Most Expensive AGL Power Bill EVER, Whilst Holidaying Overseas!

uniqualz on 18/10/2017 - 13:31

Hi All,

I'm DONE with AGL, but I need your expert advice. I've just got back from a 6 week trip to Europe, and my QLD (Brisbane) energy provider AGL has sent me virtually my highest 3-monthly bill ever, but I think coincidentally they raised prices for this bill. Anyway, the house was vacant, other than our long-term quiet old lady tenant staying in our small flat downstairs. I suspect our hot water system might be wired up to the PEAK meter, instead of the Tariff 33 Controlled Load meter, and has been for 10 years. But when I put it to AGL to check it for me, they say no and tell me to hire an electrician to check. I guess that's fair, yes? But it's a cost I can't afford. Anyway, how does one go about auditing your bill and switching to a much lower rate, or to a different provider? We're a small family of 4, and I'm sick to death of paying 800 bucks every quarter when I skulk around the house turning off every light whenever I see one left on, like a decrepit, penny-pinching old badger. It makes no difference, seemingly.

Any advice greatly appreciated. I'm super keen to flick AGL for anyone cheaper.

Thanks,
UniQualz.

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Comments

  • Name on 19/10/2017 - 18:14
    +2

    You shouldn't need an electrician to determine whether the hot water is wired to peak or off-peak. They're two separate readings in your meterbox.

    If you've got other things on off-peak, like your pool pump, turn your pool pump off for a few days and see if the meter moves. If it doesn't move, your hot water is on peak.

  • Brouw3r on 19/10/2017 - 19:29

    Is old lady tenant using an oil heater through winter? Those things chew up power.

  • fozzie on 19/10/2017 - 20:58
    -3

    Sorry but how can you afford 6 weeks in Europe and not an electrician that could potentially save you $$$$? You could claim some tax back as cost from letting granny flat. Also in reality it’s 2 properties so what you pay doesn’t sound like too expensive.

  • djmm on 19/10/2017 - 21:56
    +1

    Underground casino is my guess

  • Filbert on 19/10/2017 - 22:21
    +1

    I’m in Melbourne but just this week did a bit of research and low and behold I am not on the best pay on time discount with my supplier anymore. I was 10 months ago.
    One hand increases the rates whilst the other sets a bigger discount.
    After about 40 mins on the phone I have gone from a 30% pay on time to a 43% pay on time discount. I mean 43% discount just for paying on time! Wtf! Don’t tell me they’re not price gouging

    • andyken on 19/10/2017 - 23:09
      +1

      which company to give you 43% if you do not mind to share

      • Filbert on 20/10/2017 - 20:57

        Alinta Energy
        Going to switch my gas too. Don’t know if it’s a great deal comparitively speaking.
        https://www.alintaenergy.com.au/switch/vic-offer?gclid=Cj0KC…

        • idonotknowwhy on 20/10/2017 - 23:12
          +1

          I'm in Melbourne too. Those rates (pre-discount) are higher than Lumo and Origin energy right?

        • Filbert on 21/10/2017 - 06:18

          Yes they are, I wasn’t sure when I posted.
          We did a spreadsheet comparison last night between Alinta and Energy Aust for both power and gas and Alinta came out cheaper by about 10%. But this was after the 43% disc. If we reverted back to the 30% they were more expensive.
          We’re going to create a std spreadsheet we can pump numbers into and do a real comparison every 3 months. It’s really the only way apart from pay some iselect wannabe and pay a hidden fee.

        • idonotknowwhy on 22/10/2017 - 16:45

          @Filbert: Feel free to share this spreadsheet with us :)
          Anything to reduce friction is helpful. Otherwise some of us are like "Yeah, probs should look at energy plans again. Nah, too busy"

        • Filbert on 07/11/2017 - 08:12

          @idonotknowwhy:

          If you want to pm me an email address I will send a Spreadsheet I have done.
          If you give me some feedback I'll get it to a easily usable version for others.
          :-)

    • idonotknowwhy on 20/10/2017 - 10:47

      It's more like a 43% late fee. Just a different way of phrasing it.

      • Filbert on 20/10/2017 - 21:05
        +1

        I agree it’s just semantics the phrasing.
        My point was more about doing your checking. Had I have done this a week earlier I would have saved circa $200,
        We now have a reminder on our google calendar to check pricing every 3 months.

        • idonotknowwhy on 20/10/2017 - 23:08

          +1 That's a good idea.
          Every now and then I do my research, find the best company. 6-12 months later, there's a better deal somewhere else.

      • Quantumcat on 22/10/2017 - 14:09

        Actually a 49.25% late fee

        If they would pay $67 on time and $100 if late, then they are paying 100/67=1.4925… as much. So around 49.25% extra.

    • bluedufflecoat on 20/10/2017 - 21:07

      Which company is this?

      • Filbert on 20/10/2017 - 21:09

        Alinta Energy. See my comments above.

