Complaints

This profile includes complaints for New Braunfels Utilities's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

close

Find a Location

New Braunfels Utilities has 2 locations, listed below.

*This company may be headquartered in or have additional locations in another country. Please click on the country abbreviation in the search box below to change to a different country location.

BBB accredited

Near

Country

USUnited States

Please enter a valid location.

Filter

• 

  New Braunfels Utilities

  263 E Main Plaza New Braunfels, TX 78130-5135

• 

  New Braunfels Utilities

  PO Box 310289 New Braunfels, TX 78130-0289

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:01/13/2025

  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.

  My daughter and I signed up for service in November and still havent received a bill. We have contacted them by phone and I have went in. They keep telling me to not worry but still no bill. Its like they dont care that Im going to have an outrageous bill. Can you please help me?

  Business Response

  Date: 01/16/2025

  Mrs. ******* came into the office on 01-13-2025. Our Supervisors worked together to deescalate the situation and process a first bill.She paid the account balance at that time. Her account has been added back into the regular billing cycle and will be on a normal cadence moving forward. She was appreciative for correcting the issue that day and commented she would have retracted her complaint but didnt know how.
  
  Thank you,
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/17/2025

  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,
  
  Sha Hampton

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/05/2024

  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 a 68 YR OLD WOMAN , MY BILL WAS ****** FOR THIS MONTH. I JUST CALLED TO MAKE A PAYMENT AND NOW IT SAYS I OWE ******. THIS IS REDICULAUS. PLZ HELP ME SOLVE THIS PROBLEM this is with NBU NEW BRAUNFELS UTITIES

  Business Response

  Date: 12/26/2024

  7-5-24: New bill (July bill due August) posts to account totaling $478.31, account balance is $965.94 including unpaid amount.
  7-5-24: Customer assisted in Lobby and paid $200 towards past due amount ($443.87), and received an extension for the remaining past due balance of $287.63 until 7-27-24.
  7-5-24: **************** emailed customer current balance along with ***************** information.
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/12/2024

  Type:Service or Repair 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 being charge for water used that is way beyond my consumption. This past winter there has not been any leak nor using a lot of water for my potted plants. I need THE NBU NEW BRAUNFELS UTILITIES to explain to me and check meter regarding this matter.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/26/2024

  Customers water usage for the month of March was $35.71 and for the month of April was $36.00. Her usage has been consistent and average compared to previous years and months.

  
  3-20-24: **************** emailed the customer current balance information and due date in March of 2024.
  12-6-24: Called and left message for customer to discuss water usage, concerns and review the account.
  ********: Called and left message for customer to discuss water usage, concerns and review the account.
  ********: Emailed customer to address concerns over water usage, review the account, and offer conservation options that may allow her to save money.
  

  Ms. ****** has not reached back out to NBU as of 12-19-24. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/06/2023

  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.

  Back in the freeze of 2021 we lost power for 4 to 5 days water also but this is about NBU.There were people in the city of New Braunfels that never lost power. So NBU purchased power at some total high price during freeze & for 2 years they have been asking the people out side the city to pay for something we did not get. *********** during an emergency. NBU completely failed ******** in September my electricity use was 150$ NBU added another 150$ in Fees. Yes BBB 150 dollars in fees on a 150$ bill. This has been going on since freeze. They are now billing me to Refill there reserve account. Really? ********************** has a monopoly over ********* are a private for profit company. This is disgraceful. These people are crooks. They are charging us for power we did not receive. For 2 years now. Thats enough

  Business Response

  Date: 12/07/2023

  New Braunfels Utilities (NBU) records indicate ************ called us to complain about the replenish reserves charges. Our customer service representative spoke with him and,at his request, requested management call him back. Our Director left him a message, and the customer never called us back to discuss the account situation. We are happy to help customers understand the fees on their bill. 
  
  Our records do not reflect a $150 jump from one month to the next. The customer did, however,experience an increase in electric usage during the summer months. His bill in ***** was around $150 with ****kwh compared to his bill in July, that was $319.20 with ****kwh. It was hot, and customers used more electricity, and electricity cost more because ERCOT has an emphasis on reliability since Winter Storm Uri, which results in more costly power charges.
  
