I got a shock from a gas bill

[Roverlord off road spares]

I received a gas bill today of $643.97 and that with discounts and the running period was wrong saying 26th May to 5th Aug and our other old bill before was $352.29 running 6 Apr to 6 Jun,so there is 2 weeks that would have been paid on the old bill And this new bill had on it was estimated and the gas reading on that was 2305. I went and read the meter and it reads 2055. So no one came out to read it and they done the estimated from 26th May to 5th Aug. This is all because I had to take Mario name off the bill as he passed away on the 27th May, so they are double dipping for those 2 weeks and they are estimated it. We have never had a bill over 400.00 for gas in winter. So you should always check your bill usage wise.

[1950landy]

Not gas but Telstra , I always pay our account 4 days before due date but this time they payed it into some one else's a/c , 2 weeks after due date they sent me a text message telling me I had not payed our a/c , it took me a week to get them to sort it out . So have received our latest statement & they have charged us $15 over due charge . I paid the new a/c yesterday including the $15 have decided it is not worth the time & stress dealing with Telstra for $15 . So when I payed yesterday they have changed the way you pay on line , took almost 1hr of going around in circles constantly directing me back to allowing them to take money out of my bank A/C, the last time I allowed them to do this they started taking out a full months every week until i got my bank statement & stopped them then they would only take $10 off our A/C each month until they refunded all they owed us.
While typing this I just received a Text from Telstra reminding me to my A/C is due on the 10th when I already payed it 2 days ago. After over 50 years with Telstra another provider is looking more likely.

[BradC]

I received a gas bill today of $643.97 and that with discounts and the running period was wrong saying 26th May to 5th Aug and our other old bill before was $352.29 running 6 Apr to 6 Jun,so there is 2 weeks that would have been paid on the old bill And this new bill had on it was estimated and the gas reading on that was 2305. I went and read the meter and it reads 2055. So no one came out to read it and they done the estimated from 26th May to 5th Aug. This is all because I had to take Mario name off the bill as he passed away on the 27th May, so they are double dipping for those 2 weeks and they are estimated it. We have never had a bill over 400.00 for gas in winter. So you should always check your bill usage wise.

You will get that taken off the next bill they actually read, but in the mean time they get to keep your money. I would call them and challenge the bill on the basis of :
A ) hardship;
B ) you actually read the meter and therefore are in a position to challenge the account; and
C ) regardless of the situation they're a shower of bastards. Don't call them that down the phone though because people can be sensitive about these things and they might cry. That will just prolong the process.

I generally find as long as you get an on-shore call center, they're pretty reasonable to deal with, although dealing with the administrative issues related to a death are often "challenging".

Something like the day you get an official letter from the crematorium informing you that as you haven't collected your son's remains after three months they are to be transferred to a holding facility, whilst you look at the box on the table and wonder who the **** is actually in there? After several panicked phone calls and terse e-mails you are informed it's the fault of a "new system" and "we're sorry about that". I wonder how many other families they traumatised?

I feel for you, and it's that much worse knowing that even if I lived next door there's bugger all I could to do help. For what it's worth, just know there's a ton of people who would do anything if they could, and feel powerless that they can't.

[Roverlord off road spares]

Well I don't have to pay that bill until they do it right with the 2 week over lap on the 2 bills and the way out estimate usage reading. The lady could see where things where wrong and she is forwarding the information to the supplier. So with luck they should fix this bill. Heather

[loanrangie]

Good luck contesting the bill, banged my head against a wall for half an hour and got no where.

[Roverlord off road spares]

Good luck contesting the bill, banged my head against a wall for half an hour and got no where.


I gave them the reading of the meter and it says 2055 and on the bill it says 2300, so they can see the mistake and they said in the bill it was an estimate and the dates are all wrong. They lady said that she has put a hold on it and she has sent the information to the provider. She said that she can see the mistakes in the bill. So I will wait until I hear back from them

[TonyC]

Hi Heather,
It sounds like you getting it sorted out.
If it goes pear shaped, just ring the ombudsman.
I had an ongoing issue with a previous tenants unpaid gas bill that went on for months, in the end I rang the ombudsman and the issue was solved in half an hour.

Tony

[RANDLOVER]

I gave them the reading of the meter and it says 2055 and on the bill it says 2300, so they can see the mistake and they said in the bill it was an estimate and the dates are all wrong. They lady said that she has put a hold on it and she has sent the information to the provider. She said that she can see the mistakes in the bill. So I will wait until I hear back from them

They might ask you to do a self meter reading similar to this How to read your meter - Origin Energy (https://www.originenergy.com.au/billing-payments/read-your-meter/) to make it all official and then hopefully issue you a refund or at least a credit.

[Roverlord off road spares]

Well a guy came today and replace the meter as I told the lady the other day that the glass was broken, didn't think she noted that down. So now I have a new meter.

[Roverlord off road spares]

Hi well I am happy now just received my new gas bill and it is just over $400.00 which it should have been in the first place. The new bill show the correct running date, so the extra 2 week that was on the old bill has been taken off and the correct reading I gave them, they have taken that.
So it does pay you to check dates, to make sure they run true, and also the gas company should have come out and read the meter instead of guessing what I have used. Also the accountant is just about finish preparing the paper work for the our business to go to the ATO. And late last night I got an email from the solicitor saying the he just got and email that Mario probate as gone though with out any problems. And then again with all this stuff just about finished I fell like I am losing Mario, as the business was such a big part of Mario's life, but that me. Thanks again guys for all your help and support, Heather