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C/2009/3966
After contacting her retailer about changing the name on her account,
Ms Y began to receive estimated bills for two meter numbers that didn't match the meter at her
property. She eventually located the meters at the back of her property, but they weren't
connected - it turned out that they'd been de-energised by the State Electricity
Commission some 20 years earlier, but not abolished nor deleted from the billing system.
Ms Y rang her retailer about the bills. She was told it would arrange a meter reading to
confirm there had been no usage at the meters, after which it would be able to close the
accounts. No one turned up for either of two agreed appointments. Ms y rang the retailer to work
out why. She said she was told the distributor's field officer "probably attended" her property
but "probably left because he couldn't get access". Frustrated at having waited at home for some
eight hours each day, Ms Y called EWOV.
The retailer told us it was unsure why the inactive meters were re-energised and why the
appointments it made with the distributor were missing. It said the estimated bills were in the
name of 'The Occupier', so Ms y wouldn't be held responsible for them. It confirmed the only way
to resolve the matter would be to have a field officer go out to complete final reads and de-
energisation.
We reviewed the information provided by the retailer and asked it to seek further information
from the distributor. It turned out that the distributor didn't have an account for the inactive
meters - it said this explained why the appointments raised by the retailer were never "picked
up".
At our request, the retailer asked the distributor to create an account - a new appointment
date was then set for final reads and de-energisation. Reassured that the distributor would now
turn up, Ms Y was willing to make another appointment.
The meters were read and de-energised the same day. The retailer confirmed the accounts were
closed with no amounts outstanding. It redited Ms Y's usual account with $150 in regonition of
the invonvenience caused. ms Y was satisfied with this outcome.
This complaint was as much about customer service as it was about bills. If the
retailer had adequately investigated Ms Y's concerns, instead of brushing them off, it may have
identified the real reason for the 'no show' by the distributor without EWOV
intervention.
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