I think it’s pretty messed up due to the cold that you guys are really charging people outrageous prices just to survive when I do get back on my feet, I will be looking for a different electric company. I think I would rather put it in my 2 yr old child’s name.
Response: Hi Tiffany- Your comments say that you feel that Payless Power charges outrageous prices due to the cold and that’s messed up. This week has been very hard on every Texas resident so your frustration is more than understandable. There is one important thing to note though, Payless Power has not raised the rates of a single customer in advance of or during this winter storm. Everyone’s charges have skyrocketed due to record usage due to the coldest temperatures since 1899. You daily charges no doubt increased greatly but this was not because we were charging you more for eletricity. The increase was because the amount of electricity you were consuming increased. We do have options to help you though so call us at 888 963 9363 and we’ll go over it with you and show you what we can do to help. Published on February 19, 2021
The worst company ever! Shuts my electric off at 2a.m. during the coldest night of the year. Continues to bill me for electricity not even being used. Customer service is the worst! They don’t keep your place in line and call you back, no, you have to wait until all 150 customers before you are taken care of. Nobody has that time. They messed up my billing, and I am having to pay a outrageous amount to get caught up, then the winter storm hits and they still charge even when there is no electricity being used at all! Do not go with this company. They will shut you off and still charge you even though it is shut off! Worst company EVER!
Response: Mr Para. Your comments state that Payless Power cut your lights off at 2:00 AM and bills you for usage when your power is actually off. You also state that your place in line is not kept when you call in . Not having power during a historic cold spell is a terrible thing. That is why Payless Power has not disconnected a single customer including you all week. If you lost power it was due to ERCOT Sanctioned rolling outages and not because Payless Power requested this to happen. In regards to being billed while your power was off What you are experiencing is a side effect of the statewide outages related to the winter storm. Transmission and Distribution Utilities (AEP Texas, Oncor, Centrepoint, Texas New Mexico Power) own the power distribution infrastructure and the meters. Typically, a smart meter will transmit usage data in 15-minute increments, and they are very reliable. If the meter stops transmitting data. The Utility systems assume that the meter is still working but and that there is simply a problem with the data transmission. Because if this the Utility systems will automatically generate an estimate. At the end of a customer’s 30-day billing cycle they read the meter for the whole month which catches any discrepancies so the customer’s bill can be properly adjusted. This is a pretty straightforward and accurate process and the meter’s are accurate enough that there is rarely a noticeable issue. Unfortunately, this same process works during widespread outages due to extreme weather, grid damage, fires etc. The meter stops reporting data because there is no power, but the Utility metering systems still generate estimates, and these estimates are then sent to Retail Electric Providers. Payless Power also has automatic processes that bill customers daily based on the metering data that the Utilities send to ERCOT and then to us. Because of this, many customers are seeing charges on days when they had no power. The last time this happened on such a scale was during Hurricane Harvey. We do have good news for you though. Your money is not gone. We also have an automated process to adjust your account balance if you were over billed during this week’s winter outages. If you were charged for usage while your power was out this will be reflected at the end of your 30-day billing cycle when we get the monthly read from your local utility. If you would like to know approximately when that will occur, please contact us through your My Account Portal or at 888 963 9363. Published on February 19, 2021
WROST experience ever‼️ I told someone 2 weeks ago the my usage couldn’t be right before the weather my bill went from 7 to 30 dollars I’m starting to think this is rigged! Something is not right!
