Wimmera gas: dozens of residents question bills

DROVES of Wimmera residents are questioning their gas bills after being overcharged for estimated meter readings.

The Mail-Times reported on Tuesday Horsham residents had called provider Energy Australia after receiving bills up to 15 times higher than the same time last year.

Horsham’s Josie Pallot said she questioned her bill after she was charged $650, $550 more than her normal bill.

“I got quite hysterical when I saw it. I rang them straight away and the operator explained they did an estimate read due to inclement weather,” she said.

“Because it was raining, they wouldn't send someone to read our meter.

“I gave the operator a meter read over the phone and it was fixed on the spot.”

The Energy Retail Code for Victoria stipulates that distribution networks must complete one actual metre read a year.

Mrs Pallot posted on Facebook about her experience, and found many of her friends had experienced the same issue.

She said she was concerned people – particularly the elderly – could be caught out and pay their bill without realising the mistake.

“I work with the older generation in my job, and I’ve told almost every client what happened to me so they can check their bills,” she said.

“When I put a post up I had a lot of people saying the same thing, or, ‘Now that you mention it, my bill was quite high’.

“It’s really disappointing we’re limited to one gas company in town.”

Fellow Horsham resident Caroline O’Donnell was floored when she received a gas bill from Energy Australia for $609, despite she and her family being away from home for eight weeks of the three-month billing period.

She called the company and had the bill reduced to $40.

“When we queried it, we were told that it had been an estimate, even though this is clearly not stated anywhere on the bill,” she said.

“There are three things that worry me about this.

“We have easy access to our meter, so why did they need an estimated reading?

“I also don't understand the legalities of a made-up bill. It didn’t say anywhere on the bill that it was an estimate.

“Also, I think this is representative of some price gouging in regional areas, and I think we’re hit disproportionately hard here.

“It’s a slap in the face.”

Mrs O’Donnell said she might not have queried the bill had it not been quite a lot higher than the same time last year.

“I probably would have thought it didn't sound right, but then you think ‘Well we’re a family of five, we’re busy, it must be right’,” she said.

“You assume the company has it correct because they have access to the data.

“A lot of people – particularly elderly people and pensioners – might not call about it, which is concerning.”

Australians in Retirement Wimmera branch chairman Lyall Wheaton said a number of  members had complained about the huge spike in gas charges.

“They contacted Energy Australia, who asked them to read the meter,” he said. 

“As a result they received hundreds of dollars in refunds.”

Mr Wheaton said it was unconscionable the provider sent out accounts hundreds of dollar dearer than the corresponding period in the previous year.

A Mail-Times Facebook post about the issue had about 100 replies on Tuesday.

An Energy Australia spokesperson said meter readings were taken by the distribution networks. 

“They supply the meter reads to electricity retailers, who use the data provided to bill customers,” she said.

“Where a customer has been overcharged due to an incorrect meter read, an adjustment will be made to the customer’s account. 

“We would always encourage a customer who has any queries regarding their account or bill to contact us to look into the matter.”