Citizens Energy Group
reviews and complaints

On [protected] at 12:32pm I watched the meter reader opening the water whole been down to get the meter reading. Both hands were down in the hole and all the sudden we have a leak and a bent copper pipe that we are now being told to repair at our cost, because the meter reader decided to call in that the meter was broken. I went out to him and he told me there’s a leak he called it in. He wasn’t sure if it was on our side or the city side, but I clearly saw him bend down with both hands in the hole. He was a big guy, and the only way a copper pipe can bend as if he happened to slip in the line crimped. No one else has been in that hole except for your meter reader guys I work from home all day I have for years and years. The only people that get in that hole are your meter readers. We should not be responsible for this cost you all should fix this on your dime.

Last year I started having significant problems with my irrigation system. Finally in April this year my technician found a bunch of contaminate that were beads in my system that had ruined my sprinkler heads and valves. I reported this to Citizens in April. They did not even respond until August after more damage had been done and I contacted them a second time. The Citizens Water Customer Rights and Responsibilities published by them clearly states that they are responsible for the main line and any problems caused by the main with no exceptions. The representative from Citizens assured me that the contaminant that ruined my irrigation system came from the main line. Also, they had taken steps to remove the contaminate from the main. He also turned my case over to their insurance provider and told me that my damages would be taken care of. Of course, the insurance provider denied the claim. I filed a complaint with Citizens and they did not respond.

Over the past few months my water *** with citizens has been around $1000 or more a month for a little 3 bedroom 1 bath one story home. Of course its been a struggle to keep up and it got shut off the guy the last time was very helpful let us pay on it before shutting off our water because he couldnt believe how much our water *** was. Still we dont know where the charges are coming from. Thursday September 2nd a last came out to shut it off again and was completely rude wouldnt help and said shes shutting it off and just call and talk over a payment to and well be back today to turn it back on. Called worked out a payment and nobody showed up. Called Friday morning September 3rd and said whats going on and the person on the phone said we have to make an appointment now to get our water turned back on. Never was we told this.. we was told make a payment they would be back to turn it on. The person on the phone was rude of course. Were in the middle of a pandemic

Feb I purchased my home. Called to establish service in which I paid my security deposit to start service. Since Feb I have not been billed. I have called and explained I didnt believe my meter was being read as I am receiving no bill. When I call they tell me I have a credit as I have been making payments for when they do get it corrected I dont have a high bill. My credit keeps increasing, but each month nothing is being reported to my account even though they keep telling me my meter is being read. I was told at the beginning of April to wait until they read the meter around April 24th that I would see a bill shortly after. Nothing, I called a week later amd they are telling me the same for May, wait until they are sched. to read 3rd week of May and should see a bill. A week ago my credit of 150 had decreased to 143, so I presumed they corrected it, but their was no bill to show me of usage. I call and they said billing was working on it. Now my credit is back to 150. Need resolved

I moved at the end of August to a new home. I put in a transfer service request from the old home to the new home. Since October I have called at least once, if not more, a month to resolve the issues on my account. I have spoken to multiple customer service representatives spending HOURS on the phone. Each time being told my account would be resolved only for me to receive a new bill with the same or different issues. My most recent bill has a late payment charge on it. I have made all payments BEFORE the due date at both my old and new house continuously. Most recently, I submitted an email to their customer service account. The conversation started off about my account, but then some how they started emailing me about a different account. I have received multiple charges to my account that are inaccurate--this has been stated by several Citizens employees. Transfer fees, late fees, other fees that have not really been explained to me, etc. Employees have been unable to explain to me where the credit I had on my 'old' account has went. I continued to be charged for the old address although I submitted a transfer request and called several times to correct the issue.

