“ Over the course of my years with Direct Energy, my bill rose from around a couple hundred dollars to over five hundred dollars? And this was way more than just fluctuating gas prices and weather changes. One month I tried to use as little electricity as possible and still got a HUGE bill. Direct Energy claimed that something must be wrong with my home's insulation. They claimed my meter was functioning perfectly. After I switched providers, my bills have shrunk back down to a normal size. These guys are not to be trusted. ”
“ Several months ago I 'switched' my power supplier to your company- so far the switch has not happened. What is the point of putting me to the inconvenience of switching power providers when you do not follow through? The latest bill a few weeks ago STILL HAS not made the switch! ”
“ I have not received anything as of yet from Direct Energy since I signed up with them. ”
“ Gave me a good initial rate and then bumped it up to double what my utility provider was offering as their standard. Zero notification as to increase in rate, very deceptive ”
“ Direct Energy couldn't even submit an order to Oncor correctly! Submitted an order to switch at the end of May, received an email saying that we'd have the switch done in seven days. Seven days later we get an email "welcoming" us to the DE family.Fast forward to the next month, we keep waiting and checking their site to receive a bill and only saw that they "needed weeks worth of data" to show us our usage. Turns out they never even submitted the order to Oncor! Had to click a few different links to realize that our account was still pending! We reach out and all they do is deflect, deflect, deflect. They had the audacity to tell us first that Oncor hadn't "processed" our order, reached out to Oncor and it turns out they never received an order from DE. Once we informed them of that they changed their story to "the orders were pending" on their end, for a month!? Talked to customer service only to be told that it was our fault because the website said our account was pending and because they gave us a call once (ten days AFTER our service was scheduled to start!) and left no voicemail. They also said they put in three orders on the day our service was to start. Strange that they would put in three orders, not reach out to us THAT day, and then never tough the account again! Again, we had to search their website to see that our account was pending, why isn't that front and center! Took them ages to finally accept some blame and admit they should have done better. We overpaid with our previous retailer because we got switched to a month-to-month plan and they wouldn't give us a credit to match the difference. They then stated that they could get our power on by the next business day without even understanding why their orders didn't go through in the first place! How can you promise that when you couldn't do it a month ago??We don't want to deal with customer service that can't own their mistakes and won't do their best to rectify them in the moment. ”
“ I spent over an hour trying just to get a new plan with a customer rep. Absolutely nothing was resolved in that time. So I sent an email to the Office of the President of Direct Energy. I got a response back within a day. However, it was addressed to my email but responded to someone I've never heard of! Direct energy has really bad customer service from the bottom all the way to the top. ”
“ They continuously disconnect service regardless of payment! They disconnected me TWICE in ONE MONTH, HOW IS THIS LEGAL OR POSSIBLE?! I've paid over $500 in two months and have been disconnected 3 times! I'M IN THE DARK AS I LEAVE THIS REVIEW!! Customer service is TRASH unless you speak Spanish!! If not they are going to read a script and not offer any assistance!! I've had to go all the way up to corporate about this issue! I have a disabled parent in my home and they do not care at all! I'm switching companies TODAY and direct energy and they entire spanish speaking customer service crew can kiss my entire ass! ”
“ I was told one thing by one representative. Then when i call back noone know idead what I am talking about. When I ask to speak to a supervisor Jen(in panama) she tells us that if we would pay our bills on time that we would not need an extension. We just lost a loved one and she did not care. Then after the affect apologizes come and they still don't care. Karma is a B. ”
“ I was new in the area so they required a $400 deposit to open an account, which was ok. The deposit would be "refunded when your bills are paid on time for 12 consecutive months".Fast forward 10 months and all my bills had been paid in time. The 11th bill was more than double from any bill I had received from them, including the hot summer months when the A/C is on full speed. Mind you, the 11th bill was for November when the bills are usually a lot lower. 10 days before the bill was due I emailed them asking what the bill was about. It took them 5 days to reply, and I tried to call them several times during those 5 days. They apologized and blamed it on internal billing issues. I asked them to give me the correct amount so I could pay the bill in time. They never replied to my email so I kept calling them but since they never picked up the phone after 25-45 minute on hold, I gave up. One day before the bill was due, I just paid the full amount, even though it was wrong. I didnt want to mess up my 12 months of paying on time. But of course, they received the payment 1 day late. I then paid the 12th bill on time and contacted them for the deposit, but since I was one(!) day late on the 11th bill, I did not qualify for a deposit refund and had to make 12 new payments on time. I was pretty pissed but, for some reason, I decided to stay with them. Fast forward again and I had 12 payments on time and contacted them again for the deposit refund. And guess what, the deposit would be refunded towards the account balance and used as a credit towards future invoices.Excuse me?! Towards future invoices? What exactly does that mean? I asked them if they could just use those $400 for the next invoices until the deposit account was "empty". No, it "didnt work that way". I asked them for an explanation but never received one. So, you can imagine if they require a $400 deposit from, lets say maybe 5000 customers or whatever - that would give them $2 million which they could just keep and, on top of that, get interest from. So their customers is actually giving them a free loan and THEY get the interest. If thats not a scam, I dont know what is. A deposit is YOUR money and its supposed to be paid back in full, as long as you dont violate your contract in any way. Yes, I was one(!) day late the first time, after THEY made a mistake on the bill. It would not surprise me if they did that deliberately.I cancelled the contract and moved to another provider. I asked for my deposit (again), and they sent me a check of $150. I asked them where the rest of the money was. Of course, that was kept as termination fee. Worst company I have ever dealt with. And dont expect to get any answers or explanations from them. If they do answer, its just jibberish and they always leave you stranded if you ask them the "tough" questions.I would rather live in the dark than to give these folks my money. ”
