Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 23 Jan 2023 received a late payment notice even though we mailed a check on 23 Dec for payment in full. During a phone call to them, WGL rep informed me there was a problem with mail sys and check was never received. Believing them, I gave them my credit card and they charged $522. Later that same day, I checked my bank and the previous payment WGL said was never received cleared my bank. I called back the next day and after escalating to a supervisor (*****) he said they would refund/credit my card for the duplicate payment ($522). After not receiving the credit I called back a week later 5 Feb and was told the credit was processed on 27 Jan. **** they credit was never received and has not been received as of 28 Feb. I have called 8-9 times and spoken with ****** (*****'s boss) who has promised to look into the problem. On 22 Feb I called my credit card company to verify that a credit was never received. They confirmed my review of my CC acct. So, I set up a 3 way call with ******* *** and ****** with WGL and *** *** verified that no credit was ever received on my account. ****** promised to escalate to her boss *************************** and resolve the matter. I called again today 28 Feb 2023 and they are still working on the issue. I acted in good faith and paid the account by CC when, unbeknownst to me, the check had already been received and processed by WGL. Through incompetence or a horrid accounting system, (maybe both) they cannot accurately track/process payments or refund credits. Any help to resolve this is appreciated

  Business response

  04/10/2023

  Dear *** ******:
  
  We appreciate the opportunity to address *** ***** *****’s (*** *****) complaint. In *** *****’s complaint he is seeking a refund in the amount of $522.00 for a credit card payment made to WGL Energy on January 23, 2023, to bring his WGL Energy account to a $0.00 balance. WGL Energy responds as follows: 
  First, we sincerely apologize to *** ***** for the length of time it took to resolve the matter. As of March 7, 2023, the refund in the amount of $522.00 was successfully credited back to *** *****’s credit card. 
  The credit card payment that is the source of the complaint was made to WGL Energy on January 23, 2023, to bring *** *****’s WGL Energy account to a $0.00 balance. On January 23, 2023, **** ***** contacted WGL Energy, to confirm the balance due on the account. At the time of the call, the total amount due was $522.00. To prevent the account from going further past due **** ***** made the credit card payment of $522.00 to bring the account current.  
  On January 25, 2023, *** ***** contacted WGL Energy and advised he had mailed a check in December in the amount of $348.00 and wanted to know why they had to make the credit card payment in the amount of $522.00. Our customer advocate explained to *** ***** that the missing check in the amount of $348.00 had not been posted to the account until January 24, 2023, the day after the credit card payment was made. Our advocate advised *** ***** that we have experienced delays in United States Mail Service (USPS) which could have been the cause of the delayed payment. During *** *****’s call he requested that the amount be credited back to his card, or a refund check be mailed to him in the amount of $522.00. The Team Leader speaking with *** ***** submitted the refund request to gain the required approvals. 
  On January 27, 2023, ****** ***** issued the credit in the amount of $522.00 to be credited back to *** *****’s credit card using our secure portal. On January 31, 2023, one of our Team Leads contacted *** ***** to confirm that the credit refund had been processed and to advise him that he should see the refund on his credit card statement in the next day or so. Over the next 4 weeks we received approximately 5 calls from *** ***** requesting status of the credit. During that time WGL Energy and ********** ****** were being told by ****** ************, the secure portal provider, that the credit had been processed. Finally, after a month of *** ***** reporting/confirming that the credit had not yet been refunded to his credit card, I insisted that the issue be escalated to ****** ***********s’ Senior Management.
  Below is a timeline of the events and actions taken to address and ultimately resolve *** *****’s concern. 

  February 21, 2023 (9:15 AM)  ******* ****** from ********** ******  reported to ****** ************ that one of WGL Energy’s clients did not receive a $522 credit back to their Credit Card statement. The customer first initiated this payment on 1/23/2023.
  1st refund attempt - ****** ***** from ********** ****** refunded this payment through the secure portal on 1/27/23.
  **** ******** from ****** ************  immediately logged the issue and it alerted our lead over Product Support, *** ********.
  ****** worked with our *********** partner to research the refund payment and any associated issues.

  (Continued February 22, 2023)

  February 23, 2023  ****** consulted with our *********** Partner to confirm if this refund did indeed process successfully through the *********** system.
  *********** partner was unable to see the refund process workflow that would have caused an issue. 

  February 24, 2023  ****** contacted the banking partner to determine if the payment was visible in their system.

  February 27, 2023  ****** banking partner confirmed to ****** they did not see the payment/refund on their end.
  ********** & ****** met to discuss discovery items to date.

  March 2, 2023    ****** requested a report of all January and February transactions for ********** processing and the $522 payment in question was indeed missing.
  ****** escalated the request back to the *********** back-end partners.
  It was detected that a **** mandate had stopped the refund. ****** requested a report of all January and February transactions for ********** processing and the $522 payment in question was indeed missing.
  ****** escalated the request back to the *********** back-end partners.
  It was detected that a **** mandate had stopped the refund.
  **** mandate:
  **************************************************************************************************

  March 3, 2023  The missing transaction was sent to both *********** banking and gateway partners, and they agreed to provide the refund transaction. A forced refund* transaction due to recreated payment created a manual process based on compliance policies to ensure completion. This was the 2nd refund attempt.
  *Forced refunds are not common and has never occurred in the seven years in running the *********** program.
  ********** & ****** met to discuss status update.

