Ontario Energy Savings: Scum of the Earth
Ontario Energy Savings is a company that offers to fix energy costs for Ontario Hydro customers at a rate higher than the current rate to "guard you against uncertainty in the market". Why are they the scum of the earth?
The main reason is their sales tactics. Employees who are presumably on commission sell contracts door-to-door. They usually open with something like "I'm from Ontario Energy Savings and I need to check if your hydro rates are protected." The name "Ontario Energy Savings" coupled with their "need" to check suggest to the customer that the person at their door is from Ontario Hydro or, at the very least, some utility the customer already has an account with. The employee then asks to see a Hydro Bill and copies down the account number from it. They then say that they can save you money by fixing your electricity rates and that thousands of customers have reported such savings, boy energy rates are sure to go up don't you read the news? Just sign here and you will be protected.
If you ask them to leave the forms here to let you think it over, they tell you that you can just sign it now and cancel any time within the next 10 days. This is true -- it's actually part of Ontario law that any door-to-door contract has a "cooling off period" of 10 days wherin the contract can be cancelled. After the 10 days the company actually has to call you and ask you if you still want to enter into the contract. This call is recorded (again by law) and you may ask for a copy of the recording.
My first contact was with a young lady at about 9pm last summer. I kept asking her to leave the papers with me and I'd talk it over with Anna and send them in if I decided to sign. She was adamantly against this. I was kind of sketched out at some random company going door to door asking for account numbers, so I passed.
The second time was maybe a month later. Anna was sick so I slipped out to grab some Subway for us. When I got back there was a contract tacked to our cork board. She was kind of out of it and the guy had pressured her and given her the line about being able to cancel within 10 days. We called the next day to cancel, and they told us it was cancelled. We then got the 10 day follow-up call asking us to confirm our participation. Not once, but five times. FIVE TIMES?! Good lord. What a bunch of scums.
We have since turned Ontario Energy Savings away at our door twice without talking to them. That is 4 times in 3 months or less.
This company victimizes people with high-pressure sales tactics to get them to sign expensive long-term contracts. In fact, if they suddenly changed their deal from a bad one to an awesome one I would still hate them -- their sales tactics are that disgusting. There are many stories on the web about Ontario Energy Savings tricking people into signing contracts, claiming affiliation with Ontario Hydro to gain access to apartment buildings, and even convincing a couple's 18 year old son to sign the contract (and confirm the follow up call!) under the pretense that they had already spoken with his parents (any household member 18 years of age is able to sign this kind of contract). Since it is likely that the employees are on commission it is hard to get mad at the people at the door; I'm closer to feeling sympathy for them for having what appears to be a terrible job.
Ontario Energy Savings truly is the scum of the earth.
41 comments:
Thanks CS - OES came to my door today. I signed the contract (under forceful sales tactics), googled OES, read your blog, ran down the street, and made the sales rep rip up the contract. phew.
