Nicor Gas
Reviews and Complaints

My gas was shut off back in April 2009 due to non payment. My husband has been out of work for a couple years now. He works part time here and there as much as he can and I work part time. We are struggling just pay our mortgage. It hasn't been too bad during the warm months without the gas because we use very little gas in the warm months, but it is getting cold and my three young children are freezing. I received a letter last month staring if I paid a portion of the unpaid bill ($560.00) and no one has tampered with thelock on the meter that they would turn it back on for the winter months and the remaining balance could be paid in payments. I paid the amount requested and when we called tohave it turned back on they said they couldn't do it because we were on a payment plan a year ago and they only do it every two years so we don't qualify. If I don't qualify why did they send me the letter? With the economy the was it is it is g etting harder and harder for people to be able to afford things. Look at how many people are loosing their houses and instead of helping Nicore is making it harder for people to be able to make payment arrangements. It used to be one payment plan every six months. Now it's one every two years? Are they crazy? It's not like people are going to skip out and go with someone else we are stuck with Nicor who can do whatever they want anc charge whatever they want and there is nothing we can do about it. We are waiting for a supervisor to call back, but a few years ago a supervisor was useless and when I asked for her supervisor she told me that she didn't have one? Are you telling me that the CEO of Nicor gas called me from their customer service department? I asked if she signed the checks for people at Nicor and she hung up on me. What can we do? I did exactly what was asked in their letter with the promise that my gas would be turned back on. If I had thought for a second that they would not be here to turn on the gas I would have used that money to pay other bills or to go stay somewhere with heat for my kids. I will be filing complaints with the ICC, CUB and BBB.

I paid my late NicorBill onthe dure day of Oct 7 by credit card. It posted on Oct 8 and on Oct 8 Nicorshut off my heat. I called them and I was told that I should have telephoned them after I paid. I was not aware that I was suppose to call them when they already had received the money. They won't turn my heat back on untl Oct 15. I have had service with Nicor for over 30 year and have never had this happen to. and it seems nothing can be done about. There is no help for anyone. Since Nicor controlls all of our heat and their is no compition thank you

This is ridiculous Nicor Gas has back billed me for tenant charges. I have made several attempts to get this resolved. Now my home service was disconnected. Calling customer service is a real joke. Every representative refuse to transfer the call to a Manager, I was also told that Manager’s don’t take calls? Over the last few days I have spent numerous hours on the phone and this issue have not yet been resolved.

RE: Dis crimination against Senior Citizen

Hello I am writing this letter after feeling very disappointed angry and upset, I have never written against any company but what I going to tell will make you thing WHY WHY.
I called Nicor gas company on 08/06/09 regarding move of the service since I lived in Chicago I did not know much about Nicor company when I call I got customer service rep who refused to acknowledge the address 8461 Gross point RD Skokie, IL exist and told me to provided her with meter #. I told that my parent ages 80 to 88 will moving to this home on 08/09/09. Monday 08/10/09 say about 2:30 pm Nicor person come and shut the gas out, even though he saw box were moving in and my mother was sitting, and cooling repair person was working& I was with carpenter who was repairing my doors in drive way. He did not have a cursory to even mention or have responsibility to call the manager and notify that why we are shutting when these folk are moving in.
Today 08/11/09 I call in the morning talk to nicor rep Matt # 8433 and gave all my information, and I like put gas service on my mother name Hajira Begum who do not speak English . Matt was very help-full, took all the information and apologies and transfer the call to customer credit dept ( where all the fun begin ) the person who answer the phone Jessica # [protected] ask under whose name the service will be on I gave my mother name, she ask where did she had service befor, e I mention Chicago and gave the address, she came back and ask who she speaking with. I gave my name Syed Qasim, at this point she got very furious and told me that whose house is under the name I mention my name she came back few minutes and told me I had lied and gave false information and that she will NEVER EVER provide me gas service for my senior citizen parents. And that I misled her. I keeping asking what I misled she simply hangs up the phone.
I call Matt again and mention about Jessica & my conservation, he said his hand is tied and he say he cannot help. I call back after few hrs and try talking to Jessica, again she said I am NEVER EVER getting Nicor gas service. She than ask why she cannot speak with my Mother, I told her she cannot speak english, than she ask what language she speak. I told Hindi and if you any person who speak the language I will put her on line, she said no body, and than she said I am lier, and cheater and I will NEVER EVER GAS SERVICE FROM NICOR.
I call customer service and talk to Pam who was very help full, and coordinate between me and Jessica so what every problem we have could be solved. Jessica requested through Pam that she need my SSN #, my Closing paper work of the property, my Driver Laciness, my mother SSN #, her IL state ID, AARP card, and her Medicare card, which will shows that she is disabling person. After faxing all these I was told I have wait 7 to 10 business day to get service
Let me ask where is this lead this to k let me SHOUT LOUD DISCRIMATION AGAINST RACE AND SENOIR CITIZEN. I was told pervious owner had not paid for few months, I wanted to know why they waited till I call me and than disconnect. Even though I repeated request that I had disable senior citizen parents and minor kids ages 6, 7, & 12 I was ignored I was told “I WILL NEVERE GET GAS SERVICE “
WHY because I am not American even though I am 30 yrs in this country went school, university, had business employee 20 people but hey where is JUSTICE 7 to 10 business day so I guess, we will not take shower we will not eat and let my parents sat dirty

