Complaints

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:07/17/2024

  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.

  In March spoke with Champion Energy placed me on a pmt plan due to being unable to pay full bill and no assistance. Im on a deferred pmt plan prorate the delinq amt for 6 mon, somehow magnifically bill was over 300 in March for a 2 bedrm, 1000 sq ft house. While they play their get rich game on me, Last mon in June spoke with this company atleast 20 times -Salvation Army was nice enough to assist me in paying my bill, they had copies of bills, disconnect notice & pmt arrangmt. Salvation army contacted Champ to pay, they asked to verify delinquent amt & monthly bill, they tried to make pmt as Champion gave them a hard time , 1st their system was down, then they stated they couldnt accept paymt because it was too much!! What kind of mess is this??Then they said I had to be on the phone, so I was on a 3 way and again Salvation Army charities asked how much to pay, Mary stuttering and giving the amt lower than what was due, as I questioned, its not correct, she then said over 200 as Salvation army agreed to pay, I had to get off the ph bc they had to verify the credit card number. Later I got another call from Salvation Army telling me she was told to go to walmart to pay as she did & they wouldnt accept the pmt! She called Champion again as they informed her to try again. 3rd attempt for pmt I was on phone as they continued to screw up the amt and 3rd time we went to walmart as they would only accept the amt we were told to pay $111 as magically the bill was lowered. Now its July and now theyre telling me I have past due 132.00 from last mon, I said to Lydia a confused rep-how could I be past due while on a pmt arangemt? I paid what was due last mon. Lydia tells me I owe & must pay $252.76 by 7.26. Threat Not making sense as she was unable to explain but now again still at threat, refuse to place bill in DISPUTE. Last mon they claim would provide a 50 credit for July in which did not happen. SCAM

  Business Response

  Date: 08/02/2024

  Ms. ***** complains about the cost of her electricity bill and makes unfounded accusations regarding Champion's pricing. Champion is sympathetic to Ms. ******* financial hardships and, as demonstrated below, has provided Ms. ***** with financial assistance on multiple occasions. Champion nevertheless respectfully denies Ms. ******* characterization of Champion and Champion asserts that it has acted in accordance with the PUCT rules toward Ms. ***** and also with patience and generosity.

  
  Ms. ***** entered into a 24-month fixed rate agreement with Champion on May 7, 2021 with her fixed Energy Charges at $0.061/kWh. Ms. Wiley then renewed her agreement and entered into an additional 24-month fixed rate agreement with Champion on April 26, 2023 at a Fixed Energy rate of $0.08/kWh.

  
  Ms. ***** entered into a Deferred Payment Plan with Champion, extending through August 22, 2024. In late June 2024 Ms. ***** had an outstanding balance even after a donation received from the Texas Power Partners. At the time she filed her complaint with the PUCT & BBB, Ms. ***** had new current charges, plus the outstanding balance. Champion received a partial payment. Due to a remaining outstanding balance Ms. ***** remains on the Deferred Payment Plan with Champion.

  
  Additionally, back in May Champion separately spoke with this customer and, after hearing about her financial hardship, Champion matched her payment of $90.00 toward her Deferred Payment Plan and applied a $90.00 free credit toward her outstanding balance. Champion later applied an additional $50.00 credit to Ms. ******* account on June 25, 2024, after she repeatedly called demanding payment assistance.

  
  Champion is committed to providing quality customer care and will continue to work with Ms. ***** to provide assistance as it becomes available. At this time, no additional credits are due from Champion Energy and her billing will not be adjusted.

  
  Please let Champion know if we may provide any additional information regarding this complaint. Attached are copies of the contract agreements, the energy facts label, terms of service and our Your Rights as a Customer document. All of which was provided to the customer at the time of enrollment in 2021 and renewal in 2023.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/05/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  
  
