(file image) Photo: lighthunter/123RF
A power provider has apologised for stinging a Queenstowner with a shock $4000 power bill that had to be paid by Christmas Day.
Mike Legge, a comedian in his spare time, didn't see the funny side when Ecotricity invoiced him last Friday for $4048.81.
He said when his wife Kate complained, she was told the amount was a "wash-up" - "and all they did was send the bill again".
In August, he had also been billed $1200 which was also deemed to be a wash-up.
"They somehow deem you haven't paid them enough so they just give you a bill."
Legge said the $4000 invoice made no sense as he had solar panels and a battery, and his household was not consuming any more power.
"That's like a year's supply or even two years' supply for most people."
Kate wrote to Ecotricity on Sunday, saying these "surprise bills" were "very stressful".
Next day, the company got back to her, reversing this latest one.
"It looks like the meter sent an incorrect reading into our system so the $4000 invoice is incorrect", Abigail from 'the team at Ecotricity' told her.
A new invoice was issued for just $182.90, with an offer of a $50 credit "due to the frustration this has caused".
Legge said he had been flat-out pre-Christmas in his window cleaning business, and thinking any money he had made was going to the power provider was "totally demoralising".
"Now it's quite a relief ... We can have something for Christmas dinner with the power on, we won't have to go cold turkey."
Despite Ecotricity's backdown, Legge said they were exiting the company "because we really don't want this to happen again".
- This story was first published by the Otago Daily Times.