    • Worf on 22/10/2017 - 10:28

      Hi Filbert,
      Do you still have someone come around to do a meter read every quarter? Or do the smart meters send your usage to the electricity retailer? I'm wondering if smart meters mean the end of estimated electricity usage.

      Thanks,

      • Filbert on 22/10/2017 - 15:39

        Not sure Worf.

  • neosin on 19/10/2017 - 22:36

    Maybe someone was having parties at your house when you were gone lolz!

  • MrBillions on 19/10/2017 - 22:40

    Same. Received the highest bill ever.

  • coztopia on 20/10/2017 - 00:29
    +1

    Get a heat pump hot water system. You can get a Hydrotherm installed for about $1000 i think, bloody cheap. On Tariff 33 we pay $30-50/ qtr for hot water.

    • uniqualz on 20/10/2017 - 01:18

      Wow. Dang.. I just got a new electric one put in for $1000.

      • matt-ozb on 20/10/2017 - 12:58
        +1

        Did that coincide with the bill increase?

        You should have bought a Sanden heat pump for $4000.

      • coztopia on 20/10/2017 - 23:03

        Ah rats! Yeah they keep the RECs which knocks the price down. But up here, never really gets cold, heat pumps are great.

    • dogboy on 20/10/2017 - 13:02
      +2

      We got a solar roof hot water system and never even plugged the thing into mains. Never without hot water. Free hot water is best hot water.

      • uniqualz on 21/10/2017 - 13:35

        I'm a bit sloooow mate, sorry. Can you explain that a bit better? Sounds interesting.

  • lionh3art on 20/10/2017 - 07:42
    +1

    In the same boat here. Got the highest electricity bill in 8 yrs. Everyone at my workplace seems have the same bill shocked. We got gas heater and only uses the split system heater on very cold day just an hour before the kids go to bed. This also coincides with the news of electricity going up as much as 30%. AGL also installed some kind of device that allow them to read the meter remotely, not sure how accurate this is though.

    I looked at my bill and noticed I only gets 7% pay on time discount while they advertised 21% all over the news. However, after taking into consideration the cost of kW with the 21% discount it works out to be pretty much the same. Such marketing.. more discount but at higher rate.

    I know some people somehow managed to get discount on the total bill and not just usage (excludes service fee).

    • ozbjunkie on 20/10/2017 - 09:10

      Was considering moving from EA (25% off usage) to AGL (21% off service and usage) but in the end, after slightly higher service fee with AGL, the difference was 20 bucks a QTR and I couldn't be bothered.

  • TenaciousTom on 20/10/2017 - 09:10
    +3

    Your ignorance to your power usage and it's cost do not give you any special privileges and switching providers will not fix this.

    • ozbjunkie on 20/10/2017 - 09:11
      +3

      Lol, I usually don't get this bitchy until at least 930am.

      • uniqualz on 20/10/2017 - 09:13

        @Ozbj, pure gold, my friend.

    • uniqualz on 20/10/2017 - 09:12

      But what if there's a billing error.. Tom?

      • TenaciousTom on 20/10/2017 - 10:04
        +1

        The chances of you actually having a billing error, compared to the chances you are one of the thousands of AGL customers that call everyday complaining about their bill that is 100% correct and clogging up the lines for actual issues, are extremely slim. But if so, give them a call.

  • [Deactivated] on 20/10/2017 - 09:13

    mate totally agree. I live in a small 3 bed house with my wife, our charges are generally $300 per quarter. Last bill we received was increased to over $500 for the first time in our electricity buying history.

    The strange thing is, we were overseas for 4 weeks out of the 12 weeks in the quarter.

    These guys are crooks. Like Private Health Insurance, they are in bed with the politicians and rip us off hardcore. Not sure what to do. Maybe offer a bribe to the meter reader is the way of the future?

    • uniqualz on 20/10/2017 - 09:21

      Yeah, agreed totes here mate - that's a whole other can of worms. I remember when Oz was cheaper than most countries for essentials.. really cheap actually. Anyway, gotta go.. can't afford the electricity to post lol>! Time to build my own solar panels I think..?!

      • [Deactivated] on 20/10/2017 - 09:48

        yeah mate Sydney especially is becoming London/NY/HK prices. Need to earn $150k+ to be comfy (depends on mortgage/rent price of course)

        Time to go Tesla - $20k up front but pays for itself in 10 years of power usage!!

  • rave75 on 20/10/2017 - 10:43

    I live alone, work 9-5, once a week laundry, my last bill was $450. WTF

    • matt-ozb on 20/10/2017 - 12:55

      Hot water is the biggest energy usage. Check that first. It still needs to stay hot for 24hrs.

      • rave75 on 20/10/2017 - 13:42

        Ah, that kinda makes sense. Still my bill used to be around 300 and last quarter was just ridiculous.

        • matt-ozb on 20/10/2017 - 16:40

          Have a shower at the gym after work and switch off your hot water at home :)

  • Gnosh on 20/10/2017 - 13:44

    I'll probably get flamed for this but Dodo have been pretty good for gas and elec. I know a few people who are with them for the same services and are just as happy.

