Surge in complaints against electricity retailers over new system of installing meters
COMPLAINTS about electricity retailers have surged by almost one-third, because a new system of replacing and installing meters is keeping some homeowners out of their new properties for months and others are facing financial hardship.
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COMPLAINTS about electricity retailers have surged by almost one third, because a new system of replacing and installing meters is keeping some homeowners out of their new properties for months and others are facing financial hardship.
Since retailers took over installations last December, customers have faced delays of up to five months. Previously, companies which distributed meters were also responsible for installations.
The SA Energy and Water Ombudsman’s annual report, released today, reveals total complaints about electricity companies have jumped 31 per cent from 6375 to 8359 in 2017-18, but gas industry complaints have dropped from 1800 to 1448 and water supply complaints from 534 to 470.
Despite his office being funded by the companies themselves, Ombudsman Sandy Canale is scathing of the bungle in his annual report.
He states the failure of the scheme meant that some customers were “blindsided” and prevented from moving into their new houses “for months” while others could not settle house purchases and suffered financial penalties as a result.
“Difficulties in meeting these requirements meant significant and unnecessary hardships for many,’’ Mr Canale states.
The situation had for the first time led to naming the worst offenders in the annual report. “The Ombudsman’s Office does not make regulations and rules but we experience first-hand the damage done to customers when the system does not get it right.’’
In the last financial year, electricity, gas and water industry complaints increased in total by 17 per cent from 8828, to 10,325.
Mr Canale said yesterday the metering complaints began soon after the system was changed in December last year, causing total annual complaints increase for the first time since 2012/13. The worst example cited in the annual report was a five-month delay for one customer who wanted a meter installed to upgrade their system to include solar, between December 2017 and May this year.
Uniting Communities spokesman Mark Henley said the system was introduced with a false claim that it would increase competition because more companies would install meters.
“The metering situation has been a fiasco, and yet another intervention in electricity that is supposed to make things better for customers,’’ he said.
A State Government spokesman said it was monitoring the effectiveness of agreements it had struck with major electricity companies to stop the delays. The most common complaints about meter delays were; solar upgrades being delayed, new house connections being delayed, and technicians failing to turn up.
There are 53,000 electricity meters installed or upgraded in South Australia each year, mainly because of new housing and upgrades for solar panels.
The annual report also shows that the State Government-owned SA Water is a star performer for customer satisfaction, with only six complaints for the year per 10,000 customers compared to the worst performing Amaysim Energy with 333.
SA Water was beaten only by SA Power Network which was the subject of five complaints to the Ombudsman for every 10,000 customers.
Complaints per 10,000 customers
333 Amaysim Energy
164 Alinta Energy
138 Powerdirect
117 M2 Energy
103 Energy Australia
101 Lumo Energy
100 Simply Energy
77 Origin Energy
68 AGL
68 Momentum Energy
5 SA Power Networks
Source: Electricity Ombudsman annual report 2017/18