DTE Energy
reviews and complaints

I have lived in my house for 3 years. The gas meter was located inside the house when we moved in. This house was built in the 1940's. I have never had any issues with any water leaking, never had problems when it rained, when the snow melted, and previous owners never had any problems. Well, DTE harasses me this year, telling me I need a new meter and it needs to be on the outside, so they demanded putting one in, otherwise my gas would be shut off (if they are the ONLY company that provides gas, what else do ya do?) So, I agree (angrily, of course). One day they come to our house to put in this new meter. During this construction, I feel and hear a VERY LOUD vibration throughout the entire house. They were drilling holes in my house that was built in the 40's, so they could run pipes through. A couple days after construction finished, I go into my attic, and water is dripping on the floor. I investigate, and realize it is leaking down and around the chimney (from the little bit of rain we got that day). Luckily, my husband was able to fix this problem. But, since there wasn't much rain the rest of the summer, I didn't know there was anymore issues, until last night when we got 6 inches of rain! We woke up to a flooded basement. I really believe that the vibration caused by DTE's drilling messed u the foundation of our old house :( I just emailed them today, and am going to call in a little bit. But I highly doubt without a lawyer, anything will be fixed, if they even accept responsibility.

We recently moved into a 2 bed 2 bath 1, 300 sq ft condo. When we received our first bill which was only 2.5 weeks of billing, it was $280! That seemed high to me so I made sure to keep a close eye on the electricity use in our house. I just received our second bill and it was for the full 4 week billing cycle. It states that we used 2, 500 KW for tha cycle and that is a 174% increase from the average usage is. I'm not sure how that can be, we are a family of 3 that is not home 5 days out of the week until after 6:30 pm and then gone again early in the mornings. Our thermostat is set to 80 degrees when we are not home in an effort to save money on our electric bill (hahaha 🙄)

When I called DTE, the customer service rep told me that my reading was an actual reading, not an estimate so it can't be wrong...she then proceeded to tell me to unplug my TVs in the house prior to leaving to help save energy! That is the most absurd thing I've ever heard! I moved here from AZ where it is hot almost year round and my AC was left low-72 degrees day and night and my electric bill never reached as high as it has out here with DTE. Something is not right! I'm not sure how I go about getting this issue resolved. I can tell you that I refuse to pay that kind of money...guess I'll be living in the dark until it is fixed

I am sending this complaint because I have been trying to work with DTE on making payments to keep my electric on. But no one is willing to work with me. I do not have $1046 to pay the full amount. I made arrangements to pay $500 this week with installments over the next 2 weeks but they refuse to keep my electric on during that time frame. I am disabled with a heart condition living on $789 a month. I do not get food assistance. I am also raising my 9 year old granddaughter that I receive $78 twice a month from the state in cash assistance. That money pays for food. I need help with this problem. All I am asking for is that DTE honors their aggreement for allowing me to make the payments.

There have been numerous attempts to get a utility pole replaced that is so severely bent that the wires from it are hanging down low enough for children to reach them. There is also a light with the fixture broken off the top of the pole. DTE's response was the wires are not electrical so it's fine the way it is.
This pole is in the middle of where children play and it needs replacement.

Our neighborhood (our address is 1108 Vesper Rd, northwest Ann Arbor, zip code 48103, Water Treatment plant area) has experienced repeated power outages, significantly more than our friends in other parts of Ann Arbor, MI. Recent examples (my records go back to 1997 with similar issues in our neighborhood):

Wednesday, March 8, 2017 thru Sunday, March 12, 2017 (freezing temperatures);
Friday overnight thru Saturday, March 17 thru March 18, 2017;
Thursday, April 6, 2017: lights dimming on/off for several minutes;
Thursday, August 3, 2017: out all night until about 11:40 am Friday;
Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017: before noon, thru Monday, Oct. 16, ~11am;
Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017: ~ 1:50 pm on and off for some time;
Wednesday, May 16, 2018: brief outage in morning;
Monday, June 19, 2018: from about 10:30 pm overnight to 1:30 am Tuesday;
Thursday, July 12, 2018: ~7:30 pm for about an hour;
Friday, July 13, 2018: about 1 hour at 2:30 am;
Monday, Aug. 6, 2018: 7:15 pm ~ 9:50 pm.

