Origin charges electricity from before settlement date

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Origin Energy

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  Cheeper on 04/03/2015 - 01:48

  -1

  Just pay it.

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  bambooculm on 04/03/2015 - 06:48

  +1

  Complain to the Ombudsman, because being nice with Origin Energy does not work.
  It is a mistake to have anything to do with Origin. I made the mistake of deciding to switch to O and then changed my mind after speaking to a member of the AGL retention team. Somebody who was pretending to be me, called AGL to cancel my request to remain with AGL. Then the letters from O started in earnest. I only learned that someone pretending to be me had called AGL to tell them that I had decided to stay with O after calling AGL because I had not received a bill from AGL. It took many months to sort out: from May 2013 until December 2014. I have a file with AGL the size of Gone With The Wind. The whole sordid story is on the AGL fraud log, and I now have a password on my AGL account. Whoever called AGL pretending to be me was acting like an extra in an organised crime movie plot. I cannot imagine which office they were calling from. I did not complain to the ombudsman, but I'm sure that the ombudsman would take complaints about O very seriously. I am sorry that I do not check the forums every day.

  • 

    goms on 04/03/2015 - 07:46

    Wow, that's a very sad if the somebody was from O.

    I did not have a choice because Origin was supplying the electricity. Maybe I did.. I'm not sure.

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  RockyRaccoon on 04/03/2015 - 09:05

  The starting date will NOT be in the T&C's as it varies with every property.

  What they have done is cut off the supply on a set date, as arranged with the old owners.

  Now did they actually do that? Was the supply connected before you rang them?

  If it was then you have case as things like hot water would have been heating without anyone using it.

  If it wasn't on when you took over, then when the old owner cut off the supply no usage would have occurred.

  You spend more time giving us details about the poor service and contract discussions.

  What is the date they are charging you from - Your January statement could mean 31 Jan or 1st of January.

  From the time of settlement is the time you will be deemed as being responsible as you are the owner.

  It doesn't matter if its Origin. AGL or Bills electricity supply co. You will get charged from that date.

  So are you arguing about 2 days or 32 days of charging?

  How did you come to the realisation it's

  (around $90 and I think I only owe them around $30)

  $90 for one months usage seems low anyway $30 would be almost the daily supply charge, without any usage. (again remember hotwater will be using power if this was't turned off - That BTW will be a separate line item on the bill)

  Remembering as owner and the supply was connected, you are liable from Feb 2 not Late February when you contracted with Origin to be the billing party.

  • 

    goms on 04/03/2015 - 14:31

    Yes the electricity was connected.

    They back date the starting date to 2 Jan for whatever reasons. I think the property might have been vacant since 2 Jan, I'm not sure. Yes the usage is low because no one has been living there. I took a photo of the meter few days before settlement and did the calculation. That's how I came up with the $30.

    As I said, I don't mind paying from 2 Feb. However, Origin did not want to do anything to resolve the issue here where I clearly not responsible for the bills before the settlement date. I have called them again last night and they promised the same thing that they will review the phone recordings that I have said 'yes' to their terms and condition including the start date and will give me a call back.

    • 

      RockyRaccoon on 04/03/2015 - 15:09

      So they were lazy. Instead of disconnecting the supply all they did was a reading on January 2nd, meaning power used until the settlement date by things like water heater etc shouldn't have occurred.

      Just ask them under which term or condition this permits them to charge you for this usage.

      e.g. does it say you agree to be being liable for all usage prior to ownership of the property.

      Now I understand if the condition was since ownership, and you being liable for usage prior to you opening an account. But prior to your ownership would be a pretty onerous condition of supply. What if someone bought a property that was "vacant" for a year?

      I doubt if that would be an enforceable condition.

      • 

        goms on 04/03/2015 - 16:45

        Exactly, they said that I have agreed on the phone when I created my account. I'm 100% sure that they never mentioned anything about a starting date. I was a bit ignorance for not confirming about the starting date…

        Even if I did by mistake, how could this be enforceable like you said I did not even live nor own the property in that period. Isn't that what the 10 day cooling off period is all about? If there was a mistake in the agreement, allow the customer to correct it?

      • 

        RockyRaccoon on 04/03/2015 - 16:51

        @goms: The 10 day cooling off period is for you to choose another supplier. You are still liable for the power you used. So this part is irrelevant and if you pursue that you just confuse things.

        Just keep reiterating the date at worst (for you) should be when you owned the property not the date they cut it off from the previous owner.

        Very simple, I am selling my house the say I am moving 6 months before I move out, that means the next person is liable?

        Again stick to the date as being the 2 Feb. If you argue its the end of Feb they will get confused.

        You have dated photo of the meter at the time you settled, that's the basis of any agreement.

        Ask for a supervisor if the idiots don't understand then go to

        http://www.aer.gov.au/about-us/dispute-resolution

      • 

        RockyRaccoon on 04/03/2015 - 18:51

        @goms: BTW I called Origin and negotiated a better deal for my current supply.

        They asked me to listen to the T&C's, nothing was mentioned about when the account started. It did mention that I would receive a package with the T&C's in detail in the mail (email?)

        I am to read those.

        So look at what you received in the mail. The phone agreement didn't say anything about start date, so if the T&C's sent don't then this may be a starting point to argue with them.

        Good luck

      • 

        goms on 06/03/2015 - 09:01

        +1

        @RockyRaccoon: Thanks, what you said make sense. Yeah that's what I thought the T&C on the phone was general.

        They eventually called me back saying that they will adjust the date to the 2nd Feb. Of course… they said they haven't listened to the phone recording. Also I told them that I won't pay the bill until they send me a new agreement.

        So far so good I guess. The only thing is that the meter reading on the 2nd Feb needs to be approximated and I know it would be more than what it should from the photo I took, but I won't complain as long as it's reasonable.

        Thanks for your advice mate!