A resident is enraged after City Power billed her for a smart meter which does not exist.
Linda Olding, who resides in Randpark Ridge Ext 47, explained that she started receiving accounts for a smart meter she does not have, when the new smart meters were installed in her suburb. “When it first happened I actually didn’t have a smart meter at all,” she said.
At the time of installation, the contractor allegedly from City Power, showed her a list of residents and allocated smart meters.
“My details were captured by a contractor who came around to do adjustments on the neighbours’ smart meter. However, the actual smart meter was never installed,” she explained.
Also read Smart meter not so smart.
She then received the Pre-Termination Notice on 13 October stating that she owes City Power R1 800, of which she does not have clue how it was made up.
In an effort to resolve her predicament, she then forwarded the contractor’s job card, photo and her August and September statements to City Power, hoping her problem would be solved.
Since her new smart meter was not installed but her details captured, she continued paying her account for an old meter.
“I only did not pay the amounts for the wrong meter. In August and September I continued to pay for the old meter,” explained Olding.
Although the new smart meter was eventually installed at her property on 31 August, she had been struggling to get City Power to activate the meter and adjust her bill.
“What infuriates me about this whole thing is that City Power does not appear to have done any follow-ups to ensure that the meters were correctly allocated. In my 28 years in the house I have never received a Pre-Termination Notice and I find their conduct shocking and completely unprofessional,” she complained.
She concluded that the whole tragedy was affecting her credit record directly.
City Power spokesperson Sydney Mphahlele is yet to respond as to why the contractor captured the resident’s details without installing the meter and why the billing system was not updated. Although he acknowledged the inquiry, he insisted that he would respond on 27 October.
Details: City Power 011 490 7607.
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