Would You Ever Use Origin Energy?

Image Courtesy plumenshopus.com

My power went out yesterday. With a big bang.

Everyone else in the complex had power. I checked the switch board for the safety switch. No, all good there. I phoned 'Origin', my electricity provider. No all good there....account is actually in credit.

Wandered around to see if any workmen might have accidentally cut something important while doing their stuff. Nope. Collected my mail.

"Your electricity has been disconnected today... right now, actually... go directly to jail.... and thanks for coming". What?

I phoned Energex....the people who cut my power off. They informed me that they received written advice from Origin, my provider, to do so. It was 3.30pm by now and they informed me that, no matter what, there would be no way that I would have power again by nightfall. Tears. I had just been grocery shopping and I had a fridge full of food for my hungry boys, frozen meals in the freezer made by caring friends and to break my heart further, my boys lizards have 15 eggs hatching under a electricity run heat lamp. Boys + lizards + no electricity = more crying.

I rang Origin back. "What, you're at number 45 street? Your account says number 36 street. Your account is for number 36. We have no account for number 45". Ok, so Origin, what meter have you been reading to calculate the bills I have been paying? There is no 36 in this street. Umm, errr.

On hold. On my mobile. For 1 hour by now.

I cried. As you do. When you're female. And sitting in a corridor with your mobile plugged into the power point that the cleaners use. And this is just the last thing you need. And you have baby lizards needing heat. And a fridge full of fresh (but soon not to be) food.

Went and retrieved 'cranky site manager who hates my boys' and he opened up the meter box... yep, there were all the meters... and mine?... fuses removed, padlocked and taped. He had opened it earlier for the Energex guy and happily stood there letting him cut off my power!!!!! I retrieved the meter number and informed Origin. "Yep, that's the meter number we have been reading".... well that's at number 45.... the place you say you have no account for. The physical place that your meter reader has been attending to read the meter in order for you to bill me.

On hold. Again.

Meanwhile back in my memory banks. Hang on, the notices I have been receiving from Origin since August.... "You are an unauthorized user of power and hot water at number 45. Please contact us"... my replies were unanswered. My faxes and emails, with copies of my paid bills - unanswered. Even the one I sent 2 days ago that unfortunately included the word 'moron' in it. What about those?

On hold. Again.

2 hours later. "Umm, errr, we don't know what has happened. We're sorry for the mix up. We will get Energex to reconnect your electricity TOMORROW somewhere between the hours of 1pm and 6pm. Sorry about your food. Sorry about your boy's pets. We will be starting your account again and back billing you from the date in February in which you moved in". What? I have been paying my bills. "Yes, but that was on number 36. This is 45. You have been using power at 45 and it has to be paid for".

So my mobile phone bill for 2 hours on hold? The entire rotten contents of my fridge? And the impending one year bill for electricity that I have used at number 45 for the past year? I have to pay for it all ??????? So where is my money for the bills I have been paying at your ficticious number 36? Where are the replies to all my correspondence that said, "there is someone living here... this is me.... here are my paid bills".

??????????

What an expensive mistake. All at my cost. I will be getting my electricity connected and then closing my account with them. Today. I am looking for another electricity provider.

As my boys would say, "Origin???..... EPIC FAIL".

I am typing from a bed, not in my apartment. My boys and I were kindly taken in....like waifs.
I am heading back this morning to clear out all my rotten food and check on the lizard babies.

There, I feel better now. I am sending a link to this post ... to Origin.