Complaints

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  Consumers Energy

  530 W Willow St Lansing, MI 48906-4874

  
• 

  Consumers Energy

  330 Chestnut St Cadillac, MI 49601-1821

  
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  Consumers Energy

  2500 E Cork St Kalamazoo, MI 49001-5085

  
• 

  Consumers Energy

  4600 Coolidge Hwy Royal Oak, MI 48073-1676

  
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  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:07/18/2023

  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.

  On May 3, 2023, consumers energy cut my invisible dog fence while clearing brush for power lines. I called that day and placed a damage claim. I was told that I would hear back in 5 business days. A man arrived at my house the next day with no warning and only my son was home, unable to help him. I called the number he left and told him that we needed an appointment so i could ensure someone was home. On the day of the appt. No one showed up. I called again on 6/14 after hearing nothing from Consumers and left a call back number with no response. I called on 6/16 and was finally given a number for the forestry department. After leaving a message at that number, I finally got a call back and another appointment was made for them to come see the damaged wire. I showed the man the damaged end we were able to locate at the time. He assured me that he would be back to fix it. After much back and forth because the company could not find the other end of our cut fence, we finnaly used our metal detector to find it. At this time it was discovered that a ***** foot section of wire was missing. On 6/29, the company was out to fix the fence. On return home, I found the wrong gauge wire taped to each end with electrical tape. ** was obvious that this is not safe to use as it had been raining and the wire was exposed to the elements. I immediately called consumers and filed another damage claim to have my fence fixed correctly. I obtained a quote from a professional to fix it and waited for the damage claim **** to call back...nothing. I called again today 7/18/23 and was told that my 2nd claim was cancelled as well. This is unacceptable! I want my fence fixed! The amount of time I have spent on the phone dealing with this is rediculous.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/25/2023

  07/19/2023 08:53:53 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  *************************
  ACCOUNT NUMBER: 4415
  ********************************************************************
  Dates of Service: February **** - Present
  Email Address: ********************** (from notification)
  **********
  INITIAL CUSTOMER CONTACT:
  I sent the following email to *************************** at ********************** via
  Riverstar:
  Account Number: ending in 0000
  Service Address: **********************************************>Dear ***************************,
  Account Number: ending in 0000
  Service Address: *******************************************
  Dear ***************************,
  Thank you for reaching out with your concerns. We have received your
  complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau, notification number
  1067865604. I assure you Consumers Energy takes all customer complaints
  seriously.
  Our Complaints Advocate *************************** will forward the concerns to our
  damage claim team who 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 *************************** @ ******************************************** 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 ***************************** CC: *********************, ***************** 7/19/23
  07/24/2023 10:20:43 EST (DJLOUCKS)
  **********
  RELEVANT ACCOUNT INFORMATION:
  The following information was provided by Forestry supervisor *****
  *********:
  Initial contact with the customer was in Dec 2022 when they called in
  requesting that no herbicide be used on their property. This was noted on
  a special condition form and adhered to. There was no mention during that
  call of chickens or the ** fence crossing the utility **** Contact
  regarding this complaint: I spoke to **************** on 7/20/23 @5:31pm he
  wasn#t aware of the complaint and said his wife must have filed it. I
  asked if he would like me to speak to is wife and he said he was fine
  speaking to me about their concerns. We addressed his desire to have been
  called a day ahead of tree work on his property. I explained our 3-step
  notification process and let him know if the request had been made at the
  time they requested no herbicide, we would have noted it on our special
  condition form. We then discussed the fence repair and he stated he would
  like to have a professional company fix the fence. I told him that wasn#t
  a problem and if he passed the company information onto the contractor,
  they would arrange the repairs immediately. I also mentioned if they had
  made this request during their initial conversations with the contractor,
  they would have gladly taken care of repairs in that manner. ****************
  stated he would be contacting an ** dog fence company and arranging the
  repairs for the damaged section of line. He stated he would then send the
  bill to the contactor. I offered to provide the General *******#s contact
  information to **************** however he stated he was sure his wife had the
  information.
  **********
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  7/20/23
  ADDRESS INVISIBLE FENCING BEING DAMAGED:
  Customer has an invisible dog fence wire running through utility ****
  Mr./***************** did not make CE or the contractor aware of the invisible
  fencing during the planning process. If CE and the contractor were made
  aware of the fencing, arrangements would have been made to have the
  Potter#s flag the location of line so we could avoid any damages.
  CE received a complaint from the customer via customer service on 5/3/23
  upset that they were not notified with an exact date tree work would take
  place. ***************** stated our tree clearing activities had caused of
  their pure-bred chickens to be scared away. It was explained that if the
  customer had called and requested us to #call a day ahead#, we would have
  noted that on our work plan # there was no such request made. The
  customer did reach out prior to tree trimming and requested we use no
  herbicide on her property but made no mention of chickens needing to be
  put away nor the ** dog fence in the **** This request was placed on our
  special conditions form and no herbicide was applied to their property as
  requested.
  On that same date, 5/3/23, Forestry received a notice from Damage Claims
  that the Potters invisible fence was damaged during tree trimming
  activities. The Forester contacted Damage Claims on 5/3/23 informing them
  of tree trimming in the area, and that we would pass this claim to the
  assigned Contractor. The Energy Group General ******* was given the
  contact info for the customer and instructed they would be responsible for
  repairing the fence.
  ADDRESS FENCING FIXED IMPROPERLY:
  After several attempts at contacting the customer by visiting their home,
  leaving contact information with the Potter#s teenage son and phone calls,
  the Contractor finally made contact with the customer so they could
  identify the damaged section of fence and arrange repairs. The Contractor
  had difficulty obtaining a meter that was sensitive enough to pick up the
  low voltage in the wire that is used for dog fencing. Once the meter was
  obtained repairs were made. The customer called in on 6/29/23 to Damage
  Claims stating they were not happy with the repairs, due to the color of
  the wire, the gauge of the wire and how it was assembled. There was a
  delay in forestry receiving the information due the customer going through
  Damage Claims instead of Forestry or directly to the Contractor. The
  information was passed onto the contractor and a second repair was made on
  7/19/23. As far as CE and the Contractor were aware the customer was happy
  with this repair until we received the **** complaint on 7/20/23.
  ADDRESS DAMAGE CLAIM DENIAL:
  Claim was denied by CE because a contractor caused the damage.
  Contractor will be taking care of the repairs.
  CUSTOMER INQUIRY CLOSED AS OF 7/20/2023
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/10/2023

  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.

