NOT SO GOOD NEWS

[grazzie]

It seems every day I listened to TV and Radio Commentators about the soaring cost of power in Australia. It all seemed remote and somewhat boring until  I received, by email,l my latest gas account, for the past 2  months

$983  - an increase of 1942%.This is after a paltry $60 credit from the state government.

I near had a heart attack, because I'm a senior, senior pensioner in not very good health. Subsequently, I contacted my supplier to no avail. I had to pay the bill!.

In the past, I used my split-level air conditioner for heating and zoned off part of my house. Sure it cost less but I was never warm during the cold months. I'm stuck with gas because my home was designed with ducted heating. It gives me the s . . . ts because I'm partially disabled and must spend most of my time at home 24/7.

 Is anybody else in the same boat??

[Fiatlux]

Hello Grazzie,

Hope you are well.

Although I am not on a pension I can definitely relate to increasing living expenses.

Everyone in the 1980’s was converted to gas heating and gas hot water and gas cooking and it was more efficient and cheaper than electric back then.

So now the power companies have realised that it’s time to charge us more and more for gas to our homes. So here we go again, switching back to electric or if you have the money, install solar.

I remember when my first baby was born in June 1995, it was an extremely cold winter and the gas heating was on day and night with a newborn it was essential. But of course we were down to one income but our living expenses doubled. It was a tough time financially. 

What is not taken into consideration is that the heating costs the same whether you live alone or with others. I suppose zoning your heating can work and make a small difference.

My mother in law is 84 and living alone in a small house on a single pension but my husband pays all her power bills and has been for the past 8 years. 

Can your power company switch you to monthly billing as a $983 bill is a massive hit all at once. I know my husband has set up fortnightly direct debit payments for his mum’s bill. They then email him the account every month so he can keep track of it. Surely they can offer a payment plan for you. I would be shopping around for the cheapest supplier. Every dollar counts right now.

I work from home and I am living in a very large family home with just my husband and son and try to not turn the heating on. I have closed the ducted heating vents in the rooms that we no longer use. Yes, we have tried downsizing the house since our children are all adults and moved or moving out but that too is very expensive and hard to find to suitable house.

I have read reports that Australia has the coldest homes in the World. It’s flimsy, poorly insulated houses that are very inefficient to heat and cool. Even now I have the blinds open to allow the sun in to heat the area where I am sitting how, but I feel the draft through the windows. 

Can I suggest that you take some time and start shopping around for a new energy supplier before winter really starts. 

Good luck with it. Fiatlux 🙏🏼

[grazzie]

Thnx for responding. You certainly stated the basic problem  - homes were built in the eighties to accommodate gas ducting because gas was the way to go. Such is my home. In the past few years, I've tried to use split-level power heating and zoning off only the more frequently used areas. The problem is that the areas denied any heating absorb the cold in bricks, cladding, etc so much that they become freezing. The cold zones become a health hazard for everyone in general and old people in particular.

I'm 87 and stuck with using my gas-ducted heating. I've approached my supplier and all I could achieve is to set up a plan in which I have to make fortnightly payments.

In short, there is no relief from massive gas bills. Who or what's to blame I know not! 

That's not to say I 'roll over'. I'm going to see my state member and cry my heart out.

Surely people like myself and your mum, who have to be in the house basically 24/7 should get some relief from Government. The  State Govt. allows a paltry credit during winter months, but there's no help at all federally!

I don't like whinging but I don't believe my complaint is unreasonable. Thnx again.