  The issue was not addressed, why are mentioning everything but the issue? Weather you provided a 90 credit is UNECESSARY-ADDRESS THE ISSUE of your SCAM JULY BILL BILL AS STATED YOUR TRIED TO COLLECT AN ADDITIONAL "$132.77 which states past due fee" attached, HOW COULD A DEFEERED AGMT BE PAST DUE?????U also show current mon charges 83.87 , total 266.64 THERE WAS NO PAST DUE AND YOUR SCAM trying to collect an additional 132.77 is INCORRECT BILLING SLAMMING!  U claimed u had to research and someone would call back-DID NOT HAPPEN. EXPLAIN the extra 132.77???? Per Disconnect notice attached Now you're stating I owe 266.64 by Aug 12th....Get your LIES together ...MAKE IT MAKE SENSE, by deflecting the issue doesnt resolve the issue or PUC failure to addreess the issue. While youre demanding disconnect in ONE WEEK is UNFAIR-as BBB and PUC can see the attached bill makes no sense and was REVISED without notice and youre trying to collect an additional 132.00, II have not changed the thermostat and magically bill went from 211 to 266, however the bill attached that u magically changed AGAIN shows 132 past due when it should be a total of 99.00 instalment plan plus current 83= $182.00-due to your illegal slamming and scamming you she be fined and and remove such pmt to be paid in full due to YOUR FAKE overpriced bill. MAKE IT MAKE SENSE...this has ABSOLUTELY NOTING TO DO WITH A FAKE 90 credit that you magically added back to my mon billing. 

   

  
  
  Regards,
  
  
   

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/19/2024

  Champion provided a detailed response to the PUCT that specifically outlined every itemized charge, including the applied credits, on your most recent invoices. Champion’s dedicated customer care agents have also made themselves available to discuss your invoices with you. Champion respectfully continues to assert that the charges on your disputed invoices are valid and applicable based on your reported energy usage and the terms of your deferred payment plan. Please contact Champion at 1-887-653-5090 and we will be happy to further discuss your invoices at your convenience.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/04/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  
  
  
  Resolution is to provide a breakdown showing the amount s from MAY til AUG in which was NEVER PROVIDED AND PAST DUE AMT was never explained as how they got the amts, I will sue as they never provided and PUC is well aware, pmt plan is confusing and unclear of monthly amt is their get rich scheme to get over bc they have a poor history and a rating of 1 out of 5-as per PUC stated they must show a better breakdown and they will be sued for this...., Champion committed not only fraud, after paying per Ashton I owed 74. and paid 75, they disconnected my service knowing Im in poor health, 95 degrees , they retaliated FAILED to provide corrected bills due to the stress and inconvenience my fake bal should BE ZERO, this comp will NEVER get a dime from me and I WILL FILE SUIT. Disconnecting service in 95 degree weather is ILLEGAL and I never received any notification of disconnect or the updated bills and my complaints with PUC Public Utility Commission was still in a pending status during the 2 disconnects. THIS COMPANY IS FRAD AND RUNNING A SCAM AND VIOLATED my rights-I have moved on to bigger and better company
  Regards,
  
  
   
  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/18/2024

  As previously explained, Champion has provided Ms. ***** with a detailed breakdown of the charges on her electricity account and has also spoken with Ms. ***** on the phone multiple times at length attempting to answer her questions and to resolve her complaint. Unfortunately, Champion believes it is at an impasse with Ms. ***** as she disagrees with the both the language in her written contract (her Terms of Service document and her Your Rights as a Customer document) as well as the various PUCT rules regarding when a REP is authorized to submit a disconnection notice for nonpayment. Champion can confirm it has not, and will not, submit disconnection notices for nonpayment when there is a weather moratorium in effect. This was not the case for Ms. Wiley. Champion respectfully denies and disputes Ms. ******* claim that Champion is “frad [sic] and running a scam and violated [her] rights.” As stated, Champion’s actions are consistent with Ms. ******* agreed-to Terms and Conditions, Your Rights as a Customer document, and the applicable PUCT regulations.                           

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/13/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  Was cold called multiple times by people claiming to be from our energy provider. Was told they "just needed some information" off of a bill; and asked us to verify our account number. When the account number was "verified", they informed us they were actually Champion Energy, and we'd now be getting our power through them. This is completely unacceptable as a business practice, and now they are demanding we either maintain a 4 year contract or pay an exorbitant cancellation fee ($2,400) for a service they have not even provided yet.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/16/2024

  Thanks for reaching out to Champion Energy regarding the contract that was completed under *********** ***** Inc. After reviewing the account for *********** ***** Inc, Champion Energy has agreed to waive the Early Termination Fee and release your company from the electricity agreement. Champion believes this fully resolves the issues that you have raised. If not, please let us know so Champion can continue to work with you to reach an amicable resolution without escalation. Thank you again for bringing your concerns to our attention.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/24/2024

  [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 would be satisfactory to me.  
  
