ComplaintsforSouth Jersey Gas

• Initial Complaint

  08/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  on 8/21/24; I requested new service form ****** for gas service at ****************. They fraudulently and in error have associated me with an account held by another customer; and are refusing to provide service until I pay for that customers outstanding bill. This is fraudulent as I am not the owner of that account. It is not my name, account number, nor social security number on that account. It is not my account, has never been my account and I should not be held responsible for it. This is the basis of their denial to my request for service at the property which I am soon to assume as a tenant.

• Initial Complaint

  04/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I was overcharged in february Of 2023 I got a email yesterday April 24th telling me that. I would receive two credits on my account Because of my divorce. I moved and had to close my account. So I called today April 24th and spoke to a representative who told me that they are not giving me the money because I no longer have an account. And you can only get a credit on the account. I said to the representative. Isn't that stealing from your customers? If it's money, I overpaid, then I should be issued a check of my overpayment. He said no it's not stealing This money may not seem like a lot to them, but to a single mother is a big deal.

  Business response

  05/06/2024

   I called and left a voicemail for ******** ******* on 5/1/2024. Ms. ******* has a misunderstanding of her gas bill. Our Company gave two Acquisition credits to our customers, one in April 2023 for $41.55 and one in April 2024 for $41.27. Ms. ******* received the 1st credit in April 2023. The credit reduced the amount owed for her April 18, 2023 bill. The second credit was issued on April 24, 2024. Ms. ******* contacted us on March 15, 2024, and requested that we close her gas account as of March 29, 2024, so she would not be eligible for the credit. The credit was only issued on active gas accounts. In addition, Ms. ******* was not overcharged for gas service in February 2023. We received regular readings for her gas service, and she received an accurate bill for that month. We received Ms. *******'s final payment on 4/18/2024, so the account in closed in good standing.

  Customer response

  05/06/2024

  [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 made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******** *******

• Initial Complaint

  03/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  Looks like I'm not the only one that feels fleeced by South Jersey Gas. How can they get away with charging 3 times the amount of gas used as a delivery charge. This month I used ****** therms, $50.36, with a Customer and Delivery charge of $168.74. Total bill $219.10. Talk about a business gouging its customer.

  Business response

  04/01/2024

  Thank you for being a valued customer of ********************. The Delivery Charge recovers the cost of moving natural gas through our pipelines to the meter at your home and the cost of programs that benefit customers and the community, many that are state-mandated. Please visit Understanding Your Bill for a summary of charges. **********************************************************************************

  Customer response

  04/01/2024

  
  Complaint: 21504696
  
  I am rejecting this response because: When I click on the Understand my bill link, you don't get the full explanation breakdown. It's found in the frequently asked questions link. If the State is mandating any regulations, you're passing the cost off to the customers. Below is the explanation of the delivery charges found in FAQ.

  
  This charge recovers the cost of moving natural gas through our pipelines to the meter at your home and the cost of programs that benefit customers and the community. The Delivery Charge includes the following, many of which are state-mandated:

  
  Base Rate - The rate charged by SJG for the cost of providing service, plus a *******.  State regulators set base rates.

  
  Transportation Initiation Clause - A rate that covers operating costs associated with the electronic transfer of customer data between SJG and Third-Party Suppliers who distribute gas.

  
  Universal ************ (USF) and Lifeline - A rate paid by all gas users in New Jersey to provide financial assistance programs for income-eligible customers.  The charges help eligible customers pay their utility bills.

  
  Remediation Adjustment Clause - A rate that covers the costs of remediating former manufactured gas plants.

  
  Balancing Service Clause - A rate that covers the cost of balancing customer consumption with actual gas deliveries, which ensures an adequate gas supply.

  
  ************ Program - A rate that covers the costs associated with State-mandated ************ Programs, which promote and encourage energy efficiency in the use of electricity, gas, and renewable energy sources through financial incentives, programs and services in New Jersey.

  
  Conservation Incentive Program - This program removes the link between utility profits and the quantity of natural gas sold.

  
  Energy Efficiency Tracker - A rate mechanism that measures energy savings from Energy Efficiency program incentives to residential and commercial customers. In conjunction with the ***********************, Energy Efficiency programs help customers reduce energy usage and save money while stimulating the local economy

  
  Infrastructure Investment Program - A multi-year program that funds modernizing and enhancing the safety and reliability of SJG's gas distribution system by replacing vintage, at-risk facilities.

  
   
  
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  02/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Every month, the Delivery charges imposed by South Jersey Gas company are triple or quadruple the charges for gas usage. The *********** petitioned the ****************** and they were permitted to increase Delivery charges several times over the last year. This complaint is against the *********** and the ** ***** of ****** Utilities for allowing such increases. Customers are freezing this winter by keeping their thermostats low in order to not incur astronomical bills. Their actual gas usage, as was mine ($40) results in bills of $200-$400 due to the Delivery charges. This is inhumane and must stop.

• Initial Complaint

  01/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I have submitted and signed an application for installing gas with a South Jersey Gas sales rep. Eric H on 11/16/2023 for …….. Since that time no one has contacted me if everything is in order and if the application is moving forward. I have made a few attempts to contact Mr. H via text and call, but never got a callback or response from him. On December 1st i called 1-…… and was transferred to the department that handles new applications. Communication is always initiated from me and i need to call and text a few times to get a response. The last information is from a week ago that the application is in permitting and they are not sure why. And i shall be contacted with an update. So far no contact has been made. This is a month and a half by now. According to their representatives, the process takes 1 month.

