Tenant didn't pay the right power company and electricity was cut.

[handyandy]

Hi All

Just thought I would give a heads up about the latest issue we attended today.

Tenant phones PM to advice they have no power. PM goes out to confirm then calls us and my son attends to check what the problem is.

He confirms there is no power on the feed to the unit so I advice him to advice tenant they need to contact their supplier as it's a supplier side issue. (I suspected from the start)

This is where it gets interesting. My son then askes to look at the suppliers bill to point out the number the tenant needs to call. Low and behold she has a bill from two different suppliers - AGl and another.

The tenant had paid the other company but it appears that AGL is now her current supplier.

During the week there was a story on ACA about some pensioner having the same situation and from that story I can guess that some slimy doors to door sales type has knocked on my tenants door got her to sign up without her understanding and then disconnected her power because of non payment of the bill although she has been paying but now the wrong company.

Wasted our time and the problem is far from solved.

Cheers

PS found a thread about same issue over on whirlpool

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1626199

 

[Crabnet]

A similar thing happened to me once when attempting to change electricity suppliers.
The old one wouldn't let go claiming that the t's hadn't been crossed and the i's dotted on the new suppliers paperwork.
For 6 months i had to pay both retailers power bills with the threat of disconnection if I didn't pay either of them.
Numerous calls to overseas call centres got me nowhere as the promised fixes never eventuated.
Eventually a call to the Electricity ombudsman led to a resolution. They made the retailer appoint a local case handler who contacted me, asked how I would like the matter to be resolved and made it so with a prompt refund of all their charges and no further correspondence.

 

[Tillie]

You can not believe how messy electricity issues can get.

Through my work I have seen the most weird cases. Once electricity company got meters mixed up and it took them 2 years to notice that customer A paid the electricy on behalf of customer B and vice versa. Customer A was a large retail store and Customer B small gym. Customer B had tried to complain about the large bills without getting anywhere with the electricity company. Finally Customer B got the some electrician to investigate why the consumption was so high. Customer B found out that the wrong meter was assigned to him.

 

[BMan]

when i moved into my house i signed up for origin energy
and within my first or second bill i received a final bill. i rang up and they said i switched to agl....?
news to me since i lived alone
never talked to any energy person at the door (and no phone for them to call me on)
still dont know how it happened and even after i told origin i didnt authorize it and to switch me back agl still took over

 

[wylie]

Son received two accounts for his house. He connected with one company but the company who had been used by the vendor said they didn't have any notification that the power had been finalised. They sent the new bill to "the homeowner" I think.

Vendor confirmed she had had the power read and the account finalised. Maybe they just think they can "try one on".

 

[boomtown]

Electricity ombudsman is your friend. AGL changed our account with Origin to them without our consent. We got a year free electricity from AGL in the end.

 

[beachside]

I wonder how many of the door knockers trying to sell other suppliers make up fake authorities from residents to switch company. By the time they are caught out they are well gone from the company to the next.

 

[Scott No Mates]

The best one I had was from ABC Water (not their real name). It was a hand written invoice (no ABN), company didn't exist & a few other anomolies (like the council in the LGA charges water rates).

If you weren't alert to the fact, then someone would have beeen out of pocket by a few $.

 

[marg4000]

I wonder how many of the door knockers trying to sell other suppliers make up fake authorities from residents to switch company. By the time they are caught out they are well gone from the company to the next.

That is why the first thing the door-knockers ask for is to see your last electricity bill. They then note the account number which enables them to lodge false paperwork and switch the account.
Marg