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Complaint Details
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Initial Complaint
08/06/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
So at then beginning of July I called versant power to have power turned on at a location I moved into everything was set up power was turned on I can home from work 08/05/24 my power was off I called the company tried to trouble shoot issue come to find out there are two meters at the location I live one on the side of my home the other on a pole attached to nothing they turned on wrong meter and assigned me the other meter so the meter that was turned on was being billed to someone else and they realized this and shut my power off so now ruining all my food in fridge and freezer and tell me I need to now pay a deposit for 12 months because someone who had meter attached to my home owes them money not me not my bill not my name nothing so now they tell me meters on which someone came out looked at both saw one on house one attached to nothing and told them everything was fine turn on the correct meter which they did but there is no house there no wires running to it nothing so it was a trailer that no longer exists I call back they say I cant have power on my house unless I take over that meter assigned to someone else pay the deposit which I never had to do when power was first turned on they deny any wrong doing which turning on power in my name but billing someone else is most definitely wrong second they wont turn it on because someone who used to live here owes money and told me I have to wait 48 hours to have an application reviewed and theyll get back to me in the mean time I have three kids no power no fridge freezer or anything middle of summer all because when they initially turned my power on they made a mistake and turned on wrong meter and are now punishing me for someone elses bill its a lot more but running out of space to write its just insane they shut my power off because someone else who isnt me has nothing to do with me owes them money makes no sense to me
Business response
08/13/2024
Occupants of this residence have not made any payment for services since October 2023. The individual filing this complaint lives in the residence with the original account holder and therefore is not allowed to take over service while an outstanding balance remains.Initial Complaint
02/29/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
The Distribution costs for my power account have gone up a lot since the beginning of January. The delivery costs are $39 higher than my usage. I called about this last month and the representative told me that the costs are out of their control, but it makes no sense to me that the delivery of my power is costing more than the usage of my power. I am trying to be very conscious about power use and I see there is no point to doing that as no matter what I do, my bill keeps increasing. I will be contacting my State Representative about this issue.Business response
03/08/2024
This customer was not told that distribution costs are out of Versant Powers control, but we do understand customer confusion about who is responsible for different portions of their electricity bill and how costs are determined.Versant Powers distribution rates are regulated by the Maine *************************** and reflect the costs of poles, wires, substations, customer and billing services, among other amenities. On January 1, residential customers saw an increase in distribution rates and a decrease in supply rates, which means the delivery portion of bills may be higher in some cases than the supply portion of bills. Customers who manage their electricity use will still save money on both portions of their bill. Versant Power understands that no one likes to hear that electricity rates are increasing, and we work hard to help customers save money through referrals to energy efficiency resources and other assistance. We have reached out to the customer seeking to follow up, but that call has not been returned at this time.Customer response
03/08/2024
[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #********. I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved.
Regards,
*****************************Initial Complaint
08/29/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
Versant Power claims my usage has gone up nearly 200 percent since January 2023 the appliances are the same ones I had in 2022. I live alone in a **** sq. ft. house on a fixed income.Customer response
09/11/2023
I have not heard from the business in response to my complaint.Business response
09/11/2023
Many conditions can lead to changes in electricity use, even if you do not change your appliances or the number of residents in your home. Problems with your homes heating and cooling systems, water heater or well pump, for example, can lead to significant increases in usage.
This individual called Versant Powers *********************** on July 25 to discuss high usage, and shared that he has two heat pumps in his home. While customers can save a significant amount on energy costs by efficiently using heat pumps, customers with heat pumps should expect higher electricity bills. That amount can vary significantly as the temperature changes and heat pumps work to heat or cool the home, just like air conditioners or traditional furnaces.
To investigate significant changes in usage that cant be attributed to changing temperatures, use of appliances or changes in home occupancy, Versant Power recommends customers engage an electrician. Our utility has no insight into what specifically may be drawing energy within the customers home.Initial Complaint
02/09/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
Hello I believe my fathers electric company is price gouging and would like to state we use the same electric power then we did a year ago and theyre saying were using 103%more power then a year ago so I would like to state that we need someone to investigate this issue because we using more power then last year a year ago is a complete lie on the company and the electric bill is twice the amount a year ago?Business response
02/17/2023
We would recommend having your father call Versant Power at ************** to discuss his electricity use and, if appropriate, learn about resources to help with energy management and costs. We can offer payment plans as well as contact information for local agencies that can offer further guidance and assistance.
Effective Jan. 1, 2023, prices for the "standard offer" electricity supply increased, which means customers will pay more to use the same amount of electricity as last year. The total bill impact for a typical residential customer using 500 kilowatt-hours per month will be an increase of about $23.77 per month, proportionately more if your usage is higher.
The standard offer rate is determined through a bid process conducted by the Maine **************************** Versant Power does not generate this electricity, nor does it make a profit from it; however, we are required to bill for it as a direct pass-through to our customers.
Initial Complaint
11/28/2022
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I inherited a property in **** last year. Versant provides the service to us there. We started off by getting wrong invoices to a different property/owner that took months to figure out and correct. Now, we are getting notices that payments are received late because Versant had issues processing payments and now we have credits on our account. The most frustrating part is there is no other option for service in the **** **** and I am forced to deal with horrible service and billing issues every single month. There are never solutions and always excuses.Customer response
12/08/2022
I have not heard from the business in response to my complaint.Business response
12/09/2022
We apologize for the difficulty you experienced trying to resolve this problem with your bill in the fall of 2021. Within 60 days of the error report, we were able to confirm to you that you would not be responsible for the amount in error, correct the error with your account, and offer a $25 credit for your inconvenience. Were sorry that this error wasnt mitigated more quickly and that our customer service didnt meet your expectations.
As we have shared with customers over the last year, we have seen some delays in processing of payments related to U.S. ************** staffing shortages as well as the pandemic-related closure of our payment processors Maine location. However, we have taken a number of actions to improve services within our control, including a recent change to bring payment processing back to Maine. Please know that we are continually working to improve the level of service we offer.Customer response
12/12/2022
Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered.
[You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution. If you do not enter a reason for your rejection, your complaint will be closed as Answered.]
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FAQ
Regards,********
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