CenterPoint Energy

Charlie S.

This was posted to the better business bureau: When switching over to my partners gas account when we cohabited Centerpoints representative assured me many many times (representative ID available on request). They claimed the account was closed w a zero balance. For six months with no calls, mail or any communication Centerpoint discretely put my account to a collection agency and began to destroy my credit. Meanwhile my partner and I were paying the gas bill punctually every month. Again no one bothered to reach out abt the ""delinquent"" account. As you can imagine we were greatly surprised when we got rejected while applying for new places to live. We got rejected from a loan to start our new business. This was entirely the fault of the Centerpoint account which we were directly misinformed was ""closed w a zero balance"". When this was discovered not only did Centerpoint rudely tell us we should be checking our credit more often but they took zero responsibility and told us ""we don't reach out to our people"". I reminded them we were customers and rudely was asked to pay my delinquent account. I did and they hung up as I was asking them how they would be able to help Repair my credit they destroyed the last 6 months. They should be responsible for this. They should at least pay the balance off as they misinformed us and should try to help restore my credit which they blasted negatively for months w out the slightest effort to alert me. I would've gladly paid. Now my partner and I were cost business deals, moving deals and growth in our lives. Please help us.

Kori P.

Horrible horrible customer service!!!

I have been a customer with centerpoint for over 2 years and have never missed a payment, somehow (because I am human and a busy full time teacher/mother of 22 month old twins) I missed my October bill.

Last night I showed up at home with a disconnect notice on my door. I never received a ""pink slip"" in the mail. It was 45 degrees out and I went into panic mode- because of my children!

I immediately called and was made to feel like a criminal for missing a THIRTY-SIX dollar payment!!! To reconnect, I was told that I needed to pay the $36 in addition to $20 for Them Coming out to turn it off, $60 reconnection fee, and $80 deposit. OUTRAGEOUS! I asked please if any of that could be waived as I was willing to make the entire payment ($36) in full and had never missed a payment. She told me she would email her supervisor to ask about getting the deposit waived- whatever. She came back and told me she could ""bill me for the deposit so I didn't have to pay it now for reconnection"" well, that is not what I asked for so I asked to speak with the supervisor. I was told, ""ma'am that just came from my supervisor"" I told her I completely understood but wanted the opportunity to speak with her myself. She puts me back on hold, comes back and lets me know her supervisor said it was ok to waive it this once but if I ever got disconnected again, I would have to pay the deposit, and she was putting it into her notes. She told me to pay the $96 and I could get reconnected. She did not help me get scheduled for reconnection when I specifically asked. After making the payment right after hanging up with her, the store was closed and I couldn't talk to a live agent.

Bundled up my babies and we made it through the cold night with no baths or showers and dinner from Lubys. Called first thing at 7Am to get the reconnection done. I am told that the following day is the first available! I said we couldn't go another night with no heat and of course I was told I could pay ANOTHER FEE ($47, more than the bill) to have same day reconnect. Even though, I paid and reported my payment the night before. Oh! And she let me know that the only thing In the notes about the deposit, was to BILL ME FOR IT! The first ""solutions specialist"" literally lied to me!!!!!

So now, I have to bargain paying $47 same day reconnection fee to again not have the deposit billed to me but waived. I asked the ""solutions specialist"" how I knew that was going to be true, she replied, ""cause I am going to put it in my notes"" and I told her that was exactly what the other girl did....

She transfers me to the automated payment system, I pay $47 at 7:30 this morning and am told someone will be there between 8-5. I made arrangements to have someone at my home in case they came before I got home from work. 4:15 I still had not received a phone call letting me know the technician was on his way so I call Center point. I am reassured he is coming and if there was an emergency that takes precedence over reconnects. Even though they had a 9 hour window. The order was still open, so he was coming. Called back 45 min later and was told to just be patient and wait for the call. Call at ten til 7 as I knew the office would be closing soon and I wouldn't be able to talk to a live human again til the morning- THAT ""solutions specialist"" noticed the date for the order was for the next day! The two before her didn't notice?? They could see my payment of course!!! She ""fixed"" it and reassured me someone would be at my residence this evening to turn it back on.

It's 11:01.... I paid to have my gas turned back on today! I paid $143 for a gas bill that was $36, and still have no heat. Also, this was my first time missing a payment. It's sad when a company's Facebook and surveys after customer service calls all seem to want feedback to give the greatest care to their customers- but not one truly cared.

Tom O.

