Gas meter mistake almost costs man $24,000
A man who had been slugged with $24,000 worth of gas bills was shocked when his gas provider demanded he pay the tens of thousands of dollars.
The man, who said he had not changed his gas usage, believed the bills were a clear mistake but when he rang the gas retailer, he was told the meter at his property had been tested, there were no leaks, and the bills were correct.
He contacted the Energy and Water Ombudsman of Victoria (EWOV) in April last year to complain about his gas retailer and distributor.
According to the EWOV report, the man received six bills, totalling $24,133, for gas usage at his Victorian property from February 2015 to December 2015.
The man, known as Mr L, conducted his own investigation, hiring three plumbers who all confirmed his property could not use the amount of gas he was charged for.
The ombudsman’s technical expert also concluded the bill was too high for the usage of the appliances at the property.
The gas meter at Mr L’s house was removed for testing and it was found to be faulty, recording a usage at 11 times more than what was actually used. The meter had a broken spigot lodged in the index roller.
Mr L’s bill dropped from $24,133 to $2832.73. He was also given $400 credit.
Between January and March this year, EWOV received more than 7500 complaints in relation to electricity, gas and water. Bills and credits were the main complaints.