Roger Barnes

Wentworth Park Wandering

From: Customer Service [mailto:Customer.Service@agl.com.au]
Sent: Friday, 9 April 2010 8:37
To: [roger]
Subject: RE: Online Enquires Re: Your AGL Online Enquiry Reference No [reference]

Dear [roger],

Thank you for your reply.

Please note due to the lack of information provided by AGL we can ensure this final reading fee of $48.40 will not be charged to the account. However please be advised for future accounts with AGL this fee will be charged to your final invoice at time of disconnection.

If you have any further enquiries please do not hesitate to contact AGL on 131 245 or by email customer.service@agl.com.au.   The contact centre is open from 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday.

Kind Regards

Vanessa

Customer Service Representative

AGL Energy Limited

T: 131 245

F: 1300 660 245

www.agl.com.au

From Roger 06 April 2010:

Thank you for your response, and for explaining what this new fee represents.  However, the matter is not at all resolved and I wish for this to be escalated.

This “move-out fee” (apparently also known as “final reading fee”) that you describe still does not appear in any form in:

* your connect/disconnect page

* product disclosure statement, which is handily entitled “Product Disclosure. It’s all here.”.  It’s NOT there.

* NSW pricing page

* customer charter.  Explicitly refers to a move-out fee for NSW _gas_ customers only in section 15.

Refer my original correspondence below for these references, or I can provide copies where I have documented this issue on my web site should you require.

I appreciate that you have arranged a final meter reading by the energy distribution company (not _my_ energy distribution company), however I did not request this, and the costs of said reading are between you and them, given that your otherwise comprehensive documentation of fees neglects to mention any such charge or process.

As you say, “this fee is not generated by AGL”.  I have no direct affiliation with _your_ energy distribution company and given the lack of documentation of a move out or final reading fee from AGL, I assert that AGL has no right to pass on such a fee.

I expect that no move-out or final reading fee will appear on my final electricity bill for [address].  The Energy Ombudsman is only the first in a series of future avenues toward resolution that would serve us both well to avoid.

——————————————–

From: Customer Service [mailto:Customer.Service@agl.com.au]

Sent: Tuesday, 6 April 2010 8:22

To: [roger]

Subject: RE: Online Enquires Re: Your AGL Online Enquiry Reference No [reference]

Dear [roger],

Thank you for your recent enquiry about your electricity bill for [incomplete address].

We believe it is important you fully understand all the fees and charges on your energy bills and appreciate that at times some items can seem confusing. That is why I am writing to clarify the query you have regarding your final bill.

What does the move-out fee cover?

When you give notice to leave a premise, AGL arranges for a final meter read to take place to make sure you are only billed for electricity you use up until the disconnection date and not beyond. This final meter read is conducted by your energy distribution company (the company that owns the poles and wires), who then charge us for the service. The move-out fee on your bill simply covers the cost of this service.

Unfortunately, as this fee is not generated by AGL, we cannot have it waived or altered.

From Roger 30/3/2010

Regarding the $48.40 “final reading fee” for my electricity arrangements at [address]…

I have no applicable reference material to hand, no memory of ever previously paying nor agreeing to a final reading fee, nor can I find any reference to such a fee on your web site.

Could you please advise where and how these terms are dictated and published, how it is justified as reasonable and whether it will also apply to my future connection?

Is it possible to provide the meter reading myself instead?

Regards,
- Roger Barnes

https://online.agl.com.au/connect_disconnect.do

No mention

http://www.agl.com.au/home/pricing-and-tariffs/Pages/new-south-wales-pricing.aspx

No mention

http://www.agl.com.au/Downloads/MAGL1016_NSW_DL%20brochure.pdf

No mention

http://www.agl.com.au/Downloads/customer%20charter%20FINAL.pdf

No mention of electricity related fee for NSW (section 15). Only: “In some cases we will ask you to provide us with the final meter reading. We may need to organise for your meter to be read, which for New South Wales _gas_ customers may incur a fee.”

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&rlz=1I7GZAZ_en&q=site%3Aagl.com.au+48.40&meta=&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

No results

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&rlz=1I7GZAZ_en&q=site%3Aagl.com.au+%22final+reading%22&meta=&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

No results related to NSW residential electricity

—————————————

From: Customer Service [mailto:Customer.Service@agl.com.au]
Sent: Tuesday, 30 March 2010 14:49
To: [roger]
Subject: Online Enquires Re: Your AGL Online Enquiry Reference No [reference]

Dear [roger],

Thank you for using the AGL website for your enquiry regarding account number [account].

Please note a disconnection of electricity supply at [address] has been arranged for the 13 April 2010. Please ensure there is full access to the meter on this day. A final reading fee of $48.40 will be charged to your final invoice.

…

A group of truly random Red Bubblers and friends are gathering for an exhibition this Wednesday night…

Key details

Who: 10 artists, we have a very creative bunch, including Red Bubblers (some fresh from Steve’s Rusted and Crusted show) and a few members of the Fringe Shutter Collective.

When: December 9th, from 7pm

Where: Ma Gallery, 27 Dick St, Chippendale

Come along, there’s a very impressive array of works on display, some live music and nibbles/drinks!

Come along this Wednesday, November 25th, for the opening of Steve McLaren’s new group show “I’m Rusted, I’m Crusted, I’m Falling to Bitz”.

The show is at Tap Gallery, 45 Burton St Darlinghurst, and the opening starts at 7pm. The show will run through to Dec 6th

Australian iconic actor Jack Thompson will officially open the show
indigenous poet (and national treasure) maggie walsh will read some poetry.
indigenous dancer terry olsen from bangarra dance comp will do “welcome to country” and dance
“no joe bluesmen” will perform
“r &d2” jazz duo will perform
“dave & jo ” duet will perform
a number of music spots will be throughout the place
an installation by artist rufus sureallo will be upstairs
and “sugar and spice” the 2 most amazing belly dancers will perform also
and probably more!
and nibblies and drinks and the great company of many great artists

View Larger Map

My new photography Q&A site is starting to get some momentum.

What are some of your pre-shoot checklist tips?

If you’ve been watching my Photo of the Day series and idly contemplated some wall art, now might be a good time to cash in. Until August 27th, Redbubble (who host my portfolio) are taking 15% off the price of Framed and Canvas Prints.

But wait, there’s more! During this time, I’ve reduced the markup, so the discount is around 30% for the above items (less for cards, posters etc).

Still not enough incentive?

Fine, if you’re on my FB or LJ friends list (which is likely how you came to be reading this), send me a message with details of what you want, and I’ll temporarily drop the markup to zero, zip, nada. That’s right, I love you all enough to offer my megapixies at cost price. If you started reading this thinking I was going for the hard sell, think again. There’s effectively nothing in this for me apart from getting my images out into the the world a little more, and maybe some good karma.

All art - Tasmania – Waterfalls - Sydney – Canyons