Waived debt due to history of domestic violence
CATEGORYA customer who had been subject to domestic violence had high bills and was sent multiple confusing estimated bills.
A customer had previously been subject to domestic violence which had led to them experiencing high bills because they needed to leave the lights on all the time. The customer had been receiving estimated bills from the Retailer and, with the support of a community organisation, provided an actual meter reading to the Retailer. After the Retailer sent four further estimated bills to the customer in the same month for varying amounts, the community organisation contacted the Retailer to clarify the outstanding balance. When the Retailer did not respond, the community organisation complained to the Energy and Water Ombudsman on the customer’s behalf.
Following contact from the Energy and Water Ombudsman, the Retailer reviewed the matter and, given the customer’s circumstances, offered them a full debt waiver for the customer’s account. The Energy and Water Ombudsman also provided the customer with information to assist them to provide accurate self-reads of their meter.