  
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/05/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  Signed up for Champion Energy Solar Buyback. I was never provided the rate at which credits will be applied. Received my first bill and I am being credited .03 per kWh while being billed at .0145 per kWh. This is the worst return that I have seen in over a decade of owning solar panels across multiple providers and Champion Energy should be ashamed of themselves for being so cheap. It is borderline theft of electricity and I would like to exit my contract (without the $350 termination fee) in order to move to a provider that will not openly steal my electricity and sell it to others at full price.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/06/2023

  Thank you for reaching out about your dissatisfaction with the solar buyback program.
  
  The wholesale prices that we pay customers as solar buyback credits are set by ERCOT and is a pass-through credit. The wholesale pricing can fluctuate in 15-minute intervals. Factors that play a role in the wholesale price include time of day, seasonal demand, and your load zone. Our buyback program has never offered a 1-to-1 buyback at the same rate as your energy rate for consumption. There are a number of different solar buyback plans in the market. The wholesale index rate, like offered by Champion Energy, is not uncommon.
  
  We stand behind and are proud to continue to offer indexed solar buyback to our customers who have invested in solar panels. Providers that offer fixed rate solar plans often include a premium, meaning you are paying a higher rate for your consumption. With our electricity plans, you get a competitive energy rate for what you pull from the grid whether you have solar or not.
  
  We receive your meter usage data from your utility company, Oncor, and Smart Meter Texas (SMT). Once your SMT data shows surplus generation, Champion Energy begins applying the solar buyback credits and sends an email. I show we emailed a notice on October 5, 2023, that was opened and clicked the same day (see attached copy of the email).
  
  The email is to inform you of the first bill you can expect to see the solar credits, which for your account was the bill due on 10/23/2023. The email also provides a link to our Solar FAQ page which contains information about historical average buyback credits our customers earned. Champion Energy highlights the fact that our solar buyback is an indexed plan on each plan description during the enrollment process (see attached screenshot). Further, we include a link to the FAQ page in all our plan description details (see additional screenshot). 
  
  We did a quick comparison to other competitive plans based on your first bill. Our solar buyback credit may be the lowest for your first bill, however, so was the total bill because of our lower energy rate, no monthly fee to add solar, and no restrictions on the amount of solar credits you can earn. We’d be happy to share that comparison with you to show the savings. Please send a request to [email protected] to receive the comparison breakout. 
  
  If you choose to switch to another provider the early termination fee that was disclosed when you enrolled, and communicated again when you contact customer care on 10/05/23 will not be waived.
  
  Sincerely, Champion Energy

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/11/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  
  

  Some constructive feedback would be disclose the buy back rate during signup as you do everything else.  It would eliminate confusion and prevent issues such as this.  I imagine the rate is a little embarrassing and would likely prevent individuals from signing up (I myself would have found another provider).  It is easier to lock someone in deceptively and make a cool $350 if they wish to leave.  

  You can close this ticket as I did not expect it to yield fruit.  I simply wanted to document the theft of my electricity and try to save the next guy $350 to get out.

  Regards,

  
  
   

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/17/2023

  Mr. ****, Thank you for the constructive feedback. Champion maintains that its Solar Buyback rates are competitive, and that all information related to solar buyback rates are appropriately provided to Champion’s customers. We will take your recommendations into consideration as part of Champion’s ongoing efforts to continue to provide the best electricity service possible to its customers.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/18/2023

  [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 we are at an impasse but do not wish to continue wasting time, effort and energy.
  
  
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/16/2023

  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 had an energy account with Champion Energy (account number ******). My service contract was ending on June 21; however, I was not moving out until July 21. I called the customer service to inquire regarding a month to month contract. At that time, I said I would like one month as I was moving out on July 21. I was led to believe that the contract would last for one month then be finished. On July 14, I received an email stating that my contract was expiring on July 21. I assumed this meant that my service would be ending as well, since the email said "expiring" and I had previously discussed this with the customer service member. I later found out on August 9 that the account was still active. I called to cancel the service and they said I am still responsible for the energy bill from July 21-August 9. These seem like predatory business practices where they email you and say the contract has expired even though service will continue billing, especially in the setting of previously stating that you wanted to cancel the service on a set date.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/17/2023

  Thanks for reaching out regarding your electricity service with Champion Energy. We follow PUC guidelines related to sending renewal notices. Not renewing an electricity plan is not the same as canceling electricity service. We cannot shut the power off because a customer does not renew onto a new contract. We communicate this in our renewal notices by informing customers that if they do not renew their service will continue, but on a month-to-month variable rate. 

