Origin Energy will refund over $270,000 to more than 4500 customers following an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) investigation.
ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said the investigation centred on allegedly misleading representations regarding Origin’s “Ongoing Saver” residential electricity plan.
Commissioner Brakey said there was concern Origin made statements both in the Ongoing Saver plan’s terms and conditions and in customer bills that represented charges would be lower than on Origin’s “Basic” plan for the life of the plan.
“In fact, some customers on Ongoing Saver plans were charged more than they would have been on the Basic plan,” she said.
“Electricity retailers that claim or suggest savings for consumers on their plans, including in the name of the plan, must ensure that the savings are actually delivered to customers for the life of the plan.”
Commissioner Brakey said Origin did not admit that it breached the Australian Consumer Law, but in response to the ACCC’s concerns, had committed to providing refunds to customers.
She said affected customers would, on average, receive approximately $60 in remediation from Origin.
“We strongly encourage all consumers to use available Government energy comparison sites to try to find the best available energy deal for their circumstances, as there are large differences between the cheapest and most expensive plans,” Ms Brakey said.