  Over the last few months, without changing usage, my bill from Consumer's Energy has gone from $239.52 to $751.32, with the "projected" bill for this month on track to be even higher. They do not seem to be reading the actual meter and are overcharging me. There is no way that I have used the amount of electricity they are claiming. I feel that a credit is due to my account for the last few months. I have tried contacting them to no avail. I have stayed on hold for hours and cannot get an actual person on the phone.Account number **************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/13/2023

  07/12/2023 14:34:47 EST (RNRICHAR)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  *********************************
  Account number: 6837
  ******************************************************************-7607
  Dates of service: 01/31/23 to present
  Email: ********************
  07/10/2023 16:58:16 EST (RNRICHAR)
  INITIAL CUSTOMER CONTACT:
  07/10/23 - 4:58 PM - THE FOLLOWING EMAIL *********************** AND SMS
  TEXT MESSAGE (************** ) WAS SENT TO THE CUSTOMER:
  " Thank you for reaching out with your concerns. We have received your
  complaint filed with the ***** 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."
  EMAIL SENT TO CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE DELIVERY COMPLAINTS TO GET INFORMATION
  ON THE HOLD TIMES THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCED
  07/11/************* EST (RNRICHAR)
  INFORMATION PROVIDED BY ********************* REGARDING HOLD TIMES:
  Based on the number provided in the complaint we have one call on record
  which occurred on July 10 at 8:48 in the morning.
  Hold time was close to 2 hours.
  The customer spoke with an agent for 38 minutes
  RELEVANT ACCOUNT INFORMATION:
  Current balance: zero
  CONSUMPTION HISTORY FOR ACCOUNT:
  Begin: End: kWh used: mcf used:
  01/31/2023 02/13/2023 ******* 9.5 $239.52
  02/14/2023 03/15/2023 ********* **** $409.99
  03/16/2023 04/16/2023 ********* **** $553.42
  04/17/2023 05/15/2023 ********* **** $358.39
  05/16/2023 06/13/2023 ********* **** $751.32
  All reads here are actual reads reported by the meter (4G meter
  #********), which was tested on 07/08/16 and was found to be working
  accurately at *****%. It was installed on 08/11/16 with a zero read and
  has been providing all actual reads remotely.
  Note: the historic use at this address does show the highest use during
  the summer months
  - Per Zillow.com, this is a **** sq. ft. home with 4
  bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 furnaces, 2 *****
  The daily/hourly use shows that around 6 pm on May 14th, the use did start
  to go up significantly and has been higher since then.
  07/12/23 - THE FOLLOWING EMAIL WAS SENT TO THE CUSTOMER AT
  ********************:
  "Good afternoon ********,
  Thank you for your ******** ************************* (MPSC) inquiry about
  the account at ***********************************************. This email is to follow
  up with you about your concerns with the billing and meter reading at this
  address.
  Firstly we apologize for the frustration you experienced while on hold
  Monday. Our *************************** team found that you were on hold
  close to 2 hours, and were able to speak with an agent for a little over
  half an hour.
  I have performed a thorough investigation of your account. While you#ve
  only had service here since the beginning of January, I reviewed the meter
  history and found that the meter at this location was installed on
  08/11/16 with a zero meter read after being tested for accuracy on
  07/08/16. It was found to be working accurately at *****%. The meter has
  been providing all actual meter reads remotely with no communication
  issues. From what we can see on your hourly and daily use, something in
  your home started using more electricity around 6 pm on May 14 and has
  been continuing to do so. You can see your daily and hourly use online
  through your eServices profile.
  I found details online that show the home has 2 furnaces and 2 *****, you
  *** wish to investigate that equipment or the use of cooling equipment
  since the home has historically used much more electricity during the
  summer months. While we can#t tell you what in the home is using the
  unexpected electricity, we can verify how much is used and when the use
  occurs.
  If you have any additional questions or would like to request and
  additional meter accuracy test to be performed, 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:
  - (*Increased usage) The customer's electric use increased at around 6 pm
  on May 14 and has been high since then.
  - (*Consumption history) The customer started service at the end of
  January 2023 and their consumption history is shown above. Prior to this
  account, the electric use does go up significantly in the summer months in
  the past.
  - (*Estimates/Actual reads) The customer has had all actual reads on
  their 4G meter, which is communicating the hourly/daily reads remotely.
  - ************* The customer was on hold for almost 2 hours on July 10 and
  was able to speak with an agent for 38 minutes.
  CLOSING CUSTOMER INQUIRY AS OF 07/12/23
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/06/2023

  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.

