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First Choice Power Consumer Reviews - Page 2

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Horrible Billing and Business Practices
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TEXAS -- CAUTION - AVOID First Choice Power!!!! IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING THEM - GET AWAY WHILE YOU STILL CAN. I have been with them now for almost a year and have had consistent issues with additional fees and late charges because of the way they structure their billing system.

They charge additional fees for paying by phone or at a payment center but when I pay by check, even when I send the check the SAME day I receive the bill, they don't process it in time and I am charged a late fee. When I call I am told that they "take 7-10 business days to process your bill." When I told them that I received the bill that day and it won't make it within the 7-10 day window. They said they cannot be responsible for the shortcomings of the US Postal Service, then offer to have me pay by phone for a small additional fee.

I have requested to have the billing period extended, and they REFUSE, saying that this is what they do to all their customer and offer the phone option for an additional fee. I'm in a year contract or I would have left after the second time this happened. When I called last month to complain I was told my contract expired in May. Today when I called to complain and try to cancel early without cancellations fees, I was told that I had to cancel on the first of this month. Since I didn't call on the first to cancel my service with them, I am now reenrolled for another full year.

If I want to get out now I have to pay $150 fee, even though I honored my original contract. They say they sent out a notice about this in December. I never received this letter and told her that I was told last month I couldn't leave until May. She repeated that they are not responsible for the shortcomings of the US Postal Service - yet I am?!?!? They can't explain why the person last month told me May. They say I heard it wrong. I have asked for a supervisor only to be told that she was and if I wanted her supervisor, I needed to call back Monday. But she wouldn't tell me who to ask for. I left my contact info and said I wanted them to call me on Monday.

I will report this to the Utility Commission if I don't have it resolved by this week. This is very poor customer service at best. I feel it may even qualify for cramming, but am still trying to resolve it with the company before I take further action. Bottom line - WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY!!!

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Bogus Contract That You Never Know About
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I was very surprised to find that I was under a contract with First Choice Power. It seems that this energy provider can send out a notice that gives you some rate plans for power used. This document that is sent you is not a bill but rather a notice to inform you that you have some choices for your power plan. If you discard this notice and do not respond, you are put under contract for a plan that commits you for 2 yrs to First Choice Power. Please do not think it is impossible to be put under a contract that you never signed or acknowledged in any way.

What First Choice is saying is that if you do not respond you are under their contract for two years and you will be charged $200.00 if you choose to change power companies during your contract time. Wow is this America or what. I had many conversations with First Choice about my contract that I never signed up for and they are now committed to ruining my credit if this fee is not paid. I asked the rep from First Choice to pick up her used car she had purchased from me and she did not know what I was talking about.

So I informed her that I had sent her notice that if she didn't respond to the notice she had gotten in the mail to purchase or not purchase my car that she was under contract to purchase my car. Of course she did not know what I was talking about and of course I told her that this is just how ridiculous it was for First Choice to hold me under such a contract. Imagine if all you had to do to commit someone to contract was to send it in the mail and if you didn't respond you were bound to a contract of any kind.

Anyway this is my story and I hope anyone reading this will check with their power company to see if they are under a term contract that will cost you in the end if you try to switch power companies

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First Choice Is a Bad Choice
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DALLAS, TEXAS -- First Choice disconnected my power even though I was paid up on my bill. When they finally did the research, they conceded that it was their error, but the woman that helped me stated that it was too late and I would have to pay a 450 reconnect fee. On a little bitty 1 bedroom apartment, my bills have been averaging 250.00 a month and I am not going crazy with the air conditioner! I feel like no one in customer service really knows what is going on and they are taking advantage of people. Do not use them for your service. I should have stayed with Reliant.

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No Trust
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I called First Choice customer service to have my name changed cause I got married. The change was important because I wanted to take advantage of the Lite Up Texas program for reduced electricity. I asked to have my name changed on the account, not just the bill. They told me I would need to fax in a copy of my driver's license and marriage license. Pretty standard stuff. I commented that none of this information was required to start up service, not even an ID. The "customer service" representative then said to me, "Well, I guess they trusted you then."

So, I guess that I was trusted before I was a customer. And now that I have been a customer for a year, and making solid payments, never late, I'm no longer trusted. Nice to know.

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Stay Away
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LEWISVILLE, TEXAS -- Customer service is poor. Not consistent in what they say. I had to call in 2 weeks straight to resolve a billing problem all they have to say is "It is forwarded to the back office." God knows where is their back office, problems never gets resolved. In fact it gets complicated with every rep's inconsistent explanations. Their rates are high. My two bedroom apt 's bill is $350-$400. Two adults always at work. Watch out before you get into this. First Choice is having a lot of issues now than it ever had. My bank account was processed for withdrawing someone else's money????

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First Choice Is a Bad Choice
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TEXAS CITY, TEXAS -- I can't believe a company would send a letter out in December saying that they had a problem with their billing throughout the year and I owe them another 800 dollars. Tough ** First Choice. I paid it and missed my payment day by 2 days and they turned off my power. All I can say, if you have First Choice Power as your power provider you're in for a nightmare.

These guys are the worst and should be reported to the Texas Attorney General's office for shady contracting and billing practices.There is no doubt in my mind that there will be a class action lawsuit against this company for their shady dealing and I would be the first on to sign up on it.

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First Choice Power Turned Me Off for $52!!
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ROUND ROCK, TEXAS -- I'm in my 3rd month with this company and I hate it! Because of a job loss, I had to sell my house and move into a small duplex. I chose First Choice Power because they claimed to be cheaper. Well, my first bill (estimated) was $226! YIKES! My 2000 sq foot house was NEVER that high! Then my second bill came in and showed I had a credit of $135, obviously a refund for over-estimating my first bill and showed my second bill to be only $89. The next came in and it was $202! I couldn't believe a small duplex could have that high of an electric bill all the time and this wasn't the summer season. Its from fall.

Because I was a little tight this week, I paid $155. 3 days later, they turned me off while I was home! FOR $52! So I called them to pay the past due and then find out my new bill is $313!!! After paying my $52, they told me that they can't guarantee that it would be turned on tonight and that it can take 24-72 hours to reconnect!!! Tonight is going down to 30 degrees. I am at my parents' house because of all this. This company had Nazi policies. And then to top it off, they are going to charge me a $280 reconnect fee!! So my new bill, which will probably be over $200, will also have a $280 fee on there. Lovely.

Fortunately, I have one of those things where I have a choice of companies and instead of paying this last $300 bill coming up, I am having a new company's service. Screw First Choice Power.

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Bills Are Sky-High
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We switched to First Choice when we moved, hoping it would be better than our old company, but it was worse! Our bill jumped $350 in one month, and when I called to ask why, first, they said "Oh, that was part of your last month`s bill," so I paid the bill only to be cut off, without notice, one week later! They claimed I owed them another $222.97, and that was for a deposit that I paid previously! I had no choice but to pay it if I wanted power restored. I'm moving next month, out of their service area... I`ve had enough!

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First Choice Power Is Terrible
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SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS -- Twice they have had "human error" on my bill and charged random $100 fees. They had notes on my account that I should not have incurred these fees yet say I should still pay them or my service will be disconnected. I HATE this power company! They are rude in customer service and seem to be out to get your money... Do NOT use them!

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First Choice Power Rating:
Star Empty star Empty star Empty star Empty star
1.0 out of 5, based on 4 ratings and
19 reviews & complaints.
Contact Information:
First Choice Power
12 Greenway Plaza, Suite 600
Houston, TX 77046
1-866-469-2464 (ph)
www.firstchoicepower.com
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