cw
I too am writing to you because I do not know who to turn to, I am a single individual who works full time and do own my home. For the past three years I have been receiving my hydro bills and have barely been able to afford them for they are approximately 200-300 a month. I have called my utility company to inquire about the bills they tell me that I have a supplier on my account which is Ontario Energy Savings L.P./Universal Power, at the time when the person came to the door I had no idea of what it even was. They told me that they were sent by my local utility that sends out these people to lock rates, they told me that their rates were lower than my local utility. I did not know anything about electric prices or how they work, since this is the first home I have purchased. I did not know that I signed a contract with these people for 5 years, I am normally not the type to sign up for something but was told by the individual that it was beneficial to sign up with them and that I would see savings on my bill and that it would help me. The individual did not tell me that I would be locked in, nor did I read the fine 3 page print contract that I was given. That my local utility charges 5.5 cents/kwh and I have been charged by Universal Power 9.89cents/kwh which also allows a 1% fluctuation either lower or higher which seems to be the latter. So I am in fact paying almost double the amount, when I was told that they were going to be less expensive. I did not think anything of it at the time of the follow up call because they gave me my hydro rates for the first couple of months at a competitive rate. So had no concerns until I started to see my bill climb and climb. I am normally a pretty optimistic person but have found myself crying over my hydro bills because they are so high that they are almost comparable to my mortgage. I make 22, 000 clear a year at my job and approx $4000 -6000 of that goes to hydro, I have been told that my options are to move, change name on account, cancel them with penalties. At this point I am so financially strapped that I might have to even consider selling my home because I cannot afford my utilities. I feel that I have no one to turn to, no one knows who I can talk with, I feel as though I have been wrongfully misinformed by a company that sought me out at my door, not the other way around. Why are these companies allowed to charge more than my own utility company, does the government receive some sort of cut of profits. At this point I feel that I am more likely able to survive in a Nightmare on Elm St. movie than trying to figure out how to reduce my utility bill. I guess that I am sad because at this point I have to consider selling my home, I have had it for four years and pretty much live pay check to pay check, live a very frugal life, my parents keep telling me that I will go through tough times by owning a home and now feel like a failure because I am now having to think about selling my home as an option of reducing Hydro rates. That the past four years of living paycheck to paycheck were for nothing, I have done some changes in my home to try and reduce my billing like change all light bulbs to energy efficient ones, bricks in the toilet, energy efficient appliances, turn off lights and use candles. There is not much that I can even think to do because I cannot afford anything else, all I ask for is how to remove Universal Power off my account just so I can have that little extra just to survive. I have called cancel with Universal Power and they tell me that I will have to pay a percentage of the amount that I would have used with them should I cancel, the thought of this makes me even more angry. It would even be different if they offered me competitive pricing even if it was a couple of cents higher but not double the amount. I have long ago cancelled all the extras on my home phone, shut off my cable, found the best rates on insurance. So I am not sure what else I can do except to write to someone who could at least point me in some sort of direction. I hope that maybe you can assist me in this matter or at least inform others.
I too am writing to you because I do not know who to turn to, I am a single individual who works full time and do own my home. For the past three years I have been receiving my hydro bills and have barely been able to afford them for they are approximately 200-300 a month. I have called my utility company to inquire about the bills they tell me that I have a supplier on my account which is Ontario Energy Savings L.P./Universal Power, at the time when the person came to the door I had no idea of what it even was. They told me that they were sent by my local utility that sends out these people to lock rates, they told me that their rates were lower than my local utility. I did not know anything about electric prices or how they work, since this is the first home I have purchased. I did not know that I signed a contract with these people for 5 years, I am normally not the type to sign up for something but was told by the individual that it was beneficial to sign up with them and that I would see savings on my bill and that it would help me. The individual did not tell me that I would be locked in, nor did I read the fine 3 page print contract that I was given. That my local utility charges 5.5 cents/kwh and I have been charged by Universal Power 9.89cents/kwh which also allows a 1% fluctuation either lower or higher which seems to be the latter. So I am in fact paying almost double the amount, when I was told that they were going to be less expensive. I did not think anything of it at the time of the follow up call because they gave me my hydro rates for the first couple of months at a competitive rate. So had no concerns until I started to see my bill climb and climb. I am normally a pretty optimistic person but have found myself crying over my hydro bills because they are so high that they are almost comparable to my mortgage. I make 22, 000 clear a year at my job and approx $4000 -6000 of that goes to hydro, I have been told that my options are to move, change name on account, cancel them with penalties. At this point I am so financially strapped that I might have to even consider selling my home because I cannot afford my utilities. I feel that I have no one to turn to, no one knows who I can talk with, I feel as though I have been wrongfully misinformed by a company that sought me out at my door, not the other way around. Why are these companies allowed to charge more than my own utility company, does the government receive some sort of cut of profits. At this point I feel that I am more likely able to survive in a Nightmare on Elm St. movie than trying to figure out how to reduce my utility bill. I guess that I am sad because at this point I have to consider selling my home, I have had it for four years and pretty much live pay check to pay check, live a very frugal life, my parents keep telling me that I will go through tough times by owning a home and now feel like a failure because I am now having to think about selling my home as an option of reducing Hydro rates. That the past four years of living paycheck to paycheck were for nothing, I have done some changes in my home to try and reduce my billing like change all light bulbs to energy efficient ones, bricks in the toilet, energy efficient appliances, turn off lights and use candles. There is not much that I can even think to do because I cannot afford anything else, all I ask for is how to remove Universal Power off my account just so I can have that little extra just to survive. I have called cancel with Universal Power and they tell me that I will have to pay a percentage of the amount that I would have used with them should I cancel, the thought of this makes me even more angry. It would even be different if they offered me competitive pricing even if it was a couple of cents higher but not double the amount. I have long ago cancelled all the extras on my home phone, shut off my cable, found the best rates on insurance. So I am not sure what else I can do except to write to someone who could at least point me in some sort of direction. I hope that maybe you can assist me in this matter or at least inform others.