  March 6, 2023  The 2nd ‘forced refund’ attempt failed. ****** escalated to our banking partner again and determined that forced refund limit was set at $500.00 and that they needed to increase the limits to $600.00 to facilitate this client’s refund.

  March 7, 2023  The 3rd refund attempt to ***** ***** was forced and reported as a successful transaction.
  ********** & ****** met to discuss status update.

  March 29, 2023   ****** was made aware from ********** / WGLE of a Better Business Bureau complaint from customer ***** ***** regarding the refund process.
  WGLE requested a detailed timeline of ****** team actions that took place related to this incident, to be able to respond to the BBB by April 4, 2023.

  For your reference below is a list of the parties involved in the investigation and resolution of *** *****’s complaint.
  
  *********** ******: WGL Energy’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) provider who is responsible for our customer facing contact center support.
  ****** ************: Provides cloud-based, omnichannel customer communications management technology, integrated with digital delivery, print and mail services and payment solutions through its ********® and ********Pay platform.
  ********Pay: ******’ online and IVR payment solution for clients.
  ****: Acts as a payment facilitator for ********** ******, specifically in this use case for WGLE. They handle card processing through a company called Repay, the card processor.
  Transactis: The payment service provider for ********Pay. They provide the gateway (credit card verification) through a company called ***********.
  ****:  Owns ***********, the entity ********** utilizes as their payment gateway
  
  Once again, we  appreciate the opportunity to address *** *****’s complaint and for the opportunity to explain in detail why the resolution took as long as it did. This situation is not one that WGL Energy nor ********** ****** our BPO provider has faced before. We are deeply sorry that the issue dragged out as long as it did. We are very appreciative of *** *****’s patience with WGL Energy as we worked to determine why the credit refund was not being applied to *** *****’s credit card statement. As a token of our appreciation, we mailed to *** *****’s home address $50.00 in **** Gift Cards for him and his family. We know **. and **** ***** have a choice when it comes to their energy supplier; we want them to know that we sincerely appreciate their business.
  
  We believe our response addresses the concerns put forward by *** *****.  Should you or *** ***** have any additional questions or require any additional information please feel free to contact me directly. 
  
  Sincerely,
  ** *********
  Manager, Customer Experience

• Initial Complaint

  02/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  WGL has predatory pricing policies. I initially signed up for their service because they charged a fixed rate of $21 per month for energy distribution. At the end of 1 year they raised their price to $219 per month. I am not opposed to an introductory discount. However, thier switch to the higher price has destroyed my budget.

  Business response

  03/16/2023

  Dear ***************:
  
  We appreciate the opportunity to address ************************ (*******************) complaint. In *** ********* complaint he alleges that the increase in his PowerLock pricing is predatory in nature. WGL Energy's response is intended to provide details to ******************** about how the PowerLock product is priced and to demonstrate that the increase he described as predatory was caused by several factors that directly impacted his account.
  ******************** enrolled with WGL Energy via our website on November 30, 2021 and his enrollment was accepted by the utility on December 1, 2021.******************** selected our PowerLock product for a one -year term at a monthly price of $19.99. The Pre-Enrollment letter containing the full Terms and Conditions was mailed to ******************** on December 1, 2021 and is attached for your reference. Also attached is the Renewal Notice mailed to ******************** on October 24, 2022. The Renewal Notice informed ******************** of the $229.99 per month contract price for the upcoming one-year term and that the contract will Auto-Renew at the $229.99 per month rate unless ******************** contacts WGL Energy to cancel his Agreement or to select another product before November 11, 2022.   The Renewal Notice also contains the full Terms and Conditions for the PowerLock product.  
  With respect to **. ********* increase in his monthly price, it is important to note that PowerLock pricing is predicated on a number of factors.  These factors include the wholesale cost of electricity at the time the contract is priced, the projected cost or trend of wholesale electricity for the upcoming twelve months and the customers historical usage, as well as the customers most recent usage for the previous twelve-month billing period. 
  When we look at **. ********* PowerLock pricing, a major factor in the initial contract price of $19.99 per month was the annualized usage provided to WGL Energy by **. ********* utility company. For 2020 the annualized usage provided was 13,681 kWh, an average of 1,140 kWh per month. For 2021 the annualized usage provided was 14,420 kWh, an average of 1,202 kWh per month. When we evaluated **. ********* actual usage for 2022 to provide updated pricing for the upcoming Renewal Notice, **. ********* actual annualized usage showed a dramatic increase to 20,190 kWh, an average of 1,683 kWh per month; that is almost a 50% increase over the historical usage WGL Energy was initially provided by **. ********* utility company.  The increase in **. ********* actual usage, his steady upward trend in usage year over year, coupled with the rising wholesale energy costs in the fourth quarter of 2022 all factored into the monthly price of $229.99 per month offered to ******************** in the attached Renewal Notice.
  