  Our utility continues to charge electric customers a monthly replenish reserves charge so that NBU can refill its reserves that were depleted in order to pay for power purchased during Winter Storm Uri. The replenish reserve charge was spread out over multiple years in order to have minimal impact on our customers.  Assuming no additional unplanned volatility, the replenish reserve charge of .0075/kWh would terminate in July of 2028.  As an additional note, the cost of power, reflected as the Generation line item on a customers electric bill, is a direct pass-through to NBUs customers; there is no markup on the pass-through cost. 
  
  New Braunfels Utilities must replenish its reserves that were depleted during Winter Storm Uri in order to protect its bond rating. A strong bond rating helps NBU keep its utility rates as low as possible with lower interest rates.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/07/2023

  Complaint: 20963665
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  Its not True. I have Business cell phone. I receive messages from customers & clients every day. Never missed 1. So what you are are trying to sell is you called me & left a message. Thats not true. You never left a message on my phone. What you did is probably leave a message on my wifes phone that is in my name. Like all the family phones. My phone # is ************ you did not call me. So thats that. 
  

   Next, I did not say your rate went up 150$ 
  I said , On 1 bill my electric used was 150$. 
  you charge another 150 in Fees. 
  150 in Fees. To a private company that has a monopoly over its customers. 
  its not my job to refill your reserve account when You ********************** failed us during the freeze of 2021. Please tell us how you mishandled the reserve account after purchasing really **************** during the Freeze of 21. My bills went through the roof after that & it has never stopped. What we need to do in Vintage Oaks is compare are bill the other 1/2 of the neighborhood that  is with co-op. I bet there prices are kicking your **** NBU. Go ahead compare another house use that is with co-op in this neighborhood VS NBU. So we can see how bad you are robbing us. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************

  Business Response

  Date: 12/08/2023

  The neighboring communities' electric rate comparison for December 2023 (based on ***** kWh) can be found at ***************************************************************; Again, NBU is committed to quality customer service, and our records confirm the phone number on the account was called two times with no return call. If that is not the correct customer phone number, the customer will need to call customer service *************) to update the phone number on the customer account.  ********************** is unable to write off electric use charges.  If the customer is invested in wanting to understand the "why" behind the "replenish reserves charges," what goes into the bill calculation, or has any other billing questions, we would be happy to have a conversation.  

  Regards,

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/11/2023

  Complaint: 20963665
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  You are talking in circles. I never asked you to call me back. You have answered Zero questions. We have not been talking about your rates. We have been talking about your outrageous Fees. Please explain how a 150 dollars in electric use with NBU get 150 dollars in fees added to my bill. Please explain how you Mishandled the reserve account & now you want your customers to pay for your mistakes. Its interesting how each time you reply back to me Its A Different Person. You NBU need to tell Us when you are going to Stop with the garbage fees. You cant raise the rates without city council approval but you can raise the fees. Now your fees are as much as the power you supply. Any person I tell Look At This Bill **** NBU. Not 1 person can believe 150 dollars of eclectic use & 150 dollars in fees to go along with it. BBB we need to know if All of NBU customers are getting this on there bill. NBU may only be sending these fees to homes out side city limits. Because we are outside city limits we have

  No rep to protect us from NBU. They charge us whatever they want in Fees. 

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/17/2023

  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.

  Trying to transfer service to a different address. NBU is charging me $520. to turn on service because we were 1 day late 2x in 2 years and one was because they changed the due date! They are also stating that we were late another time but we cant see any of these late payment in our account. There is no other utility company in my area. They monopolize it. Literally extortion. No utilities in ***** in the summer if iI dont pay $520. Upfront when my account is fully up to date and in good standing.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/24/2023

  Hello - this customer also sent me an email directly and I relayed the concern to our customer service team.  That same day, they  were able to help by breaking up his deposit over a 4 month period.

   

  Thank you.