  This is what was stated on the bottom of your contract expiration notice:

  "Your contract expiration date is on 07/21/23. If you decide to switch your service from Champion Energy, you will not be subject to an Early Termination Fee (ETF) if your switch is effective after or within 14 days of your contract expiration date. If you take actions that cancel or terminate your electric service with Champion Energy and the switch is effective before at least 15 days before your expiration date above, you may be responsible to pay an Early Termination Fee (ETF), as specified in your Electricity Facts Label (EFL) for your current fixed rate product.
  
  If you don’t renew your contract before your expiration date, your service will continue on a Month-to-Month Variable Rate Plan. The Month-to-Month Variable Rate Plan will be effective on your bill after your contract expiration and may be cancelled at any time without a fee. Champion Energy’s Month-to-Month Variable Rate Plan offers the flexibility of no long-term contract; however, the price will change each month. The monthly price will change, but not by more than 30% each month. Rates are posted by the 30th of each month here. Please review the Terms of Service, Your Rights as a Customer and EFL for details."

  Although not required by the PUC, we also send a notice to customers 7 days after their contract expires. We do this to ensure customers are aware they are now on a month-to-month rate this is subject to change. The email was delivered on July 28th. It stated, "If you choose not to lock in a fixed rate, Champion Energy will continue to provide your electricity service and bill you on the month-to-month variable rate plan you're on now. These rates are subject to change anytime based on market conditions. Take advantage of locking into a fixed rate today.

  We pulled the call to better understand the interaction and conversation you had with customer care. During the call, you asked about a month-to-month plan because you were moving out of state. You did not state that you wanted to cancel service on July 21st, nor did we receive a cancellation request. When you contacted Champion Energy on 08/09 to indicate you had moved, we issued the order and cancelled service effective immediately. 

  We apologize for any confusion and welcome your feedback on how we could have communicated better that your service would continue after your contract ended. A member of our customer care team did reach out to discuss this with you. If you'd like to continue the discussion please give us a call 24/7 at 877-653-5090.

   

  Sincerely, 

  Champion Energy

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/23/2023

  Type:Product 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.

  • Dates of the transactions: 05/24/2023 and 06/26/2023 • Champion Energy charged me $507.16 ($193.70 for May and 314.09 in June) on my last two bills, as mentioned above. • I was out of the county for two months, with all my appliances off (but the fridge on the lowest level). They charged me $193.70 and $314.09 in this period. • I have filed a dispute to get a refund, but they did not provide a protocol or tracking number for my dispute. Champion Energy told me they would “investigate the issue.” Still, I have to wait 3-7 business days (but it can take longer if there’s a problem with the energy meters) and pay the absurd bills before they “investigate and process my dispute.” • I am attaching the bills I disputed, the transcription of my dispute with Champion Energy’s call center, and my tickets to prove I was in Brazil during this period.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/26/2023

  Thanks for reaching out regarding your billing concerns. Our records show that we started the investigation on 6/23/2023 after you chatted with one of our reps. We work closely with your transmission and distribution utility (TDU) who owns the poles, wires, and meter. They have to validate and complete their review before we will have an update regarding the investigation. We do add protections to your account during the review, as we know it can take up to 45 days to hear back from your TDU, which is CenterPoint Energy. Once CenterPoint provides an update we will reach out with the results and inform you if a billing adjustment is needed due to a change in usage data from the meter.
  
  Please know that during extended high heat, like Texas often experiences, even an unoccupied home can see an increase in usage. Anything plugged in pulls power. Your refrigerator is a great example. In high heat and humidity, it may run more frequently. Plus, an empty fridge runs less efficiently than a fuller fridge.
  
  Thanks for your continued patience while we review and address this concern.

  While you wait, you can access your smart meter date online in the customer portal or from Smart Meter Texas. You are able to download an hourly view of your usage from the portal and 15-minute interval data from Smart Meter Texas. This can help you see where there are larger spikes of usage compared to your average. For example, a quick look at your last 30 days usage shows the average hourly usage is 2.8 kWh. Your usage increases around 5 pm most days. And, the days you had over 5 kWh in an hour occurred only in June, again usually between 5:00-7:00 pm. 
  

