Presentation to Chronic Illness Alliance & VCOSS forum Thursday 19 October 2006 Melbourne Stephen Gatford, Manager Public Affairs and Policy Meredith Camov, Conciliator

EWOV’s mission to provide independent advice, information and referral regarding energy and water services to receive, investigate and facilitate the resolution of complaints involving consumers and energy and water service providers in Victoria to identify and where appropriate redress, systemic issues and refer these to energy and water providers and regulators to work with customer groups and industry to achieve customer service excellence

EWOV’s aims to resolve disputes … equitably, confidentially and on an individual basis fair, just and independent informal rather than legislative consideration of wider context - what is fair and reasonable? -what constitutes good industry practice? -what lies within current law?

An industry-based scheme industry-based, not statutory 66 providers participating in the EWOV scheme at October 2006 (listed on industry pays for failure to resolve customer complaints, not the taxpayer case costs charged to energy and water providers based on numbers of complaints against them

What EWOV deals with the provision and supply of a service (e.g. connection issues, outages, energy marketing) billing (e.g. high bills, delayed bills) credit and payment services disconnection/restriction land (e.g. vegetation near powerlines) complaints referred from the Essential Services Commission complaints referred by an energy or water provider

What EWOV can’t deal with the setting of prices & tariffs commercial activities outside licence/core business government policies court & tribunal matters matters required by legislation customer contributions to cost of capital works events beyond a provider’s reasonable control, bearing in mind current law and good industry practice actions taken due to a compulsory direction

electricity, gas (natural and LPG) and water customers, residential and business third parties directly affected authorised representatives (e.g. financial counsellors) Who can complain?

How are complaints resolved? independent investigation 89% of investigated complaints are conciliated - with the customer and provider reaching an agreement Binding Decision where no agreement can be reached (only 36 to date)

1. Make a Binding Decision if required, by ordering a provider to: pay compensation provide a service amend or waive a charge/fee supply goods/services or do corrective work correct, delete from or add to a customer’s record attach a complainant’s correction, deletion or addition, or do, not do or stop doing an act 2. Dismiss the complaint binding on the provider, not the customer Ombudsman’s powers

Limits on Binding Decisions Ombudsman can make orders to $20,000 or to $50,000 with the consent of both parties

Just over 100,000 cases to Sept % from residential customers 25% from regional/rural customers 94% via phone (no written complaint needed) Main issues (January – June 2006) Electricity and gas: Billing, Credit and Retail competition Water: Billing, Land and Supply Some EWOV statistics

January – June 2006 cases Reflects data run at 24 July Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number. ^ An enquiry is a request from a customer for general information (for example, about relevant codes or guidelines) or a matter that 's referred to another agency (for example, if it's outside EWOV's jurisdiction). * A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction regarding a policy, practice or customer service performance of an energy or water provider which is part of the EWOV scheme, where a response or resolution is explicitly or implicitly expected. If a customer has not yet spoken with the energy or water provider about their complaint, EWOV generally refers them back to the provider's contact centre. If the customer has spoken once with someone at the contact centre about their complaint but it remains unresolved, EWOV usually refers them to a higher-level contact at the provider. EWOV fully investigates complaints which remain unresolved following two or more contacts between the customer and the energy or water provider.

Recent case trends

Disconnection (Electricity and Gas) Restriction (Water) Imminent Disconnection/Restriction Not been to provider yet? –we refer you to contact centre –disconnection/restriction allowed Been to contact centre once? –we refer you to higher level contact –disconnection/restriction allowed Been to contact centre more than once or to a supervisor? –we register as complaint for full investigation –disconnection/restriction prevented.

Disconnection/Restriction (cont’d) Actual Disconnection/Restriction Not been to provider yet? –we refer you to higher level contact –reconnection/restriction lifted at discretion of provider Been to contact centre once? –we refer you to higher level contact –reconnection/restriction lifted at discretion of provider Been to contact centre more than once or to a supervisor? –we register as complaint for full investigation –disconnection/restriction reversed, no reconnection fee.

Wrongful disconnection payment –Victorian Government initiative of December 2004 –payment by energy retailers where supply is disconnected contrary to the terms and conditions of the customer’s contract with the retailer LPG (liquefied petroleum/bottled gas) –dealing with LPG cases since 1 July 2005 –5 LPG retailers in the EWOV scheme at March 2006 — Elgas, Kleenheat, Supagas, Powergas, Origin Energy –cases show billing and credit issues Utility connection services –8 known to be operating (e.g. Connect Now, Utility One) –cases show connection and transfer delays, and issues around choice of retailer and contracts Issues watch

Resolution and Resolution Bulletin Annual Report EWOV Connect Fact sheets –We’ve accepted your complaint for investigation: what happens next? –Choosing an energy retailer –High electricity, natural gas or water bills –EWOV and LPG General brochure Brochure in fourteen languages EWOV publications

Contacting EWOV Freecall: Calls from restricted phone services: − ring (Telstra reverse charges) and quote − EWOV will accept the reverse charges and the call cost Calls from mobile phones may attract charges: − we can ring you back Freefax: Interpreter service: National Relay Service: Website: