Melton residents are among Victoria’s most frequent complainers about energy and water-related incidents, including debt collection, even though the number fell in the past financial year.
In its annual report released today (October 18), the office of the Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria reveals Melton residents made more than 800 complaints in 2015-16, down 14 per cent on the year before.
The bulk of issues were debt collection- related (146), followed by disconnection (109) and unexpectedly high bills (104).
Ombudsman Cynthia Gerbert said her office had seen a “shift” in the complaints being received, with debt collection now the second-highest driver of its workload.
Ms Gerbert said the overall decline in complaints to her office was partly due to businesses becoming better equipped at handling customer complaints.
“All energy and water companies are required to have hardship programs,” she said. “So if customers are telling them they can’t pay, [the companies] have to help them out. They’re obliged to work out a way to continue supplying customers with electricity and water.”
Ms Gerbert urged people experiencing hardship to speak with the business first and if still unhappy to lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman. “All sorts of things go on that influence customers’ experience, and it’s hard for people to navigate the system. We’re here to help.”
