Unexpected credit payment

[gps2119]

I got this text a few days ago.

 

I know what it’s for but not why on a day not the end of a billing period a decision was taken without consultation to clear the account of a small but persistent credit.

The next days, just because they’d been good for generating solar power, the account was back in credit for a few dollars. Perhaps it still is, maybe not because the weather’s been overcast, but since the info I have from you is that paying out the credit balance has been achieved by sending me a cheque I dread the possibility there’ll be other account credit clearances on odd days achieved by sending other cheques for small amounts now and again.

With bank branches closing and the nearest getting further away each year as a result this is not a convenient practice, surely just as impractical for AGL as for me.

If it’s absolutely essential that you pay out such credits rather than wait till winter when reverse cycle aircon will chew them up anyway please get in touch and get a BSB and Account Number whenever it’s necessary, and for me that’s always. Alternatively, while we still have gas connected it’s chewing up money even when a gas cooktop is all we have left that uses the stuff and a transfer from the electricity to the gas account would be much more practical.

Thanks in anticipation.

Graham

[John-T]

Hi @gps2119 

Your text appears to be link free so its good. As for the refund if it were me I would leave it in my AGL account, Prices are going up in July in 3 states and already having a little buffer in your account will help. Well that is how I see things.

I have prepaid both Gas & Electricity accounts even though I have Solar.

I keep both Gas & Electricity accounts in credit at certain levels I have prepaid just in case a time comes where I am unable to pay.

I may be the exception to the rule as I do not wish to be sent any cheques or any transfers back into my bank account, I like to have any excess money sitting in my AGL accounts "It is peace of mind for myself" 

Regards

John

[gps2119]

Thanks John.

I haven’t had a reply yet from AGL about why they paid out the account, but if it’s already in the mail it ill turn up fairly soon.

When it does I’ll ask again.

Graham Strauss
gstrauss@iinet.net.au

[_Mark_ · Accepted solution]

Hi @gps2119, if this is in regards to Solar credits and you're being sent a cheque the most likely outcome is that you're on a solar anniversary cheque schedule, where we send you out a cheque once a year for your solar credits. If you want to confirm that, i'll just send you out a private message where we can discuss details.

Thanks,
Mark.

[gps2119]

Hello Mark. Thanks for the explanation of AGL's arcane procedure.

All the message I got was by text

<< Confirming a refund of $44.53 was successfully processed for electricity account ending in 4457 >>

which might just as well have been for a residual credit in the account for a variety of credits from AGL for participation in load management challenges etc less most recent full billing period and a day or two usage debits since. Expecting a customer to correctly guess what the payment is for and how it's being transferred from a barely informative text message when a few extra words like

"Confirming a refund payment (by mailed cheque or credit entry on account) of $44.53 for (solar credits or balance of account) was successfully processed (on date) for electricity account ending in 4457"

fails to take the customers interest in the event into account. It is or should be an automated message so why not make it long enough to do the job.

Also - payment by cheque, in this day and age? I'm surprised AGL still owns the equipment to do a cheque run. Even the ATO pays refunds by bank transfer these days.

Anyway, the cheque hasn't turned up yet, but I assume it will, soon, so I'll wait till I see it and hope it has a tear off along the dotted line explanation slip that tells all I need to know.

If there's some regulatory impediment that means I must get an annual cheque rather than a credit against the account identified forever and as long as the cheque includes an adequate explanation, and since the text adds nothing but mystification to the exchange of information just send it without the text message thanks.

Regards, Graham