Consumer advocates say stronger rules are needed to protect Ohioans from deceptive sales practices used by some marketers for electric and natural gas companies.
Some of these venders are accused of using aggressive and even manipulative sales practices, overcharging customers when compared with the utility standard offer or products from other marketers.
Barbara Alexander has worked on these issues in many states and says instead of paying close attention to the fine print, many customers believe what a marketer tells them at face value.
Some of these venders are accused of using aggressive and even manipulative sales practices, overcharging customers when compared with the utility standard offer or products from other marketers.
Barbara Alexander has worked on these issues in many states and says instead of paying close attention to the fine print, many customers believe what a marketer tells them at face value.
There are regulations in place that are intended to protect customers from unfair marketing practices and the P-U-C-O is currently reviewing these rules. Alexander worked with Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy on a list of recommendations to improve the regulations that has been submitted to the Commission.
The recommendations include improvements to rules licensing natural gas and electric marketers, along with better disclosures and regulation of contract terms. They’ve also made recommendations to significantly improve the P-U-C-O’S oversight and enforcement, which Alexander says has been minimal in the past.
Education of customers is another area that Alexander says needs improvement. She says the “Apples to Apples” price comparison charts offered by the P-U-C-O are a good effort to help people make connections. But she says they miss the mark.
Alexander is hopeful the P.U.C.O will adopt the recommendations and says she and other consumer advocates look forward to working to ensure customers know what they are buying and have the knowledge and tools to figure out whether it’s is a good deal or not.