Just had a guy stop by, nice guy, little bit annoying, and I signed because I knew I was moving and he informed me I wouldn't have to pay any fee to get out of the contract and he would still get paid. Good times had by all. However, this is not true. They can charge you $75! So I cancelled (or at least the paperwork is in the system) and the man I spoke to was quite polite about it. We'll see if it is actually this easy. I recorded his name and ID no. in case I have to follow up.
Melissa: I truly hope you find a way to get out of this contract. The back of my contract says that the maximum penalty fee is $75 for canceling the contract. Perhaps your parents can give it to you as a birthday present :) Good luck!
Oh, my contract wasn't finalized and this is why I was able to get out of it. Apparently you have 10 days to back out of any deal in Ontario. So I did.
i signed the contract too and now i thionk that was a huge mistake in 28 february/2008.today i wanted to cancel it and the operator said i had to pay $215.93.How the government allow to this guys to exist.Disgusting!
What is this actually?English is my second language and my phone is very bad,but what i understand is that i will get the same bill from the hydro but i`ll be under their price protection program so i don`t have to be affraid nothing is going to happen.
I am Ontario Energy Savings contracted retailer/marketer. Here are some quick facts....
Yhe cooling off period, which is the period of time that a customer can cancel a price protection program without penalty, is now up to 150 days...the hydro flows 60 days after signing, assuming reaffirmation, and then the first bill with the price protection showing up comes within a month later and then the customer gets 30 days to cancel without penalty after that--UP TO 150 DAYS
2) only the customer, the spouse and an authorized individual (e.g. power of attorney) can sign a price protection program. We generally prefer to have the customer and not the spouse sign it because then it's more likely to be reaffirmed later.
3)The current R.P.P (regulated price program for those not on the price protection program is 5 cents for the first 750 kw (this varies) and 5.9 cents for anything above. The current rate price protection program rate offered by Ontario Engery Savings is 8.58 +/- 1 cent variance....that is below the peak period price of 9.3 cents (2.7 cents for off-peak and 7.3 cents for mid-peak) that will take into effect once the smart meters (time of use meters for those not on the price protection are functioning and that is subject to adjustment every 6 months depending on market conditions.
I really wish I had checked the comments to this post, I had no idea any existed! Ontario Energy Savings still comes to my door every two weeks, and it's always with something deceptive like "I'm from the utility and I need to check your rates" or "I need to see if your rates are protected."
Melissa: That's really harsh and I hope you got out of it. This article tells how the author got OES to let an elderly lady out of her contract after she was misled - maybe he can offer you some help.
YA, I just fall for the same trick from Universal energy last week, now I'm worried cause they used those tactics and I thought they were from the gov't and had to check the meters and they even took our orig. copies of the gas/electricity bills. Claiming they'd send it back and they HAD to have it.