    It seems here they are worlds away from their mobile/internet track record. The rates are low plus there are also pay on time discounts.

    They only offer monthly (estimation) bills and they reconcile every quarter; either credit you or charge you the difference. It either works for you or it doesn't. For us it has eliminated quarterly bill shock.

    • bluedufflecoat on 20/10/2017 - 21:09

      I'm with them too. I haven't had time to really compare prices. 30% off is only on usage. I think the supply fee has been creeping up though.

  • eleon00 on 20/10/2017 - 14:01

    Find a retailer that does connection fee discounts together with usage fee discounts. AGL only does usage fee discounts. When I was shopping around for a retailer, I had an excel sheet to check prices of several retailers based on my avg usage. Jumped to my current provider. From paying ~500 per quarter to just 200~300

    • lionh3art on 20/10/2017 - 14:49

      Mind to share with us your new provider? =]

    • bunk on 20/10/2017 - 14:57

      So you saved ~ 50% from jumping retailers? ……………….. show us!

      • Baghern on 20/10/2017 - 17:58

        What he needs to tell you is which State he is in.

        So far NSW is very tight, barely $50 difference for a family of 4, after discounts.

        VIC from what I hear is scammers paradise, and you really need to spreadsheet your usage to find the best for your situation.

        ie single low usage uses should go for the contracts with $$ discount instead of %

        I spreadsheet everything as well.

        • kiitos on 20/10/2017 - 22:50

          Would love to get a copy of your spreadsheet! Was also wondering if you can work out how much difference changing to a smart meter would make to the bill. Our house is occupied during the day as well as at night.

        • Baghern on 21/10/2017 - 21:50

          I'm in NSW but Ive looked at smart meters, they're a scam.

          Unless you're using off peak 75% of the time, you're going to lose out.

    • lainey13 on 21/10/2017 - 22:40

      I have a spreadsheet too. Why do people bother with these discounts, the usage fee are so astronomical that there can be a 50% difference between the highest and lowest usage and connection charges!

  • ipiok on 20/10/2017 - 17:15

    Your bill will tell you if you have usage on a controlled load tariff… if there is nothing there, you're not using it.

  • [Deactivated] on 20/10/2017 - 17:43

    AGL gave me a free breakfast this morning.

  • imcold on 20/10/2017 - 18:32

    Yes your hot water system may be wired to go off at peak, around midnight when other hot water system also start working as well.

    It could be in the past we had enough electrical generation capacity so you wouldn't be charged a peak rate at this time of night.

    Some hot water systems are on a fixed timer and cannot be changed.

  • abently on 20/10/2017 - 20:11

    Like others have said, biggest electricity usage is for things like heating, cooking, cooling, pumps and some older tv's and desktop computers.

    Solar panels is your cheapest option to start off with and then follow that up with maybe solar hot water feeding into your hot water tank and then battery storage once pricing has come down a bit more. If you don't get much of a FIT for excess solar power, then just size it to what you might use during peak times, which may be only 3kw so very cheap.

    As an interim measure you can have a sparky put the hot water on timer (if it's not already) to just heat up during the day when you're producing solar power. Talk to the installer that calls you the day before the installation and if he's the sparky, hit him up then if he can fit a timer etc at the same time, to save you a bit on call out fee's etc. This is assuming your hot water system isn't on 'off-peak'.

  • peterpetro on 20/10/2017 - 20:52

    It is probably an ESTIMATE reading. You should look back your bills in the past 6-12 months to see if your bills are all estimated.
    I have this issue with AGL last year, and decided to bring this up to The Energy Ombudsman.
    It was a long battle with them but in the end, I won and receive almost one year worth of credits.
    Once you bring this to the Ombudsman, AGL will likely have to contact you for further investigation.
    And if they do, they have to freeze your bill until an outcome is reached.

    • idonotknowwhy on 20/10/2017 - 23:15

      And if they do, they have to freeze your bill until an outcome is reached.

      As in, free power / mining rigs?

  • belongsinforums on 21/10/2017 - 11:50

    happened to me. turns out that we had somehow been paying for our neighbours air con instead of ours. energex were real arseholes about it tho. had to keep requesting an investigation

  • freemoneyhunter on 21/10/2017 - 15:50

    AGL estimate the bills, they bill monthly when the meter is read quarterly so you must expect this.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 21/10/2017 - 19:18

    You have a large house, 2 air cons running constantly, a basic electric HWS connected to PEAK, probably didn't turn HWS to vacation mode whilst away, teenage children at home, granny flat with tenant and likely have no natural gas appliances due to your location.

    What did you expect?

  • saltcheetah on 22/10/2017 - 14:20

    People above are saying it's a high estimate.

    Rather than an estimate of the meter being wrong, it could have been an actual read of the meter. This means it brings your previous low estimate bills to match your actual meterage and that's why the bill is high. It is was a catchup bill where your estimates have been too low.

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