Victorians are feeling the ongoing impacts of the cost of living crisis as complaints over high power bills surge by 120 per cent since April 2023.
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Border resident Debbie Hunt said her energy bill has gone up $150 this quarter.
She said she's tried to shop around to other energy companies, but hasn't been able to find a better offer.
"For the normal person there's not much you can do about it but cough up the extra dollars," she said.
Ms Hunt isn't the only one feeling the pinch of high power bills, with the Victorian energy ombudsmen receiving 1872 individual complaints in July - the highest monthly case volume in two years.
Energy and Water Ombudsman Catherine Wolthuizen said high bill cases could be the result of winter heating, "but it is also the case that regulated price rises are flowing through to consumers' bills".
"Since April we've seen a surge of high bill cases, driven primarily by complaints about high gas bills," she said.
"Lots of consumers have flagged their usage hasn't changed but their bills are higher, they've called us confused about what is behind the high bill."
Billing issues accounted for the bulk of the case load in the April-June quarter, accounting for 50 per cent of cases (1707 cases for the quarter).
The increase in billing cases this quarter was primarily driven by a 19.5 per cent rise in gas billing cases (to 728 cases), and to a lesser extent by a 12 per cent increase in water billing cases (to 176 cases).
By comparison, the number of electricity cases declined 8.4 per cent (to 800 cases).
![Junction Square Wodonga. Top row left to right - Lauren and Debbie Hunt from Rutherglen, and Jesse Stephens with Leo, 2, from Wodonga. Bottom row left to right - Chris Rochford from North Albury and Kate and Josie McAuley from Wodonga. Pictures by James Wiltshire Junction Square Wodonga. Top row left to right - Lauren and Debbie Hunt from Rutherglen, and Jesse Stephens with Leo, 2, from Wodonga. Bottom row left to right - Chris Rochford from North Albury and Kate and Josie McAuley from Wodonga. Pictures by James Wiltshire](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/205593064/748bf386-7ca8-4db3-a34c-f4465bfef1d9.jpg/r0_0_3264_1987_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
'It's debilitating'
Border residents are feeling the impact of the new price cap increases of up to 24.9 per cent.
Debbie Hunt from Rutherglen owns The Mac Shack, a mobile shop that sells macarons and other desserts at various markets across the Border.
She said she was struggling to break even after successive price hikes.
"It's debilitating," she said. "We've noticed a huge increase in the energy prices with having the ovens going, sometimes all day.
"I'm paying that much more in energy prices, but I still want to keep the prices down at the markets.
"So the outlay for us is getting higher and the incoming money is staying the same, which is impacting us."
Kate and Josie McAuley, two sisters who live together in Wodonga, said they were doing "everything" they could to reduce energy costs.
"We got a gas bill the other day and it was double the amount it was last time," Kate McAuley said.
"I was very surprised and I actually called the energy company to ask questions about it."
Josie McAuley said they were now switching to electricity appliances rather than gas.
"We have a list on the fridge," she said. "We're keeping the heating off during the day, making sure everything is completely switched off - all the old school things just to make a bit of a difference."
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It's the same story across the border
In the three months to July, 2023, there were 1357 objections lodged over high bills compared with 719 in the same period the year before, representing an 89 per cent increase.
A further 111 complaints were about price rises - a 113 per cent leap - and another 109 over payment difficulties.
"It's affecting our business because there's a huge amount of money coming out of our profits," he said.
"The bills don't need to be that high; sometimes we've gotten a bill for $6000, $7000, $8000, and it's really not good for local businesses."
How to get help and save money
North Albury resident Chris Rochford said he had been able to keep his power bill at a reasonable price during the cost-of-living crisis.
"I make sure all the lights are turned off; the heater doesn't run over night and it's not running during the day when nobody is there," he said.
"So it's just about trying to minimise things. I go around and make sure every power socket is turned off and not left switched on, so it's the little things like that to save power."
Likewise, Jesse Stephens, of Wodonga, said switching to solar power a few years ago had saved him from feeling the effects of the price hikes, although his "gas prices have gone up a bit".
The ombudsman recommends:
- Accessing the latest round of the $250 Power Saving Bonus before it ends on August 31 by visiting Victorian Energy Compare at compare.energy.vic.gov.auamp;source=gmail&ust=1692589621416000&usg=AOvVaw22QhW_buRhRAHmwYOjp80f" www.compare.energy.vic.gov.au
- Energy providers are required to regularly advise consumers about their 'best offer'. Consumers should check out their latest energy bill or call their provider and switch to the best plan.
- Apply for the Victorian Government's Utility Relief Grant Scheme and the Energy Bill Relief payment which applies directly to eligible bills from 1 July. More information is available at energy.vic.gov.auamp;source=gmail&ust=1692589621416000&usg=AOvVaw2Rjp-RbWldFewygXgysfM5" www.energy.vic.gov.au
- Contact your provider with complaints about energy and water bills. If you still need help, contact the Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria on 1800 500 509 and at ewov.com.auamp;source=gmail&ust=1692589621416000&usg=AOvVaw09ne5FEAj_mzFSKCNibikD" www.ewov.com.au
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