Confusion about who to contact to dispute estimated read

Customers are telling us that they are being provided with different information from retailers about whether they should contact the previous or new retailer to dispute an estimated read, and being told they have to contact the other retailer. This is placing an additional burden on customers who have to spend additional time and effort to resolve an issue.

 A customer transferred their electricity account to their new retailer, however the start reading on the first bill from the new retailer did not match the final reading on the bill from the previous retailer. He had been billed twice for over 1,000 kilowatt hours.

He contacted the new retailer on several occasions, but he had not been able to resolve the issue. It had requested that he send through a copy of the bill from the previous retailer, which he did, however, was later advised to contact the previous retailer to request a refund.

EWON referred the matter to the retailer for resolution at a higher level, with the knowledge that the customer could return to us if he was unable to resolve his complaint.