CAUTION - Centerpoint sent me a ""CoolSaver"" invitation for a free A/C inspection so I agreed and they had a guy from Azon A/C come out, charge me $95 for the free service and left refusing to give me a receipt. Centerpoint ""CoolSaver's pgm"" will not respond nor honor their statement that it would be followed by an ""inspector"" even tho I called 9 times and they stood me up with one appt.

Roy D.

This morning my neighborhood was enveloped in natural gas for around a 7 block radius. It turned out that someone hit a line while working on a parking lot.
I did what I thought I should. I left the neighborhood and called CenterPoint. Now, keep in mind, I just drove several blocks through a very strong gas smell. As a person who has worked in plumbing, a little gas smell does not bother me. This was strong enough and spread out enough to make even me think things could blow up any minute. When the service rep answered, I explained the urgency of the situation and said, ""I don't think we have much time.""
To which she responded, ""I know it's an emergency, but I'm required to ask these questions.""
I was very apprehensive but complied until around 6 or 7 questions in when she said, ""We will be sending emergency personnel to your address. There needs to be someone over the age of 18 to meet the technician. If nobody over the age of 18 is present, your gas will be turned off.""
Repeatedly I had told her that the gas leak was not at my residence. I responded by saying, ""Wait, you're going to turn off my gas and are you seriously asking me to go back? I told you it's something big in the neighborhood and I don't think we have much time!""
To which she responded, ""Sir, I cannot send emergency personnel until I ask the questions.""
So I made a decision that she was probably a good person who was badly trained. So, I expedited the situation by saying, ""I know you have protocols but they do not apply right now. You need to get someone out there ASAP.""
Then I hung up and called 911.

Danielle B.

Complaint Summary
Complaint Type: Consumer to Business Complaint
Nature of complaint: Billing or Collection Issues

Problem description:
Center point Energy encouraged me to enroll in paperless billing. I agreed to do so. The billing information process is misleading! Enclosed in your electronic bill is your account number, due date and amount due. My gas was shut off because of a past due amount that I was unaware of. No where in my email was it stated that there was a past due amount on my account! I have never missed a payment. The reasoning the CSA gave me was, it is included in the electronic bill and the email is just a notification to look at my account. He compared it to mail, ""An envelope will not have your bill info on it, you must open your bill to see the past due inside."" That is a subjective opinion and non comparable example! I'm sure this is a rebuttal the CSA is trained to give in instances that were anticipated such as mine! When one receives an email the subject is the ""envelope"", you open the email and and the information is inside. I was more than willing to pay my bill today, but in fees the amount doubled and the only help they were willing to give me is to wave $20.00 and turn my gas on four days later! This seems to me like an unfair corporate advantage to scam their customers by means of bettering their carbon footprint for some gain to them, while also tacking on ridiculous financial responsibility to the customer! I am outraged, and refuse to be penalized on my innocence!

Desired Resolution: Billing Adjustment
Desired Outcome
I desire to pay the normal monthly amount with out any additional fees! Also, I would like for them to adjust the jargon in their ""online bill"" to include all important information to eliminate human error.

Craig C.

Absolutely the worst. No communication. The call center folks act like they just don't care. As patrons. We should have a choice.

Tony M.

Bought a new home - Pasadena, city came out and approved both electricity and gas inspections. I called the electric company and got service turned on. CenterPoint would not set up service said no inspection was done. Called Pasadena City and confirmed inspection was done and forwarded to CenterPoint. Called CenterPoint again said they have not received it. After an hour they ""found"" it and set up an account but cannot turn on the same day! Cold showers for all! They said they would turn it on this morning! It is now noon and I called to be informed that the service window is 0800 to 22:00!?!? We are supposed to go to work but now have take vacation day to sit and wait for the service men to arrive. If we are not there then it is called a ""no Show"" and has to be rescheduled! In this day and age they cannot make an appointment window less that 14:00 hours. Really? Unfortunately. We don't have a choice it is them or nothing.

Leah C.

Very bad customer service. They give you no warning when they are about to cut off your gas services, and make you jump through hoops to reconnect.

Sheri O.

My 85 year old mother reported a gas leak to CP and they came out to check it. The technician turned off her water heater pilot light and didn't re light it. Now she has no hot water and when she called CP to have them relight it they told her to go up in her attic and do it herself. Way to go CenterPoint...

Mei L.

Horrible service and horrible people in customer service!!!
Did not show up for two different days and time, called the customer service and they say they cannot do anything about it and hang up the phone!! Who allowed them doing business like this????