Now after doing some research and reading up, they are just some sales agent who made us fill out the agreement. They are relentless and some other guy was knocking on the door today again asking for the same stuff, is there no way of refusing and keeping these people away?
Although they still need the reaffirmation, I was wondering does every house owner need to have joined a price protection program? Is it not economical to not have joined up from companies such as direct energy or universal energy type companies? I'm really lost..these people keep show some newspaper article about some power thing, I have no idea what's real anymore.
Lastly, since it hasn't been 10 days since I filled out that agreement, should I wait for them to call to cancel or just call them myself before the 10 days to cancel? What should I say? I've refused them on the phone many times prior and I'm always caught off guard by their aggressiveness.
Thanks!
Ontario Energy Savings representatives came to my door this afternoon and used many of the same tactics described above: leading me to believe they were from an official agency, that they "needed to see" my bill, and refused to give me a business card when I asked them to. I refused to sign their contract, but two others in my building agreed after being aggressively solicited. Now I'm worried they might forge a contract with the information they read off my bill.
Someone needs to do something about this. The sales agents are misleading and deceitful - if their product was such a good deal, customers would be going to them!
Same story here, sales woman appearing to be a government official; high pressure sales: "I see many of your neighbours have already signed up; they're saving a lot of money!" But I was suspicious enough not to sign, although I had shown her my energy bill. I managed to get her to leave the contract with me, though, so I should be fine. Glad I was able to confirm my suspicions here, thanks!
I am writing to you because OES came to my door today, and they led me to believe that they were with my naturel gas company. The guy walked in my appartement and starting filling out the contract without even explaning what was happening. I assumed that he knew what he was doing since I thought he was a rep of my gas company. So like some others, the sales rep almost forced me to signed, got me very angry and so I did signed. He mentionned I could cancel within 10days with no penalty fees. I then googled OES and read your blog, therefore I called the same day to cancel. Since you've been through it, I just wanted to check in if you had any problem with them afterwards, besides the many phone calls ! Does this mean I will not pay any fee for cancellation because I cancelled within the 10 days... you didn't have any fees to pay..did you ?? If you can clear things up for me..that would be greatly appreciated ..because thats all I can think about ...I'm very worried...and scared..I do not want to be part of that scam!
I canceled the same night the same as you, but the salesperson hadn't put it in the computer yet so they still ended up calling many times to confirm the contract. They are required by law to record this follow-up call, so if tell them each time that you don't want it you should be fine. Also you could try calling them to cancel it again.
Thx for your input charles, it is really appreciated.
I will also be sendig them a letter and fax for the cancelation!! and probably gonna call them tomorrow Tuesday, Sept. 2nd, since its probably closed today !
I think i should be fine with all of those (fax, letter and call) ! I just want to be certain that I'm not part of that agreement !!
I really dislike them argg! they make me sick to my stomach !
Thanks again Charles !! REALLY appreciated !
i have a different story than everyone here involving Ontario Energy Savings.
My job had been terminated so cash was gonna be tight so i ended up moving back home with my parents. Now when you move, OES is "obligated" to continue to provide their services to you where ever you go as long as you'll continue to be the person paying the hydro bill. Living with my parents, i obviously wouldn't be that person, it's my dad. So i called up OES inquiring what would need to be done. They said to fax in a letter stating your account # and saying you're moving to a place where you are no longer the person paying the hydro.
This is probably the only way of breaching the contract without actually having to pay the penalty (which mine would have been over $600). I called back 2 more times to make sure i wasn't getting shifty answers but all 3 repeated the same thing as the other. One of them also said to include a copy of the hydro bill from my dad as proof. Already knowing how every company out there that wants your money probably has some shady route they take to get it, I opted to take that advice and include my dads hydro bill.
I faxed it on May 8th and still have the fax receipt. At this time I have already moved out. I received a letter about 2 or 3 weeks after from OES saying something to the effect "We see you've terminated the contract. Please send payment of $600+ for breaching the contract."
