Summit Energy Scam or Legit?

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The video above is called The power of high-pressure sales: From CBC aired on March 20, 2009 on CBC-TV.

The video display the so call “independent” energy sale agents trying to get home owners to switch gas and electricity provider using high-pressure and misleading sale tactics.

The above video doesn’t mention Submitt Energy, but this is the standard procedure for selling fixed rate natural gas & electricity prices by going door-to-door by Universal Energy.

Ask yourself this, if these fixed rate natural gas & electricity prices are so great and save a lot of people money on their natural gas and electricity bills. Why would Summit Energy even bother hiring these door-to-door sale people? If this is so good, we all would be calling them to sign up for their fixed-rate natural gas and electricity prices. The fact is, you don’t save money, it is a gamble just like playing in the casino.

Will you save money on a long term fixed-rate natural gas and electricity contract?

Wondering why Summit Energy send their independent energy sale agents knocking on your door asking to see your natural gas and electricity bills? Read my post here

To keep it short, they are not from any government body, or from any consumer group, or your current natural gas and electricity provider and they are definitely not there knocking on your door to save you or anyone money.

No one walk around in the rain, sun and snow to save you money. They are only doing it because they want your money and they will say almost anything to get it.

The truth about door-to-door independent energy sale agents

Just ask yourself this, if these 3rd party natural gas and electricity providers have such a great deal on their fixed rate gas & electricity prices. Why would they even hire independent energy agents to go around knocking on people’s doors trying to sell their product? And why they need to lock you in a long term contract with big existing/cancellation fee?

If this is really a good deal, they would only sell to a hand full of people and those people would pass that on by word of mouth.

People all over would be calling and lining up for a fixed-rate natural gas and electricity prices, but that is not the case. Summit Energy need to hire independent energy agents to mislead people to sign their natural gas and electricity contracts. Even though it is not illegal but it doesn’t make it ethical.

These independent energy sales agents hire by Summit Energy have no supervisors when they’re with a potential customer. The agents get basic training, then jam into a van and get drop off in some random area. Since there is no supervisor watching over them, the independent energy sales agent would say anything because no one is watching besides the customer.

The independent energy sale agents get pay 100% commission on each natural gas and electricity contract. So their only interest is to push their product and get as many signatures as they can. They can careless about the home owner because they are “independent” and it is not their product, plus they get about $75 dollars per contract. Their commission based structure reward lies and pushy sale tactics.

How fixed-rate natural gas and electricity contract work

Let’s talk about something people are more familiar with, something like gasoline that we use to fuel our cars. We see gasoline prices all the time, all we have to do is drive down the street and find a gasoline station with a big sign at the front displaying the gasoline prices. On the other hand, our home natural gas and electricity prices are harder to find, we will need to look it up online or on our previous natural gas and electricity bills. That is why more people understand how the pricing work on gasoline, but when it come to our home natural gas and electricity prices. Many are uninformed and that is exactly what these 3rd party natural gas and electricity provider like Submitt Energy is banking on.

Gasoline is also a commodity same as natural and electricity. Gasoline price also fluctuate depending on the market. Would you want to pay a company fixed-rate price on your gasoline at $1.50/liter for the next five years to fuel your car or would you stay with the current market price under $1.50/liter?

Right now, the market price for gasoline is around $1.00 per liter here in Ontario and the price of gasoline would likely increase slowly over time. On this example, lets say there is a gasoline company that sell fixed rate price for gasoline at $1.50 per liter and you sign up for a 5 years contract.

It would take some time for the price of gasoline to be over $1.50 per liter and when that happen you will eventually save money on gasoline. However, it will be some time and all that time you have been paying at a fixed-rate at $1.50 a liter. Sure, you might save then, but all that time you been paying higher than the market price. It is a gamble and no one know if the price of gasoline may surpass the $1.50 per liter or not.

That’s how these 3rd party natural gas and electricity provider like Just Energy, Summit Energy, Universal Energy and other operate. They all understand and know more than you do and they put their fixed-rate natural gas and electricity prices high enough to make profit. They can even cancel your contract anytime they want if you are saving too much money because they are losing money when the customers save.

Here’s a real statistics on people with fixed-rate natural gas and electricity prices. At least 92% of them are money losers. The statistics are from Illinois, USA, currently there are no statistics for fixed-rate natural gas and electricity prices anywhere for Canadians.