• Initial Complaint

  12/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On December 20, 2023 SJ Gas came by our new home that we just closed on Dec 6th. Our first night at the house on the 19th , we wake up to a cold house. Just before 7 am when we were taking our kid to school, a truck drove up and said are you (address) ? I said yes. Then he said he's with a gas company, completely caught me off guard and said , well we are heading out right now , do you need to go inside? He said , No, I just have to see what I have to do here. So I'm thinking he has to take meter readings outside and that's it. Well we get home, and there was a tag on our front door saying , Sorry we missed you , and the gas was shut off. So now it's going on three days with no heat, we can't stay there now or finish moving in with pets, etc. No one told us about this and it's like we are being punished with our new home , like we didn't pay a bill. I thought there was a law about turning gas off during these freezing temperatures ? Kids , pets, cold sensitive items in the house. I think if you were cutting off the previous owners of the house, maybe you should have welcomed the new owners with a nice greeting saying you are our new gas company and continue the service. Now we are being stuck with no heat!!!! We called them right back and said they can not come to turn it on until Dec 22, but after 3 days lost without being able to stay at the house and stalling our move , this is very upsetting. Not to mention potential pipe damage that can happen as well, on top of us basically being displaced out of our home now.

• Initial Complaint

  11/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  1. SKG is engaging in unfair contract practices to force people to convert from oil to gas.2. *** entice customer with financing arrangements and if the conversion is not complete, the representative tells consumers not to worry that charges in the contract will be dropped as soon as the conversion is restarted. That has proven to be bogus.3. *** was quick to come and install the equipment I believe before the financing application was initiated or approved. 4. *** came and installed the lines during the Covid and my project completion was delayed due to several reasons, with *** having a large part and contractor scheduling.5. The financing company ***- online application process is inflexible and requires a separate email address for each property of service. This is a problem. time is wasted 6. The *** online application process does not work efficient and signing on is a shore. Time is wasted.7. Had time not been wasted upfront- this projection would have been completed prior to my contracting Covid and out sick for several weeks exacerbated by illness and disability diagnosis on a member of my family that have forced me to leave everything and tend to my child. 8. Tried again to resurrect the project, but the *** continued to change creating further delays.9. Meanwhile, *** continued to unfairly bill me for equipment installed on my property despite me being told that they would not. *** representatives tells you not to worry about the contract, when in reality *** happily charges customers for their equipment even when they do not provide the gas to heat your home.10. If *** insists in hampering this conversion project and refuses to approve my *** application, I will seek further remedies as *** left my concrete unrepaired and I had to pay over $1000 in damages to restore the sidewalk.

• Initial Complaint

  10/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  South jersey gas loves playing games with our bill/budget system. Every year for the past years i have signed up and made correct auto payments on line. Signing/signed up for the budget system so i can account for how much money i have coming in and out( and if theres in overage/under ill pay the difference ONCE a year.) . South jersey gas budget system isn't programed ethically. Under my last sign up for the budget system my monthly Bill for 12 months was supposed to be $77 a month even in the summer when we use less gas. But the way south jersey operates once you have a billing cycle that is less than your budget plan and you have a credit balance on the account they stop budget plan deductions till that bill gets nice and high usually around *******. They further more will not allow you to "fix the error" or sign up for the budget plan until the account is paid in full. So now im required to shell out ******* for 2 months of billing because your system can't compute the positive balance and store it like atlantic city electric does, the water and sewer ETC. They just shut the billing system off. Whats the point of a budget billing if you keep turning it off on me?! You are essentially illegally billing and charging without authorization, since the auto payment authorization was for an agreed amount. Fix this!!

• Initial Complaint

  06/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  My service was turned off. No shut off notice, no phone call. Nothing

• Initial Complaint

  04/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  SJ Gas is continuously increasing the delivery charge to customers in excess of 3x the amount of the product being delivered. I am going to research if the are the only game in town, however, Ive always believed they were. This is completely unfair! Temperatures this winter were at an all time high, yet, I paid more for gas this winter then I did last winter!!!! When will someone from the government step in and say this is ILLEGAL!!!

  Business response

  04/28/2023

  Good afternoon,

   We have attempted to reach out to this customer at the phone number provided, but the calls go straight to voicemail, and the voicemail box is full, so we are unable to leave a voicemail for the customer at this time.

  Each residential gas heating customer receives the same rates for service across the board. These rates are all approved by the ******** ***** of ****** Utilities, and they are proportional to our costs as a company. Our delivery charge mainly covers our installation and maintenance of our vast infrastructure of underground pipelines. We strive to always provide safe, reliable, and affordable service, and these charges allow us to reach that goal.

  The delivery charge also includes some state mandated clauses which provide funding to different programs and activities. These programs and activities include, but are not limited to, ************************************************* Program, and the Conservation Incentive Program, among others. This information can be found on page 2 of each bill that we send out.

  Because the rates charged to this customer are accurate based on their residential gas use, there is no billing adjustment to provide at this time.

  If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to us at ************ and we will be happy to address any concerns you may still have.

  Thank you

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