Gas customers set for refund

CUSTOMERS of gas company Simply Energy will be refunded for a gas congestion charge that many received although they were not even at home during the summer break.
South Eastern Metropolitan MP Gordon Rich-Phillips this week said Simply Energy would refund the congestion charge after he lobbied the Essential Services Commission to review the fee.
“The charge was supposedly due to the drought and the extra cost of providing electricity due to a particularly cold period last winter. However, I had a call from a Frankston lady who had also received the charge yet she had been in Queensland for most of the winter and had not used electricity during that period,”Mr Rich-Phillips said.
“Following inquiries by myself to the Essential Services Commission, it investigated the matter and found that the basis of this charge was not consistent with Victoria’s Energy Retail Code.
“I received a number of calls over this matter last year and I am pleased to advise that Simply Energy have agreed to refund the charge to consumers, so they need to make sure they check the next bill.”