  In short, the original PowerLock offer of $19.99 was based on data provided by the utility. The data greatly underestimated the amount of energy ******************* uses during the course of a year. WGL Energy honored our original offer providing ******************** a significant savings during his initial contract term. The Renewal rate of $229.99 is a more accurate reflection of **.********* actual usage and the market prices at the time the Renewal Offer was made. 
  As stated in the attached Renewal Notice which contains WGL Energys Terms and Conditions if ******************** did not want to Auto-Renew into the new offer he was required to contact us by November 11, 2022. WGL Energy did not hear from ********************, therefore, in accordance with WGL Energys Terms and Conditions. the renewal rate went into effect on November 25,2022.  While we do require a one-year term to enroll in the PowerLock program, there is no fee to cancel the PowerLock product prior to the contract end date. As such, **. ********* PowerLock contract was cancelled at his request without any penalty on February 2, 2023 via a phone call placed by ******************** to WGL Energys call center on that date.
  We believe our response addresses the concerns put forward by ******************** Should you have any additional questions or require any additional information please feel free to contact me directly. 

• Initial Complaint

  01/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I ( *************************************) am writing this on behalf of my father who is 89 years old(*******************************************). I recently sat down with my father to help him balance his budget and pay his household bills. Upon closely examining his electric bill from ************** and independent supplier WGL Energy Services, Inc. I uncovered that he was being charged twice for the same kilowatt hours used in his home, once by ************** and once by WGL for the same amount of kilowatt hours used (WGL also charged quite a bit more by WGL as evidenced by the uploaded bill). I called ************** and they confirmed that WGL is misrepresenting their provision of services and that they particularly pitch to unsuspecting seniors). ******** immediately removed WGL from my fathers account, but informed him that he would have to pay the December and January bill to WGL. The representative at ************** also informed me that they receive at least 10 calls per day from other victims of WGL and their scam. I then called WGL to inquire if any adjustments or refunds could be made regarding billing. They said they would not, even though I told them they preyed on an unsuspecting 89 year old man on a fixed income. They still refused. My father is embarrassed and upset that he was taken advantage of by this company since August of 2021. I only uncovered the scam when I sat down with him to help him pay his bills. It upsets me that he and so many others are being taken advantage of, especially unsuspecting ************ is elder abuse and I would appreciate any assistance you can provide to help rectify this unfortunate situation and help raise public awareness, especially with our senior population. I am my fathers power of attorney and am able to speak on his behalf about his situation. I thank you in advance and look forward to discussing this complaint in order to work toward an appropriate resolution. Sincerely, ************************************* for *******************************************

  Business response

  03/09/2023

  TBBB serving Metro Washington DC and Eastern Pennsylvania
  1411 K St. NW, 10th Floor
  Washington DC 20005-3404
  
  RE: Complaint ID  ********;  *******************************************
  
  Dear ****************:
  
