Direct Energy 要修改租赁合同

云高天阔

不好意思，刚刚得到消息，英文的，大家自己看吧。

http://www.moneyville.ca/article/1143898--direct-energy-changes-contract-terms-with-little-notice#

看不到链接的，下面是文章内容：
Direct Energy is changing its water heater rental contracts and making it more expensive for customers to switch suppliers or buy their own units.
Right now, customers can remove rented water heaters any time at no cost. They may pay a $75 fee if they want Direct Energy to disconnect, remove and retrieve the tank.
But under new contract terms to start April 2, customers who cancel their rental contracts will pay a buyout fee ranging from $100 to $1,000 or more, depending on the unit’s age and size.
Direct Energy is sending letters to customers, saying they can choose to keep their old rental agreements. But unless they call the company before April 2, they will be subject to the new rules.
Some people are crying foul about what they see as negative option billing, which is outlawed under Ontario’s Consumer Protection Act. .
Doug Watt thinks many people will miss the significance of the new terms. He has a 20-year-old power vented tank that will cost $274 to remove.
“After all, we get new agreements from our credit card companies and probably never read them,” he says. “There must be people with older tanks like mine who won’t like to pay $200 to get out of the agreement.”
Robert Tritt posted a comment at my blog, saying Direct Energy’s attempt to impose a minimum contract termination fee of $200 was bad enough.
“By choosing to do it with a misleading letter that begins by thanking me for my loyalty as a rental water heater customer speaks volumes about what they really think of their customers,” he wrote.
Lisa Frizzell, a Direct Energy spokeswoman, said the changes were done in compliance with the Consumer Protection Act.
“It is common practice and permitted within the terms of these contracts to update them from time to time,” she said, “as long as we let customers know and give them an appropriate amount of notice to choose whether they want to stay with the existing terms instead.”
To understand what’s going on, you need some background. Back in 2002, Direct Energy bought the home services division of Enbridge Gas. This included the water heater rental contracts.
Direct Energy had to abide by a consent order signed by Enbridge and the federal Competition Bureau in 2001, in which it was barred from charging exit fees to customers who gave up their rented water heaters.
The company won an exemption to use exit fees with water heaters installed after Sept. 16, 2010. When the consent order ran out last month, it was free to impose exit fees on its remaining rental customers.
“Given the change in cancellation terms, we felt it was important to give some value to our customers,” says Robert Comstock, senior vice-president of Direct Energy’s home and business services.
The company is offering two incentives to accept the revised contract terms.
There’s a service guarantee, which gives a credit on future rental charges if you don’t get your hot water back within 24 hours of calling for help.
There’s also a commitment not to raise rental rates more quickly than the annual inflation rate. (This provision was also in the consent order.)
Direct Energy hopes to hang onto its customers, who are being lured into rental contracts with door-to-door rivals on a daily basis.
I can see why it’s adding the same charges they already have, but I think it should give 30 to 60 days’ notice before changing its contracts in such a major way. That’s the fair thing to do.

Ellen Roseman writes about personal finance and consumer issues. You can reach her at [email protected] or www.ellenroseman.com

云高天阔

http://www.thestar.com/business/ ... ter-heater#comments

I’m pulling the cord on Direct Energy. I just sent an email, saying I plan to buy the water heater I currently rent.

Of course, it’s cheaper to own your water heater. But in Ontario, renting is convenient because the utilities include the cost in customers’ energy bills.

I made the move to ownership after I started hearing from Direct Energy customers. They were upset to find new contract terms would be imposed on them unless they called to opt out by April 2.

I wrote a column last Saturday about the company’s decision to charge fees of $200 to $1,000 to cancel rental contracts. (You can cancel at no cost under current rules.)

The trickle of email became a flood over the weekend. Many people had yet to receive their letters, but they felt the terms were unfair.

How could Direct Energy force you to accept changes if you didn’t call to say no? Why give less than 30 days’ notice? Wasn’t negative option billing banned in Ontario in 2005?