I've contacted citizens multiple times without my issue being resolved. I've asked to have a statement of work mailed to me for the services that was performed on 11/27. Myself and a field tech was in my driveway for over 45 mins with the citizens rep on the phone to confirm this letter. Once I received the letter it was for services on 11/23 instead of 11/27. I called back on 12/2 to advised citizens they sent me the wrong letter and to mail another copy of the 11/27 statement of work. I was informed they would send me the updated letter asap. As of 12/15, I have not received the 11/27 statement of work. I called again today and got a rep that advised me she would check with dispatch and the previous rep to make sure I was either mailed or emailed the 11/27 statement of work. I got a call back twice from the rep stating she was still trying to find the correct person. After the 3rd call she advised me I would have to call another number to request the statement of work. This is outright ridiculous. I want someone to compensate me for the inconvenience this has caused and email me the 11/27 statement of work via email at [protected]@yahoo.com. Also, a call from upper management would be nice ***)

In June, I contacted Citizens Energy Group to direct them to transfer my gas and water service to a new address, effective in July that year. They scheduled a service call and reported that everything had been completed and was ready to go on time. At the end of October the outside temperature dropped enough to justify turning on the furnace, the only gas appliance in the house, for the first time that year. By the next day the house was still cold, so I called an HVAC technician to come diagnose the problem, which turned out to be that Citizens Energy Group had turned on gas service to the house but had never physically come out to the house to unlock the meter and allow the gas flow to proceed past the meter and into the house. I called them and arranged for them to come unlock the meter, which was done that same day, but they refuse to refund the money I paid for gas service during the four months that the meter was locked, which amounts to a $12 per month minimum fee, $48 total for the 4 months. I feel that I should not be required to pay a fee for the months that I was not able to use the gas service at all due to Citizens Energy failing to complete the setup process from the beginning.

I *** L.*** have a serious trouble with the Citizen Energy company about my Account I been making a payment on the this account number since I started pay this bill but today Nov 4,2020 they have change my account number with no notification letting me know so I go yo pay my bill & now when I put the new account number in it telling me it a invalid account so I call the main office to ask why it has it been changed she told me they have a new server and they changed it back in July but I've been using my old account number since July but today excuse me I have given you the wrong date December 4th 20/20 today Friday did I went there to use the new account number didn't work this is what I told her she telling me that they changed it in July why was I able to use my old account but no problem now today it tells me invalid account so I asked her am I supposed to pay my bill he kept giving me the same number I told her that the new numbers not working account number I miss you in this complaint regard to my payment history have not missed a payment I have a perfect payment history and it seems like every time this time of year they have a problem with my bill right before the start of the new year for five years now have overlooked it this time I fed up thank you for letting me put this complaint in any more questions or answers be feel free to send me something in in regards to this complaint.

On the 29th of November , the Hermitage Apartments was purchased by a new owner. Upon the closing of the property we contacted citizens to inform them of the sale, give them the new Tax ID number and see what else was needed. They explained that since it was for the whole complex we would need to email the information over, which we did within minuets. The following Monday morning citizens turns off gas to all buildings leaving 280 apartment home without heat and hot water in 40 degree weather. We called them again and were then told they had received the information but had not processed it yet and there was nothing they could do, in fact, they wouldnt be able to get the new account setup until the 8th of November. I need to understand how this is an acceptable practice and as a gas company how there is no other way to resolve a problem like this, other than wait a week. My company and the residents of hermitage apartments need a better solution than this. Its absolutely unacceptable to leave 280 apartments without heat simply Bc it takes them a week to process a request. Now the last person we spoke with allowed is to put the gas back in the person who sold the propertys Tax-ID number until the 8th which first of all is not a legitimate business practice by any means and secondly, if this unethical solution is the only other option why was it not offered from the beginning? None of this makes any sense and Id really just like these people to have some heat immediately.

I have been on a budget with Citizen's Energy Group for years. I pay my *** on time every month and although I feel like my budget is high $288/month I continue to pay. I recently received an email that my budget is being raised to $358/month. This amount is insane. I ask them why the increased amount and they indicate it's because of my usage. They asked me if I had a water leak, I do not. They did this to me once a couple of years ago and stated that I had a water leak and I owed them $3,000. I told them I did not have a leak and there was no way I was using that much service. They told me to have a plumber take a look and if the "bobber" in the sewer was not moving then there was no leak. If the "bobber" was moving then we had a leak. We proved there was no leak and I told them it had to be on their end. They refused to come out and do anything about it. Instead, they shut off my services until the money was paid. I ended up having to pay for something that I had no control over. Now, here we go again. They randomly come to me and say "You must have had a leak a few months ago." I don't have any leaks. I'm single and I travel for work. I'm hardly ever home. How are all of these "services" being used when I'm never here? I really just don't believe anything they say anymore. I feel like they are price gouging our community because they can and at this point, they are just making numbers up. I obviously have to pay this *** because I have no other options but something crooked is going on here. I cannot be the only one that this is happening to.