  We appreciate the opportunity to address ************************* concern about her fathers business relationship with *** Energy.  In her written complaint, ****************************** says that her father was being charged twice for the same kilowatt hours used in his home, once by ******** Power and once by *** for the same amount of kilowatt hours used and that she wants to help raise public awareness  WGL Energy’s response is intended to educate ****************************** on the role of third-party suppliers as well as provide the details of **. ************** enrollment with WGL Energy.  
  ******** is **. ************** utility company, and they provide energy distribution services for all their customers. These services include but are not limited to the delivery of energy to customers meters, meter reading, system maintenance, repair, billing, and collecting charges from customers to cover their own operating costs.
  WGL Energy is a third-party retail energy supplier. Energy suppliers deliver energy for their customers use into a utilitys system for delivery to the customer. Third-Party suppliers charges appear on a customers utility bill and cover the generation and transmission costs of the amount of energy used by the customer in other words, the cost to produce the energy and to get it to the customers utility for use. The supplier knows how much energy the customer uses because the utility provides the customers meter reading to the customers third-party supplier at the end of each billing period.
  Customers have the choice of using their utility as their energy supplier, or they may choose to buy their energy from a third-party energy supplier.  Supplier choice has been allowed since the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) deregulated the electricity market over 20 years ago.
  When customers have third-party electricity suppliers, they will see two different sections on their utility invoice a supplier billing section that reflects charges for the actual kilowatt hours that were delivered to and used by the customer, and a second section showing the utility's charges for delivering those same kilowatt hours to the customers home. The number of kilowatt hours used in billing should always be the same in these two sections.  The two sections, added together, is the total cost of the electricity that the customer used during the billing period.  This is what ***************************** describes as double billing.
  ****************************** states that WGL Energy preyed on an unsuspecting 89-year-old man. We have reviewed the circumstances surrounding her fathers enrollment, and WGL Energy is of the opinion the enrollment is valid and that ****************************** initiated and willingly enrolled his electricity service with WGL Energy.
  Through our internal investigation WGL Energy determined that ***************************** enrolled through one of our energy brokers websites.  The brokers records indicate ***************************** initiated his enrollment on Friday, July 30, 2021. ***************************************** went online and selected a plan for 24 months with WGL Energy at 7.9 cents/kWh. **. ************** personal email and cell phone number were used as his contact information for the enrollment. As a part of the enrollment process, he would have then had to use his personal e-mail to confirm his selection and complete the online portion of the enrollment.  **. ************** plan was quoted at 8:47 AM CT and confirmed using his email address by 8:50 AM CT.  Until ****************************** disclosed it, WGL Energy had no idea of ***************************** age.
  On October 10, 2022, WGL Energy received electronic notice from Delmarva that ****************************** had switched his supply service to a different supplier.  Delmarva set the service end date for October 12, 2022.  WGL Energy sent a cancellation letter to the customer on October 17, 2022.
  ****************************** called WGL Energys customer care center on October 20, 2022, after receiving the cancellation letter.  He asked the first advocate he spoke with who his new supplier was and she explained that he would need to speak with ******** since WGL Energy was not provided with that information; she then transferred him directly to ******** customer service after inviting him to call back if he wished to reinstate.
  ****************************** called the WGL Energy customer care center again later that day and spoke with a second advocate. He told the advocate that he wanted to get back into the previous contract that was good until August 2023; at **. ************** request, he was reinstated into his original contract.  ****************************** told both advocates that he signed up with another company because I thought it was you people.  Unfortunately, there are situations where telemarketers have been known to misrepresent who they are affiliated with, and *** ************** statement is not unheard of. 
  As for **. ************** statement that ******** claimed that “receive at least 10 calls per day from other victims of WGL and their scam” and “they confirmed that WGL is misrepresenting their provision of services and that they particularly pitch to unsuspecting seniors”, WGL Energy sincerely hopes that this is not an accurate understanding of what ******** representatives actually said, as such statements are prohibited under the guidelines set forth during deregulation. WGL Energy has informed our Legal Counsel of these allegations and we are evaluating our actions specific to these allegations. 
  The offer that ****************************** enrolled in online also provided for a 4% rebate to be paid to the customer in the form of a check made payable to the account holder at the end of each contract year.  A check for $43.57 was mailed to ***************************** on 10/18/2022.  This check was endorsed by ****************************** and presented for payment on February 9, 2023.
  When ****************************** called WGL Energys customer care center she demanded that the most recent charges from WGL Energy appearing on her fathers bill be reversed or she would file this complaint with the Better Business Bureau.  During the call, the advocate that spoke with ****************************** advised her that the kWh usage for the time period was five times more than the regular amount of usage.  ****************************** disclosed that the usage was high because the customer had experienced a flood and machines were used to dry out the moisture.  This fact was later confirmed when a care center supervisor spoke with ******************************, who told the supervisor ******** used all that electricity.  As the supervisor explained to *****************************, WGL Energy will be happy to adjust the charges related to the flood remediation if ******** finds cause to make an adjustment to the meter reading they provided which was the basis for WGL Energy's billing.
  Because **. ************** contract with WGL Energy was prematurely terminated, an early termination fee of $70 was charged to his account.  Even though ****************************** was informed of the fee for early termination at the time he enrolled online and when he called and requested reinstatement, WGL Energy is willing to waive that early termination charge as a courtesy since it is not certain that ***************************************** is the one that actually cancelled the contract.
  We believe our response addresses the concerns put forward by *****************************. Please contact me or ***********************, Manager Customer Experience if you require and additional information.
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************
  Senior Customer Experience Specialist
  ************
  ****************************************************************** us why here...

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Background: I am a customer of WGL Energy as the 3rd party provider for gas services in Northern VA. *********** is the ultimate supplier. I received my January bill from WGL Energy dated 12/28/2022. Account # ***********. Home address and service point: ************************************** Burke VA **********. Home: ************. I continue on a Blanket Bill. The current gas charge for the 12/28 Bill was $100.00. For the past 26 months my bill amount was $77.00.Problem: This increase seems excessive. Its also seems odd that the bill amount is rounded off number. Action taken: Neither WGL Energy or *********** could directly help me. I called both Customer Advocates. They had little information to share or transparency into how my bill is $100, or if that is the new Budget Amount, or if this reflects some type of 'correction'. I have asked for an Audit of therms usage from both companies for 2022.

  Business response

  02/23/2023

  Dear *** ******:
  
  We appreciate the opportunity to address *** ****** ****s’ (*** *****) concerns about his Blanket Bill in writing.  *** ***** has contacted our call center several times to discuss the matter. We were under the impression we had adequately addressed his concerns. We are hopeful this written response will bring a better understanding of the Blanket Bill and ultimately closure to his concerns.
  *** ***** has been a customer of WGL Energy since 2013 and has been a Blanket Bill customer since 2015. During that time, *** ****s’ Blanket Bill has varied from a low of $70 per month to a previous high of $82 per month. While changes in usage will impact a customer’s Blanket Bill, that is not the only factor that causes year to year differences, and it is not the primary reason for the recent increase in *** ****s’ Blanket Bill amount.  For various reasons that have been thoroughly discussed in the national news, natural gas prices rose to a 14-year high in 2022. 
  
