NEW figures showing a big rise in complaints about energy bills in this region come after a number of warnings in recent months about how electricity price rises are putting the squeeze on Bathurst.
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The Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW says complaints received from the Central West, which includes Bathurst, rose by almost one-third in the most recent measured period - and most of those complaints were about bills.
Wattle Tree House manager Terry Tupper said her organisation, which provides homelessness and housing support services in Bathurst, is hearing from many local people struggling with the cost of living, which includes power bills.
"It's getting to a stage where their rent's now becoming unaffordable because they just can't keep up with the rent and the bills and food and everything else that goes along with taking care of children," she said of those who contact Wattle Tree House.
She said the cost of living pressures had been obvious for some time, "but we have noticed in the last two months we've got more and more people coming in because they're worried about becoming homeless because they just can't afford to live from week to week".
She said rents keep going up "and then they [renters] are coming to us [and saying] 'well, what are we going to do?'.
"And besides putting them on the housing register, there's not a lot more we can do because if they leave that property, they're certainly not going to get one cheaper than that.
"That's just the reality of where we are at."
IN OTHER NEWS:
The Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW says there were 453 complaints received from the Central West region in 2021/22 and that jumped to 581 received in 2022/23.
Of those complaints, billing (defined as problems with managing bills and contracts, including high and estimated bills, tariffs and fees) accounted for 71 per cent of them.
Of the total number of complaints in the Central West region in 2022/23, 87 per cent related to electricity.
The ombudsman said that, across the state, there had been a 22 per cent increase in complaints received in 2022/23 compared with the previous period and the increase "can be largely attributed to external cost of living pressures including significant energy price rises as well as mortgage and rent increases".
The ombudsman said this stress is affecting "more energy and water customers, with many facing affordability challenges for the first time", leading to more customers seeking the ombudsman's assistance.
The rising cost of living was a feature of the passionate public opposition to Bathurst Regional Council's recent proposal to significantly raise the city's rates.
Former councillor Alex Christian emphasised to the Western Advocate in September how stretched Bathurst households had become.
"There's people that can't pay the bills, they can't afford heating, and the local council wants to throw this sort of number out [the proposed rates increase]," he said.
"It's just incredibly disrespectful to the community."
Meanwhile, Steve Medved, the mission team leader for the Salvation Army, told the Advocate in August that many people who are usually able to get by are now struggling to cover their everyday expenses.
On the business side of the equation, George Street trader Tammie Bowden gave an insight in August into her decision to close her Zenzali crystals and wellness products shop.
"Small business is really hard at the moment," she said.
"Electricity prices are huge, the rent went up this year, and it goes up every year with the CPI [consumer price index] and that doesn't reflect the traffic that we're getting through.
"By the time you pay the rent, pay the electricity and the other bills that come through, plus paying someone else to be in here, I've got to earn more than $1500 a week before I actually even earn anything."
Janine Young, the Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW, said cost of living pressures "have affected a growing number of people in regional NSW, many of whom already face additional barriers in accessing support services when compared to consumers from heavily resourced cities".
"Many regional communities across NSW have been hit hard by floods, fires and other crisis events in recent years, and now, cost of living stress has compounded the effects," she said.
"This year we continued to receive complaints from customers whose homes and lives had been devastated, and we're committed to supporting these customers to ensure they can access essential services."
She said an increase in credit complaints from regional areas "paints a concerning picture when we look at the real-life circumstances behind the complaint".
"Customers are accruing more debt and run the risk of being disconnected or credit listed if they can't keep on top of their bills," she said.
"It's important for energy retailers to be proactive in reaching out to consumers experiencing affordability issues, to offer the support they might be entitled to, and to make sure customers are receiving the best deal.
"We want customers from right across NSW to know that we are here for them. If you have a problem you can't work out with your provider, we can review your bill, check your rebate entitlements, talk to retailers about outstanding issues and resolve your complaint. Give us a call."
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