Equipment issues, excessive usage, downed lines, among reasons DTE has provided. It is apparent that our area of northwest Ann Arbor is inadequately prepared for current needs.

Our neighbor had a tree that fell in line and DTE didn't get there for several days. When they removed the tree our line stretched and caused a voltage of 219 in one line because from stretching and working not doing anything caused wires to rub & take coating off. Our deductible was 1, 000 and believe it should be taken care of by DTE. [protected].The matter should have been taken care of when wire was stretched out. Call for further info if needed. 5758 Neumann Rd St Clair mi

So itz like 97 out side than we have no power thier equipment now day latter once again no power. WHAT THE heckis wrong with this company they get 1, 000 of dollars from alot of people but can not keep thier power flowing. They should be charged a few every time a power outages occurs even if is storm damage .By naking tbem pay a large fine maybe they would do a little maintenance would have these issues.

Hello my complaint is due to multiple power outages in my area we have had between 7 and 9 power outages in the last 3 months what is going on why is it not being fixed correctly the first time my wife has Parkinson's and this is very hard on her when she has to sit in the heat for hours not to mention all of the food we have had to throw away every time DTE is not giving us accurate restoration times either and every time it gets blamed on faulty equipment why is this not being fixed correctly

We were enrolled on the SPP and somehow were removed in early January. We received a letter stating our SPP was met and our new BWB amount would be $38. We use way more electric than $38 amount and I knew there was no way my SPP was met. I gave them a call and the rep I spoke with apologized and spoke with her supervisor they agreed to use my February payment as a down payment on a new SPP. I agreed as it seemed to be a fix to an unknown problem and I had already been on the phone for an hour. Mid feb rolls around and I get a bill that was domestically low and shows I had no past due (I do have a small past due amount that's why I was on SPP). I again called to ask what was going on. They advised me the billing was correct and that was what I owed. I ended up having to get a supervisor as I know I didn't pay my account balance to zero. The supervisor advised me they had a system issue and just to keep making my monthly SPP payments. I continued To receive messed up bills showing lower amounts than what I had actually owed through April. Yes I called and was on the phone several times for well over n hour each time to be told the same thing every time. "We are sorry there is a system error, it will be fixed next month, just keep paying your plan amount on time and you will not be shut off. I did exactly as asked and paid the bill on time for the SPP amount. In may I get a bill that stated the actual amount I owe and reflects no SPP, but does show a shut off. I called in spoke with a rep and explained everything. She could see my payments were being made on time and in full. She advised me she was putting a 30 day hold on my account and my service wouldn't be shut off. That the problem would be fixed by the second week of June. At this point my hands are tied I don't really know what to do besides continue to make my payments and pray my service isn't shutoff in error!

I am writing to express my concern regarding the numerous power outages that GLD Group has experienced at 800 Tech Row, Madison Heights, MI. 48071. There have been 2 instances this year and at least 2 others in the past 18 months that have impacted the company's workday and daily productivity. With the work loss that we have incurred, GLD Group would like to understand what fail-safe options will be put in place to lessen these unscheduled outages. It seems the underlying problem is low hanging wires at the business across the street with trucks hitting them. As a long-time customer of DTE, I am confident a mutually agreeable solution can be obtained. We appreciate you time and attention with regards to the above matter.

Sincerely,
Brian Bellman

Great Lakes Diversified Group, Inc.
800 Tech Row.
Madison Heights MI, 48071

O: [protected]
F: [protected]

We have been trying to remove a tree in our backyard for the last 2 months. We have a contractor ready to remove it but cannot do anything until dte trims some of the tree branches from the powerlines. Dte sent a contract company out and after they saw the size of the tree they have been ignoring our calls. Every time there is high winds, huge tree branches fall. We are afraid to have our kids go out there fearing them being injured by falling branches. We have expressed this to DTE multiple times but still nothing. We are getting very frustrated with all of this and dont know what to do.