Stupid me let it go, figuring they're probably just slow in processing the paperwork just like every company is that wants to scam you out of your money. I thought they'd probably need a month or so to get their records straight.... or really MY records, MY account.
Now in September i receive a letter from a Bond Agency telling me they're collecting the amount and to pay it within 7 days or they'll be forced to do 1 or more of the following: recommend legal action, impact my credit rating, escalated collection activity. The bad thing is that I spend a lot of time at my girlfriends place so i only got that letter a few days ago... way past those 7 days. How nice of them to conveniently misplace/lose/not process/shred/throw-in-the-garbage the fax i sent them.
The lesson for everyone is NEVER let things go. NEVER leave anything to doubt. Clear up any misunderstanding immediately. ALWAYS look for confirmation of action on their part. I should have followed up that fax with a phone call to make sure they did their god damn job properly.
Given the likely course of action they took was ruining my credit rating, I'm gonna ask them what penalty i should impose on them for improperly handling my account consequently messing my life up by screwing with my credit rating. Luckily I still don't work so with very little impact there, i get to spend aaaaalllll day tomorrow sorting this bullsh*t out.
You are all a bunch of Un-educated fools. I've had a contract with oes since 2004, they came by in january, I was paying 22.3708 cents a cubic metre. They secured my rate at 27.0 cents for five years. By july 2004 the rate had gone up to 29.7844. These are quotes from... http://www.uniongas.com/aboutus/rates/summary/2004/southratem204.pdf
to be exact. Right now anybody without a fixed price is paying 37.8309, while I'm still paying 27.0 cents. Do your homework don't listen to some un-educated fool who posts unintelligent theorys.
What I've read from the comments, two people are complaining about suppliers unrelated to OES, many people are complaining about sales tactics that they find unorthodox due to their own assumptions (did the person say he was from Toronto Hydro or did you assume it?), and a couple are complaining that they didn't bother to read the contract during the time they had signed it until they had issues later (OES has the cleanest and least expensive contract to cancel out of). Another thing, why are you posting specifically about the Hydro? Do you only pay Hydro? Do you understand why the 8+cents is actually a good rate to sign at? If you have gas you would know already that fixing your rate, even at the 39cents in October 2k8, is a good idea considering the last 4 years where gas has been 45cents, 43cents, etc.
Instead of making retarded assumptions and basing your information on some salespeople that you didn't bother reporting to the company why not do some actual research?
If you are going to be angry at anyone I don't understand why it isn't at Direct Energy or any of the other suppliers going out of business this year.
I don't care about saving money if it means dealing with Tom from OES. As I'm going out the door he starts out very friendly with a contract. Tells me that we signed up four years ago and that we have one year left on the contract. I never sign contracts with these door to door guys because they don't do the basics - like leave information for me to review. As soon as I tell him I'm not interested he feigns this look of complete shock and says that we already have a contract with his company and that they supply our gas and that they need to check my records and address. I tell him again that I am not interested in signing a contract. He insists he's not there to do that but needs to check our address. Again we have the same roundabout conversation. I command him to get off of my property - he refuses so I have to slam the door shut so I can go get my keys and purse in order to run the errand I am on. As the door slams I hear him turn to my neighbour who was leaving when this started and ask her if "they" are on medications or something. On the way to my car I tell him that I will talk to his boss (he is on his cell phone). He says in front of three neighbours that I "scare him" and that he will not deal with me. I ask for his business card - he insists he has to speak to my husband and that I scare him. I follow him to my neighbour's where yes indeed he is telling him he has one year left on his contract and to sign. I tell my neighbour that this guy had the nerve to ask if I'm on meds because I wouldn't talk to him. Tom insists that many of the people he meets at the door are on medication.
I've dealt with this guy before - he is very convincing in terms of selling himself as being "your contractor" that "needs" to talk to you. I have never had to order anyone off of my property.
