Complaints

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/19/2025

  Type:Billing 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, ****** ******* along with my husband **** ****** is formally filing a complaint against Lincoln Electric System (LES) due to serious billing and communication failures following their October 2024 billing system upgrade.
  
  Key Issues:
  
  1. Failure to Honor New Auto-Draft Setup:
  Despite receiving LES’s notice that existing auto-draft agreements were invalidated by the upgrade, we promptly created a new online account and re-established auto-draft settings on October 20, 2024, as instructed. However, LES failed to draft payments from November 2024 through April 2025.
  
  2. Lack of Communication and Notification:
  LES issued no alerts or communication during this six-month period to indicate a payment issue. We only learned of the problem in April 2025 when LES abruptly claimed we owed over \$800 and would face \$300 monthly auto-withdrawals.
  
  3. Misleading Online Account Information:
  Throughout the period, our LES account consistently showed a credit balance and “no payment required”, misleading her into believing her account was in good standing.
  
  4. Inadequate Response and Blame Shifting:
  LES admitted that no payments occurred due to the upgrade and system reversals but has offered no resolution. Despite following LES’s instructions, the burden has been unfairly placed on us the customer, with no accountability taken by LES.
  
  Requested Action:
  We request a formal investigation into LES’s billing practices, specifically:
  
  * The October 2024 system upgrade.
  * The failure of auto-payment processes.
  * The inaccuracy and misleading nature of LES’s online account information.
  
  We have supporting documentation available and is seeking resolution and accountability for the financial and emotional distress caused by LES’s failure's and how they can pass this financial burden on the customer despite it being a LES failure.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/28/2025

  The account
  for **** ****** has been part of our budget billing program since March 2013. LES’
  budget billing program keeps a customer’s amount needed to pay their electric
  bill the same each month, based on an average of their monthly electric usage.
  Each invoice the customer is sent requests payment for the budget amount due
  for the month and includes their current account balance. The account balance
  is the usage and fees minus any payments the customer has made. The account
  balance notification is shown in the upper left-hand corner on the first page
  of the invoice.

  LES
  regularly searches for accounts that may be out of balance. This list includes
  accounts where the customer has paid an amount outside the requested budget
  billed amount. The ******** account appeared on this list on April 1, 2025.
  When we identify an account that may need manual intervention, LES reviews
  options to assist the customer in getting back on track. On April 1, 2025, LES
  sent a letter to **** ******’s home address, providing him the option to either
  stop the budget billing program and settle the current account balance, or
  increase the budget billed amount from $ 143 to $ 300. Increasing the budget
  billed amount would allow the account to get caught up over the course of
  several months before returning to its budget billed amount. This letter
  prompted a call from ****** *******

  The initial
  conversation between ****** ****** and our Customer Care Lead resulted in **** ****** emailing a spreadsheet she created regarding the decrease in her budget
  bill credit each month. In response to that email, the Lead emailed a
  spreadsheet documenting all payments, usage, fees and budget billed amounts
  dating back to December 2019. This spreadsheet documents two things: the budget
  bill balance and the account balance. The budget billed balance is the balance
  of what our invoices have asked the customer to pay vs. what the customer has
  paid. As previously mentioned, the account balance is the usage and fees minus
  any payments the customer has made. 

  LES did
  change our customer portal in September 2024. In the old system, the *******
  had set up their autopay on a fixed amount of $ 134. The fixed amount option
  was no longer available in our new system, so LES mailed **** ****** a letter
  advising him to set up automatic payments again using the new system’s available
  options. The fixed amount the ******* chose of $ 134 was more than the amount
  our invoices had requested them to pay each month for more than five years.
  Over those five years, the budget billed amounts requested ranged from $ 96 to
  $130. As a result, our system recognized that the ******* overpaid according to
  the budget bill amounts requested.

  The *******
  did set up autopay in October 2024, using the current autopay options. However,
  the autopay did not deduct any budget billed amounts from October 2024 to April
  2025. Usage occurred during this time. Without those payments, the account
  balance began to increase, prompting LES to review the ******** account using
  the aforementioned process. All invoices during this time period have included
  notifications advising the customer should they go off budget, what their
  amount due would be. Invoices showing this have been attached to this request.

