AGL works with Centrelink to fix bill rebate for Jimmy
Jimmy is a pensioner and receives a low income household rebate for his electricity bills. He had been getting the rebate when it suddenly stopped about 2 years ago. He contacted AGL however the matter went unresolved. Through Ajust, Jimmy was able to have this rebate status reinstated, as well as $770 back pay.
Having support to pay electricity bills
Most people would agree that bills can be pretty expensive. If you’re someone that might struggle with these payments, then you probably understand that any kind of help is greatly appreciated. If someone were to take this kind of help away without any warning, they would be creating a pretty tough situation for the people depending on it. Ajust user Jimmy, found himself in a scenario a lot like the one we just described.
Jimmy had been a customer at AGL for more than 5 years. As a pensioner, Jimmy qualified for the low income household rebate. This means, Jimmy would get some assistance with paying his electricity bill. We don’t know for how long Jimmy had been receiving the rebate, but know it stopped about 2 years ago.
It had just stopped coming one day, without any warning. Jimmy let Ajust know that AGL did not give him a reason for stopping the rebate. Since then, Jimmy has been unable to get the matter resolved.
Back pay won’t be enough
Naturally, Jimmy was determined to get his problem sorted out. He called AGL 5 times in 1 week, desperate to get this issue resolved. He ended up being promised 12 months of back pay. But Jimmy wanted to get his rebate back because he knew the back pay would only be a temporary solution to his problem.
Having bills that are more than what you can afford is a really rough situation to be in. While we didn’t pry about Jimmy’s financial position, we empathise with the fact that he really needed the rebate. Financial assistance is the right of all Australians who qualify for it. The difference between receiving aid and not receiving it can make a big difference in someone's day to day life.
Even though it had been 2 years, we applaud Jimmy for staying committed to reaching a fair solution. It sounds like an exhausting and draining situation to be in. Jimmy continued to push on where others might have (understandably) decided to call it quits.
Energy rebates are available Australia wide. Generally, an energy rebate will give credit for the energy bill so the consumer doesn't end up paying the full amount for their bill. This can be very helpful as bills are expensive! There are different types of energy rebates available, such as gas rebates, low income rebates, life support rebates, senior energy rebates etc. If you’re interested in benefiting from energy rebates, you can make an inquiry with your energy provider.
Working together to find a solution
Jimmy decided to use Ajust to help resolve this issue. After Jimmy had shared his story and provided some useful information, Ajust sent Jimmy’s complaint to AGL.
After AGL received the complaint, they contacted Jimmy and let him know they were working with Centrelink to sort out his issue. We understand that rebates are more of a Government initiative, so we commend AGL for communicating with the right people about this problem. It is great to know both institutions worked together to reach a suitable solution for Jimmy.
After about 11 days, AGL shared the good news with Jimmy that his rebate had been reinstated. They had also reimbursed $770 for the last 12 months’. He was feeling much better now that his complaint was resolved.
Rebates and any other kind of assistance are a very important part of the welfare system. However, situations like Jimmy’s can occur, where something can change very suddenly.
When this happens, it can be tough to know who to call and where to go. Often individuals end up feeling defeated and exhausted from chasing matters like these. If you need help resolving an issue with a business you can always try using Ajust. We’d be happy to help.
Editor’s note: We’re always excited to share the experiences of consumers that have used Ajust. This Consumer Story is based on a real complaint made through our platform. But we’ve changed some details to protect the consumer's personal information and make the story more enjoyable for our readers.
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