To the others who think we are stupid to want to get out of a "good" price. If the price is that good they shouldn't need to be such scum about it. I often pay more for better service. For those who can afford to we are hardly stupid. Its the nature of business in Canada that I punish those who give bad service by taking my business elsewhere.
Hi,
This is a total scam. They rope you in making you believe that you are signing up with something from Hydro Ottawa. I just spoke to Hydro Ottawa and they confirmed that Ontario Energy Savings charges about 2 or 3 times what Hydro Ottawa does. Don't let these scum bags into your homes and/or apartment buildings. I would also warn your neighbours. If have already feel victim to their scam I would suggest buying out their contract as in the end it would probably be cheaper then the monthly rate increase they charge.
wow 1st we are oes not universul fixed rate is an option we also do market price programs nd we suply green energy.2end u people r just dumb nd need to read what comes in your bills oes is the #1 energy suplyer in north amarica we know what were doin 3erd u people are just dumb oh ya i alredy said that lol
Jake... You are without a doubt the idiot in this case and I can't begin to understand anyone who would want to work for a company that scams people!! You obviously have no morals or values. Go back to school and get a real job instead of stealing other individuals' hard earned money! I wish the son of a /?$%" that came to my door driving a BMW would come back so I could knock him out.
I was an unfortunate victim of Ontario Energy Savings. However I called OES and asked for a copy of my recorded confirmation and then I called the Better Business Bureau and filed a complaint. I received a call from OES about a week later and cancelled my contract penalty-free. I'm sorry to hear about others who have suffered at the hands of OES.
a lady from universal came to my door today saying she was from "the utility" I have to say I feel silly for being taken in enough to sign the application form she gave me, at the time I thought she was from some kind of government commissioned consumer protection organization. she insisted that my rate of 6.5 cents app would go to 7.99 paid to them but then they would rebate 1.5 cents and this arrangement would continue keeping my rates fixed. now I have to say, the next thing I did was read this forum and it confirmed my suspicions about these scamers. I wasn't fast enough unfortunately to get out and catch her to make her rip up my contract... BUT I will certainly be telling them that i have no interest in entering into any type of agreement with such an non reputable company. further, tomorrow i will call the local talk radio show and take a moment to discuss the matter with the host so I can warn people to ALL call and disagree to any contract these scum might try to press. the lady that was here earlier said that she would be back, well I will be here all day, i lost my job recently and while i am looking for another, i have a lot of time on my hand to walk around the neighbourhood keeping her company and warning my neighbors to beware of the scam. maybe a fun way to spend an hour? perhaps someone should take out an ad in the newspaper warning people about it... isn't there a "real" consumer protection group that should be doing this stuff?
Hi,
I was just wondering if anyone can tell me what they ask in the confirmation phone call. I provided the wrong number on my application (an old cell number). I also made sure to cancel the contract during the 10 day cooling off period. I got a cancellation confirmation number. I just want to know whether they ask for an address confirmation when they call.
Thanks,
M
Shannon, can you tell me how the Better Business Bureau helped you get out of your contract. I was tricked by these SOBs and I'm desperately trying to get out of this mess. My hydro bill has actually doubled. I'm past the 150-day period. Another question that anyone can perhaps answer is why is Ottawa Hydro letting these scam artists appear on their invoices? Our government needs to protect us from these vultures. Has anybody tried getting help from their MPs? Any help would be most appreciated.
I too am dealing with this scam of a company. Last summer my boyfriend was roped into signing this contract due to a misleading sales pitch ("we're with ONTARIO UTILITIES and NEED to see your hydro bill", so he believed they were with the government). The problem is, although the contract was signed up in my name (because my name was on the hydro bill), I was no longer even living at the address at the time - my boyfriend had taken over the lease, and we had just never changed the name on the hydro bill after I moved out. In the place i've been living since 2007, I don't even pay hydro, it's included in my lease! We tried to cancel the OES contract in the fall and sent them documentation to prove that i do not pay utilities at my new address, but they must have thrown out the fax or something because as of yesterday, months after I thought this was resolved, I have been sent to collections over an unpaid "early cancellation fee". All this mess is attached to my name even though I personally have never signed anything. I have been in contact with both OES and the collections agency to get this sorted out, and between the two the collections folks have been far more helpful and more honest with me than OES.