Response: Ms Smith. Your comments state that you told someone 2 weeks ago that your usage wasn’t right and now it has increased by 4X. This makes you feel like this is rigged. It’s never a good thing when your electric bill feels like its out of control. To help get it under control it is important to understand the factors involved. Many customer’s automatically feel that the electric provider is cheating them if their charge seem too high. Others feel that the meter is not working properly. While there are those I mean maybe a possibility of a meter issue , Payless Power is very transparent and straightforward with our billing and can show you how to confirm that we are billing you based on the usage that is being reported. First, rest assured that even though your selected the variable rate plan option that came with a lower start up cost and higher KWH rate, Payless Power has not raised your rate over the last month. The amount that you pay per KWH has not increased however your usage has . Keep in mind that your plan comes with a daily fee of $2.67 and this includes the first 17KW at no additional cost and the per KWH rate is applied to any usage over the first 17KWH. We send you a daily text with he amount of KWH you used the day before yesterday (as noted on your texts we bill 2 days in arrears). You can also view a record of your usage on you MyAccount Portal. Let us know if you need help accessing this because it has great information. While on the MyAccount Portal you can also register for www.smartmetertexas.com which is a free website operated by the State and not affiliated with Payless Power. This site will allow you to do 2 important things: 1.) you will be able to compare what we bill you for with what your meter said you used and by doing so confirm that we are calculating your usage correctly for billing. 2.) It allows you to view your usage during the day in 15 minute increments and this can help you pin point what is consuming the energy in your home. These are the most valuable tools you have to not only understand where the issue is but also what you can do to stop it. Looking over your billing I would say that something is clearly going on but it is not with your billing and rate and probably also not the meter. I would ask the property manager to check the thermostat and perhaps the refrigerant gas in the unit. Also make sure to avoid the emergency or auxiliary heat settings and this uses 3x the normal amount if power as the standard heat setting . High usage has been unavoidable this week. This was the coldest week in Texas since 1899 with historic black outs that made it hard to keep homes warm. All this will have an affect but there may be a technical issue as well. Call us for more info 888 963 9363. Published on February 19, 2021
I rate this a zero not even a one star!!!! I’ve been with this company for about 6 months and they charge me sooo much light daily! It’s ridiculous! It’s literally only me living by myself in my little apartment!!! I don’t even have a Tv or electronics that take up that much energy! I switched to this company because I heard it was really great service and cheap! But I’ve seen otherwise!! ????????????????????????
Response: Ms Lopez. You comments state that you thought that Payless Power was supposed to be cheap but you have seen otherwise. You live by yourself in a small apartment and don’t use a lot of electronics and things that consume a lot of electricity. You switched to Payless because you heard our service was inexpensive but This has not been your experience. Its not good when you feel that you aren’t getting the proper value for your money. Let me say that as a below average usage customer your concerns are understandable. Our plans in your area carry a $2.67 daily customer fee. This fee includes up to your first 17KWH of power at no additional charge. That comes out to be up 510 KWH included at no additional charge. If a customer exceeds 17 KWH on a day this usage is billed at their low per KWH rate so the more you use the more you save. After reviewing your daily usage I can see that you use a little over the 510 KWH threshold monthly so on some days your usage is under 17KW and some days it goes over. This week will be an outlier as it looks like your usage was way up due to the record setting freezing temperatures. But after things go back to normal and mild spring weather returns, is this the best value for you? The answer is “maybe.” If you shop around and can find a provider that will only charge the flat per KWH fee then that might benefit however here are some things to consider. Payless Power does not charge a minimum usage fee. We also do not charge late fees, assistance fees to call our Customer Care department, minimum payment fees, fees to load funds, fees to pay over the phone , disconnection or reconnection fees. These are all commonplace throughout the industry and many competitors charge these and others to make up for lower advertised rates. It’s like booking a ticket on an airline that’s $100 cheaper than the more well known airline that extensively serves the “southwest” ; only to find out at the airport that they are going to charge you $50 each way to carry on a bag. Their flight was cheaper but they made it up from you in other ways. We are like the well known airline serving the southwest. We don’t nickel and dime our customers with annoying fees and gimmicks that make it seem like you’re getting a better value. Even so, I would encourage you to look around on www.powertochoose.org Published on February 19, 2021
I Wish I could give it 0 stars. They are extremely high. You have to add money every other day. It’s ridiculous.
Response: Ms Semien- Your review comments state that Payless Power is extremely high and you have to add money every other day. If given the chance you would give a ) star rating. Having to spend money on your electricity when you were not expecting to is not a good thing . Especially if you had that money allotted for something else. This week has really emphasized the cost of electricity. Let me reassure you that your rates have not been raised however your usage has gone up significantly over the last 3 months and even higher this week with he onset of record breaking temperatures. However by looking at your invoice received yesterday I can see why you are upset. A portion of this seems to be an estimate generated by Centerpoint due the local outages. Please note that in such cases an audit of your account will be done as soon as we receive Centerpoint’s monthly meter read and any adjustments due on your account will be done automatically. If you will like more information on approximately when that will occur please call us at 888 963 9363. Published on February 19, 2021
I’m a little dissatisfied with the service. I paid money into my acct and the very next day I was told that my acct was almost depleted but had absolutely no power except for 45 minutes in 2 days. I just don’t understand why I’m paying money for no power. And will absolutely be calling to discuss this issue in the following week after this crisis has subsided. I have to say I’m a little disappointed with our present situation.
