Stock image.
Camera IconStock image. Credit: Supplied/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Synergy customers hit with fee to pay bill at post office

Blair JacksonEastern Reporter

SYNERGY Energy customers will now pay extra for the privilege of paying their bill at the local Australia Post office.

Customers of the utility company will pay $2.10 to pay their bill at the post office.

To receive a paper bill, they shell out $1.27 per invoice.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

Owned by the State Government, Synergy has over one million retail and private customers in WA.

The paper bill fee is to recover costs incurred by Synergy for the delivery of paper bills.

Customers that are concession card holders, over 65 years of age and considered ‘hardship’ customers, are not required to pay either of these fees.

Synergy said the changes are because of a constant need to re-address costs and business practices.

“At Synergy, we need to continually look at how we manage our costs in a way that’s equitable for all of Synergy’s customers,” said Synergy Retail General Manager Geoff Roberts

On radio, Roberts blamed Australia Post for the rising costs.

Australia Post however, said it “does not charge consumers any fees to pay bills at a post office”.

Australia Post said consumers should always have a choice.

“Australia Post firmly believes that consumers should be able to choose which format (eg. paper, digital) they prefer for receiving  communications without being unfairly disadvantaged.”