This story has been updated to include a statement from Liberty Utilities.
The state agency that regulates utilities in Missouri has opened an investigation into Liberty Utilities concerning customer service and billing issues.
For several months, the Missouri Public Service commission received complaints, comments, and testimony from Liberty Utilities customers regarding billing and customer service issues, according to the investigation announcement released Thursday.
Commission Chair Kayla Hahn said in the regulators’ meeting that agency staff will begin investigating the electric, gas, and water utility immediately.
“I know that my fellow commissioners and I expect to see significant improvements at Liberty utilities,” Hahn said.
“We heard the testimony at local public hearings. We continue to see problems in the call center with reports that we receive, and we know elected representatives are hearing all the same issues from their constituents.”
Liberty Utilities provides various utility services to about half the counties in Missouri.
Last year, the company filed a rate case with the Missouri Public Service Commission, asking regulators for permission to increase natural gas prices, so that its annual revenue would increase by approximately $13.1 million.
A month later, the company filed an additional rate case seeking to increase annual water revenues by approximately $7.99 million and annual sewer revenues by approximately $75,180, according to the Missouri Public Service Commission.
During local public hearings in those cases, customers told regulators of issues with the company’s billing and customer service.
“We heard from Liberty's customers, loud and clear, that the customer service was extremely poor. So I wholeheartedly support this investigation and this order,” said Glen Kolkmeyer, one of the five commissioners who unanimously approved the order to investigate.
Missouri Public Service Commission Communications Director Forrest Gossett told KBIA the complaints from Liberty customers were often about bills that didn’t show up, were delayed or were incorrect in some fashion.
Staff of the state agency are to begin investigating the issues immediately, and provide updates to the commission every three months.
“There is no excuse for customers to not receive bills, or for customers to have bills that are not timely, or for customers not to be able to reach someone at Liberty utilities when they have an issue,” Hahn said Thursday.
Liberty Utilities customers with issues and questions are encouraged to call the Public Service Commission consumer services hotline at 800-392-4211.
Liberty Utilities officials did not immediately respond to an interview request Thursday. The company shared this statement Friday:
"We hear the concerns raised by customers and by the Missouri Public Service Commission. We are actively working to address these concerns and to provide the level of service our customers expect and deserve. We will cooperate with the Commission and its staff throughout this investigation. We know we have work to do, and we are fully committed to making the necessary improvements to our billing and customer service practices to better serve our customers."