Response: Hello- What you are experiencing is a side effect of the statewide outages related to the winter storm. Transmission and Distribution Utilities (AEP Texas, Oncor, Centrepoint, Texas New Mexico Power) own the power distribution infrastructure and the meters. Typically, a smart meter will transmit usage data in 15-minute increments, and they are very reliable. If the meter stops transmitting data. The Utility systems assume that the meter is still working but and that there is simply a problem with the data transmission. Because if this the Utility systems will automatically generate an estimate. At the end of a customer’s 30-day billing cycle they read the meter for the whole month which catches any discrepancies so the customer’s bill can be properly adjusted. This is a pretty straightforward and accurate process and the meter’s are accurate enough that there is rarely a noticeable issue. Unfortunately, this same process works during widespread outages due to extreme weather, grid damage, fires etc. The meter stops reporting data because there is no power, but the Utility metering systems still generate estimates, and these estimates are then sent to Retail Electric Providers. Payless Power also has automatic processes that bill customers daily based on the metering data that the Utilities send to ERCOT and then to us. Because of this, many customers are seeing charges on days when they had no power. The last time this happened on such a scale was during Hurricane Harvey. We do have good news for you though. Your money is not gone. We also have an automated process to adjust your account balance if you were over billed during this week’s winter outages. If you were charged for usage while your power was out this will be reflected at the end of your 30-day billing cycle when we get the monthly read from your local utility. If you would like to know approximately when that will occur, please contact us through your My Account Portal or at 888 963 9363. If you call, please be prepared for longer hold times. All Payless Power agents have worked from home during the pandemic and like you have been without power for extended periods, so we are working with a limited staff during this crisis. Published on February 17, 2021
The worse. I asked for an extension for one day and they said no due to a policy. Due to my account not being 6 months old. Terrible service and terrible people!
Response: Mr. Ray- Your review states that you asked for an extension on 2/9 and you were denied . That makes you feel that the service you received is terrible. Its not a good thing if you feel like you are not being helped when you should be . That’s a completely understandable reaction. The good news is that we can clarify the options that we have available and that should help you manage your account more effectively going forward by understanding what options are available to you and under what circumstances you can expect them. Of course, Payless Power offers pre-paid electric service with no deposit requirement. Due to this, we are limited in the amount of extension time we can offer because there are no funds held to guard against non-payment . Pre-paid service is also contingent on having available funds on the account. In Texas, pre-paid companies are allowed to disconnect service if the customer’s balance falls below $10.00. At Payless Power we allow customers to maintain service as long as there is at least $.01. So what will Payless Power do for customers who need extra time.? We have 2 options. The first is a deferred payment plan or DPP. With this we can offer your negative balance + $20 in credit and you pay it back in small installments. A customer can request one of these at a time. This can extend a customers up to several days. The second option is the same day account protection. This is available through the automated systems and by accepting this option the customer agrees to make the minimum payment by 8:00 PM that evening. There is a stipulation though, our system will not allow this protection to be added 2 days in a row.. So please keep in mind that if your balance is negative and the automated system will not approve the daily extension it’s because we already added this for the customer the previous day . We hope this explains what you can expect from us when you find yourself in a tight spot . We have as many assistance options as any retail electric provider in the state although they are not unlimited. What is unlimited is the fact that we don’t charge disconnection fees, reconnection fees, late fees , fees to make a payment through the automated systems or with a live agent, load fees or assistance fees. If you have any questions regarding this please give us all call. We are standing by to help. 888 963 9363 Published on February 11, 2021
This company is disgusting. I moved out at the end of Jan closing my account February 1st. They put my move out day February 22nd, making me pay for almost a month after I moved out. My daughter helped me to call to cancel as I am having major health issues. I was on the phone with them and her, yet they keep telling us they can’t talk to us because my daughter is not an “authorized user”, BUT I WAS ON THE PHONE! Both times the ladies were rude to us. I do not recommend this company especially if you’re older and might need help with family. Zero stars.
