Just Energy Reviews
Just Energy is an alternative natural gas and electricity supplier with over 1.8 million customers. The company's fixed rate and green options are popular, but sales practices have come under fire in recent years.
Our Thoughts
Fixed rate plans with Just Energy are popular and can deliver significant savings. Additionally, green energy options are appreciated by a number of customers.
However, the Better Business Bureau reports that the company has done a poor job of responding to customer complaints, and there has been government action against Just Energy in Ontario, Canada. Compare reviews with other suppliers.
Plans Available
| Plan Type | Contract Lengths | Early Cancellation Fee | Details | Our Opinion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed Rates | 12, 36, or 50 months | $75-150 |
|
Recommended:
|
| Variable Rates | None initially; contract renews each month automatically | $0 on variable rates; $75 on fixed rate |
|
Not recommended |
Savings with Fixed Rates
Fixed rates can deliver savings for electricity and natural gas customers.
Customers appreciate the stability of fixed rate plans, and report they are often able to pay less for supply charges in comparison to their local utility. People also appreciate the flexibility to lock in fixed rates on variable plans.
Our Recommendations
Fixed rate electricity plans of 36 or 50 months can be a good deal with Just Energy, as long as you are able to lock in competitive rates. The cost of electricity gradually increases over time, but not significantly over the course of year.
Twelve month contracts can be a good deal for natural gas customers, since the cost of natural gas actually is falling over time, but fluctuates enough during a year that a 12 month plan can deliver savings.
We do not recommend variable rate plans, since rates are not regulated by your state government and may change significantly over the course of your time with Just Energy.
Friendly Customer Service
Some customers report that customer service representatives are friendly, and are good at addressing their concerns.
Green Energy Options
Just Energy is also a large supplier of green energy. Some customers enjoy that they can support green energy and save on fixed rate contracts at the same time.
Renewable energy plans with Just Energy support green energy generation and projects in the United States through either Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) or Carbon Offsets. Customers can compensate for up to 100% of their electricity or natural gas consumption.
Misleading Sales Practices
There are reports that Just Energy's door to door sales are misleading, and that sales representatives overstate the savings on variable rate plans. Additionally, some representatives have allegedly not been truthful in order to gain customers' trust, for instance by saying things like fixed rate plans do not have early cancellation fees, when in fact they do.
Some customers feel that sales tactics are aggressive.
Poor Response to Complaints
According to the Better Business Bureau, it receives complaints about Just Energy's sales practices on a regular basis, and the company has not done a sufficient job of changing its policies in order to fix these issues. As of March 2015, Just Energy has an F rating on an A-F scale from the BBB, who has issued an alert about the supplier.
Government Action
Legal action was taken against Just Energy in Ontario, Canada. The company was ordered to pay a $400,000 fine to the Ontario Energy Board in April 2014 for the following violations of the Canadian Energy Consumer Protection Act (2010):
- Telling consumers false or misleading information about services
- Agents failing to correctly identify themselves
- Not informing customers about contract terms
- Insufficient agent training
Company History
Founded in 1997, Just Energy serves over 1.8 million customers in the United States and Canada. The company has five energy supply subsidiaries including Commerce Energy and Amigo Energy.