Update:
After contacting Supercoops and working with his app and website support staff, I find that AGL has somehow linked my account to a business meter!!
So my fears were right! They linked my account to the wrong meter!
And those call center staff were trying to claim "Nothing is wrong!", "It's all fine!" and telling me to "Just ignore it"
Let this post be a warning to anyone else getting high numbers on their usage on a new account: DON'T IGNORE IT!
Kudos and much appreciation to Supercoops for reaching out to help and for his staff for helping me discover this timebomb before it blows up in my face in two months!
We need you as a higher managing role or just be the CEO of this company to just … fix them.
I've just moved into a newly leased 1 bedroom apartment. My first ever.
As a result, I had to sort out all the necessities that I was previously did not need to in a sharehouse:
Fridge, washing machine, bed furniture, internet and utilities. I literally had to start from scratch.So you can imagine my shock after signing up with AGL as my electricity provider, and going through some bureaucratic mess of trying to hook up my meter to them, to find that the app is claiming that my fridge and washing machine is running some sort of secret meth lab and weed farm while I'm >away at work and burning through my electricity.
In just 12 days, AGL's app and website usage meters claim that I've used over 1138kWh and owe them $670 in usage fees!
I called their customer support but the "resolution agent" I got who looked at my account was nonchalantly claiming "That is just an estimate" and "We don't have any of your bills listed in our system" and claim that I can't do anything until the first bill comes out the end of March!
Even though my apartment is fitted with the smart meter which allows them to read my usage every day (and how are they able to get my usage stats without one anyway?!?), the agent even stated "We did not take any readings from your meter. This is all just an estimated usage. When the bill comes out, and if you have used that much of electricity, you'll have to pay that amount."
Wow, way to go in calming any anxiety I have hanging over my head for the next 2 months!On my second attempt, later today, I got a different agent who was better versed and elaborated that the app tends to do that on new accounts and that it's only giving me a very rough usage estimate solely based on historical usage data of properties in my area and reassured me that the amount will be readjusted once the final bill come out in March.
Has anyone experienced this and does the app really miscalculate that badly for new accounts? Should I be worried with that number in my app that I'm being told to ignore?
Honestly haven't tried it, I'm guessing its a very weird estimate that they're grabbing, previous data might be super old? Either way I'd probably go and take a time/dated photo of the app screenshot and of the meter if you can get it and again when the meter should be read. That way you have a much better idea on your own usage and whether AGL is being dodgy.
My worry is that the previous tenant had AGL and when they left and AGL just carried the untenanted time (usually hot water and fridge use) into your bill.
I'm iffy about this, they need to get a meter read at the start and at the end otherwise how will they know what to charge you, they can't just make it up.
Theres a possibility they haven't done the initial meter read yet, which is why the number is so odd, it took my place like weeks before they did the first read (energy aus though), I'm almost sure someone comes in an does a physical read but I assumed they wouldn't need to if there is a smart meter. Wonder if it would be a good idea to ask what the initial meter read was/is assuming they did one? Though I'm thinking it probably won't be done for another few weeks?