“It’s absolutely awesome.”
Seventy-five-year-old Mazie Moebes could barely contain her delight after news last week she never thought she would hear.
Direct Energy says Moebes is to recover all the money she paid for bills that should have gone to another customer. The total comes to $1,287.56.
It brings a happy end to a 16-month saga that began when she gave Direct Energy the wrong address, confusing her Fort Assiniboine home number with that of a neighbouring business.
Such a small mistake, but one which cost her heavily. The gas and electricity bills she received were: March 29, 2011, $153.94; April 28, 2011, $443.69; June 2, 2011, $357.07; June 28, 2011, $734.82; July 28, 2011, $517.58.
She was also paying for her own power usage, which meant she was being double billed. Worried about being called to account for alleged delinquency, she continued paying while knowing something was wrong.
Moebes said Direct Energy initially took the approach it was her problem, not theirs when she alerted them to what was happening.
The problem only ended when she closed her Direct Energy electricity account and reverted to Epcor, the company she had used before. She continued to use Direct Energy for gas.
Several weeks ago Moebes told her story to The Barrhead Leader, accepting her share of blame.
“I am telling this story so this will not happen to another senior,” she said. “I made a mistake. I gave the power company the wrong house number, and I lost a lot of money I can’t get back.”
Moebes later reported two developments: she had been in touch with the Utilities Consumer Advocate, and Direct Energy offered partial compensation, amounting to just over $643.
While $643 was only a part of the amount she wrongly paid, she was prepared to accept the offer, she said. After all, half a loaf is better than none.
She said the Utilities Consumer Advocate recommended she accept the power company’s offer.
Moebes said efforts to get money back from the neighbouring business whose number she had mixed up with her own had got nowhere.
Now, it appears, her problems are over after Direct Energy’s change of mind.
“She will be 100 per cent credited,” said Direct Energy spokesperson Anne-Julie Gratton last Wednesday.
Gratton said the company was reviewing its processes to try to ensure Moebes’ story was not repeated.
“We have to listen to our customers,” she added. “Mistakes have been made on both sides.”
Moebes appeared taken aback when she heard the news she had given up on receiving.
“It will be nice to get the money back,” she said. “I am very happy about it.”