For me, the cancellation fee is not even that much money at all, under $200 - it would be easy to pay it off and just have to (hopefully) never deal with them again. But the principle of the matter is that I should not even have to be paying this in the first place! When we first tried to resolve the issue in the fall of 2008, we were again and again assured that, as long as i could prove that i do not pay utilities at my new address, I would face no charges in canceling "my agreement" with them. This would be fine if they would ACTUALLY CHECK THEIR FAX MACHINES FOR SAID PROOF!
I am just on my way out the door to try faxing for a 3rd time. This is beyond frustrating.
I too had ontario engery savings here just today, he said he missed us the last time,. He showed me his id and and said we would get a cheaper rate, I signed but told him I did not have my bill(I lied) and he does not have my hydro account number thank god. then I found this website and read what you all had said and ran down to catch him to get the paper work back, we then called the police and they came and the guy was still selling. The cop told me that they are good and not a scam but again after reading all this I think the cop got scammed too. She said unversal power are the scam but I just dont like how they have guys in plain clothes selling. anyway I got out of the deal
suzanne if you didnt sign it you should not have to pay a dime. yes I know your boyfriend did but he is not you, I would even call your local mp and see if they can help.
does anyone know how many papers are in the contact that you sign with ontario energy? because when I tracked him down it seemed too easy to get it back. anyway He dosent have our account number.
CBC Marketplace recently did a show about the high-pressure sales tactics of door-to-door energy contract salesmen. Leave a comment underneath their story!
I just had an OES sales guy at my door about 10 minutes ago, and he was very talented at speaking quickly, twisting words, and insisting that I 'need to get my rates fixed immediately'. He said that OES was working in conjunction with Hydro Ottawa (trying to lead me to believe that his company was actually part of Hydro Ottawa, my energy supplier) and that he was sent out to make sure my rates were fixed. This was blatant lying designed to get a customer to sign with them. When I shook my head and said no, he then began his memorized script about how much danger I was in if I didn't sign with them. I told him I was not going to show him a hydro bill and that I was not going to sign any contract with a door-to-door salesman. Of course he began to get upset and went to Plan B, scaring the client: He stated that I needed to be aware of the danger I was in by not complying, of how much the energy rates were going to skyrocket and I would not be protected unless I signed his contract right away...so I shut the door and walked away.
These guys tried this with me a few years ago and I refused back then as well, after they too started with the pressure tactics and the 'it's you who has to suffer the consequences' lies. If I had signed with them back then I wouldn't be able to afford to pay for hydro now, as their promised rates would be approx. double what I now pay.
As they say, 'caveat emptor' (buyer beware)...NEVER EVER sign a deal to a contract with a door-to-door salesman, no matter what they are selling, and especially with a company that deals with pressure tactics and scaremongering. I truly wish there was some way to charge these companies with libel.
I too was tricked into signing with OES. It's already been 5 years. I was told that I would save on my gas bills. I did save on the first few months and I only assumed that I had been burning more gas in the ensuing winter months. I did not think anything of it until just recently, another scammer came knocking, Universal Energy. Again the pitch was that I would save on rates, that the rates would be frozen for several months. I checked with my normal supplier and was told that I was already signed up with OES, for me to check my bill. I did and found that I'm paying 39.7 cents a cubic meter and that the regular price is 20.7 cents a cubic meter. This is ridiculous, paying twice the cost of natural gas...!!! so I phoned OES. They said I have a 5 year contract with them, which was extended another 5 years by my wife. The first 5 years expired this February, and they said that my wife extended the contract last summer. I asked them to send me a copy of the contract and information on how to cancel. They are indeed stealing from us. Something has to happen. Class action suit!!! If I can't get out with minimal cost then I may contact a lawyer, and BBB, and media. Highway Robbery has never been legal!