The only reason anyone would go with a fixed-rate natural gas & electricity prices is because you are on a budget and you want the same rate each month so you can budget for. On the other hand, if you really know and understand what you are doing. You can actually save on gas and electricity costs, but most of the consumers who sign up with these door-to-door deals are money losers because they don’t know what they are getting themselves into and many were mislead by signing up for something they don’t understand.

How to get out of Summit Energy fixed rate gas & electricity contract

How to cancel and get out of energy contract

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Ratings

177 complaints filed against business
Rated B (A+ being the highest rating and F the lowest rating)

Address: 608 – 100 Milverton Drive, Mississauga, ON L5R 4H1
Phone: (877) 222-9520

Summitt Energy

What people are saying about Summit Energy

The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) is attempting to hand Summitt Energy a $495,000 fine after it found several employees had engaged in unfair practices “by making false, misleading or deceptive statements to consumers.” Summitt Energy facing possible OEB fine also read here Energy seller faces fine for misleading sales claims Here is the charge by OEB

On January 2009, $70000 dollars fine for Submitt Energy. OEB wants to fine Summitt and Universal Energy

On August 20, 2010, an news article about energy retailer Summitt Energy, which has been fined by the Ontario Energy Board for its marketing practices, has been canvassing for customers in the Orillia area. “They made it sound very official… He said I would save money on my hydro for the next five years and, basically, that I was a fool for not signing on with him,” said Margaret Keech, who had a Summitt representative at her doorstep last week. Read full article, Energy retailer canvassing local area.

A representative from the company did not identify as working for Summitt to a homeowner in Seeley’s Bay, but said he was working for Hydro One. He said he was there to explain how Smart Meters will affect them and asked the homeowner to sign a document, but didn’t explain it was a five-year fixed-price contract with Summitt for the supply of electricity. In January, a Pickering resident was told by a rep that he was there to install Smart Meters in the area. He said he was certified by the OEB. The rep asked her to sign a document which she believed related to the installation of a Smart Meter. The rep didn’t explain the document was a five-year fixed-price contract with Summitt. Read more at www.torontosun.com, Beware travelling ‘energy retailers’

“Hi all, I have been scammed by a company called Summit Energy. It’s a five year contract and I’m locked in at 38.9 cents a cubic meter for natural gas. I’ve been with them for a year.” ~Jon

“The other day I was offered a job with Summitt Energy. After doing research (have been screwed by ‘low end sales’ jobs before), I am sure I will not be taking this position.”

“Thank you for drawing attention to this escalating problem. I recently purchased a house in downtown Toronto, and soon after a representative from Summit Energy came to my door. I suspect the salesperson forged my signature and I don’t know what to do now. I have told them that I did not and will not sign any contract nor give them any further information, but I receive harassing phone calls from them at least twice a day.”

“Later, after the salespeople left, he wondered if he had made a mistake. He searched the name ‘Summit Energy’ online and found hundreds of complaints. He also watched an episode of CBC’s Marketplace which exposed similar companies’ methods.” ~Philippe Morin

“I just wanted to let you know to be very careful of a company called “SUMMIT ENERGY.” My wife was home alone for a little while the day we moved in and she got US into a potential problem. Here’s their pitch:” ~Jon & Kate

“just had some guy come to the door, said he worked for summit energy and wanted to see union gas and hyrdo bills, i told him i don’t pay them and don’t know where they are. He tried to tell me that union gas and hyrdo are screwing me and always raising the rates and that everyone else is signing up. He left some brochures, so glad i was smart enough to figure out his little scam.” ~bikerboy

More complaints

Summit Energy / Union Gas?? Door People?

Became a Summitt Energy scam victim 🙁

Report: Summitt Energy

Summitt Energy……..is it Reality OR Scam

The power of high-pressure sales

Author: Electricity Companies


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9 thoughts on “Summit Energy Scam or Legit?

  1. How do I know if I am with Summitt Energy or not? I signed a contract but did not receive a call and my bills still come from Terasen Gas. I also did not receive a phone call.

