Door-to-Door Energy Salespeople Using 'Pushy' Tactics, Police Say

Several Doylestown residents say door-to-door representatives from a Canadian energy company are using “pushy” tactics in an attempt to gain new customers.

Several Doylestown and Buckingham residents told Patch that door-to-door solicitors from Commerce Energy have asked to view their personal electric bills to “check rates.” Several residents said the representatives even asked to see their online records via computer or smartphone if no paper bill was available.

The complaints have led Doylestown Borough police to threaten to revoke the company’s soliciting permits. Commerce Energy is a subsidiary of Just Energy, which is based in Ontario, Canada.

“For the second time this week I have had (Commerce) energy company representatives knock on my door asking to see my electric bill,” resident Amanda Rennie told Patch.

Rennie said the representative told her he was authorized by PECO to go door to door to “make sure I was getting the appropriate savings.”  

Rennie said when she said she didn’t get paper bills, the representative asked her to pull up her PECO account on her computer. That made her suspicious, she said, and she asked him to leave. 

Another resident reported a similar experience. He said Commerce Energy representatives came to his door, and without an explanation, asked to see his utility bill. When he said he didn’t receive a paper bill, the representative asked to see his computer, then his smartphone. 

Doylestown Borough Police confirmed Commerce Energy has permits for six representatives to solicit door-to-door. However, Chief James Donnelly said there have been multiple complaints from residents that representatives are “pushy.”

He said he has been in touch with the company and will consider revoking the permits if the complaints continue.

“I have informed the company that continued complaints will result in their permits being rescinded. We have cited one of their employees already for not having a permit,” Donnelly said.

“We’re watching them. They keep promising that they are going to train people better,” the chief said.

The Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland earlier this year issued a warning to consumers about the company. The BBB of Greater Maryland in January said it had received information from area residents that representatives from Commerce Energy are “aggressively soliciting neighborhoods.”

“According to complaints, sales representatives visit the same house repeatedly even after being asked to leave, not solicit, not come back or even when told the resident is ill,” the BBB of Greater Maryland said in a statement. 

Al Shulman, vice president of marketing for Just Energy, Commerce’s parent company, said company representatives do ask to see customer’s bills.

“We do this to ensure we are speaking to the decision maker,” Shulman said. If customers want to switch “we do need their account information in order to process the transaction.” 

“We would never enroll anyone without their explicit consent,” Shulman said, adding the company requires a signed contract from all customers.

“We send a welcome letter to all customers prior to the 30 days, so if they feel they did not understand the terms of the agreement when they receive the welcome letter, they can call us and cancel with no further obligation,” he said.