Union Energy is a consumer ripoff fraud, they charged me $225 to rent a 23 yr old water heater for 10 months. Toronto, Ontario

We bought our house in Feb. of 2001. The lawyer we hired transferd the hot water heater rental into our name along with all the other services. My first bill came in at $26.75 for one months rental. It seemed steep, but I paid it. On Apr. 10/01 another bill came in at $110.78 for a full years rental.

Again, this seemed expensive compared to just buying a new one for $350.00 at Home depot, but we were to tired to argue with these clowns, so we paid it. In Jan. of 2002 we noticed that the hot water heater was leaking rusty water from the bottom. I pulled away the insulation and was shocked to find an installation sticker with the date 1978! $110.78 a year for a 23 year old heater!

We contacted Union energy to tell them this was unacceptable and that we were going to buy our own new one. They said O.K. that will cost you $65.00 to pick the old one up and $40.00 to "close your contract". What!!! It sounded like a racket to us so we laughed at them and told them that on the back of this contract...(which I never signed) it says that these charges only apply if the customer wants it removed "before the end of its useful life." I would say that leaking rusty water all over my basement proves its done for.

We bought the new unit at Home depot and it was installed on Feb 20/2002. We phoned Union and told them to take this piece of junk out of here. No one showed up so we phoned them again two weeks later. They said again that someone would be out to "inspect" and remove the unit. A month later, not only has no one shown up, they send me a bill for another $110.00 for one more year of "trouble free" renting.

I somehow knew they would do this. I phoned them and told them that the unit had been replaced, was awaiting pick-up and that we had already phoned them three times on this matter. Guess what they said. "oh... we have no record of these calls." I said don"t pull this crap on me and get this junk out of here. Finally, a week later, two "inspectors" showed up and took it away. A week later on Apr.25/2002 I recieved a bill in the mail for $115.18. $65.00 for pick-up and $40.00 for "inspection and account closure fee"

I can't believe how crooked these people are. I ignored the letter, only to be hounded by them with letters and phone calls. I called their billing office and explained the whole thing again. I even tried to reason with them with points like... do you think that $225.00 is a fair price to pay for a 10 month rental of a leaky, 23 year old unit? Would you pay that? Don't you technically owe me a refund for two months rental? After all this they said that I'd still have to pay.

To this day I'm still being hounded with letters and phone calls. People, please watch out for this greedy, evil organization.

Rick
Ancaster, Ontario