I have an account with Citizens Energy Group for water at my residence. I have had several issues with them. There has been two instances this year where my use was estimated instead of an actual number read from the meter. There has been another instance where the meter was not recorded properly. I am unsure of the reasons why the *** was estimated. However, some of their employees have alluded to the fact they do not have enough employees to fulfill their duties as a company to their customers. Both instances of estimated water usage at my residence have been especially inaccurate estimates. This requires me to unnecessarily overpay for a service I have received. In October, I never even received a *** and had to inquire for one. A *** arrived electronically that was grossly overestimated because the meter was not read. I have estimated that I have overpaid approximately $172 already for my water consumption and this *** would have added another $400 of overpayment. It has required quite a bit of my time to resolve these issues as a customer. I have had to follow-up several times to resolve these unnecessary issues. Additionally, when I call their customer service line, they are extremely busy. One time it took an hour to reach someone with 26 callers in queue stated by their telephone service. I've also called when 17 customers were waiting to talk to a customer service personnel. It is extremely disappointing to work with a company that provides such poor service. This is even more disappointing when I have no other option in providers because this is a municipal service.

I have been receiving utility service (water), since November at my current address. I have never had a higher than normal bill, until February this year 2020. Our next door neighbor had some underground water issues during that time. Upon my wife calling in to pay on a payment arrangement, she find out that our new bill that had just been generated, but we had not yet received was: $1,084.90. Upon my wife speaking with C-Rep: Jessica on: 2/27, who transferred me to her Senior Associate: Nikia, who than requested for a check on our readings and requested for a meter replacement, case#: 2 *** 5. Nikia stated the meter readings was on 2/21: 10258. On 2/28 I was told that the readings was: 21915 and that on 2/21 the readings was: 21861 by: C-Rep: Salena. I was told that the readings was correct and that we will need to have a Licensed Plumber to come out and check for leaks from the meter to the inside of our home. Also, to show proof that a Licensed Plumber came out, because there was no problem with a leak at the meter. The glass on the meter face was very frosted, it made it extremely hard to read the meter and the glass was cracked on the meter face. After the meter was changed our bill immediately went down to it's monthly normal. We never called to have a Licensed Plumber to check out our water lines from the meter to the inside of our home. I believe that I have every bill sent before February and after. On the water usage graph it s established that all of the graphs have changed after that large bill of February . We have been over charged on our bill and Citizen Energy Group has filed and give ample time to rectify our bill and has not to this date.

I have been for all Summer Long have been charged gas in my residence everything here in my residence is electric besides the furnace we do not use the furnace in the summer I have for the last 2 months been waiting for a case manager to get ahold of me never got a receive call every time I called the company to resume this they do nothing my bill is at $444 my disconnect is 270 I feel that this is very incorrect and unprofessional of this business talk to a representative yesterday she got rude with me when I asked it can I possibly take them to court because my bill keeps getting higher and higher her remarks was why would you want to take us to court when you can't even pay your bill that was very rude of her her name was Brittany I've had someone come to confirm that everything in this house is electric at my residence at 3247 North Gladstone avenue 46218 they did put a new meter on my house I've got nothing but estimate bills again this is the second month of an estimate bill called yesterday and all they wanted to credit me on my bill was $23 when they're charging me gas service of $67 or more a month I am so scared to see how I'm going to heat my house for my family this year when I really need to heat my house if my bill is $67 now all summer being 78 to $80 a month my bill is going to be in the hundreds or more just to heat my house in the winter when it's at zero temperature I'm very scared to know what my bill is going to be for my family I hope with me saying what I had said something can possibly be done like I said I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for the case manager mark to get ahold of me on the situation but every time I called there he's always off thank you for listening to me have a wonderful day

