Know your rights

[Doogie]

So get a bill from my electricity provider today. Basically $2k, back billed to November last year. I'm like wtf? Due to be direct debited mid-November.

Sitting after the bill email is another email telling me that I've been back billed because of 'new meter information'.

Nice try fckrs - one quick google to the energy ombudsman and I find out:
1) they can only back bill 9 months from the moment of explanation. To get around that, they dated the bill Aug 2023. Shame that, they only notified me today.
2) they need to provide an explanation why. Its their smart meter not mine. If its fckd, fix it. Until I get that explanation as far as I'm concerned, the 9 months backwards starts that day. No excuses either, my meter is in the front yard.
3) All the manual meter readings have no start/stop numbers. Better explain that as well so I can confirm they haven't overlapped meter readings
4) I also know that if I do make a complaint to the ombudsman, the provider gets charged a couple of G for the privilege. So its probably cheaper to write off the debt instead of me making the complaint
5) Customer for 10 years, pulled that card as well.
6) All this started when my neighbour (who told me once his sparks bill was $3k a quarter, every quarter) moved out after selling the house. I'm also intending to pull the 'show me your calibration certificate' for the meter as well.
7) if I do have to pay this, rather than rape my account for $2k straight up, you can work out a repayment option over the 9 months (as the ombudsman clearly says I have the same amount of time to pay it off as you fckd up for).

Now I would normally just go, well, shit happens and pay up. But the sneaky fckrs dated the invoice August. Who gets a bill in late October dated August. By email ffs.

Nice try cnts. When I get a name, the Lizard gerbils are paying a visit. Don't fck with the Lizard Lord.

And btw - the provider is...

Spoiler

Origin

 

[chemdog]

no idea how that's even possible...
are these the automated smart meters that are read electronically?

 

[Doogie]

no idea how that's even possible...
are these the automated smart meters that are read electronically?

Spoke to one of the manual readers once and they said they'd had issues with picking up a signal. Not my problem that, remember when they installed it.

Regardless, sending me a bill in October dated August so you can back bill 9 months? They started the game, now we are playing.

 

[chemdog]

Spoke to one of the manual readers once and they said they'd had issues with picking up a signal. Not my problem that, remember when they installed it.

Regardless, sending me a bill in October dated August so you can back bill 9 months? They started the game, now we are playing.

doesnt make sense to have installed a smart meter if they can't register a signal in the first place.

 

[Doogie]

doesnt make sense to have installed a smart meter if they can't register a signal in the first place.

Doesn't make sense to fck with a Lizard Lord. Never worked well for anybody.

But here we are.

 

[Hacky McAxe]

I used them for our electricity a while back, but changed to Red after constant issues. Red have been good.

 

[SexBomb]

Ok, you can borrow your former Lizard Gerbils for this.
They agree this is fucked up.

 

[The DoggFather]

So get a bill from my electricity provider today. Basically $2k, back billed to November last year. I'm like wtf? Due to be direct debited mid-November.

Sitting after the bill email is another email telling me that I've been back billed because of 'new meter information'.

Nice try fckrs - one quick google to the energy ombudsman and I find out:
1) they can only back bill 9 months from the moment of explanation. To get around that, they dated the bill Aug 2023. Shame that, they only notified me today.
2) they need to provide an explanation why. Its their smart meter not mine. If its fckd, fix it. Until I get that explanation as far as I'm concerned, the 9 months backwards starts that day. No excuses either, my meter is in the front yard.
3) All the manual meter readings have no start/stop numbers. Better explain that as well so I can confirm they haven't overlapped meter readings
4) I also know that if I do make a complaint to the ombudsman, the provider gets charged a couple of G for the privilege. So its probably cheaper to write off the debt instead of me making the complaint
5) Customer for 10 years, pulled that card as well.
6) All this started when my neighbour (who told me once his sparks bill was $3k a quarter, every quarter) moved out after selling the house. I'm also intending to pull the 'show me your calibration certificate' for the meter as well.
7) if I do have to pay this, rather than rape my account for $2k straight up, you can work out a repayment option over the 9 months (as the ombudsman clearly says I have the same amount of time to pay it off as you fckd up for).

Now I would normally just go, well, shit happens and pay up. But the sneaky fckrs dated the invoice August. Who gets a bill in late October dated August. By email ffs.

Nice try cnts. When I get a name, the Lizard gerbils are paying a visit. Don't fck with the Lizard Lord.

And btw - the provider is...

Spoiler

Origin

Those motherfuckers tried something similar with me but with gas. My Misses is a shark with all this kind of stuff.

Originally wanted 2400, offered us a deal to pay 50%, then 25%, then 10% to call it even, she told them we can afford only $10 per month. They ended up "fixing the error" and we didn't pay shit.

Still ended up leaving the cocksuckers. Fuck them and all providers. Greedy cuntrashes.

