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Arii Ngata - Source: Fair Go -
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An energy company has apologised to a woman after it accidentally charged her more than $2 million for her power bill.
Arii Ngata was gobsmacked when she received the bill for $2,138,880, from her power company Just Energy.
The Tokoroa resident told TV ONE's Fair Go she leaves a heater on for much of the day in her house, and her daughter sometimes leaves lights on too long, but the fee seemed a "bit mad".
She called the energy company but they said they had no record of the bill being sent out and she became worried her power would be cut off.
The bill she received was a disconnection notice and it said if she didn't pay up her power would be stopped.
Ngata said it was clearly a mistake but it didn't stop her family from worrying: "my poor daughter where will you get that money from?" her father said to her.
Just Energy CEO, Dene Biddlecombe said the mistake had come about because Ngata's customer number had mistakenly been put into the figure outstanding on the bill.
"The person who normally does it was away and the new person got it wrong," he said.
"It would be a fright but clearly anyone would see it was a mistake- she certainly got the wrong impression."
He said the company has phoned Ngata and apologised and also offered her $100 off her electricity bill.
The company has since set up a system which raises an alarm if anyone's bill is over $500.
How's your power bill? Have your say on the messageboard below.
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Post new commentpulsateen said on 2011-08-31 @ 22:11 NZDT: Report abusive post
My mum received a $3500 power bill last month (normally around $200 a month in winter). She'd read the meter wrong because it's too high for her to see properly. Her power company didn't pick it up, and she has an automatic payment out of her credit card for this bill. Fortunately she rang them with the correct reading and they adjusted it, but it freaked us both out as the meter hadn't been read for a good long while, there was a possibility it could have been accurate! Phew!
Hutch said on 2011-08-31 @ 20:21 NZDT: Report abusive post
bobby69, can you kindly point out where in the article it mentions the family made several phone calls and had arguments with the power company? I, along with others, have judged the story exactly as it has been reported and have formed an opinion accordingly. This whole episode is a total nonsense and should be treated as such. It holds the about the same level of reality as the Australian's fear of New Zealand apples, another total nonsense.
bobby69 said on 2011-08-31 @ 19:42 NZDT: Report abusive post
Amazing how people are quick to judge...i totally agree, yes a phone call to the power company in question was the right thing to do, but after several phone calls and many disagreements over the phone, this power company stood by its word saying there was no mistake. I think people need to get all the facts before they judge people, i personally know this family and i live in Australia. Yes a mistake by the power company, then why didnt they correct it after the first phone call to them???? A
Sitrep said on 2011-08-31 @ 16:56 NZDT: Report abusive post
Astounding!! Bad enough for me when they undercharged me for 2 months, then without speaking to me & asking for permission, accessed my bank account & took the total amount, which was equal to my monthly mortgage account...when I had already been off work with a bad work injury. They had no regard for my situation & would not progress with filing my complaint. This family must have been stressed even though they must have known it was an error. Where is the company care & responsibility?