Deml

Someone from Direct Energy came to my door last October and offered me a 5 year electricity rate at 7.98 cents per KWH. They explained that my bill would stay the same or go up only slightly. I never got a chance to read the "squint print" on their documentation and they called me a week or so later to ask if I was interested. After listening to their pitch I thought it sounded ok but I never SIGNED anything. I got my first bill in February, only to see that my electricity cost had gone up by about $65.00 a month - way more than my bill ever was with Power Stream.

I have made my complaint to the Ontario Energy Board, Direct Energy and Power Stream and now I have contacted my MPP. I have no documentation to see what it would cost me to get out of this alleged "contract" and the cost from Direct Energy is more than Power Stream would charge with Smart Meters during peak times. Power Stream told me that they don't see their rates getting anywhere near what Direct Energy is gouging people for.

On another note, my Direct Energy water heater broke down and they sent someone out to look at it (after telling me that I "qualify" for a new one after 14 years). They wanted to charge me $150.00 to replace the venting for THEIR unit - which I refused to do. So I bought a water heater from Sears and called Direct Energy to come pick up their old heater. They wanted to charge me $75.00 to send someone out to get it or I could drive an hour from my home and drop it off for them (I don't have a truck). After escalating this issue to a manager, they realized the distance was too far for me drop it off and waived the $75.00 fee.

If Direct Energy approaches you - slam the door in their face or hang up the phone. They are a rip off and a scam and all they want is your money. Note that they tape their calls and in the communist state of Ontario, if you agree with anything they say - that could be construed as a binding contract. Failure to pay the bill in protest will effect your credit rating and the individual consumer has virtually no recourse....no body to go to in order to effect their ratings and to bring your complaint to an acceptable conclusion. RIP OFF RIP OFF RIP OFF

After contacted Crystal, she immediately forward my problem to a support team member who has handle my case promptly and offer for further help. If all the customer service representatives treat their customer like this, I would appreciate and don't have to suffering for so long. Thank you!
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I want to know if I can rate -10! We are suffering from this problem 6 times in 4 months. Our water heater failed to working properly from last Christmas, so there's no hot water when the tank is not working, then we call and arrange a technician to fix the problem. The 1st and 2nd time technician came and changed a new wire, 3rd time the tech. open the bottom part of the tank for a further check, and went out side of the house to check the water pressure, everything is OK he said. Until the 4th time, the 4th tech told me the tank is leaking, that's why the fire keep shutting off, so we have to exchange the new one. The next day, installers came, but told me the new water heater could not fit because the chimney liner was not install properly by the previous installer, (but they were all installed by the other workers from Direct Energy when we moved in by the year of 2000) so I have to pay for the parts or find someone else to do that before the new tank can be install. OK, fine, I want this problem fix ASAP, so I paid around $450 for the chimney liner, then we have the new tank installed, I thought problem finally fixed. However, ONLY 3 days later, there's NO hot water again..., and I call to customer service wondering where is the problem, they then sent another tech. and he told me everything is OK, he couldn't find any problem, but I told him this is the new one, with only 3 days the same problem happened again like the old one, he can't do anything he said, he'll check my account history and asked me to call them back if it happen again...and then the 6th time after 10 days, which is 2 times in only 2 weeks after this new one installed!! How many people can live like this?! I have to stay home from work when this happen, and wait for the tech. to come, during these months when I woke up, I keep worry is there no hot water again? this is so annoying and inconvenience! and I paid $450 for this UNSOLVED problem!! Rip off!! so I called customer service again and requested to talk to the manager directly. At first customer service arranged a tech. to come the next day, and because it's not business hour when I call so the manager will call me back at 8am first thing at the morning he said. the next day almost 2pm no call back still, so I call again, and they transferred me to the manager. This manager has left me speechless, I have been treated SO rudely by him!! I'm shocked by his attitude!!? He has left me in the hole!! so we're living the same like when we're have the old tank, but paid extra$$ and been treated horribly. If there's no hot water again, and Direct Energy still treat me like this, I'll phone the Ontario Energy Board and file a complain to Consumer Relations about my problem!!

Direct Energy Essential Home Services has treated us horribly. In failing to respond to our concerns, which we communicated by phone and letter, the company has demonstrated that it is absolutely and utterly indifferent to my satisfaction.
Our boiler failed during a winter cold spell. We had diligently paid for a Heating Protection Plus Plan for years (the previous homeowner had it and they automatically started charging us, annually, since I was paying the bill by preauthorized payment). After the boiler breakdown, Direct Energy personnel broke the boiler ("oops", says the tech) but at first said they could repair it (we just needed to wait for a part). We waited patiently only to be told that nobody ordered the part. Similarly, we had an appointment for repair where no technician showed up. Eventually we were told the boiler could not be fixed. Their quote for a new boiler was almost double that of another company with excellent reviews on this website.
After all this, Direct Energy takes the position that we should still have to pay for the Protection Plan for the year in which the boiler breaks due to their negligence and in which they deem the boiler to be non-repairable.
Direct Energy left our family (with a young child and me pregnant) in the freezing cold for over a week, despite frequent calls for help. The pet fish died. Direct Energy did not even give us space heaters.
They still have not responded to my letters of complaint (now over a year later) other than a rude phone call that did not address my concerns. Since they have my money, it is apparent they could care less about ensuring my satisfaction.
Throughout, staff have been incompetent and hostile. I am shocked and appalled with the non-service received from this business and hope this will serve as a warning to other potential consumers to steer well clear!