  2. I live in a 2 bedroom complex above a store with my roommate. in 2008 some scumbag from Summit energy came knocking at our door while I was at work, and while my room mate was half asleep from doing her graveyard shift, they represnted themselves as Toronto Hydro providers, and asked to see the bill from the previous month to make sure the reading is right, She was under the impression they were our providers and without hesitation handed them the bill, in which they copied our account # and switched us to summit. Apparently they even called me and I gave verbal approval, where as I have no recolection of doing so. We paid $600 for two months and we were barely home, so these people "save" you money my ass! I am now in a legal battle with them because I didn't sign the contract it was my roommate and nowhere on the bill does it say her name, so hopefully I can get reimbursed for the money I wouldve saved with Toronto Hydro from July 2008. I plan on getting the difference, but you know how that goes, theres always loop holes in this industry. Please please please never let anyone see your bill to check for accuracy, because there dumb ass's have that on file, and never sign anything door to door sales especially, jast take the shot gun out and say "get off my lawn" hahaha…May you burn in hell Summit Energy you low life company!

  3. I also was a victim of "Summitt Energy". I told them no, was not called and then next thing I know I was being provided energy by them. I didn't realieze how badly I was being ripped off until I moved recently. I was previously living in a 2 bedroom condo all by myself, had all energy star approved appliances, switched all my light bulbs to energy saving ones and used natural gas for my new hotwater tank and furnace…only to get bills in that were a minimum of $300.

    After I moved, i was terrified to get my first hydro bill since the house is 3 times larger and we have central air (didn't have any air conditioners at the old house). Only to get in a bill for over a month at $126. Worked out the calculations for what I was paying per KWH (which is not stated on the old bills courtesy of Summitt Energy) and I was paying .48$ per KWH…now I am paying on average .07$ per kwh.

    How do I go about some form of legal action for this? I was with Summitt energy for 2 plus years.

    Thanks and any advice is appreciated.

    1. Wow .48 per KWH.

      Try contacting Ellen Roseman, she works for The Star. She gets calls and emails about this kind of stuff all the time. So she's very experience with this. Her email is eroseman at thestar dot ca

      Good luck.

  4. Contact Ontario Energy Board, open a file with them to expose Summit Energy's Bull shit and the way there trapping everyone with 5 year contracts. I mean alot of people are iffy about a 1 years comtract, why in God's name would anyone sign a 5 year one? I opened a case with the Ontario Energy Board and they are very helpful, they will go after the represntative from summit and give them shit, and Summit even called me a few days after saying they are very sorry and are working to fix this problem within 2 weeks. I also think we should warn everyone we know about this fraudulant activity, I made an e-mail and forwarded it to everyone on my list. I wish you all well and its good to know there are others out there like me.. We must stand up and further tarnish there reputation and force them into bankrupsy muhahahahah!

  5. SUMMIT ENERGY IS A THE BIGGEST SCAM GOING. THE ONTARIO ENERGY BOARD KNOWS IT. THEY MISLEAD, LIE, SCAM. IT IS ABSOLUTE BULLSHIT THAT THEY GET AWAY WITH THIS. I WAS FORCED TO PAY $1000.00 TO GET OUT, AND THIS IS AFTER THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS TOLD ME THE CONTRACT WAS CLEARED. EVERYTIME YOU THINK IT'S OVER THEY SUCK MORE OUT OF YOU. THEY ARE SMUG S.O.B's. ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT YOU REAP WHAT YOU SEW, AND TO ALL THEIR DISHONEST EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE STOOD THEIR AND SMILED WHILE THEIR RAPING YOU…… GOD WILL ONE DAY PUNISH YOU!!!!!!

  6. Bahaha reading you people crying… fuck me.. ok, they do door to door with independent contractors because that’s what but their business and the people in the front line actually make a loveable wage.

    Next, energy competition is supposed to drive the price down, in order to prevent any real competition your lovely government applied something called the Global Adjustment Rate, said it was the competition, ow you are all about to get raped by your non spammy government. Dont believe me, go fickle yourself and research the energy rate changes before the price freeze, from when they applied the “smart meters”, the ones that burnt down homes.

    The government that literally made a new tax for them to tax… these are the people you are backing up. You work force is laden down with homophobia, sexism, ageism, favoritism, racism and a general under pay for the amount of work expected.

    Do you think you all should maybe start holding your work force and government accountable, and not the ones who try to cap your rates at 40 per month for unlimited usage? Or are you just retarded and on the hate train?

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