  Although the natural gas market has since seen a decrease in the wholesale cost of gas, that was not the case when gas supplies were being acquired to meet our customers’ demand needs.
  In accordance with our Terms and Conditions, notification of the increase in *** ****s’ monthly Blanket Bill amount to $100 was sent to *** ***** in his Renewal Notice in September 2022.  This notice states Your current agreement has an automatic renewal component, so unless you tell us otherwise, we’ll renew your Blanket Bill Agreement for natural gas service that will begin in November 2022 and end in October 2023.  The notice also provided a second Blanket Bill option and stated If you do not wish to renew or would like to select Option B, please call before October 5, 2022 at the phone number above.  Once a customer decides to accept the offer,  the natural gas supply is acquired up front to meet the customer’s projected need. When no response was received from *** *****, his Blanket Bill contract automatically renewed as outlined in his renewal notice, as it had in the previous years.
  Over a two-week timespan, *** ***** called and spoke with WGL Energy advocates and supervisors numerous times.  It has been explained to *** ***** that the Blanket Bill is a set monthly cost that allows the customer to know what he will be paying for the next 12 or 24 months, regardless of usage and with no settlement upon completion of the contract.  Alternate offers based on actual volumes used were made available to him as well.
  In his complaint, *** ***** says:
  “ I continue on a Blanket Bill. The current gas charge for the 12/28 Bill was $100.00. For the past 26 months my bill amount was $77.00. Problem: This increase seems excessive.”   
  In *** ****s’ case, while WGL Energy billed him $100 for his 12/28  bill, the actual cost associated with his service for that period was $176.45.  Costs for the following 2 months were $252.82 and $198.81, for which *** ***** was also billed $100 each month, so the Blanket Bill is providing *** ***** the price protection associated with the Blanket Bill product. 
  *** ***** also says “Its also seems odd that the bill amount is rounded off number.”  The Blanket Bill monthly cost is built on an estimation of the customer’s annual usage and that total dollar amount is simply divided by 12 months to spread the cost out evenly over the course of the contract. So, to keep it simple we round it to a full dollar, no cents.  WGL Energy has billed the Blanket Bill program in “rounded off numbers” every month since *** ***** first enrolled in the Blanket Bill in 2015.
  Over the course of his communication with WGL Energy, *** ***** has been provided with a one-year usage report and a 3-year usage report, and he is concerned that there appears to be a month of usage missing from our reports when compared to information he has received from Washington Gas.  Since the Blanket Bill is a flat rate per month, usage does not impact the month-to-month billing.  
  We were surprised to learn that *** ***** had filed a complaint with your agency. On February 1, 2023, *** ***** spoke with a member of the leadership team and expressed his frustration with “the lack of transparency with the Blanket Bill price generation and difficulty in accessing my.wges to review usage”. At that time, he requested a 3-year usage history, which the team member provided. In an account memo from a February 3, 2023 call to one of our Team Leaders, *** ***** said he really appreciated the time we have given him and the review of the account. He went on to say **** did a great job and that he was appreciative of the customer service we have provided him.
  *** ***** may cancel his current Blanket Bill contract with WGL Energy without early termination penalty, but as outlined in our Terms and Conditions, that would trigger the True-Up of the account, which would result in *** ***** paying the difference between what he has paid under the Blanket Bill and his actual service costs.
  Please let us know if you require any additional information. 
  

  Sincerely,
  Bo F********
  Manager, Customer Experience

• Initial Complaint

  11/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I switched to WGL Energy Services as my electric supplier on 12/28/2020. I originally signed a one-year agreement with WGL, but I renewed for another year. My contract is supposed to end on 12/28/2022. However, WGL has decided to terminate my contract early on 12/07/2022. I would like to remain with WGL as my supplier until my intended end date with them; 12/28/2022. I will not renew my services with WGL for another year.

  Business response

  12/08/2022

  Dear ****************:
  
  Please accept this letter as a response of WGL Energy Services, Inc. to the complaint of ******** **.   ***** also filed a Formal Complaint to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission which raised the identical issue related to the timing of the ending of her contact. Upon receiving the PUC Complaint, we reached out to the customer and fully satisfied her concerns. Attached is a copy of the Certificate of Satisfaction that was filed with the PA PUC to confirm the satisfaction.
  
  Once again, we appreciate the opportunity to address *** **’s concerns. We believe the actions taken to settle *** **’s Formal Complaint filed with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission also serve to satisfy this identical complaint she filed with your agency.  
  Please let us know if you require any additional information. 

• Initial Complaint

  09/26/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We want reimbursed for excessive charges on our electric bill. Our rates were raised by a large amount without our knowledge and approval.