  
  Sincerely,
  Champion Energy 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/20/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  We received a early termination fee from Champion Energy Services after cancelling the contract within two months. Sarchem received an unsolicited phone call from a Champion Energy representative (who acted as a rep of Jersey Central Power & Light) claiming that their services would save money on energy bills. Without explaining the full terms of the cancellation policy, we then tried to get out of the contract after seeing our energy bills skyrocket for two months (typically around $600 was now $900). We were then charged an early termination fee of $2250 for the remaining 46! months of service left. This charge is entirely too much for only two months of service and impossible to pay. On the contract, it was only indicated that there would be an ETF, not the exact terms of that. They left everything very vague and only sent a contract after the three days to cancel. We would have never signed up for 48 months of a locked in contract. Highly deceptive practices, unsolicited phone calls and claims of being a representative of JCP&L. Dr. ****** *****

  Business Response

  Date: 04/24/2023

  Thank you for bringing this concern to our attention. Champion timely responded to the customer’s complaint filed with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and is awaiting the Board’s response. Champion similarly communicated its responses to the Board’s requests to the customer and is committed to working with the customer to resolve this issue.

  Specific to the customer’s allegations, Champion provided the customer and the Board with copies of the third-party verification call in which one of the customer’s employees identified themselves as having authority to make decisions on behalf of the customer’s electricity choice and proceeded to enter a 48-month term with Champion. The customer was advised of the potential Early Termination Fee and the applicable recission period, to which the customer’s representative acknowledged understanding to both terms on behalf of the customer. The same information regarding the agreement’s 48-month term, the applicable Early Termination Fee, and the applicable recission period were also made clear in the Welcome Packet that the customer received. Because the customer then chose to terminate the agreement early outside of the rescission period, an early termination fee was assessed in accordance with Sections 6 and 13 of the Terms of Service. 

  Per the above, no billing adjustment is due.  

  Sincerely,

  Champion Energy Services

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/01/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  
  
  The representative from Champion Energy claimed that they represented JCP&L and acted as if they called on their behalf. Regardless of whatever recording they want to provide. THey claimed that they would be able to save on energy costs and in fact, our costs increased by 33%. 

  We will not be able to pay the $2250 ETF and would like to resolve this. 
  
  Regards,
  
  Dr. **** ****r
   

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/16/2023

  Champion denies the customer’s allegations and again asserts that the customer’s representative completed a valid 48-month term enrollment with Champion. Upon receiving the customer’s BBB complaint, Champion timely provided the customer with copies of its third-party verification enrollment call and courtesy copies of the enrollment packet that Champion sent the customer after its enrollment. Champion remains available to discuss this dispute with the customer should the customer wish to contact Champion directly.

  We've attached the following information:  Third-Party Verification call from October 12, 2022; and Welcome Packet dated October 14, 2022.

  The attached Third-Party Verification call with Arun *****, who identified themselves as the Director at Sarchem Laboratories Inc., discusses both the 48-month term and the potential for an Early Termination Fee, which would be calculated based on annual volume and the number of unused months on the contract at the time the customer switches away. Arun ***** acknowledges consent to both terms on behalf of the company. The same information regarding the agreement’s 48-month term and the applicable Early Termination Fee are also made clear in the Welcome Packet that Mrs. *****’s company received after enrolling via TPV with Champion. During the TPV Arun ***** was advised that the company’s rate would be $0.12 kWh and that this rate did not include capacity and transmission charges, to be passed through at cost.

  Sincerely, 

  Champion Energy

  888-653-0093 (NJ toll-free number)

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/08/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  
  
  This response does not address the discussion of the cancellation fees over the phone. We will be calling the company to review. 
  
  Regards,
  
  
   
  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/15/2023

  Thanks for reaching out regarding the early termination fee assessed. One of our customer care team members reach out to discuss further. She will be sending you an updated invoice. Please reach out to the supervisor listed in the letter if you have additional questions or to resolve. 

  Thanks,

  Champion Energy Services

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/29/2023

  [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 would be satisfactory to me.  
  
  
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/06/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  My wife Robin and I chose Champion Energy Services because of the way the solar buyback program was explained to us and our solar consultant Richard ***** . We are stuck in a 3 year agreement with them based on the information provided. They never furnished us a written contract. We are being charged 9.7 cents per kwH by Champion Energy Services for any energy provided by Champion Energy Services and 4.4408 cents per kwH in delivery charges. I used 292 kwH provided by them. My system generated 431 kWh returned to them during peak daytime hours. They bought back the solar that was returned them at 3.4 cents per kwH. My complaint isn't that they paid me 3.4 cents per kwH for excess energy returned to the grid. My issue is that I was charged at a higher rate on energy that was ultimately returned to them. My net energy is what any charges should have been based on which is 292 kwH - 431 kwH which is -139 kwH. In other words, I should have been credited for 139 kwH. Instead I was charged $29.88 when they received more energy from me than I received from them.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/25/2023

  Thank you for reaching out about your dissatisfaction with the solar buyback program.