  We can
  provide two options for the ******** account. The first option is the original
  option we provided the customer, which is to pay more than their average budget
  amount allowing the extra amount to begin to cover the outstanding account
  balance. The second option we could offer would be to remove the ******** from
  our budget billing program. They could pay for their actual usage and fees each
  month, along with an additional $100. The additional $100 would be used to pay
  for the current outstanding account balance. Both payment arrangement options
  would allow the ******** to catch up over the course of about 8-9 months.

  LES asks all
  rate payors to pay for their usage and corresponding fees to ensure fairness
  and accountability across our customer base.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/30/2025

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Thank you for providing LES’s response to my formal complaint. While I appreciate the summary of billing history and available payment options, the explanation continues to deflect accountability and fails to directly address the central issue of my complaint: a system failure following LES’s September 2024 billing portal upgrade and the resulting lack of communication and transparency, which led to an undetected and unjustified accumulation of charges. 

  
  To clarify: 
  Per LES's own directive, I established a new online account and updated my auto-draft settings on October 20, 2024. Despite this, no payments were drawn from November 2024 through April 2025. LES has not explained why auto-pay failed after being re-established correctly in the new system. 

  
  Throughout this six-month period, the LES website and monthly invoices showed either a credit or “no payment required.” If LES’s internal systems were accruing a balance during this time, it was never communicated to me in any direct or actionable form. 

  
  LES now states that account balance warnings were present in invoices in the form of a note about going “off budget.” However, this language is ambiguous and contradicted by more prominent messaging indicating no payment due and active auto-pay. It is unreasonable to expect customers to interpret such fine-print qualifiers as signals of a billing problem, especially in the absence of any alerts or flagged messages. 

  
  LES acknowledges the autopay did not function as intended but offers no remediation for the resulting customer impact. Instead, it continues to place the burden of correction on the customer. 

  
  In light of these facts, I reiterate my position: I acted in good faith, following LES’s stated instructions. The failure to withdraw funds, combined with misleading billing communications and the absence of alerts, constitutes a breakdown in LES’s billing and notification systems—not a failure on my part. 

  
  Requested Resolution: 

  
  I respectfully ask that LES reassess the current account balance and consider a partial or full adjustment, in recognition of the following: 
  The auto-pay setup was completed properly per instructions; 
  No timely or clear notifications of missed payments were issued; 
  LES’s website and invoices displayed conflicting and misleading information; 
  The system change and its failure to execute auto-drafts led to a preventable situation that LES now expects the customer to remedy without acknowledgment or compromise. 

  
  If a balance must be paid, I request LES to propose a third option that reflects shared responsibility for the error—such as a reduced settlement amount or interest-free payment plan over a longer term than the 8–9 months currently offered. Please review the invoices and portal screenshots from before and current. The calculations are still confusing and invalid. 

  
  Thank you again for your time and consideration. 
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ****** ******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/20/2025

  The LES team
  knows that this situation has been frustrating for **** ******, and we
  recognize the importance of supporting our customers with billing concerns.
  
  However, we
  want to acknowledge that LES and every customer have a shared responsibility to
  ensure monthly payments are made when active service is provided. LES offers
  multiple ways for customers to manage their accounts, including phone, email
  and in-person support during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5
  p.m.), as well as 24/7 access to account information and self-service tools
  through our website.
  
  In cases
  where a customer does not see a payment deducted from their bank account for
  multiple months, the customer should contact LES to promptly identify and
  resolve any issues. In this instance, LES initiated contact with **** ******
  after noticing that her monthly budget bill amount had not been paid in eight
  months.
  
  A letter was
  sent to **** ****** notifying her of the missed payments and offering two
  options to address the growing account balance.  She could either remain
  on Budget Billing for $300 per month until her account is brought back into
  balance, or she could be removed from the Budget Billing program and pay actual
  usage charges plus an additional $100 per month until the balance is satisfied.
  While situations like this are uncommon, we acknowledge the burden they can
  place on customers, and we strive to be as accommodating as possible. At the
  same time, LES must ensure fairness and accountability for all customers.
  