On Monday, I heard from many customers who were in a panicky state. They couldn’t get through to Direct Energy when calling the number given in the letter (1-866-202-1120).

“I have been on the phone for three hours on redial, trying to keep my existing contract,” said Fred Goodall. “They must be overloaded with people cancelling the new contract.”

Charles Shaver was disconnected a few times before reaching the call centre. Then, he was upset that he couldn’t get a written confirmation of his request to keep the old contract.

Direct Energy provided an email address for customers only late Monday. It’s [email protected].

Confusion was a common theme. Many people thought the letters were about offering a service guarantee and inflation price protection.

Only the penultimate paragraph — which was not in bold print — mentioned the need to call by April 2 “to retain your existing agreement unchanged.”

Should you accept Direct Energy’s new contract? Here’s my look at the pros and cons.

Pro: If your hot water goes on the blink, you’ll get it back within 24 hours of contacting the company. But that’s no big deal. Many heating contractors promise four-hour service on evenings and weekends.

Pro: You’re guaranteed that rental rate increases won’t exceed inflation. Again, no big deal. The new contract applies to older water heaters ranging from seven or eight years old to more than 15 years old. Direct Energy doesn’t do any regular inspections, so the servicing cost is low

Con: If you sell your house, the water heater rental contract stays with it. New owners who want to buy their own unit are stuck with Direct Energy’s cancellation fee. It’s easier to sell a house without a rental contract.

Con: Your water heater lasts 15 to 18 years, maybe longer. But if you want to buy or rent from another supplier before the tank dies, you have to buy it from Direct Energy and dispose of it (a cost not mentioned in the letter). New rental suppliers can’t take care of the disposal, as they do now.

Maybe it’s time to take the plunge and buy the water heater you now rent.

I called Direct Energy to ask about my 50-gallon conventional water heater, installed in January 2000. I could buy it and own it for a cost of $131.08 (including HST).

Since I pay about $17 a month in rental fees, I’ll break even in under a year.

Yes, I’ll have to find a contractor if my tank breaks down. But many firms sell and service water heaters. You’ll find names at the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute’s website, www.hrai.ca. (Click contractor locator and put in your postal code.)

Bye bye, Direct Energy. The contract changes you’re making so arbitrarily show your disregard for customers like me. I’m standing on my own from now on.

Ellen Roseman writes about personal finance and consumer issues. You can reach her at [email protected] or www.ellenroseman.com

云高天阔

More Discussion: Direct Energy contract changes

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/d ... ct-changes-1152048/

Qingpin

Thanks a lot for reminding us! It is time to act!

竹本小川

云高天阔 发表于 2012-3-14 12:17

    非常感谢，真吓一大跳，这不是抢钱吗？

云高天阔

非常感谢，真吓一大跳，这不是抢钱吗？
小 川 发表于 2012-3-14 22:28

不客气，我今天白天听到的信息。相信住House（在庭院戏称“耗丝”哈哈）里很多人是租用的Direct Energy的热水炉。Direct Energy和其它垄断性行业一样，Rogers， Bell，水费，电费等等，说涨价就涨价，你没有商量的余地。
以前如果要是想停止使用Direct Energy的热水炉，只收取75刀的“处理费”，但自从今年4月2日后，就要收取多少不等的罚金。
Direct Energy之所以这么做，就是目前租金越来越贵，很多人自己买热水炉，Direct Energy想通过这个办法来制止这个趋势。
两个办法：
1，赶在4月2日前，购买热水炉安装，停止租用。
2，尽快联系Direct Energy，申请“opt out”，就是申请他们把你从名单中剔出，不参与他们的新规则。
我早就有自己买热水炉的想法，看到这个信息，就想到一定能有很多人有同样的想法，所以赶快发上来，让大家尽快想办法。
如果不差钱，倒也无所谓，无非就是任凭他涨价，你不在乎。但如果不想花冤枉钱的，就尽快行动吧。

