Energy bill shock as western Sydney couple slugged with $4811.79 bill by Simply Energy
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The brutal reality of a 2022 utility bill: Family thought it was a terrible mistake to pay $5,000 for a quarter, but they were forced to pay – and they even have solar panels
- Family of two left shocked after receiving a hefty utility bill of nearly $5,000
- The couple Sonya and Phillip were told by Simply Energy that they owed $4,811.79
- The figure is nearly eight times more than their last bill of $660 last quarter
A family of two is horrified after being slapped with an eye-watering utility bill of nearly $5,000.
Western Sydney couple Sonya and Phillip got the shock of their lives after being told they owed $4,811.79 for the last quarter.
The figure is almost eight times more than their last bill, which cost $660.
A family of two is horrified after being slapped with an eye-watering utility bill of nearly $5,000
Western Sydney couple Sonya and Phillip got the shock of their lives after being told they owed $4811.79 for the last quarter
“I thought they accidentally put a four in front, I thought it was a prank, a hoax email, a scam or something,” Philip shared A current situation.
Phillip said he immediately contacted Simply Energy, believing the energy supplier had made a terrible mistake.
“I find it disgusting if this is the way they are going to treat Australian consumers,” he said.
The couple has tried to keep costs down in the past by installing solar panels in their home and switching energy suppliers for a better deal.
Sonya said she was surprised after seeing the astronomical utility bill.
“We know electricity would go up, but not that much,” she said.
Simply Energy defended the exorbitant amount, saying the figure was a correction to previous bills.
The energy supplier had no access to the meter for the past nine months, so they “greatly underestimate the actual energy consumption.”
Electricity prices are expected to rise 56 percent over the next two years, with prices already rising (stock image)
“Before drawing up the bill, we checked with the customer’s network provider, who confirmed that the meter reading was correct,” said a spokesman.
“We also wrote to the customer twice saying we were having trouble reading the meter and that they could call us to arrange a time for access and/or correct the bill with their own meter reading.’
The spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that the energy supplier worked with the family to ensure electricity usage could be accurately calculated.
“We are working with the customer to install a new remote-readable meter, which will solve the problems of accessing its electricity meter box and the need to estimate bills in the future,” they said.
Electricity prices are expected to rise by 56 percent over the next two years, with prices already rising.
Annual wholesale prices more than doubled to $87 in the March quarter — up 141 percent in a year.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had promised economic support for families ahead of elections in May, saying he would cut energy bills by $275 by 2025
Wholesale prices make up about a third of an energy bill.
One Big Switch calculated that would mean a 28 percent annual increase from $273 for a family of four using 3,900 kilowatt-hours of power per year.
This year, average Australian household utility bills have reached $1,402, according to calculations from financial comparison site Canstar.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had promised economic support for families ahead of elections in May, saying he would cut energy bills by $275 by 2025.
He appears to have kept his promise after the “Powering Australia” vow was removed from the ALP website in recent days.