Filing guides

File a complaint in your state

Every state has a commission that oversees utilities and takes consumer complaints. Filing is free, and you don’t need a lawyer.

Step by step

  1. Contact your utility first

    Most commissions want you to give the utility a chance to fix it. Send your complaint letter or call. Write down the date, the person’s name, and any reference number.

  2. Ask to keep your service on

    Ask if your service is protected from shutoff while the bill is disputed, and pay any part of the bill you agree with if you can. Rules vary by state.

  3. Give them time to answer

    If you don’t hear back within about two weeks, or the answer doesn’t make sense, move to the next step.

  4. File with your state commission

    Use the link for your state above. Most have an online form. Paste in your commission complaint letter and attach a copy of the bill.

  5. Keep copies of everything

    Save the bill, your letters, emails, and the complaint number the commission gives you. The commission will usually ask the utility to respond.

When to go elsewhere

Your supplier misled you

If a third-party supplier signed you up by phone or door-to-door, or changed your rate without warning, also report it to your state attorney general’s consumer protection office.

Co-op or city utility

Electric co-ops and city-owned utilities are often not overseen by the state commission. Complain to the co-op’s board or your city council, and ask the commission if it can help.

Links were checked in September 2026. Agencies move pages. If a link breaks, search the commission’s name plus “consumer complaint”. This is general information, not legal advice.