Response: Mary- You have stated that you requested to cancel your service on 2/1 but this was processed incorrectly as 2/22. Due to this you have had to pay for service for the past 10 days in error . You also state that the representatives would not assist your daughter since she was not an authorized user even though you were on the phone. This is a completely unacceptable situation and we are in the process of fixing this to your complete satisfaction. Anyone that this happened to would understandably walk away with a similar reaction. Thankfully, such clerical errors are rare but when they do happen we are fully committed to make things right. A supervisor is reach out to discuss but please note that we are refunding you usage after 2/2 and also adding a courtesy credit that will be included in your refund. In regards to your daughter not being assisted, we do have to follow Public Utilities Commission guidelines regarding account privacy and this included only allowing account holders or authorized users to request account changes etc. We have reviewed the initial call and it appears that you came on the phone after your daughter advised that you needed permission and she was assisted after that point. We are in the process of reviewing the call you made to us this morning. If you like, we would be happy to review both of these calls with you to clarify any concerns you may have. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to resolve this issue. Published on February 11, 2021
All they do is take your money so they can offer you a credit (that I didn’t ask for) to keep you locked in then start over charging you! It’s a scam!
Response: Ms Green… You review comments state that you feel that Payless Power simply over charges you in an effort to force you into a deferred payment plan (which you did not agree to ) because this will prevent you from switching so we can continue to over charge you. I was also able to review your account notes from today and account notations show that you were upset at learning that Payless Power bills you 2 days in arrears and that you did not have an option to get reconnected today without payment. That’s a lot to process but first let me say that its not a good thing to be disconnected . That’s a very difficult situation and we have no idea the amount of stress it might be putting on you personally. I never blame a customer for being upset when they are disconnected without an instantaneous way to reconnect. Its also not good when a customer is convinced that they are being unfairly charges etc. The good news is that we can address some of those issues and point you in a direction that may help you in putting enough funds on your account to reconnect. First let me say that as a licensed retail electric provider we are highly regulated by the Public Utilities Commission and must be prepared to explain any customer’s billing to them (and the customer ) at a moments notice. This means that we have to show that we billed accurately based on the plan terms and customer’s verified usage from their meter. Honesty and transparency are also values our company holds in high importance. You don’t have to take our word for this though. You can verify all of your usage through a state operated site called www.smartmetertexas.com. Log in to your Payless Power MyAccount Portal and you will find the information and instructions needed to register on Smart Meter Texas. This will allow you to independently verify your usage so you can be sure you are not being overcharged. Secondly, in order to have a clear understanding of our billing you need to understand our billing timeline . We have to bill all customers 2 days in arrears. For example, if a customer received an invoice this morning (2/1/21) this was not for yesterday’s usage, but for day before yesterday’s usage. The reason for this is that Payless Power would have received the meter read for 1/31/21 late in the afternoon of 2/1/21. Our system then calculates the 1/31/21 billing for every customer during the overnight ours of 2/1 and then bills the morning the of 2/2/21. That is the absolute fastest billing can be done . We do notify every customer in their daily invoices that the billing for that day is actually for 2 days prior. Please check your texts and you will see this . Finally, deferred payment plans are issued only on a voluntary basis. You have to have a negative balance and be unable to pay. If you feel that you did not agree, we will be happy to review your account and can play the recording for you if you requested this over the phone .Please call us at 888 963 9363 and we will be happy to go over any account activity that does not match your memory. We want you to be confident that you hare being served with honest and dignity. We can also suggest some external options that may be able to help you obtain sufficient funds to reconnect your service. 888 -963 -9363 Payless Power Customer Care. Published on February 03, 2021
They were unwilling to help me when they had miss informed me. Over charged an account that I was trying to transfer to a new address. I was told I had to cancel and re open a new account. They lacked to inform me that sales department couldn’t cancel my account. I had the understanding that my account was being cancelled and a new was being opened. They left my account open for 15 days and charged me for that energy when I wasn’t using it. I would advise anyone to stay on top of them, double checking they are doing there job correctly.
Response: Hayden- You are stating that you attempted to set up service at a new address and you were not informed correctly on how to handle service at the original address. This resulted in the service being left on at that address for 2 weeks and you were then held responsible for the new charges. Its not acceptable when a customer is misinformed or underinformed about what steps they need to take to solve an issue. If Payless Power fails to hold up our end of the responsibilities we will make it right. A review of your account confirms that the associate did not complete the necessary steps so we have issued a credit for those last 15 days of service. Thanks for your patience and your continued business. Published on January 21, 2021