I just wanted to let other AGL Concession holders know that through my extensive dealings with AGL, other energy retailers and Centrelink as well as a successful case with the ombudsman in which AGL agreed to pay the Energy Bill Relief Payment they had up to that point declined to pay off my account (amongst other concession issues) despite my holding an eligible concession and account during the eligibility period along with various bill credits. It came to light that wherever any of AGL's concession customers move house, AGL cuts their concession as a matter of course. That is time that AGL receives credit from the government for people's concession but does not pass that on to their customers.
I was in touch with Centrelink through the duration of my move & ensured that my Centrelink account details were the same as my AGL account (& with the help of Centrelink ensured that they displayed as such to any third party viewer) from the date I moved yet my concession was still cut by AGL from the exact date of my move untill I took the initiative and contacted them to have my concession reapplied to my account.
I was told by numerous AGL reps that it was because my Centrelink account information was not the same as my AGL account information however as noted, for other unrelated reasons, I had been very conscientious in ensuring my details were accurately displayed to any third party viewing my C/L account.
What this means is that in order to make a few dollars off those in our community who can least afford it, AGL deliberately makes the lives of people with disabilities, mental and physical illnesses, the elderly, single parents and the unemployed etc more difficult than they are already while they're already going through one of life's most challenging events; Moving home during a rental crisis for no better reason than to scam a few extra dollars in credits the government pays them that they then don't have to pass on to their clients. If the client does not contact them to apply their concession, it stays off. They then make it so difficult to rectify the situation of getting one's back concession paid by directing all communication through their woefully inadequate online chat portal where reps will literally tell you whatever they feel they have to in order to get you off the line and not contacting back, regardless of whether there is any truth to it at all. (I can provide chat transcript examples of this). The very nature of the chat portal with their "you'll receive a notification when we get to you" approach means that even if you do encounter the one or two honest reps, by the time you've explained your issue to one rep, answering their questions over 2-3 messages, their shift will have ended meaning you'll have to explain it all over again, and again, and again... this can drag out what should be a very simple contact to literally weeks worth of hassle. An undeniable disincentive to gaining a reasonable outcome in a reasonable timeframe. Especially if you're not well, a single parent, unemployed or elderly.
One would think that any company worth the business of any ethical and moral person would give these people who I'm sure most of you would give those people the benefit of the doubt that their concession entitlement will continue after they have moved house (as almost 90% do according to Centrelink) and then checking their eligibility a couple of weeks after their move and altering their account accordingly.
I'm sorry if this was doubled back on itself and made the same point several times but I suffer several mental illnesses that can make it difficult for me. When AGL put me through this, it caused me such bad anxiety that it effected literally every other aspect of my life and for that, I have sworn to make sure other people know what they're about.