  I had a gentleman come out who works for consumers energy he replaced light bulbs and my old thermostat for a ****** nest, come to find out after having issues with the thermostat running for 58 sec and shutting off then disconnecting completely I called ****** and found out said thermostat wasn't compatible with my home. I called consumers for them to come back out and put my old thermostat back on after being sent to the appliance then back to consumers they told me there wasn't anything they can do for me. If they can hook up a new thermostat they should be able to put my old one back on no question ask.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/20/2023

  CUSTOMER INFORMATION
  *******************
  ACCOUNT #: *********198
  ****************************************************************************
  Dates of Service: 02/21/2022 - Present
  Email: ********************
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY
  07/07/2023 | 9:09 AM
  - I sent the following message via SMS *************) and email
  (********************) on 07/07/2023:
  **********
  Account Number: ending in 5198
  Service Address: *************************************************************
  Dear *****************,
  Thank you for reaching out with your concerns. We have received your
  complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau, notification number
  1067760065. I assure you Consumers Energy takes all customer complaints
  seriously.
  Our ********************** ********************* 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
  www.consumersenergy.com
  **********
  - This has been assigned to ************************************************************************ for
  follow-up and resolution.
  07/19/2023 07:26:36 EST (JCJOHNSO)
  07/07/2023 | 12:32 PM
  - Our partners with CLEAResult spoke with the customer later that
  afternoon. They agreed to send a technician that day to reinstall the
  original thermostat.
  07/07/2023 | 1:30 PM
  - Clearesult sent a senior technician to reinstall the original thermostat
  later that afternoon. The technician discovered that the wiring between
  the furnace was compromised (broken) and they were unable to repair.
  - CLEAResult engaged ******************* (HVAC contractor) for further
  assistance. ***** contacted the customer and set up an appointment with
  the customer to repair the wiring on July 11th in the morning.
  - The repair was completed between 8AM and 10AM and the customer#s HVAC
  system is working normally.
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION
  1. Who replaced the thermostat?
  - The thermostat was replaced by a CLEAResult HEA technician during an
  IQ-HEA appointment on 06/26/2023. The thermostat that was installed was a
  Google Nest E that was provided to the customer earlier in the year. The
  customer requested the technician install and the thermostat was installed
  as a courtesy. The customer's previous thermostat was already energy
  efficient and the thermostat install was not recorded into CE#s system
  since there were no savings or incentive associated with it.
  2. Reinstalling old thermostat
  - The old thermostat was reinstalled by a CLEAResult Senior Technician.
  Customer concerns have been addressed.
  Complaint closed 07/07/2023

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/20/2023

  [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:07/06/2023

  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.

  Hello, I was enrolled in an insurance plan with consumer energy without my knowledge. After calling them to complain why my bill is so high they told me that I had insurance policy with them that costed me $60 a month, so I asked them for a refund. They told me they have to make a case and then they will issue a refund. Seven months later they didnt call or email me and today they said they will only refund $505 for the seven months my refund should of have been $5000 the insurance plan is called ( appliance insurance)

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/18/2023

  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  *********************
  Account number: ********0287
  ************************************************************************************
  Dates of service: 01/24/17 to present
  Email: *********************

  
  07/07/2023 09:26:58 EST (RNRICHAR)
  ASSIGNED TO *** COMPLAINTS.
  07/07/23 - 9:27 AM - THE FOLLOWING EMAIL AND SMS TEXT MESSAGE WAS SENT TO
  THE CUSOTMER:
  "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.
  The ***************** Plan is not regulated by the ******** Public Service
  Commission, and therefore we are unable to provide them your telephone
  number or email address. In order to assist you further, they have a
  special complaints voicemail box for this process. Please give them a call
  and leave your name, best contact number and email address and they will
  follow up shortly.
  The number is ************.
  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."
  

   

  
  RESOLUTION PROVIDED BY ********************* IN *** COMPLAINTS:
  ******** was enrolled into the ********** plan on 1/24/2017 via direct
  mail. There were several letters the *** has mailed out to the customer in
  those years.
  CONTACTS BY MAIL/NOTES FROM ACCOUNT:
  01/24/17 - *** Enrollment
  01/25/17 - *** Disclosure Letter
  01/27/17 - *** Welcome Letter
  08/11/18 -*** - Price Change Letter
  10/08/18 - Sales Contract Cancelled (for upgrade to gold plan)
  10/18/18 - ******** Cashed Direct Mail Check ********
  10/09/18 - *** Disclosure Letter
  10/11/18 - *** Welcome Letter -- Gold Plan
  12/05/19 - *** - Price Change Letter
  07/07/22 - *** - Price Change Letter
  07/06/23 -*** Non-Enrollment Letter
  The customer was mailed an upgrade check for $50.00 and it was cashed on
  10/08/18, which upgrade the customer to ********** Gold.
  The original service plan they customer has was **********. When the
  customer cashed the $50 check, the plan was upgraded to ********** Gold
  for $59.99 per month. The customer was mailed a Welcome letter for this
  upgrade on 10/11/2018.
  No repairs ordered were made on the account since the enrollment.
  On 6/30/2023 there was a case created (CAS-83512-L0Q9B9) in regards to
  this same issue within our *** group. *** ************* investigated the
  issue. The resolution was that since there was only documentation on
  account on 11/9 that the customer wished to cancel, the cancelation would
  be backdated to that date. The customer would receive a corrective invoice
  of $505.92 in 1-2 billing cycles. The customer was contacted on 7/5/2023
  by a ************* Agent ( ************************* ******* and was advised of this
  resolution.
  Since the customer signed up for the plan and upgraded the plan to gold,
  no additional credits will be issued.

  
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY COMPLETED BY *********************:
  7/10/2023 @ 11:42 am: I placed a call to the customer to advise we did
  receive his complaint and is currently being investigated. He will receive
  a call back once there is a resolution reached. He did not provide any new
  details for the complaint.
  7/11/2023 @ 2:30 pm: Call attempt made to customer to provide resolution,
  there was no answer, a voicemail was left to call back.
  7/12/23 @ 11:15 am: Call attempt made to customer to provide resolution,
  there was no answer, a voicemail was left to call back.
  7/13/23 @ 8:50 am: Called the customer and advised that he enrolled with
  via direct mail 1/24/2017 and in the years he was enrolled we have mailed
  7 letters to the only mailing address we have on ******************************************
  **************** (Welcome letters, price increases, price and price
  changes).
  Then on 10/18/18) a check was cashed that upgraded the customer's plan
  from ********** to ********** Gold.
  - I advised him that we will not be issuing addition credits to backdating
  to the start of the enrollment since he has been aware of the *** plan on
  his bill.
  - I did readvise him of the resolution he received about his cancelation,
  that he will be getting $505.92 credit in 1-2 bill cycles due to it being
  backdated to 11/9/22. The customer is not happy with the resolution. He
  asked about proof that the check was cashed and that the letters were
  mailed.
  I advised that there is a Payment request number, a check number
  associated with it and it is signed. ******** did state that he will be
  contact his lawyer about this.
  He asked what the *** plan is for, I advised what it does and what the
  Gold is for (additional parts coverage and a replacement allowance if the
  appliance is unrepairable). He then asked if he had any work orders done
  in the time he had the service. I advised he did not. He stated is that
  not proof enough that I did not sign up? I let him know that many
  customers have signed up, but have not yet used the service, it all
  depends on the appliances.