 

[DinkumDog]

I used them for our electricity a while back, but changed to Red after constant issues. Red have been good.

Ditto. Similar experience to @Doogie on the backbilling (not as many $ but same story). It’s because Origin use a third party data feed from meter reads that breaks and they don’t pick that up for months afterwards. I found this out through an IT contractor who knew the story. Origin were unapologetic about their own stuff up so I paid it over two quarters, punted them and went to Red Energy and have had no issues. Origin pursued me for about a year after that to ‘win your business back’ and eventually gave up when I said ‘I’m not sure which part of never you don’t understand’.

 

[Doogie]

Ditto. Similar experience to @Doogie on the backbilling (not as many $ but same story). It’s because Origin use a third party data feed from meter reads that breaks and they don’t pick that up for months afterwards. I found this out through an IT contractor who knew the story. Origin were unapologetic about their own stuff up so I paid it over two quarters, punted them and went to Red Energy and have had no issues. Origin pursued me for about a year after that to ‘win your business back’ and eventually gave up when I said ‘I’m not sure which part of never you don’t understand’.

Gunna see if I can push the ombudsman cost as a way of getting a freebie out of them. Ride the pony into the dirt. And then get a new one.

 

[SexBomb]

Mr experience of late, is they consider that a cost of business and are happy to bare that cost and associated risk, knowing too many of us are time and energy-poor.

 

[DinkumDog]

Gunna see if I can push the ombudsman cost as a way of getting a freebie out of them. Ride the pony into the dirt. And then get a new one.

Yep. I just got them to discount the ‘extra fees’ by 50% because they admitted it was their fault and ‘all our calls are recorded for training purposes’ - and even though I could’ve paid it all on the next bill I made them wait for the balance which also gave me time to pick a new provider. Give them grief, they've earned it.

 

[Flanagun]

Yikes, an email backdated by a couple of months? That is some straight up shady shit.

I use Origin for gas and have never had an issue.... but might reconsider anyway, if they are pulling shady shit like that.

I am with GloBird when it comes to energy. Did a comparative analysis and they seemed to be the cheapest. Haven't let me down so far. My bills have been comparatively cheap compared to some other people I know.

 

[Bob dog]

If you want your rights you need Lorraine Finlay, seems like a top chick.
Everyone is trying to rip everybody off, padlock the dog.

Human Rights Commissioner, Ms Lorraine Finlay

Learn about Lorraine Finlay, who commenced as Human Rights Commissioner in 2021 after working as a lawyer and academic specialising in human rights.

humanrights.gov.au

 

[The_Chimpster]

Indeed, you tell em joe

 

[Doogie]

Yikes, an email backdated by a couple of months? That is some straight up shady shit.

I use Origin for gas and have never had an issue.... but might reconsider anyway, if they are pulling shady shit like that.

I am with GloBird when it comes to energy. Did a comparative analysis and they seemed to be the cheapest. Haven't let me down so far. My bills have been comparatively cheap compared to some other people I know.

Bill dated August - email (and the bill) came yesterday. I reckon so they could line up the 9 months back to November last year (or close enough).

Yeah - haven't heard anything back yet - looking forward to it.

 

[Flanagun]

Bill dated August - email (and the bill) came yesterday. I reckon so they could line up the 9 months back to November last year (or close enough).

Yeah - haven't heard anything back yet - looking forward to it.

Yeah, bill....that's what i meant. Obviously the email would be timestamped from when it was sent.

Definitely seems fishy as... this could have the makings of Royal Commission one day if it is something that is widespread. Wonder how many vulnerable people might do harm to themselves if they get a shock power bill hitting them up for a cheeky 2g out of nowhere.

 

[Bad Billy]

Often this happens when access to your meter is restricted, then they “estimate” your bill.
if that happens for a few quarters, when they finally get a reading they make an adjustment. I’ve had it happen to me (in fact, my current bill is an estimate). Fortunately the error was in my favor, and I got $500 back.

 

[Doogie]

Yeah, bill....that's what i meant. Obviously the email would be timestamped from when it was sent.

Definitely seems fishy as... this could have the makings of Royal Commission one day if it is something that is widespread. Wonder how many vulnerable people might do harm to themselves if they get a shock power bill hitting them up for a cheeky 2g out of nowhere.

Well - I didn't hold back

Often this happens when access to your meter is restricted, then they “estimate” your bill.
if that happens for a few quarters, when they finally get a reading they make an adjustment. I’ve had it happen to me (in fact, my current bill is an estimate). Fortunately the error was in my favor, and I got $500 back.

See above - got ya covered

 

[B-Train]

My missus does the accounts at her work.. The shop she works at has an upstairs studio apartment above. The gas bill for that comes to the business.. The bill is usually $100 each time.. One time it was 11k.

She rang up and complained obviously and it was eventually sorted but crazy bills like that get sent out more than you think..

Of course, they never undercharge by thousands do they?