Meter error leads to goodwill payment
CATEGORYA customer received a large catch-up bill after the meter was installed incorrectly.
A residential customer received unusually low electricity bills after the distributor installed a new meter. The customer raised concerns with the retailer about the accuracy of the bills, but was assured they were correct. After receiving a third bill for minimal consumption, the retailer investigated and then issued a large catch-up bill for previous unbilled consumption. The customer complained to us.
Our investigation confirmed that the new meter had been incorrectly configured, transmitting only a portion of actual consumption data. Once the meter was reconfigured, the retailer rebilled the customer for the correct usage, resulting in a large adjustment. The Customer Code allows a retailer to recover undercharged amounts from the previous 12 months. However, the investigation found that both the retailer and the distributor contributed to the error, they had not addressed the initial customers concerns and had caused the customer to experience financial stress. As a result of our involvement, both the retailer and the distributor provided goodwill credits to the customer to resolve their concerns.
Image credit: Ombudsman Western Australia