  
  The wholesale prices that we pay customer as solar buyback credits are set by ERCOT and are what we would get paid if we generated the electricity. It is a pass-through credit. Our buyback program has never offered a 1-to-1 buyback at the same rate of the energy rate for consumption.
  
  Providers that offer fixed rate solar plans often include a premium, meaning you are paying a higher rate for your consumption. We do not have a specific solar plan, rather you can choose the electricity plan that best fits your needs and if you have solar panels and surplus generation that is returned to the grid you will receive credits based on the ERCOT wholesale price. The wholesale pricing can fluctuate in 15-minute intervals. Factors that play a role in the wholesale price include time of day, seasonal demand, and your load zone.

  
  We receive your meter usage data from your utility company, Oncor, and Smart Meter Texas (SMT). Once your SMT data shows excess generation, Champion Energy begins applying the solar buyback credits and sends an email. I show we emailed a notice on January 3, 2023 to [email protected]. It was not opened.

  
  For your convenience, here is a link to view that email online: ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

  
  The email is to inform you of the first bill you can expect to see the solar credits, which for your account was the bill due on 1/19/2023. The email also provides a link to our Solar FAQ page, which can be accessed here: **********************************************************************************************

  
  The greatest value you will receive from your solar panels is the generation that is used by your home so you are drawing less power from the grid.

  
  We apologize if you felt our solar program was not well explained or that your solar installer promised you no utility bills. There are no additional solar credits due on your account based on the SMT data we received.

  If you need an additional copy of the enrollment confirmation showing you the details of your plan, we can resend that information. Please note that the plan you enrolled in is not solar specific, so the Energy Facts Label (EFL) is related to the rate you pay for consumption and does not mention solar buyback. 

   

  Sincerely,

  Champion Energy

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/25/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  

   

  
  
  [Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]

   

  I would be satisfied if they would reduce my commitment time without a penalty.  I chose their plan after Tim ***** explained the rates to the solar installers.  It was not properly explained, or I would have chosen someone else. 

   

  Regardless, I do need the copy of the contract/ plan sheet.  I especially need the details on the penalty for trading companies/ cancelling service.
  
  Regards,
  
  
   

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/07/2023

  Our team strives to deliver an excellent experience and are disappointed that this was not the case for you. We train all our agents regarding our solar buyback offering with a focus on making sure our customers know we do not offer a 1-to-1 buyback. Plus, unlike with other retailers, we do not make customers choose a specific plan to qualify for solar credits, which often means there is a markup on the energy rate or includes a monthly fee. Rather, we remain focused on offering highly competitive electricity plans, all of which include solar buyback. It’s unfortunate that your experiences with solar have been difficult. We stand behind and are proud to continue to offer solar buyback to our customers who have invested in solar panels.

  
  For your records, here are links to access your enrollment letter, the EFL, and the solar addendum landing page.

  
  Enrollment Confirmation: ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
  

  Energy Facts Label: ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
  

  Solar Addendum: *************************************************************************************************************

  Notes on your account indicated the EFL, terms of service, and your rights as a customer were provided earlier in response to a PUC complaint in December. Please reach out if you need additional documents resent.

  
  Sincerely, Champion Energy

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/08/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  Please leave my complaint for others to see, so Champion Energy Services will be exposed to others.  I would be happy to just have the ETF reduced, but they don't care about customer satisfaction in the least.
  
  [Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]
  
  Regards,
  
  
   
  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/10/2023

  Maurice, we do care about our customers and sorry to hear you feel otherwise. We will have a customer care manager call you to discuss reducing the ETF. We’ve already purchased the power for your 36-month plan, which is why there is an early termination fee for customers. We’ve already incurred the cost for your entire contract term. We hope you are able to find a solar buyback program that better meets your needs.

  
  Sincerely, Champion Energy

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/13/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.   We have agreed that I will be credited half the amount of the early termination fee which comes to $175 which is half of the initial $350.  If they honor their word, then I am satisfied. 
  