  **** ******
  has not agreed to any payment arrangement option offered to address the
  increasing account balance. Without a payment agreement in place, her monthly
  bill will continue to reflect the current Budget Bill amount of $300. The
  screenshots **** ****** provided confirm that LES communicated the potential
  balance implications of leaving the Budget Billing program. To provide
  additional clarity and support, the Lead of our Customer Service team will be
  reaching out to **** ****** one final time to review the available solutions
  and work toward a resolution.
  
  LES has a
  responsibility to all customers to collect payment for services rendered. As
  such, LES will not waive any charges for the electricity used. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/01/2025

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********. I do not agree with their response as it was rude and puts blame on the customer which we had no part in their math and system issues. Our statements and dashboard, which we have submitted, all show no payment due and a credit on our account. LES alerted us of the error on their part and made unreasonable payment plan to pay down their mistake. All their responses pushed more and more blame on the customer. 

  I spent since April on this issue which has taken many hours of my time and unnecessary stress. I have finally spoken to a manager who actually listened and understood our concern. LES has offered via phone a more reasonable payment plan of $195.00 a month until paid. While I still don't believe we should be responsible for their system failures I am not going to allow this to cause anymore stress on myself. It is unfortunate this has happened to us and we are not and will not ever be at blame for it. 

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/02/2025

  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 5/2 /25, I called to cancel service at the residence of **** * **** *** Lincoln, NE. I was told that I could not do so unless I provided my entire social security number, after I had provided the last 4 digits. I was told that the ONLY way I can cancel service is by providing this information.
  
  I am not doing that and would like another option. The gentleman on the phone said there was no other option.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/06/2025

  LES asks customers to validate information in order to process changes on an account.  In this case, that is what the representative was doing.  The customer also has the option to go to LES' online portal and process their move order.  This is what the customer ended up doing.  The move order has been processed and no further action is needed at this time.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/01/2024

  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 work from 3:30 to 9:15 pm during the week from home in a call center. This last year or two my electricity has gone out several inconvenient times, including this past spring/early summer with the latest time on November 20, 2024. I have lost at least 2 days of wages in the past few months because when the electricity goes out at my townhome development I do not get paid. I only get paid for the hours I actually work. I have also had food spoil. I have lived here since 1996 and it never used to go out as much as it has the last couple of years.
  
  I would like some monetary compensation for lost wages and food plus I would like them to make it a priority to put our wires underground. The guy who called me back from LES was nice but he couldn't tell me why this keeps happening where I live (None of my friends and coworkers in Lincoln have ever lost electricity when I do) and where we fit on the schedule to move our wires underground. Thank you!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/19/2024

  LES
  visited with the customer a couple of times to discuss her concerns.  She
  has had a few outages in her neighborhood in the past 12 months.  Storms
  were the main cause of the outages.  Per the LES service regulations, LES
  does not guarantee uninterrupted service and is not liable for any loss or
  damages caused by the power outages.  We discussed a back up plan or
  alternate locations that she could go during an outage so she wouldn’t miss
  work, however, her job is 100% remote with no local physical location to go to
  during an outage.  LES installs distribution lines underground and
  converts existing overhead lines to underground when it is practical and cost
  effective to do so. We strive to make the best decisions that balance near term
  costs with long-term performance and reliability for all our customer owners.
  We are currently checking to see if her area is part of any of LES’ ongoing OH
  to UG projects.  A manager will follow up with the customer regarding any
  construction details in her area.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/02/2024

  Type:Customer Service 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.

