I am a longtime FW forum reader and I need some advice. I recently took a look at my electricity bill and figured I may be able to save some money by going with a different electricity provider or ESCO. I live in NYC. I did some research and checked out several websites and narrowed my choice down to Columbia Utilities as they had low rates and no monthly fees.

So I called them up and they stated that the KWh charge was 13 cents and that it is set each month at a set rate for the month. They also stated that there is no penalty for canceling before the year is out. This sounded reasonable to me so I enrolled over the phone and they later sent the contract and paperwork over to me. I signed the contract without really reading the fine print, I know I should have read every line, but I was busy at the time and took their word for it as an honest company.

So I get my first bill and it is 16.8 cents a Kwh. I call up to complain and see what the issue is and they that the rate fluctuates every day and that they have never had a program where a rate is set for a month. In addition, they want to charge me a cancellation fee because I am under contract for a year with them! I told the CSRs that I spoke to that I was told that the rate was set for a month and that there was no cancellation fee. They said that they will listen to the tape and then get back to me. I call back to find out the results of the phone review and at first I am told that there is no cancellation fee and later on when I go to cancel that there is. I ask to speak to a supervisor and am no awaiting the return phone call.

My questions are what are my options. At this point I just want to get away from this company. I already have some paperwork that I need to fill out to complain to the Attorney General's office in NY. Are there any other options that I have to get this resolved?

It looks like Columbia Utilities was a risky choice. They did not agree to the Statement of Principals for Marketing. They also have a really high number of complaints. Good luck getting this resolved.

The New York ESCO system is not well designed. After you sign up with an ESCO, you don't get to see what the comparison utility rate is, so you have no idea whether the ESCO is actually saving you any money.

duke924 said: I signed the contract without really reading the fine print

You should just suck it up and pay whatever they tell you to. Just think of it as a stupid tax for not reading a contract before signing it.

I am in the same situation!!! they illegally switched me! i asked them for proof of me switching and they claim they have a recording, but they never sent it twice after calling them!! they are a scam! i dont know how the Govt let them exist!

Bait and switch is not "I signed the contract without really reading the fine print"

Most times I see someone complain about bait and switch it means they did something real dumb.

duke924 said:I signed the contract without really reading the fine print, I know I should have read every line, but I was busy at the time and took their word for it as an honest company.

Ah, the jaded sophistication of the inhabitants of the Capital of the World.

What in the world is your question? You want to get away - so cancel. You agreed to pay fees - either do that or there will be obvious consequences. You can also pay and try to sue them to get it back. On what grounds, I don't know.

duke924 said:Actually they are now saying that there is no fee but that they will not release me until the year is up. I spoke to ConEd and they say that they never heard of a company not releasing someone. Hey I freely admit that I didn't read the contact, so take that out of the equation. If you are posting to say what an idiot, "He didn't read his contract", then keep the comments to yourself. Regardless of the contract issue, what the company did is fraud at worst and misrepresentation at best.

Complaining on this forum won't do you much good no one wants to hear you whine about not reading a contract! If you want satisfaction contact public utilities commission, attorney general ect... No one here is going to sympathize with I didn't bother to read the contract.