  
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/20/2022

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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 received assistance from the Texas Homeowner Assistance Program in reference to paying my light bill December 15, 2022. I forward the email from Texas Homeowner Assistance Program indicating payment in amount of $884.93, to Champion Energy. Meanwhile, I received an email from Garbrela ******* with Champion Energy on December 20, 2022 @9:19am, stating a pledge was placed on my account to protect from termination of service. At 11am on December 20, 2022 my lights were disconnected. I call Champion Energy and spoke Erica and was told I had to wait 4 to 24 hours before service will be restored. I requested to speak with supervisor and was told by Erica no supervisor was able. Meanwhile, my daughter and I were sitting in a very cold house with no heat or electricity.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/22/2022

  Erica, sorry to hear you are having difficulty paying your electricity bill and your power was turned off. We try to avoid disconnections when we receive a pledge for payment. The disconnection order was placed on your account at 7 am and we did not receive your pledge information until 9 am. We attempted to stop the disconnection order. Unfortunately, due to the timing of receipt of your information the disconnection could not be stopped. We also contacted CenterPoint Energy (who makes the disconnections and reconnections) to check on the status they indicated they are experiencing system delays, which is impacting turning on service for both new customers and disconnected customers.

  Power has since been restored. We also offered a $25 bill credit that you declined. A supervisor will reach out to you to follow up, per your requested when you spoke to our customer care escalations agent.  

  
  Sincerely,
  Champion Energy

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/23/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  
  

  The information that was  provided is incorrect.  I requested to get more than $25.00, from what the representative offered and I was told that is the most I could received. I never denied any refunds. Also, I once again requested to speak with a  supervisor and was told no supervisor was available and a supervisor will call you back in 48 hours. I never received a  call from a supervisor. It has been a hassle  deal.with Champion Energy.  This has been one of many issues I have been experiencing with this compan. For example, this pass summer I erroneously selected the incorrect plan for my account.  I realized a month later the plan I selected was incorrect which was 16 per kilowatt, I immediately contacted Champion to change my plan. My plan was never changed until two months later. I was promised I would be retro from the date I requested to change the plan. I never received a credit.  

  Finally, as a customer for 5 years,  it's obvious I am not valued as a customer of Champion Energy.  I am requesting more than $25.00, for the hassle, inconvenience of not having power for 8 hours, and for not receiving a retro credit for not changing my plan as requested. 
  Regards,
  
  
   

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/26/2023

  Thanks for the additional information. A manager looked into the account and did see your contract was adjusted and back dated. She also reviewed the billing cycle of 7/14/2022-8/12/2022 and the adjustment for the rate difference was not applied. You will see a credit adjustment of $18.44 on your bill for the difference in rates from 8/8/2022-8/12/2022.

  
  As explained multiple times, the delay in restoring power in December was an issue that CenterPoint Energy had with their systems and processing reconnections. We quoted the allowable time for restoration, which is 24 to 48 hours and power was restored within 8 hours. These are not new guidelines. Ms. **** has had her power cut off due to non-payment numerous times and should be aware that restoration is not immediate.

  For reference, below is the information directly from the Public Utility Commission of Texas regarding reconnections. REP would be Champion Energy and TDU would be CenterPoint Energy for this specific situation. 

  Reconnection of service. Upon a customer’s satisfactory correction of the reasons for disconnection,
  the REP shall request the TDU, municipally owned utility, or electric cooperative to reconnect the
  customer’s electric service as quickly as possible. The REP shall inform the customer when
  reconnection is expected to occur in accordance with the timelines set forth in this subsection and in
  §25.214 of this title (relating to Terms and Conditions of Retail Delivery Service Provided by Investor
  Owned Transmission and Distribution Utilities). For premises without a provisioned advanced meter
  with remote disconnect/reconnect capabilities, if a REP submits a standard reconnect request and the
  TDU completes the reconnect the same day, the TDU shall assess a standard reconnect fee. A TDU
  may assess a same-day reconnect fee only when the REP expressly requests a same-day reconnect and
  a REP may pass through a same-day reconnect fee to the customer only when the customer expressly
  requests a same-day reconnect. A REP shall send a reconnection request no later than the timelines in
  this subsection. The TDU shall complete the reconnection in accordance with the timelines in
  §25.214 of this title.
  (1) For payments made before 12:00 p.m. on a business day, a REP shall send a reconnection
  request to the TDU no later than 2:00 p.m. on the same day.
  (2) For payments made after 12:00 p.m. but before 5:00 p.m. on a business day, a REP shall send
  a reconnection request to the TDU by 7:00 p.m. on the same day.
  (3) For payments made after 5:00 p.m. but before 7:00 p.m. on a business day, a REP shall send
  a reconnection request to the TDU by 9:00 p.m. on the same day.
  (4) For payments made after 7:00 p.m. on a business day, a REP shall send a reconnection
  request to the TDU by 2:00 p.m. on the next business day.
  (5) For payments made on a weekend day or a holiday, a REP shall send a reconnection request
  to the TDU by 2:00 p.m. on the first business day after the payment was made.
  (6) In no event shall a REP fail to send a reconnection notice within 48 hours after the
  customer’s satisfactory correction of the reasons for disconnection as specified in the
  disconnection notice.