May 17, 2018

Last night at 10:00 p.m. our entire road experienced power shutting down and coming back on and off three times. Last week we lost power at 10:00 a.m. for three and a half
hours. DTE told us it was their equipment problem. What the hell is going on here. We
can never rely on constant electricity.

Can you people get your problems corrected immediately so all of us can have a nice
normal life?

Get this outages FIXED once and for all.

Not a happy customer,
Lynda Toussaint
1005 Bloomer Road
Rochester Hills, Mi. 48307
[protected]

acct # [protected] 0 James Kessler - 37239 Ingleside Street Clinton Twp

4/29/18 Sunday : Our home experienced a major power surge and outage — due to a ground wire from pipe riser off of our roof — lost quite a few appliances and have had some electrical outlet issues since this has happened.
5/1/18 Monday: Called DTE today and request a claim be filed — This is DTE's problem — the ground wire broke right in half and surged through out our house. spoke to Michelle and she assured me that the claim was being filed and we should see the paperwork in mail within few days.
5/8/18 Tuesday: Called DTE again — did not received claim in the mail to date. Spoke to Melody and she informed me that the claim had been mailed on May 3rd. we should be receiving in the mail shortly.
5/16/18 Wednesday: Called DTE again — did not receive claim in the mail to date. spoke to Tiffany — she sees the claim had been filed in her system but not showing being mailed — she was going to file a new claim — ? really — ? why would she file a new claim and not try to find out what happened to the original claim.
I have called three times with the average time spent on the phone all three times of 40 to 45 minutes each time. I will in the next few days be contacting a lawyer if I do not receive my claim in the mail. I am sure you folks go home everyday to all your appliances avail for use — we do not and have not for over two weeks and I will not be purchasing new until we make sure you cannot fix them first or a refund to purchase new — if we ever get the claim in the mail. I am done getting the run around from your customer service dept.

I'm complaining about an ad you have on the radio. You're running an ad right now that says due to climate change you're not trying to release carbon into the atmosphere. First of all carbon omissions are good for the atmosphere. So someone isn't doing their science over at DTE. Secondly the climate has been changing since the beginning of time. Nothing man made will destroy or mess with the climate. Also oil and gas and Cole are all renewable fuel sources. Do your homework. We the people will not buy into your lies about climate change. You speak as if it is fact that we need and must have windmills and solar. When we don't unless it's a convenience for an individual. Get with the program please. We the people are not stupid. Thank you

Work being done in neighborhood for last 2 months upgrading service lines. Today, April 15, I come home from being out of town for a week to a 47 degree House. No prior notification. Wet notices in the mud which luckily I happened to pick up telling me they shut off my gas. Now I'm told I have to wait up to 5 hours to have pilots lit. Unacceptable. No idea how long it's been off. Could have had frozen pipes. No hot water, can't cook a meal. No one to talk to escalate, just get the line someone might call before 11 pm. I expect some sort of compensation.

I lost my power around 4:00 on Monday, March 19, 2018. I called DTE and reported the outage on your automated system. I got a call a short time later to let me know that the problem was being looked into and that DTE would keep me apprised of what was going on. Not long after that automated call I got a call from an actual customer service representative. As an aside, the name DTE did not show up on my display and I almost didn't pick up the phone. She said that the problem wasn't in the area and that she has put in an order to have someone come check the residence. I waited about one and a half hours and called. The representative checked and said that DTE had been out to the house and the problem wasn't DTEs. I needed to get in touch with an electrician. I did that. He came to the house...went outside...came back in and said the breaker had been tripped..
Now here is my complaint! How can a worker come to the house and #1 not tell me that he is here? And #2 NOT flip the breaker himself and let me know that the problem is resolved?
How dare you take advantage of your customers like that! I am a senior citizen on a fixed budget which doesn't allow for $212 emergency electrician visits.. You could have prevented this whole debacle (look it up)
And you should be totally ashamed of yourself for these, which I am assuming, guidelines if that was what the technician was following.
I expect an answer to this email..A phone call would be more apropos, though.

