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pyesetzOntario Energy Savings, LP
6345 Dixie Road, Suite 200
Mississauga ON L5T 2E6
Sirs/Madams:
I hereby cancel my appointment of OES as my agent for the supply of methane, pursuant to Union Gas account xxx-xxxx-xxx-xxxx. The customer agreement signed on 5 November 2007 with OES contractor Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx (agent #xxxxxx) is voided.
Ontario Energy Board
P.O. Box 2319
2300 Yonge Street
Toronto ON M4P 1E4
Complaint form
Sirs/Madams:
I would like to register a complaint about the multiple violations of the 'Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers' that I experienced yesterday. I am a newcomer to Canada (just landed 26 September) and this first experience with Canadian energy deregulation has not been a pleasant one.
“2.1.3 A gas marketer shall do the following when marketing or making an offer to a consumer:
(a) immediately and truthfully identify itself to the consumer;”
The agent tried very hard to appear to be an agent of Union Gas while avoiding actually saying so. Even after the jig was up and I knew who she really worked for, she still couldn't bring herself to admit that she worked for a retail energy marketer. It seemed that OES provided her with a strict script that she must stick to and a list of “truths she must never admit to”.
“(b) clearly indicate that the offer is not being made by a regulated distributor”
Her initial claim was that somebody (the words 'Union Gas' were used repeatedly) wanted to ensure that my gas price was “stabilized”. My first indication that something strange was going on was when she couldn't answer my question about why in the world Union would send people out to houses instead of calling them about such matters.
“(d) provide sufficient time for a consumer to read thoughtfully and without harassment all documents provided;”
I was unable to read the contract because any time I tried to focus on a piece of text, the agent would point to some other piece of text and start talking about it.
“(i) not use print that due to its size or other visual characteristics, is likely to impair materially the legibility or clarity of documents provided to consumers.”
The contract is a two-column double-sided legal-sized piece of paper, containing abusive terms that I would never have agreed to had I been able to read them. Example: “OES' determination as to the amount owing in respect of Energy supplied to the Location will be conclusive and binding”.
“2.5.2 An offer shall clearly state the price, terms of payment and if other terms such as ... exit fees ...”
The exit fee is buried in the text. I was unable to find it during my first two readings of the contract. The fee is 5¢/m³ of “expected” usage for the next five years. The agent told me that I use much less methane than average, so the “expected” usage would probably be a wild overestimate. The contract states “the liquidated damages calculation is a genuine pre-estimate” which is text that need only be included if it is false (were the calculation to be actually genuine, there would be no need to say so).
Finally, I would like to complain about the regulatory environment that prevents my current gas supplier from assisting me in remaining its customer:
6345 Dixie Road, Suite 200
Mississauga ON L5T 2E6
| Voice | (888) 590-9753 |
| Fax | (905) 670-5111 |
Sirs/Madams:
I hereby cancel my appointment of OES as my agent for the supply of methane, pursuant to Union Gas account xxx-xxxx-xxx-xxxx. The customer agreement signed on 5 November 2007 with OES contractor Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx (agent #xxxxxx) is voided.
Ontario Energy Board
P.O. Box 2319
2300 Yonge Street
Toronto ON M4P 1E4
Complaint form
Sirs/Madams:
I would like to register a complaint about the multiple violations of the 'Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers' that I experienced yesterday. I am a newcomer to Canada (just landed 26 September) and this first experience with Canadian energy deregulation has not been a pleasant one.
“2.1.3 A gas marketer shall do the following when marketing or making an offer to a consumer:
(a) immediately and truthfully identify itself to the consumer;”
The agent tried very hard to appear to be an agent of Union Gas while avoiding actually saying so. Even after the jig was up and I knew who she really worked for, she still couldn't bring herself to admit that she worked for a retail energy marketer. It seemed that OES provided her with a strict script that she must stick to and a list of “truths she must never admit to”.
“(b) clearly indicate that the offer is not being made by a regulated distributor”
Her initial claim was that somebody (the words 'Union Gas' were used repeatedly) wanted to ensure that my gas price was “stabilized”. My first indication that something strange was going on was when she couldn't answer my question about why in the world Union would send people out to houses instead of calling them about such matters.
“(d) provide sufficient time for a consumer to read thoughtfully and without harassment all documents provided;”
I was unable to read the contract because any time I tried to focus on a piece of text, the agent would point to some other piece of text and start talking about it.
“(i) not use print that due to its size or other visual characteristics, is likely to impair materially the legibility or clarity of documents provided to consumers.”
The contract is a two-column double-sided legal-sized piece of paper, containing abusive terms that I would never have agreed to had I been able to read them. Example: “OES' determination as to the amount owing in respect of Energy supplied to the Location will be conclusive and binding”.
“2.5.2 An offer shall clearly state the price, terms of payment and if other terms such as ... exit fees ...”
The exit fee is buried in the text. I was unable to find it during my first two readings of the contract. The fee is 5¢/m³ of “expected” usage for the next five years. The agent told me that I use much less methane than average, so the “expected” usage would probably be a wild overestimate. The contract states “the liquidated damages calculation is a genuine pre-estimate” which is text that need only be included if it is false (were the calculation to be actually genuine, there would be no need to say so).
Finally, I would like to complain about the regulatory environment that prevents my current gas supplier from assisting me in remaining its customer:
- It seems that OES needs my account number in order to perform their scam. This makes the account number similar to a credit card number. If a credit card is lost or stolen, the bank simply issues a new one with a different number, but Union Gas told me that they are not permitted to issue me a new account number.
- “Slamming” a natural-gas supplier is similar to “slamming” the computer host for an Internet website. On the web, the solution has been to provide website owners with the option to “lock” their website registrations, prohibiting slammers from reregistering them until the lock is revoked. But Union Gas is prohibited from accepting a statement from me that I do not want my gas supplier changed.
direct energy
Date: 2007-12-23 12:43 am (UTC)