I was moved from qenergy to agl after they went into administration,
I didn’t sign any contract with agl and promptly moved within 3 days of the notification email to OVO, a month later I’ve been billed for a month (which I didn’t even know I was with them at the time) $400 electricity worth of usage with huge rate (compared to what I was on)
Do I have to pay this bill and what happens if I dont?
Thanks bargainers
What did the notification email actually say, and what was the date on it?
The forced move of QEnergy to other retailers seems to have been announced several months ago.
The Australian Energy Market Operator has decided to suspend QEnergy from the National Electricity Market, effective 24:00 hours Australian Eastern Standard Time on 16 June 2023, as a consequence of an external administration default event.
All QEnergy customers in Victoria will be automatically transferred to either AGL, Origin Energy or EnergyAustralia to ensure continued electricity supply. Customers will be contacted directly by AGL, Origin Energy or EnergyAustralia with information about the new arrangements including options for ongoing supply and who to contact for more information. Customers can change this arrangement at any time. They can choose a new retailer that services their area, or choose to enter a new contract with AGL, Origin Energy or EnergyAustralia.
Since the move to AGL was forced on you by the regulators, I doubt you can do anything about the move itself. Were you given sufficient time to choose another retailer? Or did you wait too long before trying to move to OVO?
And what did OVO say would happen? Did they tell you that the move was immediate, or did they say that it would take a month? Or didn't you ask?
Do I have to pay this bill and what happens if I dont?
You don't seem to be claiming that you did not consume the electricity, so you have to pay the bill. The consequences of ignoring the bill is that AGL will send in the debt collectors.
Not paying it is stupid, you'll create a bigger headache for yourself. Get all your information sorted out and then figure out how to move forward. Were you ever advised on the move? Have a look at your emails, it seems very unlikely you were never told. That you didn't sign a contract won't mean anything because you had a contract with Qenergy that was moved over as part of their administration, it was on you to move to someone else if you didn't like it.
How does the AGL rate compare to your new rate on OVO? The old rate is meaningless, Qenergy went broke for a reason - low fixed rates. Do all the billing dates line up for what was used - i.e. were you overcharged based on the rate or are you saying you paid for power you didn't use? Was there a cheaper plan that AGL could have put you on?
I'd figure out the above then go to AGL with a specific amount you feel overcharged and ask for a discount or a payment plan if you're having trouble paying it.
In order to send you an invoice, they need to send you a welcome pack with your rates. Seeing as how it went over to AGL because QEnergy went under, it might be a little bit different, but they'll still need to have sent you a rates notice of some description. If they haven't, as you've indicated, then they're in breach. Contact them about it, if that doesn't resolve your issue, then the next step is to go to the ombudsman. The ombudsman is very efficient at sorting out issues, and if they've sent you an invoice without rates, I'm sure they'll be cracking down hard on it, as there will be a number of customers in the same boat as yourself.
Check all 3 bills on dates when supply started and stopped. Collect all emails from all 3 companies and put in a folder. Check all bills first and then contact ombudsman
A similar thing happened to me a month ago when I moved from EnergyAustralia to Origin and was billed $200 for 8 days of usage. EA gave estimated readings to Origin and Origin charged me for the actual readings (likely back-billed), but it was at their rates which were ~$50 more expensive. Contacted their support which went nowhere and then the ombudsman. After a week or so Origin called back wanting to rectify the issue and gave me $140 in credit at the end of it.
Called them up, they matched my old rates which bought it down $100, so I paid it
Ain’t nobody got time for ombudsmen over a few Benjamin’s
Cheers for the replies
https://www.ewon.com.au/