VIC AGL Electricity Bills - Help from Legal Aid Victoria?

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coll

Member
22 August 2014
1
0
1
Hi.
I would like some legal advice on electricity bills my mother has been paying for over two years with AGL. My mother moved to a new dwelling 1 bedroom, before leaving a two bedroom apartment with her electricity bills around $150 a quarter. Since moving to the new dwelling my mothers first bill was $539 in which she called AGL to investigate in which.

They did have a technical person come out and asked what my mother was using and that there is no fault or cross wiring with the meter and that she would have to go onto a payment plan if necessary. After this my mother really believed she must be using this amount and further bills were coming in around $450 and $500 for quite some time. I did ask my mother to ask around the village how much there bills are and they said their bills were around $150 to $200, which is pretty much what mum was paying before moving here.

I did ask mum to ask the lady next door to her unit how much is her bill in which she replied she has never received a bill for over 6 months as there was another tenant in the unit before her who probably didn't receive bills either. I have checked mum's KW and reads 13700 since moving in and the other residents checked there's which was around 670 kw (which is half) and there was a couple who live in a unit opposite mum whose reading was 124 even less than mum's. My mother is really never home through the day as she doesn't like being home, and the neighbours can certainly vouch for this.

I have spoken to AGL and ombudsman and we are not getting anywhere. The latest phone call was a disconnection if she does not pay the bill. This is so stressing and upsetting to her as a aged pensioner and to be quite honest, it is upsetting to me seeing her trying to find the money to pay these large bills which I honestly can say it is either a faulty meter or connection through an electrical circuit.

The village have asked the electrician who worked on the new units to come out but he appears to be too busy. So I would like to know if there is a case for my mother to have Legal Aid Victoria help her find the source of the problem and to be reimbursed under Australian Consumer Law for the payments she has had to endure over the two years?
 

John R

Well-Known Member
14 April 2014
689
174
2,394
Sydney
Hi @coll
As a first step, legal aid don't generally get involved in civil disputes (such as those between your mother and her electricity provider). That said, in Victoria, the Energy and Water Ombudsman Victorian (EVOW) on 1800 500 509 should be your mother's first port of call.

Hope this helps. Please keep us updated with your mother's progress.
 
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