I NEED ANSWER WHY JESSICA IS GOD OF THE NICOR COMPANY

WHAT THIS HAD HAPPEN TO YOU WHAT YOU WILL DO
DO THE RIGHT THINGS STAND AGAINST NICOR FOR DISCRIMATION

I gave nicor medical documents emailed to them from our doctor. when finally aproved, i called for service to be turned on .I told them i would give them 100.00 july 3 and i did.There was no conversation made of any payment agreements. i was just told to give as much as i could to get down my balance of 720.On august 5 i made another payment of 100.00.On august 6 in the dark wiyhout any warning they shut off our gas.when i called to complain they told me the representive told me to make arrangements for a payment plan.This never happenen . they never told me that, only to make payments to get my balance down.they turned me off for no reason and want the full balance.I need help against this discusting company.

Nicor gas has shut me off in 4-5-09 I told them that i had just recovered from a injure and that i was behind on all my bills, and that i also have a sick person with heart and diabetes in my home. To this day i still have no gas and thay will not take any payments from me, until i pay the whole bill, which by the way is over 1, 567 so they say. I have called and cryed trying to get my gas turned back on. The folks i talk with at nicor are rude, and disrespectful, i was told by one woman you want our service now we want our money. I have been doing all i can to save my house and i have caught up with my other bills, but nicor refuses to work with you, and also the amount of my bill has gone up since my gas has been shut off. I have had to take my sick family member to the hospital 3 times since my gas has been shut off. If i had the 1567 to pay them i would but thay will not take 400 of the bill, who is watching the utility companys? I work hard to make a living and now i am having troubles things are bad for alot of folks how can a large utility company, get away with this, if i could go to another gas company i would but nicor is the only one .
please help to change this, i think about the older folks, and the very poor folks what do they do how are they treated? NICOR YOU ARE WRONG

Today, I just found about that Nicor let somebody set up an account in my grandmother's name at another residence. Now we've lived in this house for over 14 yrs why would we have set up at a place we don't even own. Its so easy for people to set up accounts with Nicor that it doesn't make any sense. They were also stupid enough to send the bill to the house we actually live in. Here's where they got caught up at we hadn't paid our bill, yet. I do believe whoever set up this account is somebody my grandmother knows because my aunt lived down the street from where this residence is located. I wonder what Nicor is going to say about this account being set up, you know they always have some crazy response. It would be sad if we find out that someone my aunt knows set up this account because that would mean my aunt was the one who gave them the information.

Word of advice watch those around you because they will be quick to pull some type of scam on you when you least expect it.

