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Origin shocks widow with $6309 gas bill

Posted on October 31, 2008, 7:07am and updated on November 1, 2008 at 5:44 pm

When Mount Gambier resident Nelva Carter opened her Origin gas bill, she gasped and exclaimed: “What have I done to deserve this.”

The amount of $6309.25 was not what the 86-year old widow (pictured) who lives on her own in a unit, had expected to pay.

Gas bill“I pay only $187 on average, so I knew this had to be a mistake,” Mrs Carter said.

“I used my gas heater more than usual in the past few months because it was a little cold, but still, I don’t think I used it that much.”

Mrs Carter said she phoned Origin, listened patiently to the recorded message on the other end of the line and followed the prompts.

“When I eventually heard a human voice, I told them it had to be a mistake and the voice agreed,” she said.

A revised bill to the amount of $225.78 was promptly sent to Mrs Carter and although it was still slightly higher than usual, it seemed more acceptable to her than the previous bill.

“Look, I don’t want to cause any strife with Origin and I know they care about the environment,” she said.

“But I just want to warn people to check the amount on their bills and make sure it’s right, especially if they pay by direct credit and the money is just taken out of their account.

“I dread to think what would have happened if they just took $6000 out of my account, leaving me with fighting to get it back.”

ANELIA BLACKIE
Gas bill

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