  
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  - (****************** Plan enrollment?) ******** was enrolled into the
  ********** plan on 1/24/2017 via direct mail. There were several letters
  the *** has mailed out to the customer in those years. The customer was
  mailed an upgrade check for $50.00 and it was cashed on 10/08/18, which
  upgrade the customer to ********** Gold.
  - (*Any repairs while on the plan?)
  No repairs ordered were made on the account since the enrollment. The only
  documentation on account on 11/9/2022 that the customer wished to cancel,
  the cancelation would be backdated to that date. The customer would
  receive a corrective invoice of a credit in the amount of $505.92 in 1-2
  billing cycles
  - (*Plan coverage and price?) The original service plan they customer has
  was **********. When the customer cashed the $50 check, the plan was
  upgraded to ********** Gold for $59.99 per month. The customer was mailed
  a Welcome letter for this upgrade on 10/11/2018.
  CLOSING CUSTOMER INQUIRY AS OF 07/13/23.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/30/2023

  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 moved to **** 10th st put the utilities in my name *********************** and my power was shut off soon after it was turned on I called they asked me to provide them with a copy of my id and SSN and a lease with my name on it that I had already provided consumers energy with to have it turned on every time I contact them they say I have to talk to the fraud department because my relative lived at that address before me and has a outstanding bill I don't control no one's finances I don't feel like that is any way fair to me I have had a stroke and can't be without power or in this heat in which i have told consumers repeatedly and that does have them concerned to even try to help me i neef to get this looked at and hopefully resolved ***************** in advance. ***********************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/11/2023

