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G/2007/2879
Ms O, a disability pensioner, said her gas was disconnected for account arrears in May 2007 — an old and faulty heater had leaked gas, resulting in higher than expected bills. She said that, even though she’d been making payments in line with her capacity to pay, she couldn’t clear the arrears on her account. Ms O also said she’d previously been included in her retailer’s hardship programme and had received a Utility Relief Grant application form.
In October 2007, having managed to pay off her electricity account, catch up with other bills and have a new gas heater installed, Ms O wanted to start clearing her gas account and have the gas reconnected. She rang the gas retailer to make an arrangement for the arrears, but was told she’d have to pay the full $760 before supply could be reconnected. Unable to do this, she contacted EWOV for assistance in setting up a payment plan.
Responding to our investigation, the gas retailer admitted that, because Ms O was previously in its hardship programme, it hadn’t followed Energy Retail Code procedures prior to the disconnection of her supply in May 2007 — it hadn’t sent a field officer out to the property, nor had it sent a disconnection warning by registered mail.
The retailer agreed that a WDP was applicable and made a payment for the 145 days Ms O was off supply. In line with Ms O’s wishes, we arranged to clear her outstanding electricity and gas accounts with the retailer and have a substantial credit
applied to each account for future usage. The balance was paid to her by cheque.
This case is a striking example of how action taken, or not taken, at a company’s front line can have a major effect on its bottom line. Not following required practices prior to the disconnection was compounded by the retailer’s insistence on an amount the customer said she couldn’t afford.
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