“ Month after month we have seen bills not show up until 3-5 days before the due date. If you pay the bill as soon as it is received, you are still likely to receive a charge for being past due as they do not credit the payment to your site until several days after you make the payment (even if you make the payment on their web site or using their phone service. We have received cut-off notice emails three days after a phoned in or online payment was made! I am convinced that they are holding off on mailing invoices and then holding on time payments to post after the due date in order to charge their past due fee to as many clients as possible. This is a fraudulent business practice and should be investigated.As for me, fortunately I have a choice in who my electric provider is and it will no longer be Direct Energy! ”
“ I am dropping them after 5 years due to lack of customer service! I tried calling and using their on line account management sys several times to set up direct draft, and it still doesn't work. Then when I logged in again they said my service was being disconnected and I had been sent a disconnect notice. I had not received any such notice. I called to talk to a rep and they said their system had a problem and then hung up on me. I thought the cable industry was bad, but their customer service is worse. I haven't shopped rates yet, but I have filed a complaint with the PUC and will read reviews about customer service before getting stuck with another company like this. Buyer Beware! ”
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i didn't start having trouble with them until one day my energy was cut off without notice. they have an option online where you can choose how to be contacted when you balance is due. i never got a message!!! my energy was just cut off and im a stay at home mom that does not always have a car available to her.
so im here pissed off and trying to figure out a way to pay the light with no car and a dying phone.
CUSTOMER SERVICE??????? they dont know what that is!
WEBSITE???? piece of crap and not at all helpful. logging in and making payments have never been more difficult!
PAY OVER THE PHONE???? almost took over thirty minutes! i have not idea what was going on with their automated payment service but it kept repeating itself or hanging up.
i tried talking to A REAL PERSON but when i finally got through she told me she had to transfer me. WTF? cant you just take my payment over the phone?? i got transfered put on hold and then i was hung up on.
dont waste your time!!! i will be switching after this month. ”
“ Direct Energy uses an online billing and customer system that appears to have been developed in the 90's. It is cumbersome, inefficient and failed multiple times to accept my credit card change. Then, the system failed to correctly credit my account for my manually-input payment, even though they sent me an email confirmation of the payment. They finally sent me a letter asking for payment for the same invoice they had already confirmed payment for. The letter included a threat to disconnect service on October 19, and although the letter was dated October 2, I did not receive it until October 17. I could not deal with the disaster of customer service and poor billing and payment systems any more and switched to Bounce Energy. ”
“ WOULD NOT WORK WITH ME TO GET A LOWER RATE AS I WAS TRAPPED IN CONTRACT WITH NO FLEXIBILITY. SERVICE REP NOR SUPERVISOR WOULD NOT LET ME SPEAK TO THE RETENTION DEPT TO KEEP ME AS A CUSTOMER. PAYMENT SITE DOWN MANY TIMES. ”
“ My contract expired and they didnt feel the need to contact me in any way, no text, no email, no call. They constantly text me when my bill is available or do but never sent a renewal contract. They just switched my plan without my knowledge and started charging me 20% more than before. It is a shady business practice and only a short term gain but now has lost them a customer for life. Why practice business that way? Its unnacceptable to treat customers that way. I immediately switched to a different company and wont be back ”
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The rates they advertise are not the rates they charge. I signed up for 17.2 cents/kWh with free nights (9pm to 9am), but what they really charge me is 26.3893 cents/kWh. The customer service they offer is absolutely terrible, as well. I honestly think that they think their customers are stupid. I'm no genius, but I do have a bachelor's degree and can do basic math, and their explanation doesn't add up. I've gotten differing convoluted explanations from separate reps trying to explain my bill, but I can tell they are just lying to me and hoping I'll go away. Bottom line, they do not give you the rate they advertise, and when you call to complain and seek and explanation, all you get from their reps is "I can see how that would be frustrating".
Don't use this company. ”
“ My account set up had an error and I called 5 times prior to switch date. No one knew what to do and was told the switch would be fine. Ended up without power all day and had call my old company to fix it. 100% not worth saving a few bucks. ”
“ I signed up for Direct Energy online and called to confirm the rate. My account at my distribution company was changed in 4 days. When I received the Direct Energy confirmation in the mail my rate was 1 cent higher. I called and immediately cancelled the Direct Energy plan. They were my supplier for 4 days. I immediately got a new generator and it took my distribution company a week to add the new company. Dont trust them, they lie about their rates. ”
“ They billed me for an early cancellation fee that I shouldn't of been charged for. Now they are harassing me to pay even though my bill says $0.00. Do not go with this company. ”
“ I have had direct energy for years and every time it came time for a renewal rate was more than a new customer. No loyalty whatsoever towards the customer. This last episode was the last straw. I am one year into a 36 month contract and am moving. Since I will get a new account number because it is a new build direct energy has told me I would have to enroll again as a new customer and they would not transfer my current rate.terrible the way they treat existing customers.I will never use them again nor would I recommend them to anyone ”
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