There was an ad in the paper about a job paying 20$ an hour, so I called, they told me it was a public relations job, that you meet with clients etc. They booked me an interview.
Then I googled the company name. What a bunch of tards.
Thanks for the heads up.
I have been working for OES for a few days, so I have some insight.
First of all, it's very unfortunate that out of hundreds and hundreds of salespeople, there are a few bad apples and cases which can give the industry a bad name.
The ability to have a fixed rate for your hydro is actually a privilege you have, but not necessarily a choice you have to make, in the name of free market enterprise. The government chose to deregulate the energy market effective 2002 so that consumers wouldn't be at the hands of the hydro corporation - which was a monopoly. The hydro corporation isn't the government, and they are also run like a business. So with no one to compete with, they were able to set their prices to whatever they liked, at the hands of helpless consumers.
A copy of the contract is always left at the door, and you are allowed to review it on your own time, even after signing.
With rising energy costs these days, people should realize that it is their right to choose who and what price to buy their energy from. Making the correct decision, is as always, up to the consumer.
I had one of these goons show up at my house today. Kept yammmering on about "I need to see your hydro bill" and I said " I wasn't interested." "Do you know what we do sir?" And I told them they sign people up on 5 year plans to pay so-called cheap hydro rates. Kept insisting on seeing my bill and "We can clear this all up if I can just see your bill." Never been so rudely talked to in my life. Very threatening behaviour - I finally just closed my door and he was shaking his head, saying "Whatever, you don't even know why I'm here." Very, very rude. Trying to confuse me into giving him what he wanted. I immediately went online and the first thing that came up for "Universal Power" - complaints pages. Stupid jerks.
Richman said
WWWWooowww every one here is missing the point ill break it down in PLAIN English for people here who think they got scammed. First of my house is registered and i see no reason to cancel ya for the first few months of the contract it was a little higher than the current price was my fixed was 24cents a cube when market was 22, My neighbor canceled within the 10 days so he paid 22 cents a cube. But then the prices started to rise just like how the gas prices did my neighbor started to pay 28 cents a cubic meter and I was still paying 24 cents then a year later i compared are bills again he was now paying 36 cents and i am still paying 24 cents that was a $82 dollar difference so in that one month i saved $82 dollars I said ok lets compare a couple of months REMEMBER we have Identical houses the the usage is the same after totaling it all up i saved about $317.37 at the beginning i was paying 2 cents a cube more than my neighbor which at that point until his gas bill passed my rate i spent $43.71 more than my neighbor $317.37 - 43.71 = $273.66 total saved up to now. It's TOO BAD THAT SOME OF YOU THINK IT A SCAM CAUSE ONCE EXPLAINED IT'S A NO BRAIN ER I wish i could get a five year supply of gas for my car now If someone came with gas back then Gas was averaging 62 cent's a liter I would of Payed 70 cent's for Five years They get the 8 cents profit per liter and store the gas for me while every one is paying 90 cents $1.00 per liter $1.30 a liter and even with the recession kicking in to help reduce the demand lowering the prices it's still waaaaaaaay more than 70 cents a liter...... SOME THING TO THINK ABOUT MY NEIGHBOR THINKS HE'S A GOONE FOR CANCELING HE'S FIXED RATE ..... P.S HE SIGNED UP NOW....
I signed up with OES in 2003 and the contract should have ended yes? but now I am realizing that we have been reinstated and am paying 10 cents more than our local provider. Scums!
if you signed a contract in 2003, the contract would have ended although they would have done an "effortless" renewal. which means if you don’t call in to say that you no longer want to the program they sign you up for another year, call in and tell them you are no longer interested and to not call again. It will stop them from renewing you
Just cancelled prior to confirmation phase of the contract.
Thank you for the WngO
Steve
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