Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Bristol Tennessee Essential Services's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Bristol Tennessee Essential Services

  P. O. Box 549 Bristol, TN 37621

• 

  Bristol Tennessee Essential Services

  2470 Volunteer Parkway Bristol, TN 37620

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/24/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I signed as a guarantar for my daughter initially so she would not have to pay the enormous deposit requirements of BTES in 2017, she had her power cut off and was required to provide a large deposit to have her service restored. She later defaulted on payment and they sent me a letter threatening to cut off my services if I did not pay her back arrearages. My contract as a guarantar should have been nullified one she had service cut off and was required to provide a deposit to have her service restored. BTES is predatory in attempting to extort money from me when that contract should have been rendered invalid once a deposit was required.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/07/2025

  The account was disconnected for non-payment three times over the life of the account; the first was on 9/7/2023 and the second time on 1/31/2024. Both times, the account was reconnected the same day. A $50 deposit was collected as part of the reconnection fees each time. The final disconnection for non-payment was on 1/2/2025. The account did not pay for reconnection and was final billed. The unpaid energy totaled $383.77, and the $100 in deposit that was collected as part of the reconnect fees applied to the final bill, leaving a final balance due of $282.91.
  
  The guarantor agreement states that it may only be terminated upon 60 day’s written notice to BTES, which didn’t occur.
  
  The final balance of $282.91 has been paid as of 3/28/25. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/10/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am contacting BTES due to incorrect charges and calls made on my account not made by me. Issue 1: There is no billing breakdown for electrical charges that accumulated in $637.24 of the billing stating "meter tampering." I have stayed in contact with BTES about my property not being secure with fencing to prevent intruders. BTES needs to secure equipment with locks and keys to properties where land is easily accessible by the public road and opened with ease by anyone. I asked BTES to not come on the property for repairs until I can secure my property from intruders with fencing and a gate, but BTES still sent a technician out, without notice. I should not be liable to secure BTES equipment I am not allowed to touch, and not in accordance with State and Federal laws. More-so, BTES should remove all (Carina Technology) pending patents not approved by State/Federal governments from my property. Issue 2: I have been charged $10.22 under "Call Detail - Interstate" on a landline phone I do not use or even have a physical phone hooked up to the phone jack.  There should be zero calls being made under this number. I strongly feel I am being overcharged an unrealistic amount of $620.38 amount that is unattainable for me, or for any average person. I would like to escalate this as a formal complaint to the BTES HQ to resolve the billed amount to the real electricity used; as I have already spoke to the only billing supervisor and my experience was a distasteful experience. In conclusion, I respectfully ask "meter tampering" charges be removed and reduced to the basic electric charges for 125 Jones Hollow Road, Bristol TN, 37620. If a realistic resolution cannot be met, there needs to be an alternative utility company or this gives BTES an open door to mistreat customers based on their need to utility services, without alternatives. Given the other complaints filed with 1 star, BTES negative online reviews, there needs to be significant management changes at BTES.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/23/2024

  The customer’s recent bill shows the electric usage along with the meter tampering fees broken down. The total bill is $637.24, with $77.24 being energy usage.
  
  We do not have any record of the customer telling us about the property not being secure with fencing, however this information would not have changed our response to requests for service calls or how we handle BTES equipment alarms. BTES equipment is closed and labeled that it is legally sealed and cannot be tampered with.
  

  Initially, on 3/4/2024, the customer requested that a technician come onsite to troubleshoot his Internet service and at that time we went to the property. We found that the equipment door was open and a piece inside had been torn out. The customer was there as well and said that he suspected that his neighbor had done the damage. We repaired the equipment and did not charge the customer.
  
  In our last communication with the customer on 3/8/2024, he requested by phone and email that he did not want BTES on his property with no mention of fencing. BTES’ Rules and Regulations gives BTES permission to access our equipment on the customer’s’ property. The customer agreed to BTES Rules and Regulations when signing up for BTES service.
  
  Later in the day on 3/8/2024, after the customer had contacted us, BTES received another alarm for his services, indicating that there was an issue. We made a trip to the customer’s home and Utility Service Technicians found wires had been pulled from our equipment again. Parts of the equipment had been damaged and needed to be replaced. The technicians placed more meter tampering stickers on the equipment. The charges the customer is referring to on the bill are because of this damage. The tampering charge of $560 includes the damaged equipment which had to be replaced to continue to provide electric service to this location.
  
  All BTES equipment that is still at the customer’s location is part of the electric system and is unable to be removed in order to provide electric service to the customer.
  
  The telephone bill details the dates, times, numbers called, and call durations for the calls that were made from the location. There are previous months when long distance calls were made from the location as well. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/22/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I recently had my power shut off by Bristol Tennessee Essential Services because they said that we owed a bill for ******* So we paid that amount, But this past Sunday our power was shut off and we were told it would cost ******* to get it back on. And we were enrolled in a budget plan and were told that if we no longer wanted that plan we had to pay ******* to switch back to normal billing. So after paying all these fees we won't have enough money to buy food this coming month. We also lost all our food when the power was disconnected and everything ruined. The lady we spoke with her name is ***** ****** we thought she was helping us by suggesting the budget plan but she didn't help at all. All she cares about is money and not how it affects people who lose power.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/07/2023

  The account received a collection notice on 1/26/23 for ******* to be paid by 5pm on 1/27. The customer called for an arrangement, saying he’d be able to pay on 1/31. The last day to pay on the bill was 1/24. Since the account was already out for disconnection, it was not eligible for an arrangement. The customer stated if we turn the power off before he’s able to pay, he would turn it back on. He was advised that it is illegal to tamper with the meter/meter base and we would file a police report. In addition, there would be extra charges of at least **** for the tampering. 
  
