Complaint Rating:

Company information:
CenterPoint Energy
P O BOX 2628
United States
Phone: 713-659-2111
www.centerpointenergy.com

I own a rental property in Pearland and turned the energy on for a family moving in the property. In late November 07, I called the CenterPoint Energy company several times to turn the gas off and change it to the new renters name, but they told me they could not place the account in the new renters' name unless the new renter personally called them. I said ok and asked them to give the new renters 7 days and if they did not convert the gas in their name to turn it off. I also contacted the new renter Robert Strong and he assured me he did transfer all utilities in his name, so i did not worry about a bill. I returned to Houston on 19 June and just as i stepped off the plane, i received a call from CenterPoint Energy to tell me there was a 973.39 bill that i needed to pay or they would turn the gas off. Mr. Strong had just broken his lease, due to illness I was told, and there were new renters in the home. They told me that Mr. Strong never put the bill in his name and I had to pay it or they wouldn't let the new renters #2 move in. I was upset that they had let the bill go for over 6 months and never before called me. The person who called me stated she was turning off the gas in two days. i asked how it had gone sooo long especially since she had my phone number from back in november and she said the bills went to the house. Neither Mr. Strong nor the actual company notified me of the large bills being accrued by Mr. Strong.
After several attempts to contact Mr.Strong, i talked with CenterPoint staff again. For some reason they acted as if they knew Mr. Strong and one lady said, "they didn't say the would pay the bill did they"? She had a very strong reaction to my stating I was awaiting a call from Mr. Strong's family again and had talked with his nice. I believe the billers were somehow related to Mr.Strong and do believe they waited his departure to tell me about the bill. Mr.Strong didn't mail the bill to me, of course because he had told me he changed it to his own name and the company didn't call me for 6 months because they didn't want me to know either. THIS COMPANY OR THEIR STAFF has defrauded me in not telling me the gas bill was not being paid until AFTER the renter moved out. There is something wrong with this picture as most bills must be paid within 30 days, etc. I would like a response to this complaint.

Louella Anderson
3134 N 158th Ave
Goodyear, AZ 85395

PROPERTY ADDRESS: 10023 Chestnut Creek Way, Pearland Texas.