  07/03/2023 12:25:35 EST (JCJOHNSO)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION
  ***********************
  ACCOUNT #: 1954
  ****************************************************************
  Dates of ******************************************************** BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  Fraud Notes
  - I received the following information from our **************** regarding
  the situation at this address:
  **********
  - RECEIVED ID AND MONTH TO MONTH AGREEMENT BETWEEN ************************* LLD AND
  *********************** TENANT. DATED FOR 03/01/2023.
  - PER *** CREDIT REPORT, ****** ALSO USES THE LAST NAME ****** AND HER TLO
  PLACES HER AT THIS ADDRESS SINCE NOV 2020
  - ****************************** $1813.86 FROM THIS ADDRESS AND WAS HARD STOPPED ON
  04/30/2023 WHEN ****** REQUESTED SERVICE.
  - PREVIOUS ** ********** ******************************* # OWES $1,142.02 - 01/07/2023 TO
  04/29/2023. NOTES UNDER ****** ACCOUNT HAS A MALE CALLING AS **************
  STATING DOESN'T KNOW ANYONE NAMED ******. NOTES FROM MARCH STATE ******
  CALLING IN TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON ACCOUNT
  - **# ********** CURRENT OCCUPANT ********** # OWES $671.70 - 11/24/2022
  TO 01/05/2023 WHILE SERVICE WAS NOT ACTIVE IN ANYONE'S NAME
  - PRIOR TO CURRENT OCCUPANT, ****** DID HAVE SERVICES HERE BEFORE FROM
  07/27/2022 TO 11/23/2022
  - FOUND ** #: ********** ********************* WHO IS OWNER OF AB&**************
  AND THEY ARE THE OWNERS OF THE MOBILE HOME PARK. CALLED HIM AT
  ************ HE PROVIDED ME *********************** PHONE # WHO IS THE **** MANGER -
  # ********** CALLED LFT MSG FOR RETURN CALL.
  - AT THIS TIME WAITING ON RETURNED CALL FROM **** TO VERIFY WHO THEY ARE
  RENTING THE MOBILE HOME TO, AND FOR HOW LONG.
  - RECEIVED CALL BACK FROM **** ON 05/22/2023. HE VERIFIED THE ***** HOLDER
  IS ************************* SINCE 2019. THERE IS NO SUB LEASING ALLOWED. HE DID SAY
  HE THINKS HER SISTER IS LIVING WITH HER BUT SHE IS NOT ON THE *****.
  - DID NOT APPROVE ****** FOR SERVICE AT THIS TIME. CALLED LFT MSG AND SNT
  RIVERSTAR THAT SERV TO BE IN ****** NAME. WE ARE COUNTING THE $510 PAID ON
  ******'S ACCOUNT FROM THIS ADDRESS PAID ON 4/30.
  - SENT REQUEST TO REBILL ****** FROM CURRENT OCCUPANT START TIME OF
  11/24/22 SINCE ****** PAID HER ACCOUNT.
  - ** ********** ******************************* AND ** ********** ***********************************
  ALSO HAD SERVICES DURING ****** ***** DATE BUT UNABLE TO CONNECT THEM AND
  OR KNOW WHO THEY ARE TO ******. LEAVING ON PREMISE.
  - ADDING DEPOSIT TO ACCOUNT OF $95. $11 RECONNECT.
  - ****** WILL NEED TOTAL OF $1900 FOR TURN ON.
  - FRAUD INVESTIGATOR RETURNED A CALL TO ****** AT ************ ON
  05/31/2023 TO CONFIRM THE REQUIRED PAYMENT ON THE ACCOUNT. MESSAGE WAS
  LEFT. ****** CALLED BACK THAT DAY UPSET ABOUT SERVICES IN HER
  NAME. SHE SAID SHE WAS RENTING A ROOM TO HER SISTER. ADVISED SHE IS LEGAL
  ***** HOLDER RESP AND SERVICES TO STAY IN HER NAME, ITS A 3RD PARTY
  DISPUTE WITH HER AND SITER RENTING A ROOM. SHE IS UPSET ABOUT HAVING TWO
  BILLS ONE WITH HER NAME AND ONE WITH HER SISTERS SAME TIME FRAME I TRIED
  TO EXPLAIN TO HER THAT IT WAS
  RE-ISSUED IN HER NAME AS SHE IS THE ***** *****HOLDER AND ACCOUNT HOLDER.
  SHE SAID SHE IS GOING TO CALL HER LAWYER.
  - CONTACTED ****** ************ THE SAME DAY TO VERIFY RESPONSIBILITY. NO
  ANSWER AND VM NOT SET UP.
  **********
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY
  07/03/2023 | 12:22 PM
  - I contacted Ms. *********************** on 07/03/2023 at ************ to discuss
  the concerns she submitted to the Better Business Bureau ("BBB") and
  reached her voicemail. I left a message with my contact information and
  asked her to call me to discuss this more.
  07/07/2023 09:59:42 EST (********)
  07/07/2023 | 10:01 AM
  - Having not heard back, I contacted ************** again on 07/07/2023 to
  discuss her concerns, but was unable to reach her. She did not have a
  voicemail option in this instance, so I was unable to leave a message.
  07/07/2023 | 10:11 AM
  - I sent the following email to ********************* on 07/07/2023 to
  address the customer's concerns:
  **********
  Hi **************,
  I#m following up on the concerns you submitted to the Better Business
  Bureau regarding your service request for **************************************************>49070-9729. I attempted to reach you by phone to discuss this as well, but
  was unable to make contact. I hope this information helps.
  I#ve worked with our ************************* to review the account
  further. We#ve spoken with the property manager, ***********************, who
  confirmed that the current leaseholder for this address is **************************
  They also do not allow subleases, so the service will need to remain in
  ******#s name until her obligations are met. Once that#s done, you#ll be
  able to request that service be placed in your name going forward. *********************** team can assist with processing the new account, so
  please contact them at ************** when you#re ready to initiate that
  process.
  **********
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION
  1. Address turn off of service
  - *********** was disconnected most recently on 05/18/2023 because the
  requesting party did not provide valid lease/ID information.
  2. Address Fraud investigation
  - The current leaseholder and responsible party is *************************. She will
  be required to pay $1,900.00 toward her account to restore service.
  - We have spoken with the property manager for this address, who verified
  that there is no subleasing allowed. *********************** is not listed on the
  lease.
  3. Address requirement to provide lease/ID every time they apply for
  service
  - Requiring lease and ID is critical when there are existing issues at a
  premise, such as a recent disconnection due to non-payment, to ensure the
  requesting party is not held responsible for issues prior to them moving
  in.
  - ************** does not have to provide lease/ID in every instance she
  requests service, but was asked to send that information in this case due
  to the prior account issues.
  4. Address balance owed
  - The current account holder, *************************, will need to pay $1,900.00 to
  restore service. Once paid, ****** will be able to place service in her
  name if she would like.
  5. Address responsibility for bill
  - Responsibility of the bill lies with *************************. She is the current
  resident and leaseholder according to the property manager. The
  information Ms. *********************** has provide is not valid since ****** is not
  the landlord and no subleasing is allowed.
  6. Assistance/payment arrangements, if needed
  - ****** has been advised that $1,900.00 will need to be paid to restore
  service. With the service currently being off and name-switching has been
  confirmed, no additional arrangements have been offered.
  Customer concerns have been addressed.
  Complaint closed 07/07/2023

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/24/2023

  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.

  From Jun 22 -June 24, 2023 consumers energy repaired power lines and cut trees down. ************** and the tree company that they hired entered on my property cutting tree lines and making power repairs without my permission to enter my property. I live right off a main road where consumer power and their tree company could have cut tree branches and repair power line from the main road. They left tree branches on my property that they refuse to haul away. I'm requesting that consumer power haul all of the tree branches from my property that they cut down. Please see pictures. Response requested. Thanks *************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/29/2023

  06/26/2023 10:24:00 EST (JCJOHNSO)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION
  *************************
  ACCOUNT #: 1485
  ********************************************************************
  Dates of Service: 07/05/2022 - Present
  Email: ********************
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY
  06/26/2023 | 10:17 AM
  - I sent the following email to ******************** on 06/26/2023 to
  follow-up on the concerns she submitted regarding the recent tree
  trimming:
  **********
  Account Number: ending in 1485
  Service Address: ***********************************************
  Dear *************************,
  Thank you for reaching out with your concerns. We have received your
  complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau and ******** ***************************** notification number **********. I assure you Consumers
  Energy takes all customer complaints seriously.
  Our ******************* 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
  www.consumersenergy.com
  **********
  - This has been forwarded to ************************************************ for
  follow-up and resolution.
  06/29/2023 09:20:58 EST (JCJOHNSO)
  - This was assigned to ************************* in Forestry. I sent a reminder on
  06/29/2023 confirming today's due date.
  06/29/2023 11:32:39 EST (JCJOHNSO)
  06/28/2023 | 12:00ish PM
  - ******** ************************* contacted ************** on 06/28/2023 to discuss her
  concerns more.
  - She informed the customer that the request for trimming came from
  *******. ***** also informed her that there was line work being performed
  by Consumers Energy at a neighboring property for the days she identified
  in the complaint that was unrelated to her address.
  - Consumers Energy and our contractor were only onsite to trim the
  emergent threat on 06/22/2023. After informing the customer of where the
  call originated from, she stated that she would be redirecting her
  complaint and did not require further assistance.
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION
  1. Address entering property and cutting trees without permission
  - ******* was making repairs to their equipment at ************************** and
  reported a tree hazard to Consumers Energy. While investigating the
  concern, Consumers Energy found an emergent threat that needed to be
  trimmed from the lines. Due to the emergent nature of the request, we
  trimmed without notifying the customer.
  2. Address clean up and who is responsible
  - The property owner is responsible for the cleanup of debris.
  - Consumers Energy will continue to identify and address emergent threats
  to our infrastructure and public safety. We will continue to inform and
  educate customers of our standards regarding debris clean up.
  Customer concerns have been addressed.
  Complaint closed 06/28/2023
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/23/2023