  Business response

  10/24/2022

  Dear ****************:
  
  We appreciate the opportunity to respond to ***********************  (**********************)  complaint. In his  complaint ********************** alleges his electricity rates were increased without his knowledge and he is requesting reimbursement for what he describes to be excessive charges. WGL Energy’s responds as follows:
  *** ********* has been a customer of WGL Energy for his electricity (account # **********) service through ********* *** * ******** (***) since April 22, 2009, when he enrolled in a two-year Fixed Rate contract.  When *** *********’s initial contract expired, in accordance with WGL Energy’s Terms and Conditions, a Renewal Notice was mailed via USPS to *** *********’s mailing address, ** ***** **, Baltimore, MD *****. As stated in the Renewal Notice, if the customer does not contact WGL Energy during the renewal period to either select a different plan or to cancel the contract, the contract will automatically renew for another one year term at the rate noted in the Renewal Notice. *** *********’s electricity account has automatically renewed every year since his initial enrollment expired in May 2011.
   In accordance with WGL Energy’s Terms and Conditions , Renewal Notices were mailed each year via USPS to *** *********’s mailing address noted above, approximately 45-60 days prior to each contract end date. For reference, I have attached the initial enrollment form completed on April 8, 2009, by *** ********* and the most recent Renewal Notice dated May 9. 2022.
  *** ********* contacted our call center on September 19, 2020, to inquire about his rate increase. During that call the renewal process and the rate increase were discussed.  *** ********* was not satisfied with the explanation that market conditions have driven up WGL Energy’s costs therefore retail prices have also increased.  Ultimately a WGL Energy supervisor called *** ********* back and further explained that we mail the Renewal Notices as outlined in our Terms and Conditions.  *** ********* claimed he never received any of the Renewal Notices.  The Supervisor subsequently mailed via USPS, *** *********’s most recent Renewal Notice dated May 9. 2022.  In addition, because of *** *********’s long history with WGL Energy, the supervisor also agreed to cancel the WGL Energy electricity supplier account and waived the Early Termination Fee (ETF) so that *** ********* can return to the utility to take advantage of the rates the utility quoted.
  Once again, we appreciate the opportunity to respond to *** *********’s complaint. We believe our actions have addressed *** *********’s concerns.
  Please let me know if you have any additional questions.
  
  Sincerely,
  Bo F**********
  Manager, Customer Experience

  Customer response

  10/27/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  From: ************************* <************************>
  Date: Thu, Oct 27, 2022 at 10:35 AM
  Subject: Re: You have a new message from the BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern ************ in regards to your complaint #********.
  To: Better Business Bureau<info@mybbb.org>
  
  I do not accept the reasoning that WGL responded with. They are making it sound like I did something wrong . The business practice of raising prices as high as they did without my written consent is highly unacceptable. Price gouging the public is very unmoral. I want WGL to recognize that they need to make amends for such practices by simply reimbursing me for the excessive price hike. Thank you , please forward this to WGL for a response. And please let me know if you received this message.
  

  Regards,

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

• Initial Complaint

  07/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I receive multiple calls a day from WGL Energy in both Virginia and Maryland. Yesterday i counted over 10 calls. I Have no interest in doing business with them, nor have I have done business with them. It's borderline harassment at this point. 2 calls a day is too much. Getting 5-10 is outrageous. This is a horrible business practice. I even engaged once or twice to see if there was a past relationship or debt I might owe and there isn't. There is never any messages left. But the calls start at 9am and go til almost 9pm. It's ridiculous. I have blocked the number and they just call from another number. I want my number off the call list. ZERO interest in ever having any type of relationship or contract with this company.
  

  Business response

  08/10/2022

  Dear ****************:
  
  We appreciate the opportunity to respond to *** ***** ******’s (“*** ******”) complaint received on July 28,2022. In his complaint, *** ****** alleges he has been contacted via telephone by WGL Energy Services, Inc. (“WGL Energy”) multiple times per day despite not having any association with WGL Energy. WGL Energy responds as follows:
  
  Upon receiving the complaint WGL Energy began an investigation of the allegations made by *** ******, that WGL Energy has been contacting him via telephone multiple times per day. WGL Energy immediately placed phone number (**** ******** on our Do Not Call (“DNC”) List and WGL Energy’s Sales Manager contacted WGL Energy’s telesales vendors to see if any of WGL Energy’s three telesales vendors made calls to phone number, ***** ********, the telephone number referenced in *** ******’s complaint.  It was determined that one of WGL Energy’s telesales vendors had contacted phone number (**** ********.
  