This was a free annual furnace maintenance call placed by Direct Energy themselves.
The technician did a lot of measurements on the equipment and outside at the exhaust duct. Then he asked me whether we had problem with our furnace. I replied that we hardly had any problem with it. Then he shut down the furnace and started telling me that there are a lot of these furnace around this area and they all have similar problems of cracked heat exchange. Without clarifying if our furnace is having a problem of leaking CO or according to his measurement, he started removing different parts from the furnace (see attached photo).
At the end he pointed to a certain part inside the furnace to me and told me that there was a cracked in the heat exchanger and telling me that could be a very serious problem because there was CO gas leaking out from it. So he provided us the following solution: 1. Replaced the heat exchanger. 2. Get a new furnace. He said that the parts, i.e. the heat exchanger is free, but the labor will cost us $1000, and for a new furnace that could cost from $4000 upwards.
I would like to ask Direct Energy:
Why didn't their technician inform us of the high CO level if it was so dangerous after he took the readings?
We had CO detector installed in our house. I asked him why is it that the CO detector failed to detect such a high level. He did not replied. He just continued performing his work around the equipment.
Why didn't he ask us, the customer, if he should take the furnace apart and would not be able to put it back as it was?

The photo shown was the state of my furnace when he left.
I wish that the skillfully technician was doing his duty ethically.
And every customer would start asking questions on these technicians while they were servicing your equipment at home. I wish that the skillfully technician was doing his duty ethically.
And every customer would start asking questions on these technicians while they were servicing your equipment at home.

This is the second time Direct Energy (formerly Factory Appliance) came to "fix" a dryer. Just like the first time, $90 just to show up. Didn't realize that the dryer was gas until we told him. Said it was the valve, and walked out the door telling us we would have a quote the next day. ONE WEEK LATER, I had to call to get a quote. Would have been $250 plus taxes. Called the Appliance Guy for a second opinion, he diagnosed it over the phone and came the next day with the right part, had it fixed in half and hour and for $175. Do NOT trust Direct Energy. They did the same thing last year, and had the gall to charge me labour THREE TIMES as the second time they had the wrong part.

I was one of the unfortunate souls who signed up for a contract for natural gas and electricity with direct energy. I ended up paying more than my friends and neighbours in similar homes. When the contract was up, I decided to switch to a new service provider.
In the time between the new company taking over and the end of the contract. I was signed up with another subsidiary of direct energy and charged a new connection fee.

I called to dispute this new fee to be with the same company. I was told that the head office in ontario charges all new customers a connection fee and it would not be refunded. I have to pay or it will be sent to collections. Lovely response. What great customer service. Essential Services indeed.

They must think that they can gouge the consumer because electricity is essential, right?

I am now with enmax of calgary and will not ever be returning to direct energy.

Do not use direct energy. They are scammers. Consumer beware.

Check out this article from the calgary herald
http://www.ontariotenants.ca/electricity/articles/2004/ch104e16.phtml

I signed up for Heating Protection Plan for $13.99/month last year and when there was time for renewal, I called them and opted for Heating Plus Protecion $20.99 for the renewal as they had a promotional offer of $7.00 off per month.
To my amazement my last month Bill showed two charges of $13.99, called billing department who were evasive in their answers may be this may be that. Got transferred to contracts department when I told them that I need definitive answers. Contracts department told me that they put 2 contracts on the same account, even confirmed if I had 2 furnaces running in my home (is there anything called common sense?). Anyway I was told that they will be cancelling one of the plans and I'll get a credit.
I got my latest bill yesterday and it still shows 2 plans. Called billing again, same story, got transffered to contracts, same story. Not sure if this will ever end, or getting rid of Direct Energy all together is the best solution.
If anyone has a suggestion, please let me know. Thanks.

Update: April 2010
Above issue was resolved after making this posting last year within a month or so. I did use their service twice and once got very good service and fair service the other time. I finally cancelled the Plan in January 2010.
However last week again got a surprise letter welcoming me to the plan again. When I called them to say that I never enrolled in the plan and challenged them to listen to any audio recording or proof of my consent. They apologised and promised to cancel the plan. Looks like their telemarketing agents are involved in enrolling people without their consent.

My old furnace was on it's last legs so I had a quote from Direct energy. They did a great job of installing the new high efficiency furnace. The work was excellent and they cleaned up the mess and displsed of the okd furnace for me.

We have moved into a fairly new house and have been live hear about a year house is 3 years old . First two months in feb to be exact our furnace went down i call Direct Energy and they told me if i sign up with there extended warranty program they cost would be beneficial so we did initial start up was a couple hundred but the part and labour was more than double that and they came quick to fix this problem . A year later another issue with the furnace called them and they where here within a hours time fast service the part had to be ordered but it was here the next day installed and cost me nothing would of been about $600 and headaches

Came over to fix the water heater w/c is not working. Tested the unit and he called his office for a replacement boiler. There's no available boiler available so he fixed the heater at that moment. Did a great job.