My name is Talisha and a single mother of five. My oldest is an eleven year old girl, a nine year old boy, a six year old boy. I have a disabled four year old boy and last but not least my four month old baby girl. I am writing this letter to ask for help. I am about to lose my home because of an outstanding Nicor gas bill.
It started about two years ago when I applied for LIHEAP. I was approved for a payment towards my bill. The next month I didn’t receive a bill. Three months later I called Nicor and asked if they could send out a bill so that I could view my account and make a payment, I was told that I would receive one in the mail but still didn’t receive a bill.
One year after LIHEAP made that payment I applied for assistance again but was told from LIHEAP that I had to have a current bill. I explained to them that Nicor hadn’t sent one in the past year since they applied a credit to my account.
The LIHEAP representative called the gas company while I was there at the LIHEAP office and requested my account information but was told that something was wrong with the meter and that they would have to come out and read the meter. I was instructed to return to LIHEAP after a technician came to read the meter and then after the new bill arrived which Nicor stated would be up to two weeks. No one ever came and read the meter. I was then unable to receive assistance for the Nicor bill because of the deadline to the LIHEAP program and the fact that I still wasn’t sent a bill.
In December of 2008 I received a -letter-, not a bill from Nicor stating that they had to turn off the gas, exchange the meter and have it tested for accuracy then restore service and conduct a safety inspection, this would take place before April of 2009. In February of 2009 Nicor gas came out and removed the meter and shut off my service without restoring them. At the time my daughter had recently been born and was premature, it was very cold outside and there was no warning or no time to prepare for living without gas.
After calling Nicor repeatedly and being told that there is nothing that can be done unless I make a payment in full of an amount that they were unable to give me because of an inaccurate meter. I was then sent two bills a bill for $5605.62 and another for $4, 385.51. I didn’t know what to do so I was told to contact the Illinois Commerce Commission to get help and file a complaint. I received a letter from ICC saying that they spoke to Nicor and my issue was resolved or satisfactorily explained, which was untrue. I then returned to LIHEAP with the new bills to apply for help and I was to pay service charges to be awarded. I was approved for payment in April of 2009 which left the bill around $2900.
I contacted Nicor in May of 2009 to receive the bill for the current amount owed after payments had been made so that I can make payments on my account when I was then told that the bill is now in excess of $6000. I asked why was the bill was higher if payments have been made after the service was shut off and was told that they made arrangements to the account that they took back. As I explained the situation to the representative I was treated as if it was my fault the meter was broke.
Now I am in risk of being homeless because of this bill. Please help or guide me in the right direction to resolve this problem. I have received a 5 day notice because the housing authority has stopped payments to the landlord. How can my family and I be penalized for a mistake on their behalf? How can they not bill me for two years and tell me something is wrong with the meter and expect me to pay two years in full or no service that is ridiculous and they need to be put to a stop. I have read of many others experiencing the same issues as myself. Now the bill is so out of hand no one wants to assist me. I have contacted all types of agencies that claim to offer homeless prevention programs and other programs that say they can’t help. I don’t know which way to go or who to contact that will help. Please assist me!

After fighting with them constantly about over charging me they came and replaced my meter when they KNEW I wouldn't be home to take my own reading and of course they claim that I owe them another $2100. I have lived in this house for 2 and a half years and have never used more than 241 therms in a month but once they took the meter somehow in the last 7 months I have been going through over 1000 therms a month.

They will rip you off every chance they get. Don't EVER trust the bill you get from them ALWAYS go read your own meter when you get your bill

My gas was shut off today. When I called instead of the past amount from last month being 444.17, the automatic thing said I owed $1088.00. So before I made a payment automatically, it of course routed me to another unhelpfull person (A live one at that) I asked her how much I had to pay to get it turned back on like today or tomorrow(If nothing else). She said I had to pay 444.17 and she would take that payment over the phone for another charge of course. So after she processes the payment and puts me convienantly on hold for 7-8 minutes, then informs me that my gas cannot be turned on for 8 days from today. What kind of SICK TWISTED GAME is this that these fricken utility companies like to play? It only takes them ONE day to drive over here, but 8 to drive back. They have been camped out in our neighborhood every day doing something, mainly BS ing but they cant drive back for 8 days. Is this what they do decide to incorporate corporal punishment to consumers for their bill being late. Like we don't have ENOUGH FINANCIAL PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW. I think it's time we put a stop to this SICK game. I'm turning them inot Lisa Madigan as well. Enough is enough.

Nicor Advanced Energy sends misleading bills so that the consumer has no idea what they are paying and to whom. After several months of consistant bills of $80, the December bill was $300. The bill was based off an estimated read, so we requested an actual. We were told by the operator to wait until new read to pay bill. After read, we got a bill for usage since estimated read. We asked for bill showing last actual to current actual to verify. When we received that bill, it was paid in full and received on 10Mar09. On 17Mar09, letter sent saying we still owed $250 by 28Mar09 or service cut off. On same day, received new bill saying only $90 past due and that another estimated read was performed, adding $350 to the bill. Bills do not show past billing, only current, you have no idea where billing is coming from, where it gets paid to: no way to directly link usage to amount paid. Also, charged $100 late fee for unpaid balance after operator said to wait. When asking to cancel, told it is $20 per month until end of contract. We have a brand new house that was constructed to be energy efficient and we know we are paying too much. From $80/month to $300/month, and we are trapped unless we pay $140.