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/27/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  
  I am very dissatisfied with the written response from Champion Energy.  I am at disbelief of your response.  As a person who is impacted by job loss and going through financial hardship. You have no sympathy or compassion for people. You overcharged me for my August 2022 bill and I never received credit until I brought to your attention. Yet, all you can say is my service has been disconnected on several occasions. I requested to speak with a manager on several occasions in reference to this matter and no manager never returned my calls. Its obvious you don't appreciate my business. I never received a formal apology on this matter. The only thing I'm receiving is insults!!!
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
   
  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/07/2023

  We are sorry to hear that you are dissatisfied with the level of service provided. Champion Energy followed the PUCT rules in how we managed the pending disconnection. We took additional steps when we called CenterPoint Energy to escalate the disconnection and request a reconnection when it was not stopped due to system issues CenterPoint Energy was having on that day. Champion Energy also applied a $25 bill credit as a goodwill gesture despite doing everything we could to expedite the restoration of power.
  
  Once it was brought to our attention, after the original complaint, we also acknowledged there was an error and delay applying the $18.44 credit due to Ms. **** when she requested to change her plan in August. The credits were applied immediately and will be reflected on her next invoice.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/07/2023

  [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 would be satisfactory to me.  
  
  
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/01/2022

  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.

  Called 3x in one day, and each rep left me on hold for longer than 15 then never returned. I have tried several other times to discuss my bill with others but always have issues. Want someone to explain my bill has gone up so much and has not gone down. AC is not being used and I keep everything unplugged. There are only 2 people in the home and we travel a lot. Nothing has changed in the home from last year. I have asked for someone to ck my reader and they said nothing is wrong. There has to be the usage/price can't change so much withing a few months? Nothing has changed. If anything it should be less as we are hardley home. We have turned off the AC since weather has been nicer. We have not used it in a month. Oct 2021 bill $155.21 Oct. 2022 $265.46. Between 11/2021 to 5/2022 bills ranged from $155 - $185 now all of a sudden are bills Between 06/2022 to 10/2022 bills range from $280-$365. Something is wrong!! There is no way

  Business Response

  Date: 11/09/2022

  Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We strive for excellence, and it appears we missed the mark in your recent experiences when you reached out to customer care. Our understanding is that customer care reached out to you on 11/04 to discuss your usage and your energy rate. Based on the discussion, there is no credit adjustment due. Your account was billed accurately based on actual usage. We receive usage information from your transmission and distribution company and Smart Meter Texas (SMT).

  
  We appreciate all the steps you’ve taken to conserve energy. This year many customers experienced much higher usage because of warmer weather early in the season, then extended warm temps. Thankfully, cooler temps arrived, and customers should see usage go down. If you would like additional assistance reviewing usage and the bill projections, please reach out. In the customer portal, you can review usage compared to the same time last year. The comparisons show the differences in temperature too since that will impact usage the most.
  

  Thanks for your patience and understanding while we had someone reach out and follow up.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/30/2022

  Type:Product 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 was with Champion Energy Services ("Champion") for 3 years. Suddenly I found that Champion egregiously overbilled me from June- July 2022 with a failure to properly disclose my change in rates. I filed a complaint with the ****** ******* ********** and they were found to be in violation. However, even being terminated as my provider, Champion continued to over bill me at an exorbitant rate (24 cents/ kWh vs 10 cents/kWh previous contract rate including delivery) for the following month. I settled the account to be rid of them but i believe that i am owed ~$345 in excess charges for one month (paid $568 for $220 in energy at the old rate), including $30 in late charges while my successful complaint was being processed at the ****** ******* **********.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/31/2022

  The customer did receive multiple notices informing them that their contract was expiring and that they would be placed on a variable rate plan if they did not renew. Our website was updated to include links to the variable rate ***.

  
  Per the *** outcome, Champion Energy adjusted the billing from 06/09/2022-07/15/2022, which is the first billing cycle after the contract expired that was charged at the variable month-to-month rate.

  
  A supervisor made multiple outbound calls to discuss the resolution with the customer but never received a call back. The customer paid the outstanding balance of $330.81 on 10/30, which was a reduced amount after the billing adjustments were made on 09/23. No additional refund or adjustments are due. The terminated account is at a $0 balance. A final bill will be mailed showing the $0 balance for the customers records.