your feedback.
  cc: ******** *************************** Website: www.********.org/mpsc -
  Phone: ************
  Sincerely,
  Consumers Energy
  www.consumersenergy.com
  Please do not reply to this automated message.
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  - PAYMENT PRO**SSING FEE: The customer has been provided with options to
  make his payments if he doesn't like the fee that we will be charging
  beginning in October 2023.
  COMPLAINT CLOSED 08/17/23
  ________________________________________________________________________
  Task 0002
  Task CSCMPTSK INIT Initial Contact w/Customer
  Task text
  Status TSCO
  Planned start 08/17/2023 00:00:00
  Planned end 08/22/2023 00:00:00
  Completed on 08/17/2023 by
  ________________________________________________________________________
  08/17/2023 14:50:43 EST (JAGATES)
  Another email was sent with the following correction to the first
  paragraph:
  "***Correction to the previous email***
  We're following up on the concerns you provided to the Better Business
  Bureau, notification # **********, regarding our updated credit payment
  policy."
  _________________________________________________________

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/22/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your rejection of the business's response. 
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of why I am rejecting this response appear below:
  
  I would like either a billing credit or an adjustment to your policy.  I do not want to pay to use my credit/debit card and I am not going to give you my checking account number.  That is ridiculous.  
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************