我还没有完全看完这些英文信息，有漏掉的大家尽管补充。

alice888

回复 6# 云高天阔


    请问你打电话问买断的价格了吗？他们简直不讲理。这几天他们老给我电话推销他们的服务，今天让我不客气的回绝了。他们态度很强硬，霸王条款。

alice888

回复 6# 云高天阔


    请问你打电话问买断的价格了吗？他们简直不讲理。这几天他们老给我电话推销他们的服务，今天让我不客气的回绝了。他们态度很强硬，霸王条款。

alice888

请问你打电话问买断的价格了吗？他们简直不讲理。这几天他们老给我电话推销他们的服务，今天让我不客气的回绝了。他们态度很强硬，霸王条款。

云高天阔

请问你打电话问买断的价格了吗？他们简直不讲理。这几天他们老给我电话推销他们的服务，今天让我不客气的回绝了。他们态度很强硬，霸王条款。
alice888 发表于 2012-3-14 22:52

你发重复了。
我还没有联系，今晚回家检查了信箱，还真的受到了他们的信，正在看信。明天上午打电话联系。

黎丽

不客气，我今天白天听到的信息。相信住House（在庭院戏称“耗丝”哈哈）里很多人是租用的Direct Energy的热水炉。Direct Energy和其它垄断性行业一样，Rogers， Bell，水费，电费等等，说涨价就涨价，你没有商量的余地。
以前如果要是想停止使用Direct Energy的热水炉，只收取75刀的“处理费”，但自从今年4月2日后，就要收取多少不等的罚金。
Direct Energy之所以这么做，就是目前租金越来越贵，很多人自己买热水炉，Direct Energy想通过这个办法来制止这个趋势。
两个办法：
1，赶在4月2日前，购买热水炉安装，停止租用。
2，尽快联系Direct Energy，申请“opt out”，就是申请他们把你从名单中剔出，不参与他们的新规则。
我早就有自己买热水炉的想法，看到这个信息，就想到一定能有很多人有同样的想法，所以赶快发上来，让大家尽快想办法。
如果不差钱，倒也无所谓，无非就是任凭他涨价，你不在乎。但如果不想花冤枉钱的，就尽快行动吧。

我还没有完全看完这些英文信息，有漏掉的大家尽管补充。
云高天阔 发表于 2012-3-14 22:42

俺没有这个问题，俺的热水炉是另一个公司的。

flyfly

2222222222222222222222

紫色罂粟

云高天阔 发表于 2012-3-14 12:17

云云，是不是2年以内的用户就是执行的新合约，不能换了？

黎丽

不客气，我今天白天听到的信息。相信住House（在庭院戏称“耗丝”哈哈）里很多人是租用的Direct Energy的热水炉。Direct Energy和其它垄断性行业一样，Rogers， Bell，水费，电费等等，说涨价就涨价，你没有商量的余地。
以前如果要是想停止使用Direct Energy的热水炉，只收取75刀的“处理费”，但自从今年4月2日后，就要收取多少不等的罚金。
Direct Energy之所以这么做，就是目前租金越来越贵，很多人自己买热水炉，Direct Energy想通过这个办法来制止这个趋势。
两个办法：
1，赶在4月2日前，购买热水炉安装，停止租用。
2，尽快联系Direct Energy，申请“opt out”，就是申请他们把你从名单中剔出，不参与他们的新规则。
我早就有自己买热水炉的想法，看到这个信息，就想到一定能有很多人有同样的想法，所以赶快发上来，让大家尽快想办法。
如果不差钱，倒也无所谓，无非就是任凭他涨价，你不在乎。但如果不想花冤枉钱的，就尽快行动吧。

我还没有完全看完这些英文信息，有漏掉的大家尽管补充。
云高天阔 发表于 2012-3-14 22:42

宰你没商量。。。

云高天阔

俺没有这个问题，俺的热水炉是另一个公司的。
黎丽 发表于 2012-3-15 00:31

嗯，那也问问那家公司，有没有类似的合同规定。