I have now revieved two incorrect bills. I received a bill in January stating I owed $230 for my gas and water bill. Living in a ranch new build (2019) with only two adults in the home, I was shocked by this. I immediately reached out to Citizen who sent someone out for a reread and stated I probably had a leak in my home. I had my home checked by a plumber as well as my water softener company out to check it was functioning correctly. Both stated there were no leaks in my home. The reread comes back and now my bill drops to $83. I have always paid my bills with citizen early mind you. February's bill comes and now the bill is $530! It is now stating I have used 47.52 CCF of water! This isn't possible! So I contact Citizen again and I'm given the run around for 2 weeks. Then I'm told when they did the "reread" it was incorrect. Come to find out I have had several months of high water usage bills but because of their average use in the summer months on seewage charges, I didn't notice it until January. I request a new meter at this point, as something is not right with these reads. The new meter is put in place as well as the old meter tested. When the new meter is put in, my numbers miraculously go back to normal, 4 CCF again for my March bill. But they tell me the meter was working fine before. But I'm also informed my bill will be adjusted from last month because they over charged me by going back too far and that I only used 8 CCF in January. I recieved a call yesterday saying the bill was now not being corrected and I owed the $530 from last month! This makes no sense! There is something broken, whether it's the meter, the meter reader or the billing unit handling this issue, but there is no possible way I used 47 CCF of water in one month! I'm being held hostage by a water and gas company that I can't opt out of and no one is even trying to help resolve the situation!

Over the past few months with Citizens, we have had ridiculous high gas bills. Now we expect that gas bills would increase during this time. But not to be two to four times higher than they have been the past 36 months. Our gas meter is in our backyard, so they have to open our iron gate to get to it, which remains unlocked at all times. There has never been a problem reading the meter before. Now the last bill we called 6 times to get our meter read, and they kept saying they were unable to get to the meter. The gate was unlocked and I even put up signs directing them to it. After the re-read, our gas bill ended up being over $300 cheaper than it was before due to an incorrect reading. This month I have received a bill that is even higher than the last bill, it was ridiculous that I have to keep calling to pursue meter re-reads for their mistakes. Without bringing this to their attention and being persistent, I am sure they would collect the money from the incorrect reading with no problems. In addition to this, we had a Citizen employee who came to mark off underwater lines. They knocked on the door and I said they could go through the unlocked gate. After they did their work our black gate hinges are misaligned and it is nearly impossible to close. Working with Citizens has been an enormous hassle and other than one billing adjustment it appears no effort is being made to ensure that employees are reading the meters correctly and are careful not to damage property in the process. I request that Citizens make amends for the fence, and ensure that meters reads will be accurate so my wife and I don't have to devote so much time to ensure it is correct. I worry that these inappropriate practices are impacting others who may be overpaying significantly for their bills. My wife and take considerable steps to ensure we do not overuse our heat, we have a furnace less than 5 years old, and recently encapsulated our crawlspace to improve insulation.

-Feb 2019 notified Citizens: no water -Citizens inspected & found the meter pit left open by meter reader causing pipes/meter to freeze -Citizens did nothing to immediately repair, closed meter pit "we think it will thaw". It did thaw over the next 2 days - few weeks later noticed increase in water ***, Citizens came out, inspected, found their negligence created issue that meter had cracked during freeze and was leaking - Citizens repaired, and after further complaint about the added water charge due to the leak, admitted was due to their negligence and credited additional amount -July/August - increase in water *** though no increased consumption - September - continued unusual water consumption - plumber inspected interior of home/fixtures found all to be in good working order and no explanation for increase in water consumption - October 27 - continued higher than expected water consumption, inspected water lines and located a noticeable and concerning leak in the meter pit at the meter connection - notified Citizens requested to have technician AND supervisor contact when on site. - Oct 28 technician arrived and left a note indicating the leak as I described from the meter connection on homeowner side but did not contact when on site - Oct 29, called Citizens requesting a call back, received no call back. - Nov 4th, called and attempted to schedule an onsite meeting with a supervisor for Nov 5th. Received inbound call from a call center supervisor at 4:03p on Nov5 and in that 11m conversation it was determined that another tech should come out and inspect, and at that time this supervisor or another would call me to discuss as it was believed to be faulty installation from 2019 meter repair. Received no contact. Nov 8th, requested supervisor contact, no response. Nov 10, requested supervisor meet on site - no contact Nov 11 submitted website query requesting help *** is 8x normal amount, no added consumption, no contact or resolution.