  July 31, 2024 I called in to report a power outage at my home address. On August 1st LES left me a message complaining that I had reported the outage using a phone other than the one that was listed on my account. ( No POWER NO PHONE)They asked me to call them back an add a new phone number to my account. The number they gave me to call back did not allow me to talk to anyone just an automated BS number so I went into the office to correct my contact information. The could care less that i was out of power( We will get to you when we have time on the power outage!!!!! she said with a laugh but lets get this phone number corrected because this is serious business.. The lady that I talked to laughed and joked about the message and the fact that I was out of power was no big deal. I lost over a $1000 in meat in my freezer. You get an F- for customer service.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/19/2024

  We know power outages are stressful, especially when they last long. LES prioritizes power restoration efforts on what will bring the greatest number of customers back on at once, not by location or neighborhood. Once critical infrastructure and areas of largest impact are identified and restored, we address isolated cases, such as individual homes and businesses needing equipment repairs or tree removal. The 80+mph windstorm caused severe damage to powerlines and trees, leaving more than 33,000 customers without power in and around Lincoln, and our teams didn't stop until every last customer was restored.  We assure you that we take each customer's request seriously and help our customers any way we can. Reach out to us at ************ or *********************** for any further questions or comments. Thank you for your time.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/19/2024

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: It did not address the complaint at all.  Why was their main concern during the power outage having me update a phone number. This is just a random generic response that they could have sent to anyone.  Please have them respond about the message they left for me about the phone number and the rudeness of the person in the office when I went in to correct the phone number..  Several years ago one of their transformers went through the roof of my garage and they paid nothing.  LES is a joke. 
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ****** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/22/2024

  Type:Billing 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.

  3/4/24 - 3/7/24 - was notified of possible disconnect, went online to pay with debit card and it said scheduled, I checked that afternoon and it said pending, the following morning it showed approved. Then my power got shut off and I looked at my account and it did not show a payment to the balance. I called customer service and was told my bank card was blocked and to use a different credit card. I then tried to pay online using my V**** account, the payment showed it processed, then 10 hours later it rejected, finally processed using a family members credit card. I was then charged $130 reconnect fee and $45 returned payment fee on my next bill.
  5/22/24 - was notified of possible disconnect. I went online to make payment, my bank account was rejected, my credit card was rejected, my boyfriends bank card was rejected. We had to drive 6 miles across town (no other locations) to go in person to settle the bill. I was told when I arrived that they use a 3rd party company to receive payments and that the 3rd party company has a block on my account and that LES could not do anything, but we could pay in person. We explained that we tried several different payment types and were rejected by them all. They said that I had too many returned payments and that's why the 3rd party company blocked me. I restated that we tried several different payment accounts and LES then claimed it was my banks fault. We asked to talk to someone who has access to modify the account, they refused and said they couldn't do anything. I asked how I am supposed to pay (not in person) and they told me to mail a money order. I'd like access to pay my bill online and LES refuses to give me that option or to talk to anyone that can work with the 3rd party company with me.
  
  Please note: All of the accounts tried had sufficient funds at the time I was attempting to pay with them.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/23/2024

  Hello,

  I called ******* today and we discussed the details of her account.  I unblocked her online account so she can make payments moving forward.  We talked about a couple of payment methods that she has been using and the returned payment reasons of non-transaction account and do not honor and she will follow up with her bank if needed.  

  LES is going to waive the returned fees totaling $45 and the disconnection fees totaling $130.  I told H****** she will see these adjustments on her next bill.  Her current balance of $107.42 will be covered and the remaining credit will be applied to her next bill.  

  I gave ******* my name and title at LES and told her she can call and ask for me if she has any future questions.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/24/2024

   
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ******* *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/07/2023

  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.

  They are charging me a high facilities charge for my apartment because the tenant before me had high bills. The people before me was a family of 4. I live on my own by myself. I called and talked to someone in customer service and she told me it will not be reviewed for months. She said everybody goes through it. Why are they not changing this when they have a new tenant. I don’t think I should be charged based on a family of 4.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/10/2023

  This customer moved into an apartment that was previously occupied by a family of four and her daily electric trend indicated she is using much less energy than the previous tenant.  The facilities charge for this unit was at a level 1 prior to the family of four living there and there have been recent updates made to the air conditioner.  At the customer's previous location she was using energy at a facilities charge level 1 as well.  

  After reviewing the account with the customer and having an energy analysis done, her account has been adjusted to a facilities level 1.  Per customer feedback, she is satisfied with the result of this action.