  Our vendor’s records indicate they attempted to contact phone number (**** ********* 67 times in a 53-day period from May 28, 2022 to July 19,2022.  Our vendor’s records indicate that all attempts to contact phone number (**** ********, were made while that phone number was on a valid contact list, a “consent to call” or “opt in” list. At no time was *** ****** ever enrolled for service with WGL Energy.
  Please reference the statements below provided by our telesales vendor relative to the call history for *** ******’s phone number (**** ********:
  Our records indicate this is a cellular number with area code based in Virginia and service provided by ****** ********.
  This is an opt-in lead for WGL with consumer-sourced information below:
  First name = *****
  Last name = ******
  Address = **** ******* *****
  City = CROFTON
  State = MD
  Zip = *****
  Phone** = **********
  Email = *******************
  IP Address = ***************************************

  Visit URL = *************************************************
  Browser = ****** ****** *************
  Operating system = ******* **
  Opt-in date/time = 2022-05-28 09:12:46*********** *********** * **********************************************************************

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

  ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
  This phone does not appear in any suppression list (non-DNC) provided to *** by WGL.
  This phone is not in ***’s entity-specific DNC list for WGL, nor in NeverEverCall.
  This phone does not appear in the National DNC list downloaded 13 JULY 2022.
  Maryland does not maintain its own state DNC list.
  This  phone is not in the national wireless/wireline ported number lists downloaded 13 JULY 2022.
  
  WGL Energy is of the opinion the phone calls made to phone number (**** ******** by our telesales vendor were in compliance with all local, state, and national regulations. As requested in *** ******’s complaint, WGL Energy has placed phone number (**** ******** on WGL Energy’s DNC List.
  Once again, we appreciate the opportunity to address *** ******’s concerns. We believe our actions have addressed *** ******’s complaint and his request not to be contacted by WGL Energy.
  Please let us know if you require any additional information.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Bo F********
  Manager, Customer Experience
  ************@WGLEnergy.com
  ***** ********

• Initial Complaint

  07/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I dont have an account with this company nor wish to ever have one. This company calls me several times a day. When I block them, they call from a different number. I need them to stop at this point.

  Business response

  07/27/2022

  Dear ****************:
  
  We appreciate the opportunity to respond to *** ******* ****s  (“*** ***”) complaint received on March 29,2022. In his complaint, *** *** alleges he has been contacted via telephone by WGL Energy Services, Inc. (“WGL Energy”) multiple times per day despite not having any association with WGL Energy. WGL Energy responds as follows:
  
  Upon receiving the complaint WGL Energy began an investigation of the allegations made by *** ***, that WGL Energy has been contacting him via telephone multiple times per day. WGL Energy immediately placed phone number ###-###-#### on our Do Not Call (“DNC”) List and WGL Energy’s Sales Manager contacted WGL Energy’s telesales vendors to see if any of WGL Energy’s three telesales vendors made calls to telephone number, ###-###-####, the telephone number referenced in *** ***’s complaint.  It was determined that two of WGL Energy’s telesales vendors had contacted phone number ###-###-####.
  
  One of our vendor’s attempted to contact phone number ###-###-#### 5 times from July 7, 2021 – July 14, 22, 2022. The second vendor attempted to contact phone number ###-###-####, 29 times from June 30, 2022 – July 15, 2022.  Our vendors’ records indicate that all attempts to contact phone number ###-###-####, were made while that phone number was on a valid contact list, a “consent to call” or “opt in” list. At no time was *** *** ever enrolled for service with WGL Energy.
  WGL Energy is of the opinion the phone calls made to phone number ###-###-#### by our telesales vendors were in compliance with all local, state, and national regulations. As requested in *** ***’s complaint, WGL Energy has placed phone number ###-###-#### on the WGL Energy’s DNC List.
  Once again, we appreciate the opportunity to address *** ***’s concerns. We believe our actions have addressed *** ***’s complaint and his request not to be contacted by WGL Energy.
  Please let us know if you require any additional information.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Bo F************
  Manager,Customer Experience

• Initial Complaint

  06/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  They have been calling me multiple times a day from different numbers, harassing me and pressuring me to give them my gas and electric account information so they call "lower my bill". I keep explaining to them that i'm not interested and they refuse to listen. Today they called again and when I said I wasn't interested in having my bill lowered, the lady on the phone told me that she didn't care what I thought, that I needed to give her my bill information so she can so call lower my bill. This is harassment, inappropriate conduct and bullying, their supervisor even called me harassing me about giving them my bill information.

  Business response

  07/01/2022

  Dear ****************:
  
  We appreciate the opportunity to respond to **. ******* ****'s  (************)complaint. In her complaint ************ alleges she has been contacted via telephone by WGL Energy on multiple days and multiple times per day, despite her advising the callers she is not interested in service with WGL Energy. WGL Energy responds as follows:
  
  Upon receiving **. ***** complaint WGL Energy began an investigation of the allegations made by ************. WGL Energy's Sales Manager contacted WGL Energys telesales vendors to see if any of WGL Energys three telesales vendors made calls to the telephone number, **************, the telephone number referenced in **. ***** complaint.  It was determined that only one of WGL Energys three telesales vendors had contacted phone number, *************.
  
  Our vendors records show phone number ************** was called eleven times from June 9, 2022 June 13, 2022. The number of calls made on June 10,2022, exceeded the guidelines WGL Energy sets for our telesales vendors.  WGL Energy expects that no more than two connected phone calls should be placed to any one phone number on any given date.  As a result, WGL Energy's Sales Manager met with our vendors leadership team and reminded them of WGL Energy's guidelines and that additional instances may result in penalties up to and  including termination of their contract.
  
