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(released Thursday 27 November 2008)
In 2007/08, EWOV received 25,413 cases—up 39% on the 18,280 cases received in 2006/07.
2,506 were enquiries. 22,907 complaints were received and 22,668 complaints finalised.
Cases profile
The source of the increase was complaints, which were up 62% overall. Electricity complaints increased 59%. Natural gas complaints increased 88%. LPG complaints increased 12%. Dual fuel complaints increased 6%. Water complaints increased 27%.
In electricity and natural gas, most of the increase can be attributed to the billing systems problems experienced towards the end of 2007, and into 2008, by two large energy retailers.
5,368 complaints were received for investigation in 2007/08. This doesn’t tell the full story though. If we hadn’t put in place the interim case handling process described in the report, we would have received 10,853 complaints for investigation — with the result that they would have been up by 109% (5,669 more than in 2006/07).
5,129 investigated complaints were finalised.
At 48% of all issues, billing was again the most common issue raised by customers overall—in particular, high bills, billing errors and meter issues.
Credit was the second most common issue at 13%—most commonly about the disconnection of electricity or gas or the restriction of water for debt, payment difficulties and credit collection activities.
Customer profile
93% of all cases came from residential customers and 7% from business customers.
50% of customers said they contacted EWOV based on their existing knowledge of the scheme. 17% said they found out about us through their energy or water company.
93% of customers rang us, 5% used email or the complaint lodgement form on our website and 2% wrote to us or faxed us.
Taking residential populations into account, the parts of Victoria with the highest rates of EWOV residential energy and water cases were the Loddon Shire, City of Banyule, City of Frankston, City of Port Philip and City of Manningham.
By comparison, the parts of Victoria with the highest raw numbers of EWOV residential cases were the Mornington Peninsula Shire, City of Monash, City of Greater Geelong, City of Banyule and City of Glen Eira.
Media release
More info about 2007/08 cases & issues overall
More info on systemic issues
Cases by industry:
Download other sections of the report (PDF):
Download a full PDF of EWOV's 2008 Annual Report (1.8MB)
Request a printed copy of EWOV's 2008 Annual Report
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Download a pdf copy of the
2008 Annual Report
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