  Item seven in our rules and regulations (CUSTOMER’S RESPONSIBILITY FOR BTES PROPERTY) states that all meters, service connections, and other equipment furnished by BTES shall be, and remain, the property of BTES. As part of the consideration for service, each Customer shall be BTES’ bailee of such facilities and shall accordingly desist from interfering with, impairing the operation of or causing damage to such facilities. In the event such facilities are entered into, or tampered with in such a manner as to allow any service to be illegally consumed or the measurement of that usage to be impaired, a **** charge will be assessed to Customer of record and/or the occupant of the property where such tampering occurred and, in addition, such Customer of record and/or occupant shall indemnify BTES for its estimated loss of revenue, if any, resulting therefrom.
  
  We also spoke with the customer’s spouse and gave her the assistance agencies’ contact information. The customer called back less than an hour later and stated that none of the agencies could help until the following week. We discussed converting the account to prepay, which he could do without having to make any payment since his deposit would apply to the account. We explained that the account would not be able to remain on level monthly billing, so he decided that he did not want to do it at that time. 
  
  The customer called again on 1/27 and was again advised that if he tampers with the meter/meter base, there would be tampering charges assessed to his account, which would have to be paid before service could be reconnected. We reiterated that we would file a police report because tampering with the meter/meter base in any way is illegal. 
  
  The customer sent several messages through Facebook and stated that he would weld the meter base shut so we couldn’t turn off the meter. A few hours later, on the same day, he called back in and converted his account to prepay. 
  
  On Sunday, 2/19, the account ran out of prepay funds and the service was disconnected. On 2/21, BTES identified that the meter was tampered with and turned back on illegally. Services were turned back off by BTES at this time, and a police report was filed. After business hours on 2/28, the customer paid the tampering charges and on 3/1, service was reconnected.
  
  In response to the customer’s desired outcome of replacement of food lost, we are unable to provide a reimbursement, our rules and regulations, item 16, (INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE), states that BTES will use reasonable diligence in supplying electric, Internet,  telephone and cable television services but shall not be liable for breach of contract in the event of, or for loss, injury, or damage to persons or property resulting from interruptions in service, excessive or inadequate voltage, single-phasing or otherwise unsatisfactory service, whether or not caused by negligence.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/08/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Diane Smith tricked my husband and lied about the program she signed us up for knowing we couldn't afford to pay every week. She's supposed to help customers instead she deceives them and has taken advantage of so many people this way not just my husband and I.  And her response was she doesn't care as long as she gets paid.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/16/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I call every month to do a payment arrangement on the account and have no problem till December on December 2nd I called and talked to customer service because it would not let me go thru the automated service and the lady that I talked to said she would do the arrangement for me so she set it up for the 19th of December which worked out good. I come home today which is December the 15th to find a door hanger on my door saying that if I don't pay my electric bill by the 15 th it will be disconnected and they also charge me another 20.00 for collection fee. This is not right and I should not be charged extra for something that I had already taken care and arranged.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/11/2023

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/12/28) */ The customer called on 12/15 upon receiving a collection notice. She told us that she'd called on 12/2 and spoke with a Customer Experience Professional to set up an arrangement for 12/19. We asked what number or numbers she could have called from to search phone recording records. There was no note on the account, no arrangement set up and no arrangement requested. We searched our phone recording system for the days around 12/2 from the number she provided and there were no records of her calling.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/16/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Btes charges for high speed internet every month but refuses to provide the services. I've called them so many times, and can get no help with this.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/30/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/30) */ On 8/11/2022, the customer left a message for our help desk, and one of our help desk technicians returned her call and had to leave a message, but did not receive a call back from the customer. The customer contacted us again on 8/16/22 through our website to report she was having issues with her Internet. We called her that day and left another message and also emailed her. She was able to respond by email and we helped to troubleshoot the issue. We were able to assist her with getting her router replaced and her service working properly that same day. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/08/31) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I attempted to contact help desk for over a week and they only responded once I filed this complaint. My internet didn't work for over a week. I work from home, and missed almost 3 days of work because of this. I lost 280 from my weekly pay that week. My bill has not been adjusted for the time I was unable to use my internet. I have call logs to show the dates and times I called that week. The very least they can do is refund my account for the week and 2 days I was unable to use my internet. Consumer Response /* (3000, 16, 2022/10/06) */ Once again I'm without internet, even tho I'm paying this outrageous bill they charge every month. They refuse to adjust the bill for all the days I don't have internet. If a company doesn't provide a service, they should not be able to receive money for the days they are not providing the service Business Response /* (4000, 18, 2022/10/10) */ At the time that the customer contacted the BBB, service had already been restored. She had also left a comment on a Facebook post regarding her outage and sent us a message on Facebook. We responded to her message asking for her contact information so that we could call and talk her through resetting her Internet router. One of our help desk technicians also reached out and talked her through the process to reset her Internet router. We did adjust her bill for the days that she was without service in August and emailed her to let her know on 9/8/22. She replied back to our Facebook message after she spoke to our Helpdesk and confirmed that she did have service. We reminded her that we had credited her account for the outage in August. She replied back that she had missed our email to her on 9/8/22.