  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 been with out power for three weeks. A tree took out the power line which broke my electric pole off at the ground. Cosumers took the lines loose the day the tree fell, but did not take the meter out, so I had to wait seven days for them to come out and remove the meter so that I could take the broken off pole out of the ground. I then got new pole in ground and boxes hooked back up. I had the county of Ionia come out and inspect it, It took them two more days to report the inspection. Now it has passed inspection and consumers tells me it will rush the job and get it hooked back **. in five more days. I am 77 years old and have had to live in an 14 by 66 oven for three weeks, and now that I have to wait 5 more days to get relief. When I fall to sleep every night I wonder if I will wake up the next day.. Consumers only cares about how much money that they can get from you and do not give a **** about your well being. I need help getting my power back on and the job probably would not take an hour, but they do not care.. Thank you for youir help ***** zander989 533 **** ************* ************************** ************* consumers acct. no,a

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/29/2023

  06/26/2023 10:17:55 EST (JAGATES)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  ***********************
  Account # ****
  ***********************************************************
  Dates of service: 02/10/21 - present.
  Email address: ********************* (provided to the BBB)
  RELEVANT INFORMATION:
  - I have emailed the distribution scheduler asking if the reconnect order
  can be moved up and received the following response from *************************:
  " It looks like there is now an order for a storm overhead service, and
  based on those notes this will require a crew due to needing a pole
  replaced and being 250# of 4TX. Greenville is currently working storm and
  anything that is a same day request must go through dispatch, but I#m
  looping in *************** scheduling since this will need to go to a
  crew.
  The reconnect and meter exchange are now sitting on the pending board with
  the storm order for dispatch to see"
  06/26/2023 10:35:51 EST (JAGATES)
  THIS HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO ELECTRIC OPERATIONS FOR RESOLUTION.
  CUSTOMER CONTACT:
  06/26/23: 10:38 am - I have sent a text/email to the customer via
  Riverstar.
  06/29/************* EST (JAGATES)
  06/28/23: From *****************************, *********** ******** Operations, sent me
  the following:
  "When I got this complaint (6/26 @ 11:30) I immediately called the
  customer and asked him if he was on sight, he said he would be in about 30
  minutes. I then drove to his home and met him in person so I could get a
  grasp on what went on and how we got to this point. When I arrived at
  approximately 12:30 we went through the timeline above, he explained he
  wasn#t financially able to hire an electrician to do the work and his
  insurance company was not being helpful. Once we got through the how#s and
  why#s, I assured him we would have him back in service yet that day."
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  - WHY WAS METER NOT REMOVED WHEN LINE WAS MADE SAFE: We don#t normally
  remove the meters if the service deenergized and it's not a gang meter
  installation we normally leave on sight, so we don#t lose track of it.
  Normally If an electrician were to have come, he would see the service was
  deenergized and remove it at that time. There wasn#t an electrician hired
  the work was done by the homeowner.
  - TIMELINE - INITIAL LINE DOWN THROUGH RESTORATION OF SERVICE:
  Line originally came down on 6/3
  On 6/7 he requested the meter pull so he could access the screws in the
  back of meter socket.
  6/12 meter pulled
  6/21 work was completed and inspected
  6/23 inspection was released and entered into the system, a reconnect was
  requested at that time and because there had been so much time between the
  line coming down and when the repairs were made, we were unable to do a
  storm reconnect, therefore it had to be scheduled through short cycle. I
  think there was a breakdown in communication because had anyone really
  known that he had been without power for 3 weeks at his primary residence
  we would have handled it differently. He assumed we (CE) knew that.
  6/26 his secondary pole was broken by a tree in the storm, so we couldn#t
  do the service reconnect until the pole as replaced we got a crew on sight
  to do the work around 22:00 on 6/26 and he was restored around 01:00 on
  6/27.
  - COMPLETION DATE: 06/27/23 AT 1 AM.
  COMPLAINT CLOSED 06/27/23

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/22/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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.

  Consumers had a tree company cut trees and they left everything. I called 6 months ago and they said someone would get ahold of me and clean up the mess no one has reached out

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/26/2023

  06/22/2023 14:19:33 EST (JAGATES)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  *********************
  Account # ****
  **********************************************************
  Dates of service: 06/05/17-present.
  Email address: ************************ (ebill)
  06/22/2023 14:23:48 EST (JAGATES)
  THIS HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO FORESTRY FOR RESOLUTION.
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY:
  06/22/23: 2:26 pm - I have sent a text/email to the customer via
  Riverstar.
  06/26/************* EST (JAGATES)
  06/23/23: 11:24 am - *************************, Forester, called and spoke with Mr.
  Ware to determine the actual location of the concern as there was no
  debris or evidence of tree work at the address listed in the complaint. It
  was determined that the work occurred approximately 1/4 mile south of the
  listed address.
  After investigating the actual location, **** called ************ back at 1:22
  pm the same day to inform him that the resulting debris from the tree work
  performed on his property was handled according to our processes. The
  property was considered unmaintained, dictating that the debris be stacked
  along the right of way and left on site.
  **** did agree to send a brush mower to the property the week of 06/26/23
  to mulch up the branches to speed the decay and minimize the visual effect
  of the debris. The was agreeable to *************
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  - ADDRESS CLEAN UP OF TREE DEBRIS: Debris was properly handled per
  Forestry's process.
  - ADDRESS PROMISE 6 MONTHS AGO, BUT NO RESPONSE/FOLLOW UP: Our Forester
  for this area had not received a request for additional cleanup at this
  location prior to this complaint.
  - WHEN WILL CLEAN UP BE COMPLETED: Debris will be mulched utilizing a
  brush mower the week of 06/26/23.
  COMPLAINT CLOSED 06/23/23
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/21/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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.

