Ontario man battles with gas company after getting $1,000 bill because of faulty meter
An Ontario man who had a faulty gas meter and racked up a $1,000 bill says he was shocked when he was told he would still have to pay the bill.
Toronto resident John Agellon said he is frugal and watches his bills closely and felt when his bill skyrocketed that it was a mistake.
"In May, I received a gas bill of $1,005.41, which is more than ten times the amount of my regular bill," Agellon told CTV News Toronto.
Agellon said the gas meter on his home is the same age as his house, which is about 40 years old. He said the numbers for May didn't seem to add up and he reached out and contacted Enbridge Gas.
"There was a 900 cubic feet discrepancy, so Enbridge charged me for an extra 900 cubic feet of gas that I’m not sure that I actually used," Agellon said.
Enbridge did come and replace the old meter with a new one, but didn't reduce the bill and Agellon felt he was overcharged $980.
"They kind of acknowledged it was an old gas meter and said that they often fail and that maybe this one failed. They just got rid of it and put on a brand new meter, but they didn't change the bill," Agellon said.
Agellon disputed the bill for months but says when he was told his account would go to collections and his natural gas supply could be turned off he had no choice but to pay it.
"Unless I switch to heating my house with coal or wood or electricity I have no option but to pay whatever they say and that's exactly what I did," said Agellon.
Agellon contacted CTV News Toronto and we reached out to Enbridge on his behalf and the company agreed to review his bill.
"For privacy reasons, I can’t provide specific details regarding the customer’s interactions with Enbridge without a written release of information. I can however confirm that in June, following a call from the customer, we initiated an investigation into the possibility that the higher bill may be related to an issue with the existing meter," an Enbridge spokesperson said in a statement.
"To confirm, we replaced the meter and undertook a detailed assessment of the old one. We were able to determine that an issue with the meter was causing it to display a higher than actual natural gas use. Unfortunately, this process took some time and our billing department is now in the process of adjusting the billing, which should bring it more in line with the customer’s previous bills for that billing period. This an unusual occurrence and we apologize for the frustration that resulted."
Enbridge has now refunded Agellon the $980 that he felt he was overcharged, which was good news for him.
"I couldn't have done myself. I'm very glad and I feel vindicated," Agellon said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Trump trial arrives at a pivotal moment: Star witness Michael Cohen is poised to take the stand
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
India's mammoth election is more than halfway done as millions begin voting in fourth round
Millions of Indians across 96 constituencies began casting their ballots on Monday as the country's gigantic, six-week-long election edges past its halfway mark. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term with an eye on winning a supermajority in Parliament.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.