  While WGL Energy is of the opinion the phone calls made to phone number ************* by our telesales vendor were in compliance with all local, state, and national regulations, as of June 13, 2022, phone number ************** has been place on our Do Not Call List.

  Once again, we appreciate the opportunity to address **. ***** concerns.  We believe our investigation addresses the allegations made by ************. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by our vendors actions. WGL Energy is proud of the reputation we have built in the market and we will not tolerate anything less than courteous and respectful interactions by anyone representing WGL Energy.
  
  Please let us know if you require any additional information.  
  
  Sincerely,
  Bo F**********
  Manager,Customer Experience
  ********************@WGLEnergy.com
  *************

• Initial Complaint

  06/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Continuously getting telemarketing calls after advising to remove my mobile number and that i am on the do not call list

  Business response

  06/23/2022

  Dear ****************:
  
  We appreciate the opportunity to respond to ***********************'s  (***************) complaint. In his complaint received by WGL Energy Services, Inc.(WGL Energy) on March 29, 2022, **************** alleges he has been contacted via telephone by WGL Energy multiple times per day despite being on the do not call registry. WGL Energy responds as follows:
  
  Upon receiving **. ******'s complaint WGL Energy began an investigation of the allegations made by ****************, that WGL Energy has been contacting him via telephone multiple times per day even though he is on the do not call registry. WGL Energys Sales Manager contacted WGL Energys telesales vendors to see if any of WGL Energys three telesales vendors made calls to the telephone number, **************, the telephone number referenced in **.******* complaint.  It was determined that only one of WGL Energys three telesales vendors had contacted phone number, **************.
  
  Our vendors records show we attempted to contact phone number ************** from November 6, 2021 June 9, 22, 2022. As our vendors records below will demonstrate, all attempts to contact phone number **************, were made while that phone number **************, was on valid consent to call or opt in list. At no time was **************** ever enrolled for service with WGL Energy.
  Please reference the statements below provided by our telesales vendor relative to the call history for **. ******* phone number **************: 
  
  Our records indicate phone number ************* was a valid Optin lead which is why he was called even though he believed his phone number was on the do not call list.
  The two instances below show the information that was collected when the customer opted-in:
  Opt-in lead # 1
  
  Opt-in date/time = 2021-11-05 22:26:05.000
  First name = ****
  Last name =******
  Address = *** ************************ apt **
  City =CANONSBURG
  State = **
  Zip = *****
  Phone10 = **********
  Email = ***********************
  IP Address =**************
  Visit URL = http://win.*********.info/api/offer
  Browser = Mobile ****** ******

  Operating system = iOS 14.6
  TrustedForm certificate = https://**************************************************************************************************************

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

  *****************************************************************************************************
  
  Opt-in lead # 2
  
  Opt-in date/time = 2022-06-04 14:11:16.000
  First name = ****
  Last name =******
  Address = *** ************************ apt **
  City =CANONSBURG
  State = PA
  Zip = *****
  Phone10 = **********
  Email = ***********************
  IP Address =**************************************
  Visit URL = http://go.******************.com/***/offer
  Browser = ****** 15.5
  Operating system = *** ** * *******
  TrustedForm certificate = https://cert.***********.com/*****************************************

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

  ****************************************************************************************************************************
  
  Additionally, our vendors records indicate the following relative to phone number ************** appearing on various DNC Lists:
  This phone does not appear in AGRs entity-specific DNC list for WGL. It is being added to client DNC. This phone number is on the NeverEverCall List as of 9 JUNE 2022.
  
  This phone appears on the National DNC list downloaded 8 JUNE 2022.
  
  This phone does not appear on the Pennsylvania DNC list downloaded 8 JUNE 2022.
  
  This  phone does not appear in the national wireless/wireline ported numbers lists downloaded 8 JUNE 2022.
  
  Call records show 74 outbound and 3 inbound calls involving this phone on behalf of WGL Energy. Call dates span the two opt-in leads above,starting 6 NOV 2021 up through  9 JUNE 2022. The last call is dispositioned as DNC NeverEverCall.
  
  Given the evidence presented above, WGL Energy is of the opinion the phone calls made to phone number ************** by our telesales vendor were in compliance with all local, state, and national regulations.
  Once again, we appreciate the opportunity to address **. ******* concerns.  We believe our investigation addresses the allegations made by **************** and it demonstrates WGL Energy, and its vendor contacted **************** while his phone number was on a valid opt-in list.
  
  Please let us know if you require any additional information.   
  
  Sincerely,
  Bo F*************
  Manager,Customer Experience
  *********************@WGLEnergy.com
  *************

  Customer response

  06/24/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************
  
  I received more than two calls from this vendor and can submit a complete telephone history for the last six months.  I am in the Narional Do not Call list for telemarketing purposes
  

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