  Spent over 1 hr on the phone with appliance service plan to try to resolve an issue with a whole house air conditioner issue. 1st phone call was dropped, 2nd phone call they tried explaining that the whole house appliance service plan I pay for and signed up for months ago is no longer applicable even though I own the house and pay the consumer bill. . Not to mention being charged for the appliance service plan monthly that I had upgraded to the proper service coverage plan 4 months ago. I have had issues in the past always resolved by a supervisor. Now my issue has fallen on deaf ears. After dropped calls, tenants with small children overheating, and me being out of town with family, I have exhausted all patience with this issue. If consumers appliance service plan is willing to make this issue right with me, my phone is always on please call

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/05/2023

  06/22/2023 11:12:40 EST (RNRICHAR)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
  *************************
  Account number: ************
  *********************************************************************************************-1849
  Dates of service: 04/16/19 to present
  Email: ********************************
  06/22/2023 11:19:18 EST (RNRICHAR)
  ASSIGNED TO *** COMPLAINTS
  INITIAL CUSTOMER CONTACT:
  06/22/23 - 11:19 AM - THE FOLLOWING EMAIL
  (********************************) AND SMS TEXT MESSAGE (**************)
  WAS SENT TO THE 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.
  The ***************** Plan is not regulated by the ******** Public Service
  Commission, and therefore we are unable to provide them your telephone
  number or email address. In order to assist you further, they have a
  special complaints voicemail box for this process. Please give them a call
  and leave your name, best contact number and email address and they will
  follow up shortly.
  The number is ************.
  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."
  07/03/2023 11:55:29 EST (RNRICHAR)
  RESOLUTION PROVIDED BY THE *** SOLUTION CENTER:
  At the time of the complaint the customer did not have coverage for their
  air conditioner. Their plan has now been upgraded to include their unit.
  Due to system limitations, we cannot create new ***************** Plan
  contracts for landlords if the utility **** is not in their name.
  Regarding the dropped calls - The calls have all been reviewed. There
  were a total of five disconnected calla and were all disconnected on the
  customer#s end, not on our end. Our agents will be coached on proper hold
  procedures to ensure a more efficient experience for our customers
  The customer was being charged for the ************ plan at this address.
  He has multiple addresses and contracts with us, and each has a different
  plan and coverage. A different plan had been upgraded a few months ago at
  the customer#s request.
  Blue Flame went to the home on 6/26/2023 and the unit was deemed
  unrepairable.
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY:
  *************************** from Field Support called the customer at 1:00 PM on
  6/22/2023 and left a voice mail.
  *************************** called again at 4:00 PM on 6/22/2023 and left a second
  voice mail. She was going to be off the next day for vacation and was
  hoping to get his repair order scheduled for him before she left.
  *************************** received a voicemail from the customer at 2:56 PM on
  6/23/2023 while she was off on vacation.
  *************************** from Field Support spoke to the customer at 1:30 PM on
  6/26/2023. ******************** was very appreciative of everyone#s effort to get
  this situation resolved. He said that *****, an agent that he had
  previously spoken to, was very helpful and had tried resolving the
  situation as best as she could after he had already spend time on the
  phone with different agents, so he wanted me to provide some positive
  feedback to her. ****** made him aware that the other agents that he had
  spoken to were coached. The customer did mention that he had someone out
  there that morning for his air conditioning unit, and that he was happy
  that we followed up and heard his concerns even though the unit could not
  be fixed. He now has ****** and *****#s contact information in case he
  needs anything in the future.
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION:
  - (**** - Air Conditioner repair - Plan) At the time of the complaint the
  customer did not have coverage for their air conditioner. Their plan has
  now been upgraded to include their unit.
  - (*Address plan no longer applicable - explain) Due to system limitations
  we cannot create new ***************** Plan contracts for landlords if the
  utility **** is not in their name.
  - (*Address long wait times trying to get issue resolved, dropped calls)
  The calls have all been reviewed. There were a total of five disconnected
  calls and were all disconnected on the customer#s end, not on our end.
  - (*Address if customer is being charged for *** - explain) The customer
  was being charged for the ************ plan at this address. He has
  multiple addresses and contracts with us, and each has a different plan
  and coverage. A different plan had been upgraded a few months ago at the
  customer#s request
  - (*Address repair) Blue Flame went to the home on 6/26/2023 and the unit
  was deemed unrepairable.
  CLOSING CUSTOMER INQUIRY AS OF 06/26/2023

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/20/2023

  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 have been on the Care program with Consumers for around 3/4 of a year. The deal was I was supposed to pay $120 a month and Cares was to take care of the rest.My Consumers Account has been messed up from day 1. I have tried calling them over and over through the months to get it fixed only to be transferred from rep to **** ***** ********* being put on hold for 30 minutes at a time and the rep never returns to my call. I cant get anything accomplished by calling them.My current bill states under the Charges section that the balance due for Cares from previous month is $531.37. The agreement states I pay $120 a month and Cares picks up the rest.Lately I have been getting threatening notices from Consumers stating I need to pay balance in full or they will take collection or credit measures. Also phone calls. My current June bill balance is $651.37.But when I call Consumers they try to tell me Cares only owes $81.00, and I owe over $400. My bill shows otherwise. They cant seem to get it straight or fixed. Meanwhile ** being harrassed with notices and calls.They need to fix the account as they have messed it up terribly.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/26/2023

