Contract cancellation fee leaves former Summitt Energy customer fuming

A Princeton woman is warning British Columbians to steer clear of utility provider Summitt Energy,after she was charged$691.70to cancel her contractdespite employee assurances she could do so without penalty.

Deborah Bradshaw-White and her husband signed up with Summittin 2017, using the company's natural gas to heattheir North Vancouver home.

Last January, the couple's three-year contract came up for renewal.Bradshaw-White says she was happy with the company's service up until that point, butworried about renewing, as the couple planned tomove toPrinceton and didn't know if their new home would have access to natural gas.

"Two people who work for [Summit] said it wouldn't be aproblem," said Bradshaw-White, 56.

"Turns out that was incorrect."

New home doesn't have natural gas

In June, the couple moved out of the Lower Mainland, renting a house28 kilometres outside of Princeton.Their new residence has electricity and a wood stove for heat. It does not, however,havenatural gas.

That same month, Bradshaw-White says she called Summittto cancel their service, butthe company pushed back, asking to see a copy of the couple'srental contract. Bradshaw-White sent them a copy, along with screenshots from the FortisBC website, showing natural gas is not available in the couple's neighbourhood.

Three months passed with no reply.

InSeptember, the company wrote to the couple to tell them they owed $691.70 if they wished to cancel early.

"Oh, I was angry. I was really quite perturbed," said Bradshaw-White. "If you can't use a service then why would you pay for it? Why would you not move somewhere because the service can't be provided there?"

In an email, Summitt Energy confirmed that customers can have their agreements cancelled without penalty if they move outside of Summitt's "eligible service territory."

Jeff Donnelly, Summitt'sdirector of regulatory affairs andcompliance, confirmed that staff asked Bradshaw-White for her rental agreement as proof of the couple's move, but says she never sent it.

After being contacted by CBC, the company agreed to close Bradshaw-White's account and waive the $691.70 fee.

CompanyF-rated

They may have rectified the situation, but the company's reputation remains questionable.

Summitt Energycurrently holds an F rating with theBetter Business Bureau the lowest rating on the agency's scaleindicating consumers should approach with caution.

A spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau says companies and consumers need to establish expectations in writing in order to avoid complications down the road.

"Writing ensures that it's not a case of his word versus mine," said Lower Mainland BBB spokesperson Karla Laird.

"Whatever is there is what everyone's going to be held accountable to."