Susan Lasky
[protected]@yahoo.com
[protected]

I have had the fourth vehicle to come out to my home. I have had issues since the month of november of this year. I've have had my meter frozen (That no one can explain). I have had ice in my gas line (That no one is able to explain). I've had my home furnace capped and shut off (As if I was stealing gas). Ive been a paying customer for over 25 years at this one address!
The service person came into my home after I called about a gas leak, at 230 am, my service is shut off and capped. I my animals and my grand daughter. I was told that my heat exchange was damaged and that they could not allow it to be utilzed another second. At 230 in the morning on a friday? What the hell?
Tonight, was my fourth or fifth service call of gas fumes. Tonight the meter rumbled as if it were a miniture motor cycle. When I opened my kitchen window to see if it was in fact my meter, I smelled gas at that time. The service person came out and said he couldn't explain it. He went through all the steps as the service persons had done before him.in fact he was one of the service persons that had been out before.
This is to say the least, very troubling. I am at my wits end. The last thing that I want to do is blow up in my family home. I've been here 24 years and I don't understand it. I was told that I would have some heated apparatus that would be placed on the meter to keep it (The line) from freezing. So what is dte waiting on?

Hello my name is Stephen Pal, I live at 16189 Millar Road Clinton Township, MI (Phone #[protected]). I received a phone call today from my wife approx. 9:00 am stating we had no power. She called DTE and was told that we had been shut off due to non payment. My last payment (In full) was on October 23, 2017 - my bill was for only $164.13. You shut me off for 6 weeks of services assuming each billing cycle is 4 weeks - I'm only 2 weeks behind. I have been a customer for well over 20 years! I really upset (and yes I'm being nice by saying that). Not only did I get the Christmas present from you of being turned off - You also gave the extra gift of a reconnect fee and security deposit too. So 2 weeks before Christmas you hit me with a $500 bill. I would really like to have someone call me and explain why I should stay a customer of yours. Sincerely Stephen Pal

On July 14 DTE entered a 2010 kWh usage for 1 month of service...I use about 70. Since that time I have been trying to get this resolved...I made appointments for them to read my meter, this was an ordeal in itself...1st attempt, they forgot to schedule it ...I was told that they would call me the next morning with the time they would be there...they never called or showed up. 2nd time they came the day before they were supposed to be there...3rd time they finally showed up that was Oct 17. Keep in mind...I have to stay home from work for this.

I have also purchased a new house...closed on Oct 20th, and I can't get the power turned on because of this...unless, of course, I cough up ~$1500.00 bucks! I can't move in so I have to rent an additional month of storage...wanted to get work done before I moved in...can't do that if there's no power.

I have also been sending in pics of my meter to there site as requested. (see pics below.)

In addition, I have made to payments of $100.00 ( Aug 28 and Oct 24)

Date Reading kWh Type
May 18 1518 DTE actual
Jun 17 1949 DTE estimate
Jul 14 4069 DTE actual ?
Aug 20 1674 pic
Sep 10 1758 pic
Sep 28 2078 pic
Oct 9 2169 pic
Oct 17 DTE meter reading

Since feb. 2017, dte has been posting alot of my payments on another account. They have done nothing to help me or rectify my account or my monies. I asked for copies of my charges and payments on my accounts and they won't send them. I have made 15 requests to rectify this & they tell me they will fix things & send me copies & they do nothing. 15+ broken promises & they have screwed up my billing and took me off budget plan w/o notifying me. I want copies of my payments and billing on by accounts. I have recently contacted the better business bureau.