  06/21/2023 10:21:21 EST (JCJOHNSO)
  CUSTOMER INFORMATION
  *****************************
  ACCOUNT #: 2700
  *********************************************************
  Dates of Service: 10/29/2019 - Present
  Email: *******************
  RELEVANT ACCOUNT INFORMATION
  12 Month Payment History
  Date Amount
  10/31/2022 $120.00
  11/29/2022 $170.00
  03/30/2023 $170.00
  04/24/2023 $25.00
  ******* ************************************ CARE Default Letter Mailed
  06/16/2023 Mid-Cycle ****** ******************* CARE History of Charges
  Due Date Total Charges Payment
  06/03/2022 $120.00 $120.00
  07/05/2022 $120.00 N/A
  08/03/2022 $167.00 N/A
  09/06/2022 $235.33 N/A
  10/03/2022 $310.50 N/A
  11/03/2022 $364.21 $120.00
  12/05/2022 $257.02 $170.00
  01/03/2023 $173.67 N/A
  02/03/2023 $280.55 N/A
  03/03/2023 $387.43 N/A
  04/03/2023 $507.43 $170.00
  05/03/2023 $457.43 $25.00
  06/05/2023 $577.43 N/A
  07/03/2023 $651.37 N/A
  - This customer has not made her required monthly payments while enrolled
  in CARE, resulting in the past-due balance being brought forward on the
  customer's next bill each month.
  - The customer is also benefitting from the ******** **************, which
  allows low-income customers to benefit from solar generation without
  having to pay for solar energy blocks. Because of this, the customer has
  had to pay a lower amount per month than the $120.00 plan amount.
  - The current balance of $651.37 is correct and is the total balance
  associated with her required payments over the course of the CARE program.
  The customer's inconsistent payment history is the reason it is currently
  as high as it is.
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY
  06/21/2023 | 10:44 AM
  - I contacted **************** on 06/21/2023 at ************ to discuss the
  billing concerns she submitted to the ******** ************** Commission
  ("MPSC") and reached her voicemail. I left a message with my contact
  information and advised that I would be working with our Energy Assistance
  department to review this further. I let her know that I would follow-up
  when I have some additional details.
  - I have contacted *************************** in Energy Assistance to help review this
  further.
  06/23/2023 11:43:40 EST (JCJOHNSO)
  RELEVANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  - ******** provided the following information regarding ********************
  account:
  **********
  The customer is still receiving the CARE monthly credit IF the monthly
  energy charges is above $120. If their monthly energy charges are less the
  $120 there won#t be any monthly credits which would be the case with their
  most current bill.
  Out of the 14 months that they have been enrolled into CARE they only had
  7 bills were their energy usage was above $120 and received monthly
  credits. CARE is not the right program for them and the customer's
  payment issues has exacerbated this. They will want to be removed from
  CARE and apply for an SER.
  **********
  CUSTOMER CONTACT SUMMARY (cont.)
  06/23/2023 | 11:45 AM
  - Having not heard back, I contacted **************** again on 06/23/2023 to
  discuss her concerns and had the same result. I left another message with
  my contact information and asked her to call me to discuss this more.
  06/26/2023 07:56:50 EST (JCJOHNSO)
  06/23/2023 | 11:56 AM
  - **************** called me back shortly afterward and we were able to discuss
  this further.
  - We talked about the billing first of all and I explained how the lack of
  consistent payments has caused her bill to be as high as it is. I also let
  her know how the CARE does not provide additional bill credits on energy
  use when the usage is lower than her required payment. **************** was
  under the impression that the past-due balance being brought forward on
  her bills was what CARE was paying, not what she had to pay.
  - I let her know that the CARE program is likely not the best plan for her
  given her lower energy use recently, which she told me was because she
  stopped using her stove completely, instead using a smaller cooker
  appliance that uses less energy. I confirmed that her usage has gone done,
  so it appears taking that action did make a big difference to her home's
  energy use.
  - I let **************** know that she could apply for SER through the ******************** if she would like to be removed from CARE. In that case, most or
  all of her current balance would be paid. She was familiar with that
  process as she receives other state benefits and confirmed she would work
  with MDHHS from here. I placed a hold on the account through 07/23/2023 to
  ensure she has the time she needs and asked her to call me if she has
  additional questions.
  SUMMARY OF RESOLUTION
  1. Address Care Program
  - The customer was enrolled in CARE, which covers the past-due balance at
  the time of enrollment as well as a portion of the customer's monthly
  ********************** charges as long as the customer pays their required monthly
  ****************** does not provide a monthly credit if the energy charges are less
  than the customer's payment. Over the last 14 months of being enrolled in
  the plan, only 7 of those saw energy charges higher than her monthly
  payment of $120.00.
  2. Address shut off notice - *******
  - Although the customer is not currently in a shut-off status, we have
  sent notices advising the customer that her CARE program is at risk of
  default due to the lack of payments since April 2023.
  3. Payment history
  - Payments have been received inconsistently in 2023, with the only
  payments received on 03/30/2023 ($170.00) and 04/24/2023 ($25.00). This is
  the primary reason the customer's balance has increased.
  4. Address trying to get help and being transferred from rep to **** ********* hold for 30 minutes and then they never return the call
  - In reviewing the calls and notes on the account, there were multiple
  instances where the customer's line disconnected while we worked with the
  customer. We called back immediately in those cases, but there was no
  answer. Messages were also left requesting the customer call us to talk
  more.
  5. Address what customer needs to pay and correct billing statement
  - The customer's current balance is $659.98, of which $597.72 is past-due
  and will need to be paid as soon as possible to prevent the account from
  going into a shut-off status.
  - The current billing statement is accurate and the customer will be
  seeking SER assistance for her current balance. A hold was placed on the
  account through 07/23/2023 to provide her with additional time to apply
  for that funding.
  Customer concerns have been addressed.
  Complaint closed 06/23/2023