I moved into my apartment in September of 2007. My first gas bill was very high. I called Nicor to make a complaint they told me it was not their problem but the landlords responsibility to make sure furnaces, installation etc were up to date.

Each month during the cold months since September of 2007 I made a complaint to Nicor. I told them that no matter if I was out of town the whole month with my gas turned completely off I continued to get heating bills for two to three hundred dollars.

Last month my heating bill was over $300. I was home only four days and had the heat off the other days. I called Nicor who again blamed my landlord and refused to come out and take a look. My landlord again called a heating company who updated any parts, filters and a new water heater. I stayed at a friends house from the time I got that bill. My next bill was over $236. I this time called Nicor and said I must have a gas leak knowing they would come out and take a look.

The service tech checked the pipes and confirmed I indeed was paying for someone else's meter. I again called Nicor. They responded by telling me that I need to continue to pay these bills or they will report to the credit bureaus. They also stated they could not give me a date as to when they would be out to confirm the meters were indeed switched. As though their own tech's information or test was not enough.

I asked them to terminate my service and I am told the reimbursement check when ever I get it will not be exactly the difference but charged at the rate today not two years ago when I was only heating my house to 62° and 54° during the day.

I will update when I get the check. I do know my neighbor paid $65 on her last bill that I should have got while I am stuck paying $236.54 or I will be reported to the credit bureau.

Nicor Gas only makes actual meter readings every other month. In between the actual readings they make an estimate and bill you according to that estimate. It seems to me that when natural gas commodity prices are falling (as they are now), Nicor makes every attempt to over-estimate your usage so as to get you to pay a higher price for the gas. When prices are rising, however, they underestimate your usage and then you must make it up at the next actual reading after prices have crept up a little higher. This last month their estimate was about 25% higher than what I actually used. I read the meter one week later than their estimate and the reading was still less than what they estimated. I called in to get a corrected bill and the representative was very rude and tried to tell me that it would not benefit me to do this. I insisted and she finally changed the bill.

Nicor Advanced Energy poses as the answer to the rising cost of home heating. However they are a part of Nicor Inc. During the transistion from one program to the next, you will be billed for usage plus fees and when you try to pay, your money is not allacated as you perscribe but is paid to Nicor Gas for whatever balance owed. Nicor Advanced Energy whom you are making payments to turns the money of to Nicor Gas and cancells you for nonpayment and adds on more fees for cancelation of contract. Even though this is all part of Nicor Inc.

This company is misleading senior citizens into believing that they are a part of Nicor gas (which they are not). Telling them they will put their heating bills on a budget and will cover all furnace repairs, etc. Senior citizens do not understand why they are getting billed double from Nicor. This is something our senior citizens can’t afford to begin with. When they call in to ask questions, they hang up on them. Trying to help senior citizens in this situation, to get this issue resolved. Nicor Advanced Energy is taking money from them without a written contract and telling them that they are obligated to pay and the only way out of it is that they have to pay a significant amount or keep the contract for a year. Can someone help me resolve this situation for our senior citizens?

I am still fighting a year old battle with Nicor Gas to no avail. The dispute centers around our pool heater and the increased usage during the summer months. I believe fraudulent billing practices force customers into their Budget Plan in which they make more money in finance charges. I have been paying my bills in full and on time and was surprised with a $550 bill for a second time because they under estimated my usage 4 months in a row despite an actual meter reading. If you have a pool heater and are experiencing the same runaround every fall, please post a response. Going to the the Citizens Utility Board with your support would help our cause.

They est. my bill for a long time by over 200 units. Now they say we owe them a deposit. I have never been late in three years. They adjusted the bill and keeping what they owe me for deposit. I paid one 3 years ago. When I asked to speak to their supervisor they refused.I've read the same complaint from other people. Instead of crediting the over estimate they keep it for a deposit . Thats is unfair to us who pay our bills. They have been over estimated my bill for three years. Every spring I have been getting a bill with credit on it. This year I believe because it is so large of an amount they are stiffing me out of my money thats is owed.