Texas and Florida
5251 Westheimer Road
Suite 1000
Houston, Texas
77056
Email: [email protected]
To Whom It May Concern:
After 5 months with Just Energy, and after telephone calls made to Just Energy requesting a different payment due date and ultimately an email requesting the same in order to avoid late payments, I chose to cancel my service. I had asked for a due date of 25-28 of the month because that is when I receive ALL of my retirement and social security checks.
This decision to cancel service with JustEnergy was based on the following:
- all the extra fees attached to my bill in the amount of $645.05
- $84.31 in pay and adjust fees (late payment fees)
- Total amount $729.36.
The extra fees and late payment charges offered me no savings on my electric bill and were misrepresented at the time I signed the contract (11/1 for 60 months). As a senior citizen, I should have been able to request a different billing date.
After consulting an Attorney with respect to the above, I was advised as follows:
Under TX Utilities Code Section 182.002, if you are 60 years of age or older... You may request a Delay Of Payment for up to 25 days after the bill is due ON EVERY FUTURE BILL.
The following is the text of the code:
Sec. 182.002. Delay of bill payment date for elderly individual. (a) On request by an elderly individual, a utility shall delay without penalty the payment date of a bill for providing utility service to that individual until the 25th day after the date the bill is issued.
Sec. 182.003. Request for delay. An elderly individual may request that the utility implement the delay under Section 182.002 for:
(1) the most recent utility bill; or
(2) the most recent utility bill and each subsequent utility bill.
Under the circumstances, I feel that I should not be charged the cancellation fee since Just Energy did not want to, did not try to, or was unaware of the above code and did not give me any indication that they would resolve my request for an extension by either phone call or email. I am not eligible for low income assistance because I make more than the limit for assistance which was one of your suggestions.
It is also my understanding that I should get out without any charges even though I had passed the cancellation date for service with Just Energy. A telephone call should suffice.
There is no way that I can pay the remaining balance on my account of $375.00 fee for early cancellation. I am 69 years old and live on a fixed income which is another reason I should not have to pay this fee. I may have violated the contract terms but JustEnergy violated the Texas Utilities Code.
Please respond to this letter how Just Energy wants to resolve this matter before I actually file with an Attorney.
Since I have not gotten any information from JustEnergy since it was cancelled and no longer have access to my online account, please advise how much I owe minus the fee for the Exit Fee.
Previous Balance 273.10 Pd. 8-24-13
Current Charges:
74.01 Remainder of Charges for electric service
375.00 Exit Fee
Total Bill $449.01
0 comments